Why not just post the text for all to read and see, rather than alluding that those paragraphs somehow rescinded the language of 678?
12.Decides to convene immediately upon receipt of a report in accordance with paragraphs 4 or 11 above, in order to consider the situation and the need for full compliance with all of the relevant Council resolutions in order to secure international peace and security;
“13.Recalls, in that context, that the Council has repeatedly warned Iraq that it will face serious consequences as a result of its continued violations of its obligations;
They received the report on March 7th, 2003 and there remained, by UNMOVIC's OWN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, numerous remaining issues of non-compliance, including full accounting of nerve and biological agents.
Here.. read Hans Blixes own words about the level of non-compliance on the part of Saddam's regime:
Iraq, with a highly developed administrative system, should be able to provide more documentary evidence about its proscribed weapons programmes. Only a few new such documents have come to light so far and been handed over since we began inspections. It was a disappointment that Iraq’s Declaration of 7 December did not bring new documentary evidence. I hope that efforts in this respect, including the appointment of a governmental commission, will give significant results. When proscribed items are deemed unaccounted for it is above all credible accounts that is needed – or the proscribed items, if they exist.
Noel, we found millions of documents over there (over 24 million scanned upon my departure from there). Documents, many that should have been immediately available, only discovered after risking the lives of our soldiers and civilians as we sent out our Mobile Collection Teams to various warehouses where they had been hidden by the Iraqis government. We lost MCT members in a boobytrapped cache of documents in April 2004, in fact.
Now if Iraq was planning on complying with UNMOVIC, why were those documents hidden in the first place and not disclosed to the inspection teams?? HELLO???!!!!
But let's go on.....
Where authentic documents do not become available, interviews with persons, who may have relevant knowledge and experience, may be another way of obtaining evidence. UNMOVIC has names of such persons in its records and they are among the people whom we seek to interview. In the last month, Iraq has provided us with the names of many persons, who may be relevant sources of information, in particular, persons who took part in various phases of the unilateral destruction of biological and chemical weapons, and proscribed missiles in 1991. The provision of names prompts two reflections:
The first is that with such detailed information existing regarding those who took part in the unilateral destruction, surely there must also remain records regarding the quantities and other data concerning the various items destroyed.
The second reflection is that with relevant witnesses available it becomes even more important to be able to conduct interviews in modes and locations, which allow us to be confident that the testimony is given without outside influence. While the Iraqi side seems to have encouraged interviewees not to request the presence of Iraqi officials (so-called minders) or the taping of the interviews, conditions ensuring the absence of undue influences are difficult to attain inside Iraq. Interviews outside the country might provide such assurance. It is our intention to request such interviews shortly. Nevertheless, despite remaining shortcomings, interviews are useful. Since we started requesting interviews, 38 individuals were asked for private interviews, of which 10 accepted under our terms, 7 of these during the last week.
Note that Blix, even after 90 days is SEEKING to interview these people who were involved in Iraq's WMD programs. WHY hadn't Iraq lined these people up for the inspectors to interview RIGHT AWAY??!! Why the continued non-cooperation??
If Saddam's government were TRULY desirous of complying with UN resolutions, there should be NO issue of "undue influence" (intimidation and threats against the family of the person being interviewed). Just let it "all hang out" and accept the repercussions of the information being made public.
But what was most damning about Blix's report was his assertion that Iraq's fanatical record keeping obsession (a hallmark of most corrupt and totalitarian surveillance regimes where the government watches everyone, since they are potential rivals and opponents), is the lack of apparent documentation to the activities and personnel files of those who participated in the WMD programs.
UNMOVIC was created to INSPECT, not SEARCH FOR, or DECIPHER, or perform INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING. (and neither was UNSCOM, for that matter).
IT WAS NOT aimed to give a group of individuals a long-lasting investigative occupation trying to play "cat and mouse", or more appropriately, "hide and seek" with Saddam's intransigent regime.
Bottom line Noel.. UNSC 1441 was Iraq's LAST CHANCE to come into full compliance with it's disarmament obligations under UNSC 687. It was not intended to provide Saddam another opportunity to "toe the line" and do only the least most necessary to comply, and that, only after being caught red-handed through some form of investigative or intelligence related process..
I guess that's the difference you and I must have. 1441 was a "stop the BS and Comply, or else" resolution...
But for so many others, it was merely either an inconvenient legal formality, or an opportunity to permit the UN resolution process face further humiliation at the hands of an aggressive, totalitarian megalo-maniac.
Btw, regarding paragraphs 12 and 13.. Where does it say that the UNSC must meet once more to pass an authorization to use force resolution?
It only says it will meet and consider the situation and that Iraq will face "Serious Consequences" if it fails to comply in the stated period of time.
And it didn't comply, and it faced the consequences..
Hawk |
