Bush tries to calm allies as criticism grows
By Peter Slevin in Washington
March 20, 2004
The White House moved to reassure its nervous European partners as President George Bush faced new criticism from Poland over the decision to wage war against Iraq.
In the latest challenge by allies to the rationale for the US-led invasion, the Polish President, Aleksander Kwasniewski, said on Thursday that he felt "uncomfortable due to the fact that we were misled with the misinformation on weapons of mass destruction".
His complaints about prewar intelligence added to a tough week for the US, which is trying to highlight achievements in Iraq one year after the invasion.
Mr Kwasniewski had allied his country closely with the US in the war, and this is the first time he has publicly criticised the operation. But he did not seem to signal any shift in policy for Poland, which earlier promised that its 2500 troops would remain in Iraq.
Another US ally, South Korea, yesterday cancelled plans to send troops to the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, citing US pressure to take part in "offensive operations" that are contrary to Seoul's mission of peaceful reconstruction. The South Korean Defence Ministry said it was looking for a new location to send the 3600 troops it has promised to aid in rebuilding the country.
Ever since last week's terrorist attacks in Madrid and the election that swept away the Spanish government that supported the Iraq war, Mr Bush and his senior foreign policy aides have been on the phones trying to reassure their allies. It was an effort to "keep people calm", an official said.
Mr Kwasniewski, who acknowledged his country's growing discomfort with its military role in Iraq, did not directly blame the US, faulting intelligence lapses instead. But he did not back away from the word misled, repeating it later in the day, even after it was reported as criticism of the war effort.
He also suggested that as progress was being made in Iraq it might be possible to begin withdrawing Polish troops at the beginning of next year - earlier than previous estimates.
South Korea's Defence Ministry said the US had proposed stationing a US contingent in Kirkuk under South Korean command to conduct offensive operations to stabilise the city.
However, South Korea said in a statement that this went against parliament's peace-keeping and reconstruction mandate for the mission.
Meanwhile, a US congressional committee has heard Saddam Hussein's former government pocketed more than $US10 billion ($13 billion) from the United Nations oil for food program. The figure, given in evidence by the US General Accounting Office, is $US3.5 billion more than previously estimated.
The evidence came as the UN announced it was widening an investigation into allegations of corruption by UN officials. The Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, has ordered a preliminary investigation, although he said he had seen no evidence of wrongdoing.
A spokesman for al-Qaeda reportedly claimed responsibility for a suicide car bombing outside the Mount Lebanon Hotel in central Baghdad on Wednesday that killed seven people.
This story was found at: smh.com.au |
