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US, UK, Spain: ‘Iraq in Material Breach’
Only hours after leaders Aznar, Blair and Bush issued the final countdown for Iraq to disarm, their UN ambassadors, led by Sir Jeremy Greenstock of the United Kingdom, were the first to announce that time is up for Iraq according to UN Resolution 1441. The refusal of a certain country [France] to consider compromises or proposals on the Iraqi disarmament issue has led to the decision not to "pursue a vote on the draft UK, US, Spanish resolution," said Greenstock. He also declared that the "co-sponsors reserve their right to take their own steps to secure the disarmament of Iraq." Spanish and US ambassadors gave similar statements and declared that Iraq was in ‘material breach’ of UN Resolution 1441. France immediately followed with a protest even before Iraq itself. At the Emergency Summit on Sunday, from the Azores, the leaders Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, Prime Minister Tony Blair, U.S. President Bush and Portuguese Prime Minister Joe Manuel Durao Barroso declared that attempts at diplomacy for the Iraqi dictator was clearly coming to an end, and that the UN Security Council Resolution 1441 has provided an end to the 12 year appeal to Saddam to give up weapons of mass terror to the world. "We have joined this initiative and we organized it here in the Azores because we thought this was the last opportunity for a political solution," said Portuguese Prime Minister Joe Manuel Durao Barroso, "and this is how we see it, this is the last possibility for a political solution to the problem. Maybe it’s a small chance, a small possibility, but even if it’s one in one million, it’s always worthwhile fighting for a political solution. And I think this is the message that we can get from this Atlantic summit." The leaders discussed the severity of the threat Iraq poses to the world, U.S. President Bush said Saddam is "a sponsor of terrorism. He’s an obstacle to progress in the Middle East. For decades he has been the cruel, cruel oppressor of the Iraq people." "On this very day 15 years ago, Saddam Hussein launched a chemical weapons attack on the Iraqi village of Halabja." Even though Saddam Hussein has said he has no weapons of mass destruction, he issued another threat Sunday to use terror on innocent people around the world. He threatened that no one would be safe anywhere on the earth. Saddam’ s threats reaffirm what intelligence sources have known of his connection and support of terror around the world and his ardent intent to use his weapons build up to carry out larger attacks and more of the many terror attacks promised by him since 1988 when he poisoned millions of Muslims in Iraq and the country of Kuwait. At the emergency summit Sunday, Prime Minister Blair addressed the divide in the world over the issue Saddam has created. Blair said, "I think this is one of the things that is tragic about this situation, that Saddam plays these games and we carry on allowing him to play them… The threat is there and everyone accepts it: the threat of weapons of mass destruction, the threat of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of terrorists who will cause maximum damage to our people. Everybody accepts the disarmament of Saddam has to happen. Everybody accepts that he was supposed to cooperate fully with the inspectors. Everybody accepts that he is not doing so." Quotes by Saddam Hussein on Terrorism: Iraq Masses
Troops Against Kuwait, October 1994 "[I]t
is possible to turn to biological attack, where a small can, not
bigger than the size of a hand, can be used to release viruses
that affect everything…" Saddam on U.S.S. Cole Bombing, October 12, 2000: "[Iraqis]
should intensify struggle and jihad in all fields and by all means…" Saddam On 9-11 Terror Attacks: "The
real perpetrators [of September 11] are within the collapsed buildings." "If the
attacks of September 11 cost the lives of 3,000 civilians, how
much will the size of losses in 50 states within 100 cities if
it were attacked in the same way in which New York and Washington
were? What would happen if hundreds of planes attacked American
cities?" Prime Minister Blair in the past weeks has gone on world wide television to give important information on the threat Saddam poses to the world and has engaged in rigorous question and answer forums. Both Blair and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar have gone to their respective parliaments and have battled opposition with success. At the heart of the leaders’ arguments is the security of the world and that waiting more than 12 years to diffuse a ticking time bomb is more than dangerous. Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar stressed the importance of a secure world, free from terrorism and the liberty to live in freedom: "We have renewed Atlantic commitment on our common values and principles, in favor of democracy, freedom and the rule of law. "We understand that the expression of this commitment is essential, by way of guarantee of peace, security and international freedom. And I honestly believe that there is no other alternative to the expression of the Atlantic commitment in terms of security. We are committed on a day-to-day fight against new threats, such as terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and tyrannic regimes that do not comply with international law. They threaten all of us, and we must all act, consequently. "This transatlantic link, this transatlantic solidarity has always been, is, and should continue to be, in my opinion, a great European commitment, and as such, amongst other things, we express it this way — without this commitment, today’s Europe could not be understood. And without that commitment, it would be very difficult to picture the Europe of tomorrow. "So I would like to invite our friends, our allies, to leave aside any circumstantial differences and to work together seriously for that commitment of democracy, freedom and peace, so that this becomes a commitment of us all." Azores Press Conference: President Bush, Prime Minister Blair, President Aznar, and Prime Minister Barroso Community
Activity Center Ballroom 5:30
P.M. (Local) PRIME MINISTER BARROSO: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I am very pleased to welcome here in the Azores the leaders of three friends and allied countries, the United States, Spain and United Kingdom. President Bush, Prime Minister Aznar, and Prime Minister Tony Blair. (See Full Statements Here) |
