Latest on the US build-up for war in Iraq

Sunday December 29, 2002 21:27

by kev - sp

More troops move in, Powell is impatient, Saudi agrees to let US use its territory and Bush says 'burden of proof is on Saddam'

More than 100 UN weapons inspectors are now in Iraq, but the 200 or so searches they have carried out since November 27th have apparently uncovered no traces whatsoever of the chemical, biological or nuclear weapons programs Washington insists Iraq is intent on pursuing.

Colin Powell, indicating frustration with the inspectors' slow progress, told NBC's "Meet the Press" program: "I think that this can't go on indefinitely."

"The president has not made a decision yet with respect to the use of military force or with respect to going back to the United Nations [yeah right] ...of course we're positioning ourselves - positioning our military forces for whatever might be required" Powell said.

US officials said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had signed an order to move thousands of troops, dozens of strike aircraft and probably two more aircraft carrier battle groups to the Gulf, starting early next month, for a possible war.

This deployment will at least double the 50,000 US military personnel already near Iraq, and more might be sent in February, according to US officials.

According to the Pentagon, Saudi Arabia has privately assured the US that they could launch air support missions from Saudi bases in the event of a war with Iraq and could coordinate the air war from a central command post near the Saudi capital.

Also, Bush said in his weekly radio address Saturday that: "the burden is now on Iraq's dictator to disclose and destroy his arsenal of weapons. If he refuses, then for the sake of peace [sic], the United States will lead a coalition [???] to disarm the Iraqi regime and free the Iraqi people."

For a special report on the Iraq crisis, see the Guardian website

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/

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Comments (6 of 6)

i know its on another thread, but i fell its woprth reposting here anyway, as its related

Sun Dec 29, 2002 21:32

IAWM won't let this government off the hook
To mark the end of Ireland's tenure on the UN security council the Irish Anti War Movement will picket the Dept. of Foreign Affairs, St. Stephen's Green on Tuesday 31 December at 1pm.

The picket will serve as a reminder of the craven role played by the Irish establishment in kowtowing to the drive towards war in Iraq by the Bush administration.
However the end of Ireland's tenure on the security council does not mean an end to its responsability in this matter. The availability of Shannon Airport landing and refuelling facilities for US warplanes and the likely public support by this government for the war in Iraq will be met by ceaseless and growing opposition by the Irish Public. Come to the lunchtime picket and bring your friends and workmates!

link to another thread dealing with 'when?'.

by linking jedi

Mon Dec 30, 2002 16:55

impressed by the thinking and the websites
:-)
& horrified by the prospects.

hope you get people along to the demo.

link to Joe Higgins corner.....................it´s ok the threads are already tangled by the SP

by linking jedi know his place.

Mon Dec 30, 2002 17:37

who is Joe Higgins?
oh he´s the tireless leader of the Opposition.
not only in Dublin DAil and Senate, but every county and town council of Ireland [the thirty two counties!] ,he survives on only 20,000 euros, that´s right the average industrial wage in Ireland, it may be over three times the average european industrial worker wage but anyway.
Joe Higgins is a man of great stature.
his statues will be glorious.
Joe Higgins never drinks, smokes or hangs out in bars with girleees.
Joe Higgins when not voicing tirelessly the opposition of the myriad groupings of the left he and he alone has garnered support for over the years, is busy translating urdu arabic and mandarin, ask Eoin Dubski it is not well known but needs to be known that before Eoin did the deed, he recieved a phone call from Joe Higgins.

===do it for me Eoin.
do it for Eire.

Joe Higgins is the only person in Ireland who Johnny Adair is scared of.
if he hadn´t previously voiced pacifistic solutions to world capitalism he would have gone up to the wee north and hunted Adair down and shared the reward amongst the poor, coz that´s the sort of man Joe is.
I have provided a link to a photograph of Joe Higgins in his former days, before the global revolution centred on Ireland.

over-indulging at xmas?

Mon Dec 30, 2002 23:21

are you drunk? or simply trying to wind me up? or both? anyway, i won't be drawn into pointless bickering. i never am. coming to the protest?

Also, i read in the Observer yesterday that the 'human sheilds' will be leaving for Iraq soon, to protect things like bridges, water refining plants etc (wonder if they contain any WMDs?). They will be 'touring' Europe to pick up volunteers, and are led by all people, of a 33yr old ex-US army guy, who left the army after he served in the first gulf war. He said he was disgusted by the bombing of retreating Iraqi soldiers and this is his way of saying sorry. Good luck to him, he probably won't survive it. You can read the full story on the guardian link in the original article.

yet more links of interest

Tue Dec 31, 2002 00:32

Powell: No Decision Yet on Iraq Action (AP)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=514&ncid=514&e=4&u=/ap/20021230/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq_23

Iraq Accuses U.S. of Double Standards with N.Korea (Reuters)

http://rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/fc/world/iraq/news_stories/*http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=574&ncid=574&e=5&u=/nm/20021230/wl_nm/iraq_dc_371

Iraq inspections continue amid war preps (AP)

http://rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/fc/world/iraq/news_stories/*http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2002/12/29/iraq_preps021229

Iraq inspections continue amid war preps (canadian broacasting corp - CBC)

http://rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/fc/world/iraq/latest_developments/exturl/*http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021230/ap_on_re_mi_ea/un_iraq_4

US says Saudi Arabia will allow use of air bases against Iraq (guardian)

http://rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/fc/world/iraq/news_stories/*http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,866523,00.html

US says Saudi Arabia will allow use of air bases against Iraq (reuters)

http://rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/fc/world/iraq/news_stories/*http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20021230/wl_nm/iraq_minister_dc_1

sorry KEV!

by iosaf

Thu Jan 02, 2003 16:44

i got a bit carried away on the anarko trippy freaki hippy home brew hootch moonshining mouldy "it´ll make you happy clappy" xmas cheer.

and as a result I got very silly on the comments.
sorry!
and no offence meant.
keep up the good work.
and I´ll stick to mass produced taxed and quality controlled brews in future.
(as soon as my sight gets back).

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Latest on the US build-up for war in Iraq

Comments (6 of 6)