The Hindu : Iraq offer a joke, says Rumsfeld

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 07, 2002

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International

Iraq offer a joke, says Rumsfeld

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Ottawa Aug. 6. The United States has rejected an offer by Iraq to let Congressmen search the country for weapons of mass destruction. "Our position on inspections and disarmament is well known," said a National Security Council spokesman, Sean McCormack.

The Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, was scathing in his comments. "I can't think of anything funnier than a handful of Congressmen walking around. They'd have to be there for the next 50 years trying to find something. It's a joke," he told a group of journalists. Iraq invited members of Congress to visit the country for three weeks and said arms experts of their choice could accompany them.

But the response from Capitol Hill has been less than enthusiastic. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Joseph Biden, called on Baghdad to "end its stalling tactics" and allow immediate and unfettered access to United Nations weapons inspectors. On Sunday, Mr. Biden said, "I believe there probably could be a war with Iraq. The only question is, is it alone, is it with others and how long and how costly will it be," the Democrat Senator and Presidential hopeful for 2004, said.

The Senate Majority Leader, Tom Daschle, supported the administration's insistence on a change of regime in Baghdad but advised caution. "We all support strongly a regime change... but do we have the support of our allies? Do we have an appropriate plan," Mr. Daschle asked. Analysts believe that Iraq will be high on the President, George W Bush's mind as he settles down for a vacation at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, for about four weeks. He will discuss with experts and lawmakers who are convinced that the administration has to weigh the pros and cons before it comes up with a war plan to oust Saddam Hussein from power.

Lawmakers and those outside of the administration are worried on several counts. Heading the list is the fact that virtually no one among its allies have enthusiastically supported the plan . Only Britain and Canada can be expected to support any American action but they may have to be roped in "kicking and screaming".

Besides the political fall out of the plan on American allies such as Saudi Arabia, lawmakers are worried about the costs of a regime change in Iraq. In the absence of any support from allies, the United States may have to bear the entire costs.

The 1991 Gulf War cost $60 billion but the expenses were shared by allies in West Asia, Europe and the Asia-Pacific. Lawmakers are also worried about the political fallout after Mr. Hussein has been ousted from power. One estimate has been that 75,000 troops will be required inside Iraq for about five years to maintain stability and it will cost tax payers $16 billion annually to secure major cities, guard vital installations and patrol the border with Iran.

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