United Nations Security Council Resolution fourteen forty-one requires Iraq to disarm itself of weapons of mass destruction and disclose all aspects of its nuclear, chemical, biological, and missile programs. But Iraq submitted a declaration that fails to meet the U-N requirements. Iraq provided a catalogue of recycled information and flagrant omissions. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said, “We are disappointed but not deceived. This declaration is consistent with the Iraqi regime’s past practices.”
Time and again, Saddam Hussein has attempted to sow confusion and buy time. The Iraqi dictator hopes the world will lose interest. But as Mr. Powell put it, “This time the game is not working. This time the international community is concentrating its attention and increasing its resolve so the true nature of the Iraqi regime is revealed again.”
The U.S. is continuing to discuss with members of the U-N Security Council how to compel Iraq’s compliance. At the same time, the U.S. and its coalition partners are continuing the pressure on the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. U.S. and British aircraft patrol the skies over the northern and southern no-fly zones in Iraq. And the U.S. is working with the Iraqi opposition.
So far, said U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, “None of these steps reflect a decision by the president or the United Nations or anyone else...to use force. [President George W. Bush] has not made such a decision. Rather,” said Mr. Rumsfeld, “they are intended to support the diplomatic efforts that are underway, to enhance force protection in the region...and to make it clear to the Iraqi regime that they need to comply with their U-N obligations.”
As President Bush said, “The world spoke clearly that we expect Mr. Saddam Hussein to disarm.”
