DATE=08/31/98 TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP NUMBER=6-10888 TITLE=IRAQI U-N WEAPONS INSPECTION STALL DRAWS IRE BYLINE=ANDREW N. GUTHRIE TELEPHONE=619-3335 DATELINE=WASHINGTON EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS CONTENT= INTRO: THE U-S PRESS IS CRITICAL OF THE CESSATION OF UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTIONS IN IRAQ. THE ISSUE WAS BROUGHT INTO SHARPER FOCUS LAST WEEK BY THE RESIGNATION OF SCOTT RITTER, ONE OF THE MOST SENIOR AMERICANS ON THE U-N INSPECTION TEAM. MR. RITTER, AN AGGRESSIVE FORMER MARINE CORPS OFFICER, SAID HE WAS QUITTING BECAUSE OF U-N AND U-S RELUCTANCE TO CONFRONT IRAQI LEADER SADDAM HUSSEIN. JOINING US IN THE STUDIO NOW IS ________________ WHO HAS A SAMPLING OF EDITORIAL REACTION TO THESE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN TODAY'S U-S OPINION ROUNDUP. TEXT: IN HIS LETTER OF RESIGNATION TO THE UNITED NATIONS, WHICH HE MADE PUBLIC, MR. RITTER SAID THAT HE BELIEVES IRAQ HAS RETAINED THE CAPABILITY TO PRODUCE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. HE ADDED: "WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF TAKING A DECISION, IRAQ COULD HAVE BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS AND BALLISTIC MISSILES TO DELIVER THEM. AND THEY COULD RESTART THEIR NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM." EARLIER, "THE WASHINGTON POST" REPORTED THAT DURING THE PAST YEAR, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION HAD QUIETLY PUT PRESSURE ON THE U-N INSPECTION TEAM TO REDUCE ITS AGGRESSIVENESS, ESPECIALLY IN CONDUCTING UNANNOUNCED INSPECTIONS. ADMINISTRATION SOURCES EXPLAINED THE MOVE AS AN EFFORT TO KEEP THE INSPECTION PROGRAM ALIVE RATHER THAN FACE TOTAL IRAQI OBSTRUCTION. HOWEVER, ALMOST A MONTH AGO, IRAQ STOPPED COOPERATING ANYWAY. THIS STORY, PLUS MR. RITTER'S RESIGNATION, HAS PLACED THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION ON THE DEFENSIVE. /// OPT /// AND IN A "LOS ANGELES TIMES" STORY ON MR. RITTER'S RESIGNATION, ANOTHER FORMER U-N WEAPONS INSPECTOR, DAVID KAY, IS QUOTED AS SAYING THE U-S APPROACH BOILS DOWN TO AN ATTEMPT AT "SAVING THE INSPECTION PROCESS BY NOT INSPECTING." /// END OPT /// WITH THAT AS BACKGROUND, WE BEGIN OUR EDITORIAL SAMPLING IN CALIFORNIA, WHERE "THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE" SAYS THE CURRENT "WEAPONS MONITORING IS A CHARADE." VOICE: 'THE ILLUSION OF ARMS CONTROL IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN NO ARMS CONTROL AT ALL.' THAT OMINOUS WARNING WAS ISSUED BY WILLIAM SCOTT RITTER, WHO HAS TOLD THE TRUTH AND RESIGNED AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE RATHER THAN PARTICIPATE IN THE CHARADE THAT UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTORS ARE CAREFULLY MONITORING IRAQ'S SECRET CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR PROGRAMS. ...[MR.] RITTER'S CONCERNS ARE SHARED BY MANY MIDEAST ANALYSTS WHO HAVE WARNED THAT SADDAM HAS GROWN MORE AND MORE BELLIGERENT IN RECENT YEARS AS HE HAS SENSED A LACK OF RESOLVE BY THE UNITED STATES AND ITS U-N ALLIES. /// OPT /// ... WHEN THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION UNDERCUT THE INSPECTION TEAM'S EFFORT TO CHECK OUT SENSITIVE SITES IN AND AROUND BAGHDAD THIS SUMMER, [MR.] RITTER REALIZED HE COULD NO LONGER BE A PART OF WHAT HE CORRECTLY LABELS A 'FARCE.' /// END OPT /// FOR ALL THE TOUGH TALK FROM THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION ABOUT FORCING SADDAM TO HONOR HIS PROMISE, IT APPEARS HE IS BEING ALLOWED TO OPERATE WITH RELATIVE IMPUNITY. AND THAT IS DESPICABLE." TEXT: IN CALIFORNIA, "THE LOS ANGELES TIMES" RAN THIS OP ED PIECE BY JONATHAN TUCKER, A FORMER MEMBER OF THE U-N WEAPONS INSPECTION TEAM WHO NOW DIRECTS THE CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS NONPROLIFERATION PROJECT AT THE MONTERREY INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES. VOICE: "THE DECISION BY SENIOR U-N INSPECTOR SCOTT RITTER TO RESIGN REFLECTS A GROWING SENSE OF FRUSTRATION AND BITTERNESS AMONG THE MEN AND WOMEN FROM SEVERAL COUNTRIES WORKING TO DISARM IRAQ OF ITS MOST DANGEROUS WEAPONS. THEY FEEL ABANDONED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, WHICH IS SUFFERING FROM 'CRISIS FATIGUE.' ..... IN THE PAST, UNARMED U-N INSPECTORS FACED DOWN IRAQI SOLDIERS WITH KALASHNIKOVS, SECURE IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL WAS BEHIND THEM. BUT WHENEVER THE COUNCIL HESITATED OR EQUIVOCATED ... IRAQ HAS EXPLOITED THIS WEAKNESS. ... THE PAST SEVEN YEARS HAVE SEEN A PROTRACTED BATTLE OF WILL AND WITS BETWEEN THE U-N INSPECTORS AND THE IRAQI AUTHORITIES. .... [MR.] RITTER'S DEPARTURE WILL WEAKEN UNSCOM, AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM, BUT IT SHOULD SERVE AS A WAKEUP CALL [SERIOUS WARNING] FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY." TEXT: IN THE MIDWEST, "THE ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH" SAYS WHAT IS LACKING IN THIS POLICY IS "CONSISTENCY" BUT IT ALSO RAISES AN INTERESTING THEORY ABOUT THE RECENT MISSILE ATTACKS IN AFGHANISTAN AND SUDAN. VOICE: /// OPT /// IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW WHETHER THE DETAILS OF MR. RITTER'S RESIGNATION ARE ALL TRUE. BUT THE GIST OF IT - - THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS BACKED DOWN FROM CHALLENGING SADDAM - - IS CONSISTENT WITH EARLIER NEWS STORIES. ... THE LESS CONFRONTATIONAL STANCE WITH SADDAM CERTAINLY REFLECTS POLITICAL REALITIES. SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ ARE UNPOPULAR AMONG MANY U-N MEMBERS. IN FACT, SOME COUNTRIES HAVE QUIETLY IGNORED THEM. /// END OPT /// ... IF A SHOWDOWN WERE PROVOKED - - IF MR. BUTLER DEMANDED HIS UNFETTERED RIGHT TO INSPECT - - AND SADDAM REFUSED, WHAT OPTIONS ARE THERE? U-N ENTHUSIASM FOR KEEPING SANCTIONS ON IRAQ IS FRANKLY NONEXISTENT. TIGHTENING THEM IS OUT OF THE QUESTION. SO WHAT IS THE UNITED STATES GOING TO DO? BOMB SADDAM'S CHEMICAL WEAPONS FACILITIES? MAYBE SO. INCREASINGLY IT APPEARS THAT THE U-S MISSILE ATTACK ON THE ALLEGED CHEMICAL WEAPONS PLANT IN SUDAN MAY HAVE HAD MORE TO DO WITH PUNISHING SADDAM [HUSSEIN] THAN OSAMA BIN LADEN. ... IS IT POSSIBLE ... THE MISSILE ATTACK WAS NOT A STRIKE AGAINST BIN LADEN OR SUDAN ..... [BUT] A HARD-LINE VERSION OF 'WE KNOW WHERE YOU STUFF IS?' THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE UNITED STATES SEEMS TO BE ACTING INCONSISTENTLY: IT HAS WEAKLY LET SADDAM WIGGLE OFF THE HOOK ON INTERNATIONALLY ENFORCED INSPECTIONS WHILE UNILATERALLY FIRING MISSILES INTO A THIRD COUNTRY TO SEND HIM A STERN MESSAGE. TEXT: "THE WASHINGTON POST" [ON FRIDAY 8/28] IS COUNTING THE DAYS SINCE THE WEAPONS INSPECTIONS STOPPED ALTOGETHER AND, USING PRESIDENT CLINTON'S OWN WORDS ON THE SITUATION FROM EARLIER IN THE YEAR, NOW LAMENTS: VOICE: ... IF SADDAM HUSSEIN NOW MANAGES TO ACQUIRE NUCLEAR WEAPONS, WOULD U-S THREATS REALLY SERVE TO DETER, FOR EXAMPLE, ANOTHER INVASION OF KUWAIT? DETERRENCE DEPENDS ON CREDIBILITY. PRESIDENT CLINTON HIMSELF PROVIDED ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS LAST FEBRUARY. [QUOTE] 'WHAT IF HE FAILS TO COMPLY AND WE FAIL TO ACT, OR WE TAKE SOME AMBIGUOUS THIRD ROUTE, WHICH GIVES HIM YET MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP THIS PROGRAM OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION? ...' [UNQUOTE] YET TODAY, THE U-S GOVERNMENT IS USING INTERNATIONAL APATHY AS AN EXCUSE TO DO NOTHING ...... WHAT MIGHT THE CONSEQUENCES BE, IN IRAQ AND AROUND THE WORLD, OF SUCH APPEASEMENT? BACK IN FEBRUARY, MR. CLINTON HAD AN ANSWER [QUOTE] ... 'IN THIS CENTURY, WE LEARNED THROUGH HARSH EXPERIENCE THAT THE ONLY ANSWER TO AGGRESSION AND ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR IS FIRMNESS, DETERMINATION AND, WHEN NECESSARY, ACTION ... IF WE FAIL TO RESPOND TODAY, SADDAM, AND ALL THOSE WHO WOULD FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS, WILL BE EMBOLDENED TOMORROW BY THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY CAN ACT WITH IMPUNITY ....[UNQUOTE] TEXT: WITH THOSE WORDS OF PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, AS QUOTED BY "THE WASHINGTON POST," WE CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF EDITORIAL COMMENT ON THE CURRENT STALEMATED U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS OF IRAQ. NEB/ANG/RRM 31-Aug-98 4:40 PM EDT (2040 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .