http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/02/27/sprj.irq.main/index.html Iraq says it will destroy missiles But no indication deadline will be met UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Iraq has informed the United Nations that it will comply with an instruction from chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix to destroy missiles that have been deemed illegal under U.N. sanctions. However, in a letter received by the United Nations late Thursday, Iraq asked for talks on how the Al Samoud 2 missiles, should be destroyed. The letter gives no indication that the destruction will begin ahead of the Saturday deadline given by Blix. U.N. experts determined that the missiles have a range beyond the 150 kilometers (93 miles) allowed under U.N. resolutions. In the letter, Iraq said it does not know how to destroy the weapons and wants a technical mission to discuss the details, and repeated its contention that the order is unfair. Meanwhile, Blix will recommend steps Iraq can take to resolve several disarmament issues, in a report to be given to the Security Council Saturday. Blix: Results very limited In the draft report, Blix notes that so far, Baghdad's actions to comply with the United Nations demand to disarm "have been very limited." "During the period of time covered by this report, Iraq could have made greater efforts to find remaining proscribed items, or credible evidence showing the absence of such items," said part of a draft copy of the report, which covers the period from December 1- March 1. "The results in terms of disarmament have been very limited so far," the draft report says. CNN obtained excerpts of the draft report, which is due Saturday but will be distributed to council members Friday night. "UNMOVIC is finalizing their internal document of some importance, namely a list of disarmament issues, which it considers currently unresolved, and the measures Iraq could take to resolve them, either by presenting proscribed stocks and items, or by providing convincing evidence that no such stocks or items exist," the draft says. Blix writes that even if Baghdad begins to cooperate in earnest with inspectors, the complete disarmament of Iraq will take time. "Under Resolution 1284, Iraq was required to provide cooperation in all respects to UNMOVIC and IAEA ... while the objective of the cooperation under this resolution, as under Resolution 1441 is the attainment without delay of verified disarmament, it is the cooperation that must be immediate, unconditional and active. Without the required cooperation, disarmament and its verification will be problematic, however, even with the requisite cooperation it will inevitably require some time." He said Iraq has been slow in getting started. "The destruction of missiles requested has not yet begun. Iraq could have made full use of the declaration which was submitted on 7 December. It is hard to understand why a number of the measures which are now being taken, could not have been initiated earlier. If they had been taken earlier, they might have borne fruit by now," Blix writes in the draft. The chief inspector also noted that Baghdad is only lately taking some steps to comply with weapons inspectors. "It is only by the middle of January and thereafter that Iraq has taken a number of steps which have the potential of resulting either in the presentation for destruction of stocks or items that are proscribed or the presentation of relevant evidence solving long-standing unresolved disarm issues."
Should have been expected. They'll drag their feet as much as possible to get as much 'credit' for anything they do.
advice on how to destroy the missles? Saddam just keeps biding time so he can keep those missles to use in a war that is sure to come any week now.
I hate to say I told you so, but this is exactly what I said he would do on Monday. His game is too obvious, and its getting tired. He waited unril the threat of action to let the inspectors in, and he keeps pushing everything to the deadline for 2 reasons. 1) He does not want to appear weak to his own contry by complying immediately with all that is asked of him 2) He wants to make it look to the world of protesters like he is giving ground thus building additional anti action support. Its old, its tired, and its time to go! posted in: http://bbs.clutchcity.net/php3/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52493
But don't you see, TheHorns? The weapons inspections are actually working!.... There is reason 3. More delay gives him more preperation and planning for this war. To him, winning means getting a high kill count and living to tell about it.
They are? Where is the VX, Anthrax and other bio / chem weapons they failed prove destroyed but were acknowledged to have had?
Oh, that dastardly Sadam! If we don't attack quick he might actually disarm and then all we'll have left to argue is, world domination, oil, Israel, Bush's desire to do it for many years or whatever is left. Quick, attack before he disarms!
I'm as left as they come but even I can see the games this guy is playing... trying to hold on to his arsenal as long as possible.
Based on what has happened so far and not on what will or may happen, wouldn't you agree that Bush's stance has worked? Inspectors are being allowed in when they haven't been before. Iraq has allowed U.S. U2 spy planes to do fly overs. Iraq has apparently agreed to destroy missiles. All without a single bullet being fired or bomb being dropped. Do you think all of this would have happened if Bush had not launched the tough rhetoric? Granted, war may still occur, but it hasn't yet. Tell me, at this point in time (not based on what may or may not happen in the future) what has Bush done wrong with respect to Irag and Hussein?
How did Iraq ever destroy their biological and chemical weapons if they need advice on how to destroy their Al Samoud 2 missiles? Hmm....does not compute. They don't know how to destroy missiles other than to fire them at someone I guess. Funny how one or two of those other missiles just turned up out of the blue possibly filled with some kind of chemical agents(was it the R-400 or something?). Where are the other 398 of them? Something stinks...
