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Tuesday, February 18, 2003
posted by gbarto at 12:18 AM:
Does Annan want a credible UN?
Europe Warns Iraq to Disarm
Nice AP article at Fox News. And the final graf hits a point WaPo seems to be missing.
First, we'll give you a little dose of French arrogance (also quoted at WaPo). Then we'll explain the TurkeyBlog's headline. Ready? Here's little Jackie Chirac, doing his imitation of a world leader:
Some EU candidates, including Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, have backed the United States. In an extraordinary outburst Monday, Chirac publicly lambasted eastern European nations for their support for Washington over the Iraq crisis.Tough talk from a guy widely suspected of running for his second term primarily for the immunity from prosecution it provided. Meanwhile, here's Blair, on the ridiculousness of dovish Europe's reasoning:
"It is not really responsible behavior, it is not well brought-up behavior. They missed a good opportunity to keep quiet," he told reporters.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair appeared frustrated by the French stance, saying he did not understand how EU states could agree Iraq was not cooperating fully, but Baghdad had not been declared in material breach, or violation, of U.N. resolutions - grounds for military action.But here's the biggie we mentioned. Are you ready? Heeeeeeeeere's - well, hearsay about, anyway - Kofi!
``If Iraq is not cooperating fully and everyone accepts they are not cooperating, why is Iraq not then in material breach? I still don't know the answer to that question,'' he told reporters.
European parliamentary leaders, who met with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan before he entered the summit, said Annan stressed, however, that he did not want the weapons inspections to go on too long, suggesting the threat of action had to be real to preserve the body's credibility.That Annan has started to worry about this drawing on too long suggests that maybe other serious people will slowly start to come on board. Does this mean a change of heart for Chirac? Come on... I said, "serious people." Also, the story reports that Blair is looking for ways to drop the push for a second resolution, apparently feeling that it's either a) a useless effort, b) idiotic to waste time working with such idiots or - our favorite choice, c) both of the above.
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