US and Iraq on Brink of War as UN Inspections Crisis Deepens

President Saddam Hussein's announcement that Iraq would accept any initiative to lift sanctions was dismissed by the White House as a "non-starter" after months of escalating tensions over UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) access to Iraqi weapons and missile sites. The US and its allies demand unfettered access for UNSCOM inspectors, while Iraq refuses to allow inspections without guarantees of lifting sanctions. President Clinton urged world leaders to solidify support for air strikes against Iraq, amid warnings that the crisis could escalate into a full-scale war.

Key Takeaways:

• The US and its allies demand that Iraq allow UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) inspectors unrestricted access to Iraqi weapons and missile sites before lifting sanctions.
• President Hussein dismissed the US position as a "non-starter" and said he would accept any initiative to lift sanctions, but the White House saw this as a reiteration of previous statements.
• President Clinton began a bill-signing ceremony by saying Hussein has it within his hands to end the crisis now by allowing the inspections to continue.
• The US is planning for a prolonged military operation, with 100,000 troops deployed to the Persian Gulf region.
• Secretary of State Madeleine Albright met with diplomats to solidify support for air strikes against Iraq, emphasizing that US policy is to "work with opposition groups" in Iraq to topple Hussein.
• The White House denied any plans for Clinton to fly to Malaysia for an Asian economic summit, leaving open the possibility that he might stay on US soil during a military operation.
• Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz called upon UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to come to Baghdad to negotiate, but the US opposes such a trip.

Statistics:

• 100,000 US troops have been deployed to the Persian Gulf region in preparation for military action.
• 4 x 55-ton US warships and 14 US warships have arrived in Kuwait.
• 8 US aircraft carriers are positioned in the Gulf, including USS Enterprise, USS Carl Vinson, and USS Kitty Hawk.
• UNSCOM inspectors have destroyed 186 chemical munitions containing the chemical warfare agents mustard and sarin.
• All 23 Iraqi missile sites inspected by UNSCOM have been certified free of banned missiles.
• US B-52 bombers and Stealth fighters are moving to Kuwait in anticipation of an attack against Iraq.

Sources:

• Chicago Tribune, article as reported on November 13, 1998.
• Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.