Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch Message Board

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch

Public Reply Prvt Reply Mark as Last Read File

Previous 10 Next 10 Previous Next

To: portage who wrote (13762)	3/1/2003 1:13:13 PM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) of 89467

Iraq starts destroying banned missiles Iraq has destroyed at least one of its banned Al-Samoud II missiles and will dismantle the rest within a "few days or a very short few weeks", says a senior United Nations official in Baghdad. Dimitri Perricos said another three of the medium-range missiles were scheduled to be destroyed by the end of Saturday under UN supervision at a military base near Baghdad. Mr Perricos also said one of two casting chambers used to build the missiles had been removed, and Iraqi officials said it would be destroyed Sunday. The chief UN weapons inspector, Hans Blix, has described the move as "very significant" but the United States and the UK remain highly sceptical. Saturday was the deadline set by Mr Blix for Iraq to start destroying the missiles, which the UN says breach range limits it imposed after the 1991 Gulf War. The White House was unimpressed with events in Baghdad "Resolution1441 called for complete, total and immediate disarmament. It did not call for pieces of disarmament," said Merci Viana, a presidential spokeswoman. UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw warned Iraq was just trying to split the international community. Iraq insists the missiles overshot their allowed limit only because they were tested without heavy guidance systems or warheads. British intelligence estimates that Iraq has already produced at least 50 al-Samoud II missiles. Nations divided Iraq's agreement in principle to destroy the missiles has been hailed by anti-war countries as proof that Iraq is willing to disarm. Mr Blix said: "This is a very significant piece of real disarmament." In a draft report written before Iraq agreed to destroy the missiles, Mr Blix told the UN Security Council that inspections had produced "very limited results". He formally submitted that report - said to be very similar to the draft - to the UN on Friday evening New York time. But he said his report had been largely overtaken by the Iraqi decision to destroy the al-Samoud missiles. French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin said Iraq's decision on the missiles was an important step in the disarmament of Iraq. "It confirms that inspectors are getting results," he said. In other developments: The Turkish parliament meets in a closed session to vote on whether to allow US forces to use its soil for a possible invasion of Iraq The United Arab Emirates proposes to the Arab League summit in Egypt that Saddam Hussein and fellow leaders should go into exile to avert war UN weapons inspectors conduct their first private interview with Iraqi scientists for three weeks; one was a biologist, another an engineer Pope John Paul has written a message to President Bush outlining his concerns about a possible war in Iraq, and will send a senior cardinal to Washington in the next few days to deliver the letter. Story from BBC NEWS: news.bbc.co.uk

Report TOU Violation

Share This Post

Public Reply Prvt Reply Mark as Last Read File

Previous 10 Next 10 Previous Next