Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

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.

Pastimes : GET THE U.S. OUT of The U.N NOW! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: calgal who wrote (311)	9/21/2002 11:11:16 PM
From: calgal	Respond to of 411

Iraq Rejects New U.N. Resolutions Sat Sep 21, 7:29 PM ET By SAMEER N. YACOUB, Associated Press Writer URL: story.news.yahoo.com BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A defiant Iraq said Saturday it will not abide by a U.N. resolution imposing new conditions in the weapons inspections issue or threatening war, while in Kuwait a top U.S. general said his forces are ready to attack Iraq if called on. The sharp words come as America and Britain try to overcome Russian, Chinese and French resistance to a new U.N. resolution threatening Iraq with war if it does not destroy its weapons of mass destruction. It also follows news that President Bush ( news - web sites) has received a detailed set of military options to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ( news - web sites) and neutralize his most dangerous weapons. A highly classified plan was delivered to Bush by Gen. Tommy Franks in September and will undergo refinements in the weeks ahead, a U.S. official said Saturday on condition of anonymity. Franks, speaking in Kuwait, said U.S. soldiers have been training closely with Gulf allies recently and are ready to act against Iraq if Bush gives the order to do so. Asked if U.S. forces were ready for war, Franks said: "We are prepared to undertake whatever activities and whatever actions we may be directed to take by our nation." But, he noted at a press conference Saturday wrapping up a three-day visit, "our president has not made a decision to go to war." Baghdad's announcement that it would not back any new U.N. resolutions was made during a meeting between Saddam, Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan and other senior Iraqi officials. It did not say when the meeting took place. "American officials are trying, according to the media, to issue new, bad resolutions from the Security Council. Iraq declares it will not deal with any new resolution that contradicts what has been agreed upon with the U.N. Secretary General," said the brief announcement, which was carried on state-run Iraqi radio. The Iraqi statement did not elaborate, but Baghdad is believed to oppose any new U.N. resolution that includes the threat of military strikes on Iraq or a change to the weapons inspections regime or the oil-for-food program. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld expressed little surprise at Iraq's reaction. "Anyone who has watched the past decade has seen the Iraqi government defy some 16 U.N. resolutions and change their position depending on what they thought was tactically advantageous to them and kind of jerk the United Nations ( news - web sites) around," he told CNN. "So it is no surprise at all." At the White House, Sean McCormack, a National Security Council spokesman, said Iraq's position that it will not comply with future resolutions is "very disappointing." "We are working very hard within the international community and specifically in the United Nations to address in an effective way the issue of Iraqi noncompliance," he said. "As the president has said, this is an important test of the United Nation's resolve." Iraq on Monday announced it would accept the unconditional return of weapons inspectors nearly four years after they left. Washington said the move was designed to divide the Security Council and Bush has dismissed it as a ploy and has not ruled out unilateral American military action. Existing Security Council resolutions give weapons inspectors 60 days from when they begin work in Iraq to give the council a work program. Once the program is approved and the inspectors and International Atomic Energy Agency becomes operational, Iraq will need to cooperate and comply for 120 days. Western diplomats have said the new U.S.-British draft would tighten the amount of time Iraq has to comply and include new instructions for weapons inspectors.

To: calgal who wrote (311)	9/21/2002 11:12:51 PM
From: calgal	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 411

The Latest Developments: URL: usatoday.com 09/21/2002 - Updated 10:43 AM ET Background on Iraq LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ON IRAQ • U.S. troops are increasing their training with friendly forces in the Persian Gulf and are ready to act against Iraq if called upon, Gen. Tommy Franks, the head of U.S. Central Command, said Saturday. Franks, who oversaw U.S. military action in Afghanistan, acknowledged increased military exercises in the Gulf region. Further U.S.-Kuwaiti amphibious, ground, air and naval training exercises were expected to begin this month. • Iraq on Saturday rejected U.S. efforts to secure a U.N. resolution threatening war, with Iraqi state-run radio announcing Baghdad will not abide by unfavorable new resolutions adopted by the U.N. Security Council. • President Bush declared in an aggressive new national security strategy Friday that the United States will stop any adversary challenging America's military superiority and adopt a strike-first policy against terrorist threats "before they're fully formed." The 35-page document, titled "The National Security Strategy of the United States of America," marks the end to the deterrent military strategy that dominated the Cold War and officially shifts the country to a pre-emptive policy that Bush first outlined at West Point in June. • Russia is leaving the door slightly open to compromise as the Bush administration insists on a new U.N. resolution to threaten Iraq with war if it does not disarm. Russia's decision could turn on whether it gets new and convincing evidence that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is building up stockpiles of dangerous weapons. • The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N's nuclear watchdog, put its 18-member core team on alert after Iraq's announcement this week that it would accept the inspectors' return. The team could leave as soon as the U.N. Security Council clears the mission and visa and travel arrangements are nailed down. Hans Blix, chief U.N. weapons inspector, told the Security Council Thursday that if all goes well at talks scheduled with the Iraqis in Vienna for Sept. 30, he could have an advance team on the ground by Oct. 15 and that some early inspections could be conducted soon afterward. • Edmund Stoiber, the conservative challenger to Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, would not question the United States' use of its own bases in Germany for an attack on Iraq. A spokesman helped clarify Stoiber's stance, shared in a TV interview Thursday. Stoiber was asked if he would allow Germany to be used as strategic staging ground for a war on Iraq, and replied, "Certainly never if the Americans go it alone." •Iraq is free of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, Saddam Hussein told the United Nations in a speech read Thursday by his foreign minister. The White House dismissed the speech as a "disappointing failure." The comments were the first attributed to the Iraqi leader since Iraq's surprise announcement this week that it would accept the unconditional return of international weapons inspectors. The decision, which followed a tough speech on Iraq last week by President Bush, has divided the major powers on the U.N. Security Council. •Congress must authorize the use of military force against Iraq before the U.N. Security Council votes on the issue, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told Congress Wednesday. Rumsfeld's testimony came shortly after President Bush said Saddam is "not going to fool anybody" with his promise to admit weapons inspectors and predicted the United Nations will rally behind his Iraq policy despite signs of unease. • The United States and Britain began drafting a new resolution on Iraq on Wednesday aimed at authorizing the use of force should Baghdad fail to comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions, Western diplomats said. The draft may be ready by next week and then circulated to the three other permanent members of the Security Council - France, Russia and China - one of the diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press. • The return of U.N. weapons inspectors to Iraq could delay or complicate U.S. military action there because of the narrow window when the weather is suitable for ground attacks, military analysts say. U.S. officials the ideal time for launching such action is late fall through early spring, when temperatures are moderate enough for ground troops to travel in heavy armored vehicles and wear bulky suits to protect against chemical or biological weapons. Iraq said Monday it would allow unconditional weapons inspections. The process could take months as United Nations teams arrive and begin their work. The effect for the Pentagon could be a delayed opportunity to strike.