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just in: Iraq accepts U2 spy planes
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| ahlamalek |
I can't find the thread where we were discussing U2 planes... anyways, here's the proof of what the Iraqi regime had promised before. Its a done deal.
Iraq says accepts U-2 overflights
By Irwin Arieff
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Baghdad's U.N. envoy says that Iraq has unconditionally accepted U-2 surveillance flights and will soon issue a law banning arms of mass destruction -- key demands of U.N. weapons inspectors.
The concessions were made by Iraq in the the face of a massive military build-up in the region by the United States and amid U.S. splits with allies France and Germany as well as Russia and China which are trying to delay any move to war.
Ambassador Mohammed Aldouri told reporters he had delivered a letter to chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix stating its acceptance of the flights over all parts of the country.
An Iraqi source, who described the note as "specific and short," said the letter contained no conditions on flights by the U-2 planes, which would be on loan to the United Nations from the United States.
Baghdad had previously resisted the U-2 flights, saying it could not guarantee their safety in the self-declared U.S.-British no-fly zones over northern and southern Iraq.
In Baghdad, President Saddam Hussein said the United States and Britain should refrain from launching raids during the overflights -- a demand previously dismissed by Blix as out of his control.
"If the world, besides America, finds that the U-2 plane is important to carry out more aerial surveillance, it should tell America and Britain not to open fire at us. Otherwise, this demand would be a call for the surrender of Iraq to the American military force ... ," Saddam said in comments read on state television.
NO-FLY ZONES
U.S. and British planes patrolling "no-fly" zones in north and south Iraq frequently attack air defense and other sites, saying they are being targeted by Iraqi forces. There have been two such attacks in the south in the last three days.
The White House said the decision to allow U-2 flights did not alter the "bottom line" that Iraq must disarm and reflected skepticism over the offer. "What we've seen in the past is what is unconditional today is conditional tomorrow," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.
Iraq was also drafting legislation to outlaw weapons of mass destruction, Aldouri said. Iraq denies that it has any biological, chemical or nuclear weapons.
The U-2 flights and the legislation were among the top demands made of Baghdad last week by top U.N. inspectors Blix, who leads the United Nations' biological, chemical and ballistic missile inspectors in Iraq, and Mohamed ElBaradei, his colleague in charge of nuclear arms inspectors.
Both men, who were in Baghdad for talks last weekend, had also pressed for inspectors to be able to interview Iraqi scientists in private, without government minders.
Iraq announced last week it was encouraging the private interviews and indicated it would respond to the other two requests but had not done so during the Baghdad visit.
Aldouri told Reuters Iraq had "already accepted the surveillance of the U-2s over Iraq. This is a decision made in Baghdad." Asked if the decision to allow the flights was unconditional, he said, "Yes."
IRAQI LAW AGAINST WEAPONS
The Iraqi letter said overflights by French or Russian surveillance planes would also be acceptable.
Asked about anti-weapons legislation, which has been demanded of Baghdad in U.N. resolutions since 1991, Aldouri said, "It will be issued very soon. The legislation would ban all Iraqi citizens, public or private from having any kind of mass destruction weapons."
Aldouri said Blix and ElBaradei had been given 24 documents from Iraqi officials during their weekend visits "explaining a lot of the points remaining outstanding."
"We are trying always to explain our position -- that we are cooperating, that we are not in a material breach, that we are doing (our) utmost to cooperate" with inspectors, he said.
"We are looking to the international community to act. We are working hard to avoid war," he said.
The Baghdad trip was a prelude to a key report Blix and ElBaradei will deliver to the 15-nation U.N. Security Council on Friday as the council weighs what steps to take next.
Blix appeared somewhat pessimistic, however, about the results, telling Reuters he was still awaiting new evidence to fill in gaps in Iraq's past illicit arms programs.
"This time they presented some papers to us in which they focused upon new issues. Not new evidence really as far as I can see, but they have nevertheless focused on real, open issues and that is welcome," he said in Athens on Monday.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/030210/80/dswwo.html |
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| Cyrus King |
The US's response to this co-operation has obviosly revealed how unbeleivable stubborn it is when trying to... if you can call it that... resolve this situation. Its getting pretty pathertic how many excuses the US is bringing up whenever things get better. Even if Saddam has weapons.. and if he finally showed the word he disarms... the US will tell evryone he will have to "further disarm"...its just so ridiculous its making me sick.
Today... i was watching CNN and was surprised to see a guest on Talk back live that was ultimately opposed to the war as well as the Hawkish government that is lead by that monkey....he was being applauded by the whole audience as he explained the true intentions of the Bush administration.... how they are trying to destabalize an already suffering Iraq in order to control the OPEC nations and make their way into Iran and Syria. I was astounded when he was applauded.... maybe Americans are really opening up their minds!:eek: |
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| LiquidX |
| Americans are way too mislead , trust alot their government. I do, but to a certain point. Like now, they should use all the advantages of the U2 Spy plane instead of making things worst. Now with Germany, Belgium and France blocking the way in for NATO.. it looks to me that the USA will get mad mad mad .. and maybe start the so predicted third world war.. who knows.. if the US starts it.. it'll be ashame ! ! I hope it doesnt though. |
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| occrider |
| quote: | Originally posted by ahlamalek
I can't find the thread where we were discussing U2 planes... anyways, here's the proof of what the Iraqi regime had promised before. Its a done deal.
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They never promised this before. The UN has demanded that they submit to U2 flights since the beginning and only now at the brink of war are they cooperating. It is a step in the right direction and more time should be given to UN inpsectors but it's innaccurate to depict Iraq as a pillar of cooperation in disarmament. Just now are they providing documents on their anthrax and vx chemical weapons programs which they witheld from their initial report. Is there anything else that is still in hiding? It's not the time for war but caution should still be taken. I'm curious to see what the UN report states on Friday. |
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| ahlamalek |
you are partially wrong.
Iraq did let U2 spy planes fly over all of Iraq in 1998, that was in a context where there was no invasion planned by the US.
The promise I was talking about was made public at the beginning of February by Tarek Aziz where he stated that his govt would let the U2 planes fly over. But it was still hard for his govt to accept it because of the immeninent invasion... you have to put yourselves in his shoes, your country is about to be attacked, telling your ennemy what you have up your sleeves isn't the best way to fight a war. |
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| vmc |
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| Izzy |
why is iraq accepting spy planes only now?
why couldnt they have accepted them at the on set of resolution 1441 and proved they could be a partner that is immediately, actively and unconditionaly cooperating? |
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| Cyrus King |
| quote: | Originally posted by Izzy
why is iraq accepting spy planes only now?
why couldnt they have accepted them at the on set of resolution 1441 and proved they could be a partner that is immediately, actively and unconditionaly cooperating? |
I asked the very same question myself... but these questions are only going to hinder the process of getting to the truth at hand.... rather than scrutinizing these actions... we should look at the problem at hand.. and solve it without resorting to blaming and questioning. |
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| Izzy |
| quote: | Originally posted by Cyrus King
I asked the very same question myself... but these questions are only going to hinder the process of getting to the truth at hand.... rather than scrutinizing these actions... we should look at the problem at hand.. and solve it without resorting to blaming and questioning. |
without questioning and analying mistakes of the past we are bound to repeat them |
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| LiquidX |
| quote: | Originally posted by Izzy
why is iraq accepting spy planes only now?
why couldnt they have accepted them at the on set of resolution 1441 and proved they could be a partner that is immediately, actively and unconditionaly cooperating? |
First of all, Iraq is absolutly not friends with the USA, to let a SPY plane from its enemy country, would definetly be the last option to many ... logical. |
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| Izzy |
| quote: | Originally posted by LiquidX
First of all, Iraq is absolutly not friends with the USA, to let a SPY plane from its enemy country, would definetly be the last option to many ... logical. |
we are talking about spy planes flying on behalf of the UN not the USA |
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| LiquidX |
| quote: | Originally posted by Izzy
we are talking about spy planes flying on behalf of the UN not the USA |
Well then thats differnet, I was sure the U2 Spy planes were from the US... |
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