File spoon-archives/anarchy-list.archive/anarchy-list_2003/anarchy-list.0301, message 43


From: "Heather" <Heather-AT-teknopunx.co.uk>
Subject: Perhaps there is hope 
Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2003 13:20:07 -0000


Perhaps there is hope yet that this idiocy will not go ahead.........?
H
http://www.news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=27632003
Blair urges Bush to put Iraq war on hold

BY BILL JACOBS WESTMINSTER EDITOR


TONY BLAIR is urging US President George Bush to delay any war against Iraq
until the autumn to give UN weapons inspectors more time to obtain clear
evidence of Saddam Hussein's secret attempt to build up an illegal arsenal
of weapons of mass destruction.

The Prime Minister believes a spring offensive would be premature and would
not get the support of the United Nations Security Council.

Mr Blair is stressing to President Bush this would leave the UK and United
States isolated and could cause him problems with Labour MPs and public
opinion at home.

Up to 100 Labour backbenchers are ready to rebel and vote against the
Government if the war starts without UN backing.

And some junior ministers are understood to be ready to resign if that is
the case.

The diplomatic moves come as United Nations chief weapons instructor Hans
Blix makes an interim progress report to the Security Council today on the
inspections.

He is expected to repeat his statement that there was little new in the
massive Iraqi dossier.

And President Bush has put back his State of the Union Message by a week so
it comes a day after Mr Blix's first full-scale assessment of Saddam's
programme to develop chemical, biological and nuclear weapons due on January
27.

Speculation in Washington is that this would allow the President to use his
highest profile national speech to make his intentions clear.

It has been expected that if the UK and US do go to war, they would do it in
the spring before the heat makes military action impossible.

But now Mr Blair and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw are urging Washington to
hold off till the autumn.

They feel that with the weapons inspectors in Iraq and the massive military
build-up in the Gulf, Saddam can pose little threat over the summer.

And they believe that given "time and space" the inspectors would be able to
build up a convincing case for military action which would get the backing
of the UN Security Council, going some way to keeping the Muslim world calm.

One senior Whitehall source said: "The Prime Minister has made it clear that
unless there is a smoking gun the inspectors have to be given time to keep
searching."

Some British sources also believe the delay would increase the pressure on
Saddam and give time for the Iraqi opposition or even some of Saddam's aides
to prepare for some sort of government to follow if he were deposed.

One Cabinet minister underlined the growing case for delay saying: "At the
moment there is no justification for going to war and the whole Cabinet
feels that way.

"No-one, not even Tony Blair, would go to war tomorrow just because George
Bush said he did not want his troops hanging around in the desert."

British officials hope President Bush will pay attention to the British case
and ignore the hardliners in Washington who believe that Iraq's claim to
have no banned weapons is justification for an early war.

However, Mr Blair - who yesterday denied at Prime Minister's Questions that
he was indulging in "dangerous brinkmanship" - has problems with his own
party.

More than 150 MPs stayed behind to hear Linlithgow backbencher Tam Dalyell
make a failed bid for an emergency debate on any Iraq conflict.

He said British forces were entitled to proof of the "settled and
overwhelming conviction of their fellow countrymen that the cause is just".

Labour's chief whip Hilary Armstrong has passed on to Mr Blair demands from
backbenchers that the pre-condition for action is clear evidence and the new
UN Security Council resolution backing an attack.

One influential moderate summed the growing rebellion up simply saying: "The
mood has hardened over Christmas.

"Labour MPs don't trust George Bush and wonder why Tony is so close to him."

Pakistani police working with the FBI today arrested three suspected
al-Qaida members after a shoot-out in Karachi.

Officials said the men, who had been under surveillance, threw a grenade at
security forces, but no officers were hurt.


   

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