-Caveat Lector-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,839417,00.html

1 in 3 say Bush is biggest threat

Patrick Wintour and Ewen MacAskill
Thursday November 14, 2002
The Guardian

President George Bush is seen by a third of Britons as a bigger threat to
world safety than Saddam Hussein, according to a new poll conducted by a
senior US Republican and due to be broadcast today.

But most of those questioned by the polling organisation You.Gov say they
remain open minded, and ready to be convinced about the justification for
an attack on Iraq.

The weighted poll of 3,200 people throughout the country was conducted for
Channel 4 by Robert Lunz, a senior Republican strategist, based on the
You.Gov sample.

Similar polling has been undertaken by Downing Street as it contemplates
how to sell a war on Iraq.

The Channel 4 poll found that a third of the British public have no trust
at all in Mr Bush, and many actually fear him. In a straight choice
between Mr Bush and President Saddam as to who poses the greater threat to
world peace, 32% said Mr Bush and 49% said President Saddam. Almost half
see Mr Blair as Mr Bush's lapdog, with the figure even higher among the
under-30s.

Almost two-thirds of people said the only reason the US has targeted
President Saddam is because he threatens US control of the Middle East -
only a quarter feel it is because the Iraqi leader is a threat to world
peace.

Blame for British casualties in a war with Iraq will be placed with Mr
Blair himself, according to 21% of those polled.

Commenting on his findings, Mr Lunz said: "I would suggest that [Mr Blair]
ring up the broadcast media and say, 'Keep President Bush, keep Dick
Cheney, keep all Americans with these American accents off television',
because it's not helping his case."

Despite the poll findings, the British government refused to tone down the
bellicose rhetoric. The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, yesterday warned
President Saddam that he will face confrontation if he fails to disclose a
full list of the country's alleged weapons of mass destruction.

Having accepted last Friday's UN resolution, the next hurdle for Iraq will
be to provide the list by December 8.

In a speech in London yesterday, Mr Straw said: "The message for Saddam
Hussein is this: resolve this crisis peacefully by complying fully with UN
inspectors and providing a full and complete disclosure of your WMD
[weapons of mass destruction] holdings by 8 December, or choose
confrontation."

Iraq could claim in its declaration that it has some of the components to
make weapons of mass destruction but has not actually made them.

But Mr Straw said: "The history of UN weapons inspections in Iraq is
littered with examples of deceit, evasion, intimidation and harassment. I
hope even Iraq will recognise the consequences of any repeat. If Saddam
fails to cooperate fully, then he faces force."

Mr Straw used the speech to announce that the Foreign Office is to embark
on a fundamental review of foreign policy. This is to take account of
relations with the Muslim world, weapons of mass destruction and other
issues pushed to the forefront by the September 11 attacks. The results of
the review are scheduled to be published early next year.

Mr Straw said the aim of the review was to establish long-term strategic
priorities. He said it would have four central planks: tackling the threat
of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction; European security,
especially the establishment of stronger ties with Russia; strengthening
international organisations, such as the UN, and global economic
development.

<A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A>
DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER
==========
CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic
screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please!  These are
sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis-
directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with
major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought.
That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and
always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no
credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply.

Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.
========================================================================
Archives Available at:
http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html
 <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of
[EMAIL PROTECTED]</A>

http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
 <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A>
========================================================================
To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Om

Reply via email to