WTF Is It Now?!?

BOMBING FOR POLL NUMBERS, continued
Rolf Ekeus, head of United Nations weapons inspections in Iraq from 1991-97, has accused the US and other Security Council members of manipulating the United Nations inspections teams for their own political ends.

The revelation by one of the most respected Swedish diplomats is certain to strengthen Iraq's argument against allowing UN inspectors back into the country. Most damning, he said that the US and other members of the Security Council pressed the teams to inspect sensitive areas, such as Iraq's ministry of defence when it was politically favourable for them to create a crisis situation.

"They, [Security Council members] pressed the inspection leadership to carry out inspections which were controversial from the Iraqis' view, and thereby created a blockage that could be used as a justification for a direct military action," he said

Inspections based on a US agenda, says Naji Sabri, Iraq's foreign minister, are simply impractical. "They proved a complete failure. The inspectors were procrastinating, prolonging the sanctions and providing a pretext for action against Iraq." - Read more at Financial Times.com>