DATE=08/13/98 TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP NUMBER=6-10859 TITLE=MORE IRAQI INTRANSIGENCE BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE TELEPHONE=619-3335 DATELINE=WASHINGTON EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS CONTENT= INTRO: THE FACT THAT SADDAM HUSSEIN IS AGAIN DEFYING THE UNITED NATIONS BY WITHDRAWING COOPERATION FROM THE WEAPONS INSPECTION TEAMS IS CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL ANGER AND FRUSTRATION IN THE U-S PRESS. THIS LATEST CONFRONTATION IS BEING VIEWED BY THE PRESS AS A SNUB OF THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION, AND MANY PAPERS ALSO CRITICIZE THE U-S POLICY TOWARD IRAQ, SAYING THAT IS FLAWED AND NOT NEARLY TOUGH ENOUGH. WE HAVE WITH US NOW _________________ WHO HAS A SAMPLING IN TODAY'S U-S OPINION ROUNDUP. TEXT: WHILE SOME PAPERS ARE COMMENTING THAT THIS LATEST BREAKDOWN IN THE U-N WEAPONS INSPECTION SUPERVISION CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO WEAKNESS ON THE PART OF THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION, "THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE" SAYS THE BLAME BELONGS TO THE UNITED NATIONS. VOICE: THE DIRECT BLAME FOR THE LATEST CRISIS OVER BLOCKING UNITED NATIONS ARMS INSPECTIONS IN IRAQ BELONGS, CLEARLY, WITH SADDAM HUSSEIN. THIS IS ONE MORE ACT IN THE DICTATOR'S ENDLESS REPERTOIRE OF OBSTRUCTION, DECEIT AND DEFIANCE. SAY ONE THING, DO ANOTHER. PROMISE TO COMPLY WITH U-N SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS, THEN SABOTAGE COMPLIANCE. ... SADDAM HUSSEIN IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND. HE'S A RUTHLESS THUG UTTERLY DEVOID OF ANY RESTRAINING SCRUPLES. HE'LL DO WHATEVER HE THINKS HE CAN GET AWAY WITH TO PRESERVE HIS POWER AND REVIVE HIS DREAMS OF CONTROLLING THE OIL-RICH PERSIAN GULF REGION. ... ONLY A SHOW OF U-N UNITY AND RESOLVE CAN GIVE DIPLOMACY THE STEEL IT NEEDS TO BRING SADDAM'S OUTLAW REGIME INTO COMPLIANCE. FAILING THAT, PRESIDENT CLINTON'S HARD CHOICE WOULD BE TO SUMMON A CREDIBLE THREAT OF FORCE OR WATCH SADDAM RISE AGAIN AS A MENACE IN THE STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT PERSIAN GULF. TEXT: IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, "THE OREGONIAN" IN PORTLAND TRIES TO DETERMINE WHY THE IRAQI LEADER DECIDED TO STOP COOPERATING AT THIS JUNCTURE. VOICE: ... MAYBE ... THE UNITED NATIONS' INSPECTION TEAM'S FINAL QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS GERM-WARFARE STOCKS WERE GETTING TOO CLOSE TO THE MARK. OR MAYBE SOME OTHER ODD TWIST IN DOMESTIC OR FOREIGN AFFAIRS WAS THE REASON WHY THE IRAQI PRESIDENT ONCE AGAIN HALTED COOPERATION WITH THE U-N TEAM TRYING TO DETERMINE IF HE HAS FULFILLED HIS PROMISE TO DESTROY WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. ... UNTIL THAT CERTIFICATION, THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL HAS NO CREDIBLE OPTION BUT TO MAINTAIN THE ECONOMIC SANCTIONS IMPOSED ON IRAQ TO FORCE COOPERATION WITH THE U-N TEAM. /// OPT /// SADDAM REMAINS A POTENTIAL TROUBLEMAKER, NOT MERELY FOR THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL BUT FOR THE MIDDLE EAST. IT'S NOT FOR THE UNITED STATES, WHICH CERTAINLY DOESN'T WANT ANOTHER CONFLICT WITH HIM, BUT FOR THE STABILITY OF THE REGION THAT HE NEEDS TO BE RESTRAINED FROM MOVING IN THE BRUTAL DIRECTIONS HE APPARENTLY WOULD PREFER TO GO. /// END OPT /// TEXT: "THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS" IN TEXAS SAYS THAT "IF DIPLOMACY FAILS, COMPLIANCE SHOULD BE ENFORCED." VOICE: U-N INSPECTORS WERE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS TOWARD THAT GOAL [OF CERTIFYING THAT IRAQ HAS STOPPED MAKING NUCLEAR, CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS] - - UNTIL LAST WEEK, WHEN MR. HUSSEIN BLOCKED THEIR WORK AND DEMANDED THAT THE SANCTIONS BE LIFTED AS A CONDITION OF ALLOWING THEM TO RESUME. THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL, OF WHICH THE UNITED STATES IS A PERMANENT MEMBER, SHOULD NOT LET HIM GET SWAY WITH IT. IT SHOULD INSIST THAT MR. HUSSEIN STAND ASIDE OR SUFFER MILITARY CONSEQUENCES. ... THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS RIGHT TO GIVE U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN A CHANCE TO GIVE DIPLOMACY A CHANCE TO WORK. IN THE END, HOWEVER, THE THREAT OF MILITARY ACTION TO FORCE MR. HUSSEIN'S COMPLIANCE MAY BE THE ONLY VIABLE PROD. THE UNITED STATES, WHICH WOULD LEAD ANY STRIKE AGAINST IRAQ, SHOULD BEGIN TO PREPARE ITSELF FOR THAT EVENTUALITY. TEXT: "THE LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK TIMES'" TAKE A DIFFERENT VIEW, BLAMING INATTENTION AND INDECISIVENESS ON THE PART OF THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION FOR THE PRESENT STALEMATE. FIRST "THE NEW YORK TIMES." VOICE: THESE FIRST DAYS OF AUGUST HAVE BROUGHT A DISQUIETING RETREAT BY THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION ON IRAQ. WITHOUT SAYING AS MUCH, THE WHITE HOUSE SEEMS ON THE VERGE OF ALTERING SEVEN YEARS OF AMERICAN POLICY BY LETTING SADDAM HUSSEIN SLIP FREE OF THE INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO PREVENT HIM FROM DEVELOPING A NEW ARSENAL OF BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS. THAT WOULD BE A GRAVE MISTAKE. ... WITHOUT A CLEAR AND CONSISTENT MESSAGE FROM WASHINGTON THAT IT IS PREPARED TO ENFORCE THE INSPECTION SYSTEM, IRAQ'S WEAPONS PROGRAMS CANNOT BE RELIABLY CONTAINED. TEXT: AND LASTLY, FROM CALIFORNIA, THIS POINT OF VIEW FROM "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES." VOICE: CONFRONTED LAST WEEK WITH BAGHDAD'S REFUSAL TO COOPERATE WITH THE WEAPONS INSPECTORS, THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL COULD DO NO BETTER THAN PRODUCE ITS CUSTOMARY DEMAND THAT IRAQ BEHAVE ITSELF, POINTEDLY OMITTING ANY 'OR ELSE' TO LEND EMPHASIS TO ITS DETERMINATION. THE UNITED STATES PROVED TO BE NO MORE DECISIVE. .... FOR NOW, THE ADMINISTRATION IS TEMPORIZING. MAYBE, DESPITE ITS EARLIER TOUGH WORDS, THAT'S ALL IT INTENDS TO DO. IF SO, AND IF BAGHDAD DOES NOT YIELD TO U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL KOFI ANNAN'S LATEST PLEA TO RESUME COOPERATING WITH THE ARMS INSPECTORS, [SADDAM] HUSSEIN WILL HAVE ACHIEVED A MAJOR POLITICAL VICTORY. TEXT: ON THAT NOTE, WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF COMMENT FROM THE U-S PRESS ON THE LATEST EPISODE IN THE CONTINUING STRUGGLE TO FREE IRAQ OF LETHAL WEAPONS. NEB/ANG/KL 13-Aug-98 1:04 PM EDT (1704 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .