-Caveat Lector-
>From http://politics.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4390090,00.html
}}}>Begin
MPs press Blair to allow UN vote on Iraq strike
Patrick Wintour and Michael White
Tuesday April 9, 2002
The Guardian
Tony Blair is facing mounting backbench pressure to commit himself to a UN vote on
any allied military action against Iraq following his weekend speech in the US
suggesting he might at some stage back a US-led military offensive to change the
regime in Baghdad.
He is also facing Labour backbench calls for an arms embargo on Israel, coupled
with economic sanctions, issues already under discussion by the EU.
Mr Blair will face down his critics tomorrow at a meeting with Labour MPs and then in
a Commons statement nominally confined to the crisis in Israel.
Mr Blair, on his way back from the US, described his critics as utterly naive, and
remains puzzled by the degree of opposition to his stance.
Appealing for calm over Iraq, he told reporters on the plane: "All I say to people is
let's not get ahead of ourselves here. We are still in the position of identifying the
problem and laying down conditions for Saddam."
Unspecified military action, discussed by the prime minister and President George
Bush in one-on-one talks, remains the last resort, though Mr Blair has come close to
committing himself to supporting it if the US decides to attempt a "regime change".
But a phalanx of Labour MPs expressed concern at Mr Blair's proximity to Mr Bush.
The former defence minister Peter Kilfoyle said he had "concerns about being seen
to be tied in to some of the more adventurous notions of the American
administration". He added: "To deal with Iraq, you need to deal with the problems in
the UN, not through unilateral or bilateral action."
George Galloway accused Mr Blair of "basking in the adulation of the hard-right US
Republican administration".
Tam Dalyell said Mr Blair would face tough questioning at his meeting with Labour
MPs.
Downing Street tried to calm the mood by insisting that Mr Blair's speech following
his talks with Mr Bush did not signal a hardening of the British position against Iraq.
Mr Blair's critics demanded that the British government emphasise that Saddam
should be given a full chance to allow UN weapons inspec tors back into his country.
The UN alone should then decide if Saddam remains in defiance and military action
is justified.
Clare Short, the international development secretary, openly argued this case before
she was silenced by Mr Blair.
In his weekend speech, Mr Blair stressed the need for international coalitions, but
was silent on the need for a fresh UN resolution on Iraq, something the US opposes.
Downing Street yesterday denied there was a need for a fresh UN mandate since
Saddam was already in breach of nine existing UN resolutions.
Mr Blair's Commons statement on the Israel crisis will spell out plans for a fresh UN
resolution based on ideas set out over the past two months by the Saudi
government. He will also also confirm that Britain is willing to send ceasefire
monitors
to the region, as part of a UN force.
The foreign office minister Ben Bradshaw yesterday gave a flavour of British
frustration with Israel by warning the prime minister, Ariel Sharon, that he was
playing
a dangerous game in refusing to comply with the US request to withdraw his forces
from the West Bank.
However, the commitment to UN resolutions on Israel only served to incense Labour
MPs already angry at the possibility of a unilateral military strike against Iraq.
Richard Burden, the pro-Palestinian MP on the centre-left of the party, warned Mr
Blair: "If we expect our words about human rights or our warnings about Iraq to have
any credibility in the Arab world, we must demonstrate by our actions that Israel has
an obligation to abide by the decisions of the UN just as much as Iraq or anywhere
else."
The Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman, Menzies Campbell, said Mr Blair's
speech "lacked any analysis of the consequences for the region of the break-up of
Iraq and the regional instability that would be caused as a result".
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2002
End<{{{
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Forwarded as information only; no automatic endorsement
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material
is distributed without charge or profit to those who have
expressed a prior interest in receiving this type of information
for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe
simply because it has been handed down for many generations. Do not
believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do
not believe in anything simply because it is written in Holy Scriptures. Do not
believe in anything merely on the authority of Teachers, elders or wise men.
Believe only after careful observation and analysis, when you find that it
agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all.
Then accept it and live up to it."
The Buddha on Belief, from the Kalama Sutta
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will
teach you to keep your mouth shut."
--- Ernest Hemingway
<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
