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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2489153.stm I find this to be an astonishingly biased article. It could have been written by the British Foreign Office! Your journalist should perhaps note that: 1) UNSCOM destroyed more WMD than did the Gulf War 2) UNSCOM (discredited by the actions of the US/UK) was disbanded 3) members of the UNSC have been at pains to try and prevent the US/UK again acting unilaterally and undermining the UN as they did with Desert Fox. For the disarmament of Iraq to succeed it is necessary to indulge in diplomacy, to respect their sovereignty, offer guarantees on security and be even-handed. It is also necessary to remove the causes of their desire to acquire WMD which are clearly primarily for defensive purposes. This means regional security guarantees tackling Israel (the mother of all rogue states when it comes to seizing land and WMD and defying the UN) and Iran. However the greatest threat comes from the US which clearly covets taking over Iraq and installing a puppet regime a la Afghanistan. Iraq had a number of concerns about the previous weapons inspections regime that seemed to be more about humiliating Iraq, gathering intelligence information and stringing out an excuse for genocidal sanctions and less about qualitative disarmament. Disarmament of Iraq’s WMD was to take place within the context of regional disarmament – there’s not been even the slightest gesture in this direction (the US would veto any move on Israel of course). The US & UK placed some spies amongst the inspectors and used inspections to collect data in order to target Saddam Hussein. The previous Chief Inspector (Butler) engineered a confrontation with the Iraqis. Instead of reporting to the UN he reported to the US and pulled out the inspectors without UN approval. The US & UK then used the engineered confrontation to launch Desert Fox targetting Saddam Hussein and massacring sleeping soldiers (amongst other things) thereby undermining the UNSC, the inspectors and the long term monitoring arrangements. The inspectors destroyed equipment that produced animal vaccines without ensuring adequate alternative measures. A preventable foot and mouth disease subsequently devastated Iraqi livestock. Mark Parkinson Bodmin Cornwall _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk