In the space of a few minutes yesterday, two starkly contrasting faces of power were on view: diplomatic power, clothed in the formulaic rites of the United Nations Security Council, and raw, real power as brandished by President George Bush in the Rose Garden of the White House. (AFP photo)...

The war machine builds in the Kuwait desert, Bush is ready to strike, the oil is right at his fingertips.  Hitler would be proud.

I do not think anyone believes that little George's war on Iraq can be stopped.  The Iraqi oil fields are just too tempting to resist.  

The potential of everything going wrong is there.  The potential for Muslims to revolt at the neo Christian crusades.  The price wars that OPEC is going to begin or try to begin.  The nukes that Israel is itching to launch.  The irresistible temptation for Sharon and Netanyahu to put a swift end to the Palestinian problem while little George is busy with Iraq.  

little George has control in the U S Congress and the U S Senate now.  There can be no doubt that if he can manhandle the U N, keeping his Republican party in line is just a cake walk.  (Interesting little George's Republican Party is going to challenge Saddam's Republican Guard)

little George has shown that the United States is undoubtedly the nation of nations in the world.  I guess this is part of the New World Order that daddy George was talking about ten years ago.

Oh well. The world is going to be burning a lot more oil in the near future and global warming is going to get an extra boost.  Human rights are going to only get lip service.  The Iraqis are going to be made over into good Americans just like the Japanese and Germans.  

What is really interesting to consider in this whole scenario is that once the U S takes over the oil reserves in Iraq, what does it need Israel for?  

Has anyone considered what it is going to be like when the Christian churches begin to go up in Baghdad?  Can you see Jerry Falwell building the first Christian outpost in New Iraq? 

Meanwhile Saddam understands that his time is coming to an end.  He understands that he cannot beat the U S war machine.  I guess the only thing left is a Doomsday surprise for the whole world.  If Saddam has any weapons of mass destruction he is forced to use them or lose them.  Can anyone doubt that he has over the years assembled a core of fanatics who are prepared to unleash biological agents everywhere, set every oil well on fire, wait until the Americans are entrenched in Baghdad and then set off the mother of all weapons of mass destruction?  

John WorldPeace
November 9,  2002

The face of power, the raw, real power of Bush's America

By Rupert Cornwell in Washington

09 November 2002

In the space of a few minutes yesterday, two starkly contrasting faces of power were on view: diplomatic power, clothed in the formulaic rites of the United Nations Security Council, and raw, real power as brandished by President George Bush in the Rose Garden of the White House.

For a moment, surveying the placid scene at the Security Council, or reading the nuanced legalistic language of Resolution 1441, you could believe the vote was the unqualified opinion of 15 like-minded nations, rather than what it really was: a document, amended a little to be sure, but conceived and driven through by the US to permit Washington to take military action against Saddam Hussein should it unilaterally decide to do so.

The resolution speaks of "serious consequences". Mr Bush was far more blunt. The Iraqi leader had to extend "prompt and unconditional" co-operation with the weapons inspectors, or he would face not merely "serious" but "the severest" consequences.

The doubters on the Security Council may take solace in the absence of "automaticity" of any military attack should President Saddam disobey. But Mr Bush put that assertion in context. Nothing would impede America's freedom of action. Nor will the President tolerate nit-picking when the council discusses future obstruction by Iraq. There could be no "unproductive debates over whether specific instances of non-compliance are serious. Any Iraqi non-compliance is serious".

Yesterday capped a fantastic week for Mr Bush, a Republican election sweep followed by his most important diplomatic victory. The President without a mandate has been transformed into one of unquestioned dominance.

Yesterday's UN vote, like analogous ones in Congress before it last month, underline how much the world's diplomatic landscape has changed in the 12 years since Saddam Hussein challenged the United Nations by invading Kuwait.

The cause then would seem far more clear cut than today; the reversal of an invasion of a neighbour, flouting every international law, compared to a preventive strike of dubious legality to forestall a threat which many people believe does not exist. But in 1990, Russia and China abstained, and Yemen and Cuba voted against force to evict Iraqi forces from Kuwait. This time, the Security Council voted unanimously. In 1990 President Bush's father only narrowly prevailed in his war powers vote in the Senate, but Congress this time gave its approval by three to one.

There are three reasons. A new post-11 September urgency in dealing with a perceived terrorist threat; a greater readiness of the US to use its military might after quick, low-casualty wars in the Gulf, Kosovo and Afghanistan, but, first and foremost, the overwhelming power of America in a world whose best interests it believes it represents. Those who oppose America, do so at their peril.

The scene at the White House brought to mind the maxim of Al Capone, a figure who Mr Bush's foes abroad might liken him to: "You can go a long way with a smile. You can go a lot further with a smile and a gun." Except that at in the Rose Garden yesterday, while the gun was sticking out of the holster, there was no smile.

The US military build-up continues in the Gulf. "The full disarmament of weapons of mass destruction by Iraq will occur," Mr Bush flatly stated. Who is to disbelieve him?

US tanks ready to roll on Baghdad Tim Ripley in Kuwait City news.scotsman.com   PRESIDENT Bush continues to tell the world that he has not made up his mind about attacking Iraq. But in the Kuwaiti desert, the US Army is busy preparing for war. At their huge military base on the outskirts of Kuwait City, hundreds of American army tanks are being prepared to roll northwards towards Baghdad. As US military hardware piles up at Camp Doha, the locals have given it a suitably gung-ho nickname - "Camp Fuck  Iraq". As the US army’s Abrams tanks and Apache gunships venture out into the desert, ostensibly for "training exercises", they look ready to roll northwards at very short notice. Posted all along the road north, from Kuwait City to the Iraqi border, are small detachments of GIs, hidden under camouflage netting and cautiously watching the desultory traffic passing them by. Kuwaiti construction teams are hard at work improving the road, fitting lighting and laying new tarmac, despite the fact that the border has been closed since the Gulf War 11 years ago. "Either the Kuwaitis are very optimistic about a speedy and peaceful resolution to the crisis, or the US military want to have their main supply route into Iraq in tip-top condition," was the wry comment of one western diplomat. "They have not come here for fun", was the conclusion of a British engineer, watching the display of military might from an oil field only 20 miles from the Iraqi border. "The Yanks tell us they will be ready to go after Ramadan in early December." Less than a mile from Camp Doha, however, the residents of the oil-rich Gulf Emirate still know how to party. At the Entertainment City theme park, Kuwaitis can ride the roller-coasters, take the African jungle cruise, or a car ride round Europe. Alternatively, they can take aim at cartoons of Saddam Hussein on the Wild West shooting gallery. "Saddam is finished," commented Mustafa, the gallery attendant, as he reloaded for more eager customers. "Then we will have to put up a picture of Ariel Sharon". Residents of the Emirate, from where it is widely assumed the main US armoured thrust would begin, seem to share none of the doubts of their fellow Arabs about the wisdom of toppling Saddam. This week, the Kuwait government said that it would allow the US and UK to attack Iraq from its bases - in sharp contrast to a sensitive Saudi Arabia, which has ruled out use of bases on its soil, Kuwait public opinion seems strongly in favour of a US attack. Unlike in previous Iraqi crises over the past decade, Kuwait has so far remained very calm. There have been no mad rushes to the airport or panic buying of war supplies. Even sales of gas masks have barely picked up. Yacoub Al-Saleh, executive manager of Kuwait’s largest military supply store, told The Scotsman: "The people’s fear is still at a minimum level. Mainly educated people are buying - those who have some awareness of the situation. That is a sign of the temperature. I feel it is low at the moment." Kuwait City remains a bustling metropolis, hardly feeling like a city 50 miles from a potential war zone. There are early morning traffic jams and business is brisk, from the traditional souks to western-style shopping malls. The decision to close down the Kuwait city bureau of the Arabic al-Jazeera satellite television station highlighted government nervousness over Islamist groups. For the record, the US Army is saying almost nothing about its preparations for war, beyond parroting comments from President Bush that "no decisions" have been made. Inside the sprawling Camp Doha, the US Third Army’s spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Rick Thomas, was unable to provide details of 10,000 strong US forces in Kuwait or the continuing troop build up. His only comment was that, "US Central Command is re-positioning forces in the region to support the President’s global war on terrorism." In private US Army officers display no doubts that there is only one outcome to the crisis - war. Their contingency invasion plans are ready and they are just waiting for the "execute" order. Two scenarios seem ready, a surprise assault that could be launched within days, or a more deliberate campaign with a start date in late January or early February. The latter seems to be their preference, with a major build up of supplies and equipment building up to a peak in December. Last week a brigade combat team of the 3rd Infantry Division moved out of Camp Doha into the desert for a extensive series of exercises that will culminate in live firing by Abrams tanks later in the month. All of the north west of the Emirate, a quarter of Kuwait’s land mass, has been declared a military zone and sealed off to allow the exercises to take place. Currently two armoured brigades are known to be in the Emirate, and Kuwaiti military sources say that since June the tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery and other heavy equipment for one to two more armoured brigades has arrived. This would allow a further 10,000 GIs to fly in, link up with the heavy equipment and be ready for combat in 72 hours. Plans are underway to move the heavy equipment for another US division, to equip in excess of 18,000 troops, into Kuwait by December. Three US Military Sealift Command ships have been dispatched to the Gulf carrying armoured vehicles and helicopters. The Pentagon is contracting for commercial vessels to carry 300 containers of ammunition to the Middle East by the middle of December. Apache attack helicopters are already flying patrols over the desert in the west of the Emirate. In a further sign of the relentless American build-up, the US Army has begun contracting local construction firms to begin building at least one huge tent city out in the western desert - to accommodate a further 3,000-5,000 troops. All the facilities are to be up and running by the end of December. From the Kuwaiti desert, it appears the countdown to war has already begun.

Bush's UN victory corners Saddam Tim Ripley and Tim Cornwell SADDAM Hussein will bow to pressure in the face of the UN security council’s demand that he disarm or face "serious consequences", western diplomats claimed last night. The security council voted 15-0 for a tough new resolution yesterday that gave the Iraqi president only seven days to confirm his regime will "fully comply" with efforts to root out his arsenal of weapons. He must accept the return of UN inspectors to his country with sweeping powers to close down and search suspected weapons sites and grill Iraqi officials in secret. President George Bush threatened Saddam yesterday with "the severest consequences" if he fails to eliminate any nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, along with ballistic missiles he is suspected of fitting to carry them. "The outcome of the current crisis is already determined. The full disarmament of weapons of mass destruction will occur. The only question for the Iraqi regime is to decide how," Mr Bush said. With the threat of war hanging on Baghdad’s response, Tony Blair issued a similar warning. "Defy the UN’s will and we will disarm you by force," the Prime Minister said. "Be in no doubt whatsoever over that. Conflict is not inevitable, but disarmament is." Few observers now believe that Saddam will hand a golden opportunity to his foes to attack Iraq by rejecting the UN demands outright. He will agree to let the inspectors return if only to "string out the crisis" and attempt to frustrate US and British attempts to build a new anti-Baghdad coalition, one western diplomat said. There are also reports from the Gulf region that Saudi Arabia is now working behind the scenes to persuade Baghdad to go along with the new inspection regime. The chief UN weapons inspector, Hans Blix, said an advance team of inspectors will arrive in Baghdad on 18 November after an absence of nearly four years . The unanimous security council vote "strengthens our mandate very much", said Mr Blix, whose progress reports to the UN could determine if the US gets an international blessing for its long-held wish to oust Saddam. The new measure leaves Washington free to attack Iraq without a formal second UN resolution authorising the use of force. But it requires the security council to meet again before a military strike. Mr Bush yesterday scored a diplomatic triumph almost as sweeping and sweet as his gains in the US congressional elections earlier in the week. After eight weeks of bargaining at the UN, first China, then critically France and Russia, were persuaded to back a resolution that lays down a gauntlet to Baghdad. In addition to the security council’s five permanent members, the vote was also unanimous among ten rotating members of the council. They included the only Arab member, Syria, which had earlier pleaded for a delayed vote. The stringent conditions governing the inspectors’ return mean that even Saddam’s palaces are not off-limits to their wide powers of search. It left the ball firmly in Baghdad’s court yesterday as to how it would respond. Iraq must agree to the inspectors’ return under UN terms in seven days, and has 30 days to make an "accurate, full and complete" declaration of its weapons programmes, and related industries, even those with civilian uses. Commanders of the US forces assembling in the desert close to Kuwait’s border with Iraq - backed by long-range bombers and aircraft carrier groups converging on the Persian gulf - are saying little about their plans. But two scenarios now seem ready: a surprise assault within days, if Baghdad baulks at UN demands, or a more deliberate campaign with a start date in late January or early February. The rhetoric from Baghdad has been uncompromising, describing the US and British sponsored-resolution as "the law of evil". While Baghdad has agreed to new weapons inspections in principle, it says the new resolution amounts to a declaration of war because it sets "impossible conditions".

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