ShiningIce
3rd Level Green Feather
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2002
- Messages
- 4,703
- Points
- 36
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration responded cautiously Thursday to the discovery of chemical warheads in Iraq. But it insisted that Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) is in violation of U.N. resolutions irrespective of whether the warheads turn out to be the "smoking gun" that has eluded U.N. inspectors thus far.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer (news - web sites) said the administration was assessing the discovery and would be deliberate about reacting to it. Another spokesman, Scott McClellan, said, "We look forward to receiving information from the inspectors,"
The disclosure could change the dynamic of the debate over Iraq at the United Nations (news - web sites) if the discovery represents clear evidence of an Iraqi violation.
Such a conclusion could strengthen the administration's stand as it seeks support from countries inflexibly opposed to military action against Iraq, an administration official said.
The administration has insisted for weeks that Iraq conduct has been unlawful.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the inspectors themselves have indicated that Iraq has failed in a number of areas to cooperate fully with U.N. Security Council requirements.
"There's no point in continuing forever, going on, if Iraq is not cooperating," Boucher said.
The comments came against a background of strong sentiment in Europe that a military attack against Iraq should not take place without the specific endorsement of the Security Council.
The administration believes that a U.N. blessing is not necessary and is prepared to take action without it, in concert with like-minded countries.
The Pentagon (news - web sites), meanwhile, continued its war preparations, saying it might dispatch three more aircraft carriers to the region.
By stationing carriers in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, Navy fighter-bombers would be in position to attack from three directions, complicating Iraq's effort to defend its airspace.
European Union (news - web sites) foreign policy chief Javier Solana has said he cannot see how a war against Iraq can start without clear evidence that Iraq pursues biological, chemical and nuclear arms — all forbidden by the U.N.
He has not said what his position would be if such evidence were uncovered.
But he has said it is the general view of EU members that a military strike against Iraq should have the prior endorsement of the Security Council. That also is the view of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites).
A senior administration official, speaking to reporters in Germany on Thursday on condition that he not be identified, said countries that support that view only encourage Saddam Hussein not to cooperate with the inspectors.
In Iraq, the U.N. inspectors said they found the empty chemical warheads at an ammunition storage area 75 miles south of Baghdad.
U.S. officials said the warheads are evidence of an Iraqi weapons program but may not be a significant find unless a chemical agent is detected.
They said key questions include whether any chemical weapons were ever loaded into the warheads, and, if so, when. Serial numbers should tell inspectors where and when the warheads were made, one defense official said.
Boucher said he had not been informed by the time of his briefing of the chemical warheads find in Iraq but added the news did not surprise him.
Sen. Richard Shelby (news, bio, voting record), R-Ala., agreed. "Nothing that comes out of Iraq should surprise anyone," he said.
Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz., said, "Iraq's determination to threaten the world with weapons of mass destruction appears once again to have been aptly demonstrated."
Boucher, making the case that time is running out on Saddam, said the Iraqi leader has failed to comply with 16 Security Council resolution and appears to be going on 17.
"He's failed every time," Boucher said.
He added, however, that Jan. 27 — the date when the next U.N. inspectors' report is due — should not be viewed as a deadline for an attack.
He said the Security Council will first consider the question of whether Iraq is in compliance with the resolution. Only afterward, would the Council decide on next steps, he said.
The chief U.N. inspector, Hans Blix, believes that, in addition to the Jan. 27 report, he has a March 27 deadline to issue another, based on 1999 language that set up the U.N. inspection team.
Boucher declined to describe the U.S. view of that deadline but other officials said they believe it should be disregarded because it could be used by U.S. critics as an excuse to delay a confrontation with Iraq.
Former Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph Biden, D-Del., said the administration should respect the March deadline.
Biden said he saw little chance that in the next few months, Saddam would develop a nuclear weapon or pose a threat with chemical or biological weapons.
"So what's the immediate threat?" he asked. He added that Jan. 27 was never intended as a "drop-dead date."
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer (news - web sites) said the administration was assessing the discovery and would be deliberate about reacting to it. Another spokesman, Scott McClellan, said, "We look forward to receiving information from the inspectors,"
The disclosure could change the dynamic of the debate over Iraq at the United Nations (news - web sites) if the discovery represents clear evidence of an Iraqi violation.
Such a conclusion could strengthen the administration's stand as it seeks support from countries inflexibly opposed to military action against Iraq, an administration official said.
The administration has insisted for weeks that Iraq conduct has been unlawful.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the inspectors themselves have indicated that Iraq has failed in a number of areas to cooperate fully with U.N. Security Council requirements.
"There's no point in continuing forever, going on, if Iraq is not cooperating," Boucher said.
The comments came against a background of strong sentiment in Europe that a military attack against Iraq should not take place without the specific endorsement of the Security Council.
The administration believes that a U.N. blessing is not necessary and is prepared to take action without it, in concert with like-minded countries.
The Pentagon (news - web sites), meanwhile, continued its war preparations, saying it might dispatch three more aircraft carriers to the region.
By stationing carriers in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, Navy fighter-bombers would be in position to attack from three directions, complicating Iraq's effort to defend its airspace.
European Union (news - web sites) foreign policy chief Javier Solana has said he cannot see how a war against Iraq can start without clear evidence that Iraq pursues biological, chemical and nuclear arms — all forbidden by the U.N.
He has not said what his position would be if such evidence were uncovered.
But he has said it is the general view of EU members that a military strike against Iraq should have the prior endorsement of the Security Council. That also is the view of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites).
A senior administration official, speaking to reporters in Germany on Thursday on condition that he not be identified, said countries that support that view only encourage Saddam Hussein not to cooperate with the inspectors.
In Iraq, the U.N. inspectors said they found the empty chemical warheads at an ammunition storage area 75 miles south of Baghdad.
U.S. officials said the warheads are evidence of an Iraqi weapons program but may not be a significant find unless a chemical agent is detected.
They said key questions include whether any chemical weapons were ever loaded into the warheads, and, if so, when. Serial numbers should tell inspectors where and when the warheads were made, one defense official said.
Boucher said he had not been informed by the time of his briefing of the chemical warheads find in Iraq but added the news did not surprise him.
Sen. Richard Shelby (news, bio, voting record), R-Ala., agreed. "Nothing that comes out of Iraq should surprise anyone," he said.
Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz., said, "Iraq's determination to threaten the world with weapons of mass destruction appears once again to have been aptly demonstrated."
Boucher, making the case that time is running out on Saddam, said the Iraqi leader has failed to comply with 16 Security Council resolution and appears to be going on 17.
"He's failed every time," Boucher said.
He added, however, that Jan. 27 — the date when the next U.N. inspectors' report is due — should not be viewed as a deadline for an attack.
He said the Security Council will first consider the question of whether Iraq is in compliance with the resolution. Only afterward, would the Council decide on next steps, he said.
The chief U.N. inspector, Hans Blix, believes that, in addition to the Jan. 27 report, he has a March 27 deadline to issue another, based on 1999 language that set up the U.N. inspection team.
Boucher declined to describe the U.S. view of that deadline but other officials said they believe it should be disregarded because it could be used by U.S. critics as an excuse to delay a confrontation with Iraq.
Former Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph Biden, D-Del., said the administration should respect the March deadline.
Biden said he saw little chance that in the next few months, Saddam would develop a nuclear weapon or pose a threat with chemical or biological weapons.
"So what's the immediate threat?" he asked. He added that Jan. 27 was never intended as a "drop-dead date."
