what gives: Inspectors Call U.S. Tips 'Garbage'

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

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Inspectors Call U.S. Tips 'Garbage'
Feb. 20, 2003
While diplomatic maneuvering continues over Turkish bases and a new United
Nations resolution, inside Iraq, U.N. arms inspectors are privately
complaining about the quality of U.S. intelligence and accusing the United
States of sending them on wild-goose chases.

CBS News Correspondent Mark Phillips reports the U.N. has been taking a
precise inventory of Iraq's al-Samoud 2 missile arsenal, determining how
many there are and where they are.

Discovering that the al-Samoud 2 has been flying too far in tests has been
one of the inspectors' major successes. But the missile has only been
exceeding its 93-mile limit by about 15 miles and that, the Iraqis say, is
because it isn't yet loaded down with its guidance system. The al-Samoud 2
is not the 800-mile-plus range missile that Secretary of State Colin Powell
insists Iraq is developing.

In fact, the U.S. claim that Iraq is developing missiles that could hit its
neighbors ­ or U.S. troops in the region, or even Israel ­ is just one of
the claims coming from Washington that inspectors here are finding
increasingly unbelievable. The inspectors have become so frustrated trying
to chase down unspecific or ambiguous U.S. leads that they've begun to
express that anger privately in no uncertain terms.

U.N. sources have told CBS News that American tips have lead to one dead end
after another. 
*    Example: satellite photographs purporting to show new research
buildings at Iraqi nuclear sites. When the U.N. went into the new buildings
they found "nothing."
*    Example: Saddam's presidential palaces, where the inspectors went with
specific coordinates supplied by the U.S. on where to look for incriminating
evidence. Again, they found "nothing."
*    Example: Interviews with scientists about the aluminum tubes the U.S.
says Iraq has imported for enriching uranium, but which the Iraqis say are
for making rockets. Given the size and specification of the tubes, the U.N.
calls the "Iraqi alibi air tight."

The inspectors do acknowledge, however, that they would not be here at all
if not for the threat of U.S. military action.

So frustrated have the inspectors become that one source has referred to the
U.S. intelligence they've been getting as "garbage after garbage after
garbage." In fact, Phillips says the source used another cruder word. The
inspectors find themselves caught between the Iraqis, who are masters at the
weapons-hiding shell game, and the United States, whose intelligence they've
found to be circumstantial, outdated or just plain wrong.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and Britain are planning to present a new resolution to
the U.N. Security Council on Monday in a bid for support to use force to
disarm Iraq. 

Finishing touches were being put on the resolution on Thursday. Adoption is
by no means assured. A majority of the 15 council members are opposed to war
at least until U.N. weapons inspectors report in mid-March.

Secretary Powell said a headcount was "academic" because the resolution
demanding Iraqi disarmament had not been put forward.

Powell, who flies to Japan on Friday for the start of a five-day Asia trip,
juggled resolution diplomacy with stressful negotiations with Turkey, a
potential key ally in any war.

Turkey is balking at U.S. terms for an economic aid package. Powell, who
interceded on Wednesday with Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, said he had told
the Turkish leader "our position was firm with respect to the kind of
assistance we could provide."

However, Powell said, "there may be some other creative things we can do."

As for the expected U.N. resolution, the Bush administration sees little
value in extending inspections and much to worry about in Iraq's connection
to al Qaeda and other terror groups.

One U.S. official said the projected day for presenting the resolution was
Monday but that it could slip a day or two.

Powell said, "We won't put a resolution down unless we intend to fight for
the resolution, unless we believe we can make the case that it is
appropriate." 

In Baghdad, meanwhile, Iraq allowed another flight by an American U-2
surveillance plane Thursday as President Saddam Hussein's government sought
to convince the world that it is cooperating with the weapons inspectors.

In New York, a U.N. spokesman said Iraq also had submitted a list of people
involved in the destruction of banned weapons ‹ a key demand by chief
weapons inspector Hans Blix.

It was the second flight this week by a U-2 in support of the U.N.
inspection program. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry said the plane spent six
hours and 20 minutes over Iraq's territory, searching for evidence of banned
weapons. 

In regard to the possible basing of U.S. troops in Turkey, Gul said in
Ankara that a statement would be made on Friday. He did not elaborate.

Powell did not elaborate on the refinements under consideration, but another
U.S. official said one approach might be to seek a $1 billion congressional
appropriation that would then permit Turkey to obtain loans at preferential
U.S.-government rates for many times that amount.

Ships carrying equipment for a U.S. infantry division are already at sea.
The United States wants to base tens of thousands of soldiers in Turkey to
open a possible northern front against Iraq.

The dispute with Turkey is one of many problems the Bush administration has
as it tries to line up support for an attack on Iraq if Saddam doesn't
disarm quickly. 

Implying the United States might deploy troops elsewhere if terms could not
be reached with Turkey, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said "we have to
deal with realities, and we will."

Meanwhile, President Bush sought to keep the pressure on the Security
Council, telling a suburban Atlanta audience, "Denial and endless delay in
the face of growing danger is not an option."

The president has said the council risks irrelevance if it does not face up
to Iraq's defiance of more than 10 years of disarmament resolutions.

Mr. Bush also has said if the council does not approve a second resolution
he is prepared to go to war with a "coalition of the willing" ‹ nations like
Britain that agree with him that Iraq's arsenals of biological and chemical
weapons pose a threat.

Mr. Bush planned to host Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar of Spain, an ally,
at his Texas ranch Friday and Saturday. Another potential ally, Prime
Minister Simeon Saxcoburggotski of Bulgaria, is due next Tuesday at the
White House.

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