MILLIYET- Columnist Sami Kohen writes on recent developments regarding the Iraq issue. A summary of his column is as follows:
There are insistent rumors in Washington diplomatic circles that US President George W. Bush has his mind set on striking Iraq, either sooner or later. Until recently, diplomatic circles were predicting that Bush was planning to go to war next January or February. However, there are now certain signs that this date might be earlier than expected. For instance, the US might strike Iraq soon after November’s US congressional elections or at the beginning of December. These predictions are based on certain observations. President Bush is currently trying to ratchet up the threat of military action against Iraq on both the domestic and international fronts. He on the one hand has urged Congress to authorize him to use any means necessary to disarm and oust Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein if the United Nations fails to deal with him, and on the other accelerated US preparations for war. The US army is continuing to get prepared stealthily. There are feverish preparations afoot, especially in Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, as well as in a number of US bases in Europe. Can Saddam Hussein’s recent offer to readmit UN arms inspections without any conditions prevent the US from waging a war in Iraq? There is now a war of words between circles supporting Bush’s doctrine allowing for a ‘preemptive’ strike against Iraq and others strongly opposing such action. For example, former Vice President Al Gore recently said that any unilateral action the Bush administration might take against Saddam could distract from the war on terrorism. However, nobody, for the time being, seems capable of persuading Bush not to launch a military intervention in Iraq. Washington is insistent on its argument that Saddam’s regime should end. But will Saddam just pack his bags and leave Iraq? No, he won’t. That’s why Bush believes that there is no alternative besides a military strike. ‘The sooner the better,’ goes Bush’s reasoning. By the way, most of the US’ closest allies except for Britain disagree with Bush. The Iraq dossier recently released by British Prime Minister Tony Blair showed how serious the threat is. However, the world is also aware that there is nothing new in this dossier. Military experts and former inspectors still believe that Iraq possesses chemical and biological arms and that it is developing nuclear weapons. The real question is whether Iraq actually poses a serious threat to the world. Some experts claim that international terrorists might obtain these weapons and launch attacks which would make Sept. 11 pale in comparison. How can such a development be prevented? Moreover, if Saddam is as ‘mad’ as people believe, what would stop him from using these weapons during a US-Iraq war? Such a development would be even worse for our world.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION