Ex-UN Inspector Warns Against War on Iraq

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, September 09, 2002

Ex-UN Inspector Warns Against War on Iraq

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Visiting former UN arms inspector Scott Ritter warned on Sunday that the United States would make a "historical mistake" if it launches war on Iraq, while urging Iraq to accept an unconditional resumption of UN weapons inspections.

Ritter, a US national who had been a member of the UN inspectionteam before 1998, said in an address to Iraq's parliament that the United States "seems to be on the verge of making a historical mistake."

US President George W. Bush, who accused Iraq of pursuing weapons of mass destruction and supporting terrorists by providing them with such weapons, has repeatedly vowed to achieve a "regime change" in Iraq with all the tools at his disposal, including military actions.

But Bush's concerns were not shared by Ritter, a tough inspector-turned sharp critic of US policy on Iraq.

"The truth is that Iraq is not a threat to its neighbors and it is not acting in a manner which threatens anyone outside its borders," Ritter told members of parliament and journalists.

He urged Iraq to prove it by allowing UN inspectors back to the country, who left Iraq on the eve of the US-British "Operation Desert Fox" airstrikes against Baghdad in December 1998.

"The only path towards peace Iraq should embrace is the one thatbegins by Iraq agreeing to the immediate, unconditional return of UN weapons inspectors operating in full keeping with the mandate asset forth by existing UN Security Council resolutions," the former US Marine officer said.

He said Iraq's cooperation with the United Nations on inspections is the "best way to prevent the war."

Iraq has been under sweeping UN sanctions since its 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the embargo will not be lifted until the UN has verified that Iraq has eliminated all of its weapons of mass destruction and means of launch them.

Continuous spats about alleged espionage activities between Iraqand the UN arms inspectors led to crisis in 1997 and 1998, and eventually the US-British air war against Baghdad from Dec. 16-19, 1998.

Since then Iraq has remained defiant, arguing that its weapons of mass destruction -- nuclear, chemical and biological -- have already been dismantled.

Questions?Comments? Click here

US, UK Have "Total Determination" over Iraq: Blair

US Poll Finds Unease on Terror Fight, War on Iraq

War on Iraq May Split Anti-terror Coalition: Russian FM

Japanese Court Dismisses Germ Warfare Victims' Damages Claim ( 94 Messages)

China Plans to Stop the Overeas Flight of Corrupt Officials ( 69 Messages)

China Blocks the Way of Corrupt Officials Fleeing Overseas ( 5 Messages)

Survey Discloses Bad Service of Domestic Banks ( 4 Messages)

Quantitative Study Uncovers US Media Blackout: China Youth Daily ( 25 Messages)