U.S. to introduce 2nd Iraq resolution to U.N. next week
URL:http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-02-20-iraq-usat_x.htm
By Jim Drinkard, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — The United States will bring a new resolution to the United Nations Security Council next week that would clear the way for an invasion of Iraq, officials said.
With Britain, it will then work for two to three weeks to round up the nine votes on the council that would be needed to pass a resolution. The two nations also will try to blunt opposition from France, which has threatened to veto war plans.
"Denial and endless delay in the face of growing danger is not an option," President Bush said in Atlanta. "If war is forced upon us, we will liberate the people of Iraq from a cruel and violent dictator."
U.S. officials said the new resolution will declare that Iraq is in "further material breach" of an earlier Security Council resolution calling on Baghdad to disarm or face "serious consequences." The term "material breach" can provide legal justification for military action.
The U.S. strategy is to introduce a brief, simple resolution that then could be amended by other nations to build support on a final vote.
But corralling the necessary votes won't be easy. In addition to France, Russia has been critical of the U.S. push for war. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Thursday that U.N. weapons inspectors are being pressured to come up with findings that could provide a rationale for war against Iraq. He said countries should seek "to help rather than put pressure" on the inspectors.
In addition, dozens of African countries lined up behind France's push to allow more time for inspections after a meeting in Paris. Three African states — Guinea, Cameroon and Angola — are temporary members of the 15-nation Security Council.
International public opinion is strongly against war, and a new USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll found shrinking support at home. Only 30% of Americans say they would support an invasion without U.N. approval, down 9 percentage points from a poll earlier this month. The survey of 1,002 adults, taken Monday to Wednesday, had a margin of error of +/-3 percentage points.
The standoff between Turkey and the United States continued Thursday over a U.S. request to use Turkey as the staging area for an attack on Iraq from the north.
Turkish Economy Minister Ali Babacan said that the dispute should be resolved "within the coming days." Turkey was holding out for an aid package upward of $30 billion to offset the impact a war would have on its economy.
The United States said its offer of $6 billion in direct aid and $20 billion in loan guarantees was final. But Secretary of State Colin Powell added that there might be "creative things we can do" to win Turkey's agreement. Any deal would need to be ratified by Turkey's parliament, which doesn't meet until Tuesday.
Five U.S. cargo ships laden with equipment for the Army's 4th Infantry Division were waiting to unload at Turkish ports, and many supply ships were expected to follow. Turkey's assent is the key to plans to open a northern front in any attack on Iraq. War planners say the strategy would save lives and make a war shorter and less damaging to Turkey's economy.
Turkey also is seeking written guarantees that the United States will grant it military access to northern Iraq, an area where autonomous Kurdish rule has flourished under protection of an allied no-fly zone. No-fly zones are forbidden to Iraqi aircraft.
Turkey is worried about the impact it could feel if an invasion ousts Saddam Hussein from power, and Kurdish populations are granted even more freedom. The Turks want to make sure that whatever happens in Iraq does not revive Kurdish separatists within Turkey and trigger a civil war.
Contributing: Laurence McQuillan, Barbara Slavin, wire reports |
