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Friday, February 28, 2003
posted by gbarto at 9:59 AM:
Lots happening in the news. Here are the big headlines - in my order:Iraq to Start Destroying Missiles
Not a major surprise. And not at all surprising that they'll start at the very last minute. I may be wrong and it may be that Iraq will start destroying the missiles in all earnestness and cooperating nicely with every last UN mandate in an effort to neutralize US plans. But I foresee a lot of technical concerns, administrative delays, et cetera. And I foresee these becoming extremely common if it looks like the US actually has been neutralized on the issue.
Notes Den Beste:
But before [destroying them,] they want a technical mission to come and talk it over.France: Iraq's Pledge Shows Inspections Work
Which is to say that they expect to need the things soon, and don't really want to give them up, but also don't actually want to be on record refusing to destroy them in the days prior to an important vote in the UNSC.
More likely, Iraq's pledge shows US pressure works. Iraqi cooperation - or faux cooperation - will be directly tied to American bellicosity, something the Chirac's of the world must remember before they get too haughty with us. We could let them get their UN forces in there and then leave. I don't think, for all the warm words about Saddam's cooperation, that anybody from the anti- coalition wants to find themselves reliant solely upon his goodwill.
Russia May Veto Iraq Resolution
Foreign Minister Ivanov warns move would be in 'interests of international stability'; Pakistan swings toward U.S. position
So that France doesn't have to. So says Instapundit.
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