Iraq Threat To US Called
'Fiction' By Former UN Official
1-9-3
A former UN official told CTV News that the United States has no case for war with Iraq, calling any threat to the U.S. "a fiction of Washington propaganda."
Denis Halliday, who resigned as the UN assistant secretary-general nearly five years ago in opposition to economic sanctions against Iraq, told Canada AM that if Iraq really had nuclear weapons, the U.S. approach would be quite different.
"We would not see the embargo and we would not see the threat of war, which for most Iraqis is literally around the corner," he said from Baghdad.
Halliday said there are many reasons the U.S. wants war with Iraq: They want to remap the Middle East, install America-friendly governments, control oil and enhance the security and possible expansion of Israel.
"This is not about weapons of mass destruction as far as I'm concerned."
Halliday, a 2000 Nobel Peace Prize nominee, said he has met with top Iraqi officials in Baghdad who are "sadly convinced" Bush is unstoppable.
"They have no confidence in the Arab world or the Arab leadership in standing up and being courageous and convincing Bush that this war doesn't serve their interests, nor the interests of the United States," he told Canada AM.
Bush briefed on deployment
His comments come as U.S. President George Bush was briefed on the deployment of American forces in the Gulf by Army Gen. Tommy Franks, who would lead the U.S. military campaign against Iraq.
Reuters reported that Franks provided "an update on deployment activities" at the White House meeting.
Bush has not yet decided on war with Iraq, but the U.S. is pouring planes and ships into the Gulf region in preparation for a battle. There are also plans to double the 60,000 troops already there.
CNN reported Wednesday that a contingent from the U.S. Central Command is expected to go to Qatar soon, from which any U.S. war on Iraq would be lead. Central Command would run the military operation. Eventually, about 1,000 U.S. troops will be stationed at the Camp As Sayliyah base.
In Baghdad, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein told militia commanders the United Staes might dominate the air, but that a ground battle would be a different story. "In aerial combat, there is a difference in weapons. But on the ground and on foot, men fight with their rifles," he said in remarks carried by Iraqi state television.
"It is enough to have grenades, launchers, a loaf of bread, a drink of water and a rifle. Then, counting on God, Iraq will be safe and I don't see any difficulties in the battle -- unless the fighter says he has no bread or no water to drink."
Hussein said he would be counting on villagers to provide his soldiers with enough food to eat. Authorities have distributed a three-month ration to every family to be used to stock their houses in case of war.
Blair defends military maneuvers
In the British House of Commons on Wednesday, Prime Minister Tony Blair defended his government's decision to prepare British troops for a possible war with Iraq.
"I believe passionately that this issue of weapons of mass destruction and the related issue of international terrorism are the key security threats facing our country and our world today," he said.
"And I do believe also it's only a matter of time before these two issues come together."
Britain announced Wednesday it would deploy 14 fighter jets to Jordan later this month for a planned military exercise. The announcement comes one day after it announced the mobilization of 1,500 reservists and the addition of a significant contingent of naval ships for the Gulf.
Bush is expected to decide whether or not to go to war closer to Jan. 27, when UN arms experts give their final official report to the UN Security Council.
Hans Blix, the chief inspector for biological, chemical and ballistic weapons and Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the UN nuclear agency, will give the Security Council a second briefing on Thursday on the 12,000-page declaration that Iraq submitted a month ago.
They are expected to say the document fails to clear up questions on biological and chemical weapons programs, including 6,000 missing poison gas bombs. That echoes the preliminary evaluation delivered in December, which accused Iraq of omitting information.
UN arms inspectors continued to work in Iraq on Wednesday, searching eight sites. On Tuesday, inspectors used helicopters for the first time to survey sites from above.
Also Wednesday, U.S. and British warplanes bombed southern Iraq for the second time in three days. The warplanes struck Iraqi military air defence cable sites southeast of Baghdad. No casualties were reported.
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