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Politics : Middle East Politics -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Brumar89 who wrote (5326)	12/20/2003 10:47:34 AM
From: rrufff	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 6945

Whether you love Bush or hate him, looks like the strategy is working. Libya to give up WMD Libya has said it will give up its programmes for developing weapons of mass destruction and allow unconditional inspections. President Muammar Gaddafi said that, after months of negotiations with the West, his country was ready to play its role in building a world free from all forms of terrorism, Friday's surprise statement drew immediate praise from Washington and London. UK Prime Minister Tony Blair called the announcement "an historic one and a courageous one". A welcome seasonal present for President Bush and Prime Minister Blair BBC News Online's Paul Reynolds US President George Bush said: "Colonel Gaddafi's's commitment, once fulfilled, will make our country more safe and our world more peaceful." "Leaders who abandon the pursuit of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them will find an open path to better relations with the US and other nations." The US and its allies have long suspected that Libya had secret chemical and biological weapons programmes, but Libya repeatedly denied such allegations saying it only had facilities for pharmaceutical or agricultural research. In 1995, the country reopened its Rabta pharmaceutical plant at Qabilat az Zaribah which, prior to its 1990 closure, had produced up to 100 tons of chemical weapons, according to the US. HAVE YOUR SAY It is an example to all nations that political differences can be resolved peacefully Ahmed Bishari, Tripoli, Libya But chemical weapons production at Libya's underground Tarhuna facility is thought to have been suspended following intense international scrutiny. UK officials believe Libya was close to obtaining a nuclear weapons capability before the deal. Libya says it has now agreed to immediate international monitoring of its facilities. Tripoli also promised to negotiate a new deal with the United Nation's nuclear agency and provide guarantees on biological weapons. Mr Blair said Britain had been engaged in talks with Libya for nine months. ""Libya came to us in March following successful negotiations on Lockerbie to see if it could resolve its weapons of mass destruction issue in a similarly co-operative manner," he said. Friday's decision entitled Libya to rejoin the international community, Mr Blair said. "It shows that problems of proliferation can, with good will, be tackled through discussion and engagement, to be followed up by the responsible international agencies. "It demonstrates that countries can abandon programmes voluntarily and peacefully." Mr Blair contrasted Libya's voluntary relinquishment of weapons of mass destruction with Iraq's defiance, which led to military action and the toppling of leader Saddam Hussein. During three weeks in October and early December, a team of experts from Britain and the US had visited Libya and gained access to projects, including uranium enrichment, under way at more than 10 sites. The team had also been shown "significant quantities" of chemical agent and bombs designed to carry it, British officials said. The Libyan Government said it had shown the experts equipment that could have been used to develop "internationally banned weapons". It said it had now decided to abandon the programme of its own "free will " and to admit weapons inspectors. Libya called on other countries to follow its lead. It said: "By taking this initiative, (Libya) wants all countries to follow its steps, starting with the Middle East, without any exception or double standards." BBC world affairs editor John Simpson says Libya has not been at the centre of the war on terror, but has always been regarded as a "friend of terrorists" - and had, for example, helped the IRA in the 1970s. BBC Jerusalem correspondent James Reynolds said Israel would be "surprised and relieved" by the announcement. "Israel's main hope will be that the announcement puts additional pressure on Iran." But he added: "It may also refocus attention on Israel's own nuclear weapons programme." Story from BBC NEWS: news.bbc.co.uk Published: 2003/12/20 05:13:16 GMT © BBC MMIII

To: Brumar89 who wrote (5326)	12/20/2003 10:59:54 AM
From: rrufff	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 6945

Courtesy of Lorne on another thread. Saudi Columnist: 'America is a Liberator and not an Occupier... Bush will Go Down in Arab History as the Liberator of Baghdad' December 19, 2003 No.631 memri.org In a column in the Saudi daily Arab News, columnist Dr. Muhammad Al-Rasheed praised the American capture of Saddam Hussein, and hailed President Bush as a liberator. The following are excerpts from his column: [1] "Beware the march of history or the ides of March, whichever appeals to you. Those who have eyes and ears will learn from the demise of Saddam Hussein and the pathetic pictures shown to the world. Gone are the palaces, the swagger, the mindless ruthlessness, the endless resources of money and men. Nothing is left but a shabby old man, who is now as pathetic as his rise and fall had been tragic and murderous. "Dictators and murderers are a breed apart. The lucky ones die in office. The majority live to suffer the humiliation and anger of their victims and those who survived them. Count with me and fill in the blanks as you wish: The Shah, Bokassa, Idi Amin, Ceausescu, Sese Seko of Zaire, Hitler, Mussolini, the Soviet apparatus, and last but not least, Saddam, the son of Hussein. The most notable of this lot were the most courageous: Nero and Hitler. At least Nero had the courage to fall on his sword and lament that Rome was losing a 'great artist.' I wonder who is next. "The jubilation in Baghdad put the Arab media to shame. America, for this brief moment at least… is a liberator and not an occupier. I can't help being smug, since what I saw gave me back some confidence in the possibility of justice in this world. I had almost lost hope. It took George Bush to give me that back. I don't agree with him on many things, and while many Americans share my stand, I'll give the man his due. He will go down in Arab history as the liberator of Baghdad, even if the whole mission in Iraq comes to nothing more than this. "… The reality we have to face is the fact that it took Americans to relieve Baghdad of its dictator. Arab impotence recorded a new low. I might sound naive but I would like to ask where the 'freedom fighters,' 'the resistance,' 'the strugglers for the freedom of Iraq' were when that man ran amok. Having delivered Saddam, the Americans will have to deliver Iraq. Shouldn't we now be wise enough to give them at least a chance, if not a real helping hand? "We started this business of post-September 11th by jousting with the Americans loudly and virulently. We could not believe that any of our sort would behave in such barbaric ways. The truth became clearer with time. Regardless of the reason for the American intervention in Iraq, the end result couldn't have been happier for the Iraqis or more loaded with hope for other Arabs.