Oil?

[sexual_chocolate]

I don't know....Seems pretty obvious to me. Any other possibilities that a cogent mind might proffer?

 

 

U.S. Guilty of 'Double Standards' on Iraq - Butler

Tue Jan 28, 5:29 AM ET

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Former U.N. arms inspector Richard Butler said Tuesday that Washington was promoting "shocking double standards" in considering taking unilateral military action to rid Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction.

 

Butler, who led U.N. inspection teams in Iraq until Baghdad kicked them out in 1998, said Iraqi President Saddam Hussein undoubtedly possessed weapons of mass destruction, and was trying to "cheat" his way again out of the latest U.N. demand to disarm.

 

But a U.S. attack, without United Nations backing, and without any effort to curb the possession of weapons of mass destruction globally, would be a contravention of international law and sharpen the divide between Arabs and the West.

 

"The spectacle of the United States, armed with its weapons of mass destruction, acting without Security Council authority to invade a country in the heartland of Arabia and, if necessary, use its weapons of mass destruction to win that battle, is something that will so deeply violate any notion of fairness in this world that I strongly suspect it could set loose forces that we would deeply live to regret," Butler said.

 

Butler's successor as the chief U.N. weapons inspector in Iraq, Hans Blix, reported Monday to the 15-member Security Council that Baghdad had only reluctantly complied with its latest demand to disarm.

 

Washington is pressing the United Nations to take firm action but says it is prepared to go it alone and has amassed a considerable military force in the region.

 

Butler, addressing a conservative Australian think-tank, The Sydney Institute, said the stated U.S. motive -- to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction -- lacked credibility because of Washington's failure to deal with others on the same terms.

 

Countries such as Syria are suspected of possessing chemical or biological warfare capabilities, he said.

 

U.S. allies Israel, Pakistan and India have nuclear arsenals but have not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

 

The United States and other permanent Security Council members were themselves the possessors of the world's largest quantities of nuclear weapons, he said.

 

"Why are they permitting the persistence of such shocking double standards?" Butler said.

 

He said that, instead of beating the drums of war, the United States should propose an international mechanism -- similar to the Security Council -- to enforce the application of the three main conventions controlling the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weaponry.

 

It should also take the lead by reducing its own stockpiles.

 

"I hope we don't have to await the train wreck before we decide to change history," Butler said.

 

 

 

 

[allthumbs]

I think war with Iraq may be a necessary evil, but that the President is a little too eager to shed blood. It's almost as if the present President Bush is saying, "I'm gonna finish what my Daddy started and should have done."

 

I think that the UN needs to force the issue on over flights by TR-1s (rebuilt and modernized U2 aircraft). But then we all also know that the UN is a toothless organization. We are somewhat befuddled by Germany's response and nonplused by France’s response.

 

I also don't think 200,000 troops are enough - we had twice that size force in Desert Storm. Plus we had allies on our side. Even the French and Germans contributed. We haven't started bombing yet. Bombing was an important factor that weakened any Iraqi will to fight. Another big difference is that Iraqi soldiers were in a foreign area, cut off from supplies. It is an entirely different thing when you are on your home ground and your supplies are right there with you.

 

None of us favor this war. But if we are going to do it, let's get on with it and quit farting around. Yes, the threat of the use of force has been helpful to get the inspectors in. But then again, we are threatening a guy who tells his people THEY won the Gulf War.

 

[Greg_W]

I agree with Trask's statements, but I don't think it's about oil, SC. If it were, we'd be hammering on the Saudis a lot harder; they have all the oil in that region. I think I read somewhere that Iraq only has something like 18% of the oil reserves in that region. I think Trask's assertions are closer to the real reason. However, as I've stated on this board before, GW is in danger of making the same mistake that George Sr. made: ignoring the domestic issues at home that everyone is REALLY concerned about during his chase of Saddam.

[Bronco]

To respond to the original post, I've been told by someone who lived in S. Korea for a few years that the N. Koreans are simply attempting to renegotiate the aid package they got under Clinton. They realized that Bush has his hands full with other issues and might just roll over and give them what they want, more stuff.

 

More COFFEE!

[allthumbs]

Bronco, I hope it's something that innocuous.