G
ganjavih
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If there's one thing I respect Chretien for, it is for staying out of this colonial adventure.
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Chretien suggests Canada's decision not to join Iraq war vindicated
LOUISE ELLIOTT
Canadian Press
Thursday, May 22, 2003
OTTAWA (CP) - Canada's decision not to join the war in Iraq has been vindicated by the U.S. failure to uncover weapons of mass destruction, Prime Minister Jean Chretien suggested Thursday.
"They didn't find (weapons of mass destruction in Iraq) so far, and we did not participate either, so it is for the people to pass a judgment, it is not for me," he said at a news conference.
He quickly added, "I was of the view that there was a need for more time."
Chretien, who said Canada would consider going to war only if a United Nations mandate was drafted and another deadline set, said other countries tipped the balance.
He said Americans and others in the coalition - which included Britain - were not "flexible" enough to allow a peaceful resolution.
"Perhaps if there had been a bit more flexibility not only on the part of Americans, but others, we might have succeeded, but we have done our best," he said.
U.S. President George W. Bush repeatedly argued that it was necessary to go to war without a UN mandate, charging Saddam Hussein's regime was hiding chemical and biological weapons and a nuclear arms program from UN weapons inspectors.
Chretien maintained the conflict and the resulting occupation of Iraq weren't Canada's normal way of doing business.
"Of course, the departure of Saddam Hussein, we are not unhappy about it, but it was not the normal way to change a regime there, and that was the position of the Canadian government and it's still the same."
Earlier this week, U.S. weapons teams began inspecting the dormant Tuwaitha plant, once considered the heart of Iraq's nuclear program, which has not been operational for years.
The Americans claim Iraqis had been using it to store declared nuclear materials that were prohibited and sealed by the UN nuclear agency.
By the time weapons teams showed up to inspect the facility, so much had been destroyed that it was impossible to know what was missing.
Approval to lift sanctions imposed on Iraq since Saddam Hussein's regime invaded Kuwait in 1990 was granted Thursday in a UN Security Council vote.
The punitive trade measures were technically not allowed to be lifted until weapons inspectors declared Iraq free of weapons of mass destruction.
But the U.S. has refused to let UN teams return to Iraq, deploying its own inspectors instead. No evidence has been uncovered so far.
The resolution lifts economic sanctions without certification from UN inspectors, but it reaffirms "that Iraq must meet its disarmament obligations" and says the council will discuss the mandates of the UN inspectors later.
© Copyright 2003 The Canadian Press
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Chretien suggests Canada's decision not to join Iraq war vindicated
LOUISE ELLIOTT
Canadian Press
Thursday, May 22, 2003
OTTAWA (CP) - Canada's decision not to join the war in Iraq has been vindicated by the U.S. failure to uncover weapons of mass destruction, Prime Minister Jean Chretien suggested Thursday.
"They didn't find (weapons of mass destruction in Iraq) so far, and we did not participate either, so it is for the people to pass a judgment, it is not for me," he said at a news conference.
He quickly added, "I was of the view that there was a need for more time."
Chretien, who said Canada would consider going to war only if a United Nations mandate was drafted and another deadline set, said other countries tipped the balance.
He said Americans and others in the coalition - which included Britain - were not "flexible" enough to allow a peaceful resolution.
"Perhaps if there had been a bit more flexibility not only on the part of Americans, but others, we might have succeeded, but we have done our best," he said.
U.S. President George W. Bush repeatedly argued that it was necessary to go to war without a UN mandate, charging Saddam Hussein's regime was hiding chemical and biological weapons and a nuclear arms program from UN weapons inspectors.
Chretien maintained the conflict and the resulting occupation of Iraq weren't Canada's normal way of doing business.
"Of course, the departure of Saddam Hussein, we are not unhappy about it, but it was not the normal way to change a regime there, and that was the position of the Canadian government and it's still the same."
Earlier this week, U.S. weapons teams began inspecting the dormant Tuwaitha plant, once considered the heart of Iraq's nuclear program, which has not been operational for years.
The Americans claim Iraqis had been using it to store declared nuclear materials that were prohibited and sealed by the UN nuclear agency.
By the time weapons teams showed up to inspect the facility, so much had been destroyed that it was impossible to know what was missing.
Approval to lift sanctions imposed on Iraq since Saddam Hussein's regime invaded Kuwait in 1990 was granted Thursday in a UN Security Council vote.
The punitive trade measures were technically not allowed to be lifted until weapons inspectors declared Iraq free of weapons of mass destruction.
But the U.S. has refused to let UN teams return to Iraq, deploying its own inspectors instead. No evidence has been uncovered so far.
The resolution lifts economic sanctions without certification from UN inspectors, but it reaffirms "that Iraq must meet its disarmament obligations" and says the council will discuss the mandates of the UN inspectors later.
© Copyright 2003 The Canadian Press