DATE=12/03/97
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-10471
TITLE=THE DIFFICULTY OF DEALING WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN
BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE
TELEPHONE=619-3335
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
/// EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS PERISHABLE MATERIAL AND BECOMES
DATED AFTER 10 P-M E-S-T TODAY!! ///
INTRO: IRAQ'S MILITARY DICTATOR SADDAM HUSSEIN CONTINUES TO BE
VILIFIED IN THE U-S PRESS, IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE LATEST
CONFRONTATION WITH THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE UNITED STATES OVER
THE ON-GOING WEAPONS INSPECTION PROGRAM. MANY U-S PAPERS ARE
SUPPORTING THE OIL-FOR-FOOD-AND-MEDICINE PROGRAM RUN BY THE U-N,
WHILE DECRYING THE CONDITION OF THE NATION'S CHILDREN, WOMEN AND
MINORITIES. WE GET A SAMPLING NOW FROM _____________ IN TODAY'S
U-S OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: THE RECENTLY ESCALATING CRISIS WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN,
PRECIPITATED BY HIS OUSTER OF THE AMERICAN MEMBERS OF THE U-N
WEAPONS INSPECTION TEAM IN HIS COUNTRY, HAS QUIETED DOWN BUT
APPEARS FAR FROM OVER. DESPITE THE UNITED NATIONS EXEMPTION OF
ITS OIL EMBARGO, ALLOWING IRAQ TO SELL A LIMITED AMOUNT OF CRUDE
OIL FOR FOOD AND MEDICINE TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING OF ITS
FAMILIES --AND ESPECIALLY ITS CHILDREN -- CONDITIONS IN THE
COUNTRY CONTINUE TO BE GRIM. U-S EDITORIAL WRITERS GENERALLY
SUPPORT THE EXEMPTION TO THE OIL EMBARGO, BUT WORRY THAT THE
MONEY RAISED IS NOT GETTING NEEDED SUPPLIES TO THE PEOPLE IN
NEED. OTHERS WORRY THAT U-S FOREIGN POLICY IS NOT EFFECTIVE IN
DEALING WITH SADDAM OR OTHER CHALLENGES. BEGINNING WITH THE
SPECIFICS, FIRST, WE TURN TO "THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE."
VOICE: BEFORE THE IRAQ CRISIS COMES TO A BOIL AGAIN, THE UNITED
NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL SHOULD INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF
OIL BAGHDAD CAN SWAP FOR FOOD AND MEDICAL GOODS. THE
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION ALLOWED THIS IDEA TO FLOAT BEFORE
THE RECENT SHOWDOWN WITH IRAQ WAS DEFUSED. NOW
WASHINGTON SHOULD FOLLOW THROUGH WITH A CONCRETE
PROPOSAL. LET'S BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THIS. ALLOWING
IRAQ TO SELL MORE OIL AND USE THE PROCEEDS TO PAY FOR
HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE WOULD NOT BE A CONCESSION TO
SADDAM HUSSEIN AS LONG AS THE U-N MADE SURE AID WAS
DIRECTED TO THE IRAQI PEOPLE. HELP THEM, AND KEEP THE
PRESSURE ON THE REGIME WITH WEAPONS INSPECTIONS AND AN
EMBARGO ON ALL OTHER IMPORTS.... EASING THE HUNGER,
SICKNESS AND DESPAIR OF MILLIONS OF IRAQI CIVILIANS
WOULD BE A WORK OF MERCY THAT MIGHT ALSO PAY SIGNIFICANT
POLITICAL DIVIDENDS BY STEMMING THE GROWING SUPPORT FOR
[MR.] HUSSEIN IN THE ARAB WORLD. [OPT] ... MOST
DISCONCERTING HAS BEEN THE IMPACT OF THE EMBARGO ON
IRAQI CHILDREN..... THE LIVING MUST GET BY ON
SEMI-STARVATION DIETS, CHRONICALLY MALNOURISHED AND
RREQUENTLY LACKING EVEN THE MOST BASIC MEDICAL
SUPPLIES.... IT IS HOPED THAT ONCE THE HELLISH BURDENS
OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ALLEVIATED, ARAB LEADERS
WILL REFOCUS ON THE COMPELLING REASON WHY SANCTIONS WERE
IMPOSED ON THAT DANGEROUS COUNTRY IN THE FIRST PLACE.
[END OPT]
TEXT: "THE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION" SAYS THE GENERAL OIL EMBARGO
AGAINST IRAQ MUST CONTINUE, DESPITE THE SUFFERING OF THE
POPULACE, BUT IT SUGGESTS THE U-N DO A BETTER JOB OF DISTRIBUTING
THE AID THAT IS ALLOWED IN.
VOICE: GIVEN THE SUFFERING OF IRAQI CHILDREN, IT ISN'T EASY TO
INSIST ON MAINTAINING AN ECONOMIC SANCTION STRANGLEHOLD
ON IRAQ. LAST WEEKEND, GRIEVING IRAQIS MARCHED THE
COFFINS OF SCORES OF YOUNG MALNUTRITION VICTIMS THROUGH
THE STREETS OF BAGHDAD.... BUT THE UNITED STATES MUST
STAND ITS GROUND. ALTHOUGH SANCTIONS ARE FAR FROM A
PERFECT CHECK ON SADDAM HUSSEIN'S AGGRESSIVE AMBITIONS,
THEY ARE MORE EFFECTIVE CONTROL THAN DOING NOTHING AND
MORE ACCEPTABLE TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY THAT
PRE-EMPTIVE MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST SUSPECTED IRAQI
BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WARFARE HIDEAWAYS. SADDAM, OF
COURSE, IS COUNTING ON HIS PEOPLE'S MISERY EARNING
SYMPATHY AROUND THE WORLD. [OPT] ..... IT WAS SADDAM WHO
RESISTED FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS THE UNITED
NATIONS-ADMINISTERED PROGRAM OF SELLING IRAQ'S OIL TO
BUY ESSENTIALS FOR HIS PEOPLE. [HOWEVER] IT WAS HE WHO
SPENT ONE BILLION (U.S.) DOLLARS OF IRAQ'S SCARE
RESOURCES TO BUILD 48 NEW RESIDENCES AFTER THE PERSIAN
GULF WAR. THESE SAME STRUCTURES ARE OFF-LIMITS TO U-N
WEAPON INSPECTORS, REASON ENOUGH TO SUSPECT THEY ARE
MORE THAN PRESIDENTIAL RETREATS. [END OPT] ....IN NO
WAY HAS HE EARNED ANY LETUP IN INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE.
TEXT: TURNING TO A GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF WHERE THE SITUATION
STANDS NOW BETWEEN IRAQ AND THE UNITED NATIONS, "THE SUN" IN
BALTIMORE CALLS ON THE WORLD BODY AND THE U-S TO KEEP THE
PRESSURE ON IRAQ.
VOICE: "THE UNITED STATES AND ITS COALITION PARTNERS MUST KEEP
THE PRESSURE ON IRAQ TO OPEN UP FULLY TO UNITED NATIONS
SPECIAL COMMISSION (UNSCOM) WEAPONS INSPECTORS.... THIS
CRISIS EXISTS BECAUSE IRAQ HAS STONEWALLED AND PLAYED
CAT-AND-MOUSE [GAMES] AND RETAINED BIOLOGICAL AND
CHEMICAL WEAPONS OF MASS DEATH AND MISSILES TO CARRY
THEM -- IF NOT ITS NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM -- IN
VIOLATION OF U-N SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS ENDING THE
1991 GULF WAR.... [HOWEVER] RUSSIA IS RIGHT IN URGING
THAT IRAQ BE SHOWN LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.
PERMANENT ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ARE NOT A WAY OF
INTERNATIONAL LIFE.
[OPT]
TEXT: BACK TO THE ISSUE OF HOW SADDAM HUSSEIN IS DIVERTING THE
PROFITS FROM THE U-N ALLOWED CRUDE OIL SALES TO BUILD UP HIS
ARSENAL AND NOT AID HIS PEOPLE, "THE NEW YORK TIMES" COMMENTS:
VOICE: SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS ... SHOWN NO INTEREST IN USING IRAQ'S
FINANCIAL RESERVES, NOT TO MENTIONS MILLIONS HE HAS
PERSONALLY SALTED AWAY [DEPOSITED] IN FOREIGN BANKS, TO
BUY FOOD AND MEDICINE FOR HIS PEOPLE. AS A RESULT, MANY
IRAQI CHILDREN ARE UNDERNOURISHED AND IN NEED OF MEDICAL
CARE AND PHARMACEUTICALS. INSTEAD OF DEALING WITH THESE
HARDSHIPS, SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS POURED GOVERNMENT FUNDS
INTO BUILDING BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS
AND CONSTRUCTING OPULENT PALACES FOR HIMSELF AND HIS
FAMILY.
[END OPT]
TEXT: LASTLY, A FORCEFUL CONDEMNATION OF BOTH U-S FOREIGN
POLICY, AND THE WILL OF THE U-S POPULATION, AS REGARDS THIS
COUNTRY'S ROLE AS THE LONE REMAINING SUPERPOWER, FROM WILLIAM
PFAFF, THE PARIS-BASED SYNDICATED COLUMNIST WRITING IN THE BOSTON
GLOBE.
VOICE: THE UNITED STATES NO LONGER POSSESSES THE POLITICAL
MEANS TO FUNCTION AS THE LEADING POWER IN WORLD AFFAIRS.
THAT SEEMINGLY HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED BY THE EVENTS OF
RECENT DAYS. IN PRINCIPLE, THE PUBLIC FAVORS AMERICAN
INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP, BUT THE CONGRESS IT ELECTS ...
DISPLAYS NO SERIOUS INTEREST IN INTERNATIONAL MATTERS,
WILL NOT PAY FOR AMERICAN LEADERSHIP, AND WILL NOT
TOLERATE MILITARY CASUALTIES IN SUPPORT OF IT.... IT IS
DANGEROUS FOR AMERICANS NOT TO RECOGNIZE THAT AN
UNSURMOUNTABLE GAP HAS OPENED BETWEEN WHAT THE COUNTRY'S
LEADERS AND THE PRESIDENT'S ADVISERS SAY ABOUT AMERICA'S
EXERCISE OF GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITIES ... AND THE
WILLINGNESS OF THE PUBLIC, AS REPRESENTED IN CONGRESS,
TO SUBORDINATE DOMESTIC CONSIDERATIONS TO A FOREIGN
POLICY WITH SUBSTANCE.... THERE IS A FUNDAMENTAL
CONTRADICTION BETWEEN WHAT THE UNITED STATES IS
ATTEMPTING TO DO TO LEAD THE WORLD AND WHAT IT IS ABLE
OR WILLING TO DO IN SUPPORT OF THAT CLAIM. IT WILL NOT
PAY FOR ITS POLICIES. IT WILL MAKE NO SERIOUS
SACRIFICES FOR THEM. THE POLICIES THEMSELVES ARE TOO
OFTEN VAIN AND INTELLECTUALLY UNSUSTAINABLE. FOR
WASHINGTON TO CONTINUE ON SUCH A COURSE RISKS ...
PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL INTEREST.
TEXT: WITH THAT SCATHING ASSESSMENT FROM WILLIAM PFAFF IN PARIS,
WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF EDITORIALS ON THE PROBLEMS OF
DEALING WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN AND THE PLIGHT OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE.
NEB/ANG/MMK
03-Dec-97 1:18 PM EST (1818 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.