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[ Presenting plain-text part of multi-format email ] I wrote this as a letter to the editor a week ago..Seems even more relevant now. Probably wont be published! The new resolution by the US and UK fit in with the plans outlined below. Cheers, Ken Hanly The US position on UN Iraq inspections The US has never really supported the inspection process in Iraq except as a sop to those who want any force against Iraq to have UN sanction. The US has consistently maintained that it will take unilateral action if necessary and with consuming arrogance assured us that the UN is irrelevant if it does not go along. A speech by vice-president Richard Cheney in August 2002 makes clear the US position on inspections. I quote: a person would be right to question any suggestion that we should just get inspectors back into Iraq, and then our worries will be over. Saddam has perfected the game of cheat and retreat, and is very skilled in the art of denial and deception. A return of inspectors would provide no assurance whatsoever of his compliance with U.N. resolutions Cheney then goes on to make the familiar argument for pre-emptive war. This war will secure Iraq's oil resources for foreign investment and project US might in the region. If the inspections uncover evidence of non-compliance then all the better from the US point of view. But if they don't, this shows inspections dont work. In either event the war will go ahead. Inspections are fine during the period necessary to build up troops and prepare for battle. But US patience is running out. Translated this means that the US is ready to invade. Inspections are irrelevant to determing whether or not there will be an invasion and cannot be allowed to delay its onset. _______________________________________________ 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