Iraq: U.S. Thwarts U.N. Inspections [AP World News]
Powell Says U.N. Ought to Hold Up Iraq Inspections. Hours after Iraq agreed with U.N. officials that inspectors could return soon, the secretary of state insisted tougher rules be passed beforehand. By Todd S. Purdum with Julia Preston. [New York Times: International]
Israeli Troops Close to Arafat Headquarters. Two days after they lifted a 10-day siege there, Israeli forces took up positions in buildings near Yasir Arafat's compound in Ramallah. By James Bennet. [New York Times: International]
Somehow there's something strangely reassuring about the fact that so little has changed in the two months since I last posted anything to my weblog. It's still the US and Israel up to their old tricks, riding roughshod over anyone who disagrees with them. The conduct of both states is still reprehensible, and still ultimately desperately dangerous for the stability of the entire world. What has happened to us in the last two years? What has caused this swing to more hardline attitudes? Lemming-like, do we yearn for the cliff-edge and care only to dash blindly towards it?
This entire business with Iraq is quite disgusting. Dubyoo makes his speech to the UN, opinions swing towards his point of view, Baghdad steal his thunder by announcing that weapons inspectors will be allowed back in, the US change the rules (apparently totally surprised by Iraq's action -- did no-one stop to wonder what the next step would be if Iraq bowed to the latest demands?). Naturally, the US reaction to Iraq's announcement led to a swing back the other way by the UN Security Council, and now we have this bullydog chest-thumping from the White House with its threats to veto the return of the Inspectors (the very things they demanded originally) unless they get the Resolution they want. If it weren't so serious, the whole thing would be laughable. Unfortunately, I'm not laughing.
8:05:37 PM 
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