[quoteurl=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,59580,00.html]Iraq Invites U.S. Congress for Tour
FNC
Monday, August 05, 2002
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq invited U.S. Congress members and experts of their choice Monday to search sites in Iraq where they suspect weapons of mass destruction are hidden.
The invitation for a three-week visit, made by parliament speaker Sadoun Hammadi, follows last week's offer for chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix to visit Iraq for technical talks that could lead to a resumption of inspections.
The invitations come at a time when speculation that a U.S. war against Iraq is imminent has been strong, with President Bush saying the overthrow of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is a U.S. policy goal.
The invited congressional delegation could bring "whatever data your government chooses to supply them with in substantiation of its misguided claim that Iraq has produced chemical and biological weapons and is in the process of constructing nuclear weapons," Hammadi wrote.
Hammadi said his letter was prompted by recent U.S. lawmakers' remarks that they expect to be consulted ahead of any decision to wage war on Iraq.
Bemoaning a lack of Iraq-U.S. dialogue, Hammadi urged U.S. lawmakers to "see the true facts through direct dialogue, and then reach your own conclusions."
After the delegation has "had the chance to see and search in Iraq ... the decision will subsequently still be yours," he wrote.
The four-page letter addressed to speakers of the U.S. House and Senate and members of Congress was delivered to Polish diplomats who run the U.S. interests section in Baghdad, according to the official Iraqi News Agency. Iraqi officials distributed an English copy of it to journalists in Baghdad.
After Iraq's invitation for U.N. inspector Blix to visit Baghdad, Bush said that "nothing's changed," and pledged to use all means at his disposal to change the regime in Baghdad. The United Nations hasn't formally responded to the invitation for Blix to meet with Baghdad officials.
The United States, which led the 1991 Gulf War coalition that ousted Iraqi forces from Kuwait, accuses Iraq of trying to rebuild its banned chemical, nuclear and biological weapons programs and of supporting terrorism. Bush has threatened unspecified consequences if weapons inspectors, who left the country ahead of U.S.-British strikes in December 1998, are not allowed to return.
About 10,000 Iraqis rallied Monday outside ruling Baath Party headquarters in a demonstration against the threat of U.S. military action, burning effigies of Bush and American flags. Participants carried banners pledging their support for Saddam.
Salim al-Qubiesi, a member of the Iraqi parliament, called on the world to get rid of Bush instead of Saddam, saying the U.S. president "represents a danger to human civilization because he is the No. 1 terrorist in the world."[/quoteurl]
FNC
Monday, August 05, 2002
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq invited U.S. Congress members and experts of their choice Monday to search sites in Iraq where they suspect weapons of mass destruction are hidden.
The invitation for a three-week visit, made by parliament speaker Sadoun Hammadi, follows last week's offer for chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix to visit Iraq for technical talks that could lead to a resumption of inspections.
The invitations come at a time when speculation that a U.S. war against Iraq is imminent has been strong, with President Bush saying the overthrow of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is a U.S. policy goal.
The invited congressional delegation could bring "whatever data your government chooses to supply them with in substantiation of its misguided claim that Iraq has produced chemical and biological weapons and is in the process of constructing nuclear weapons," Hammadi wrote.
Hammadi said his letter was prompted by recent U.S. lawmakers' remarks that they expect to be consulted ahead of any decision to wage war on Iraq.
Bemoaning a lack of Iraq-U.S. dialogue, Hammadi urged U.S. lawmakers to "see the true facts through direct dialogue, and then reach your own conclusions."
After the delegation has "had the chance to see and search in Iraq ... the decision will subsequently still be yours," he wrote.
The four-page letter addressed to speakers of the U.S. House and Senate and members of Congress was delivered to Polish diplomats who run the U.S. interests section in Baghdad, according to the official Iraqi News Agency. Iraqi officials distributed an English copy of it to journalists in Baghdad.
After Iraq's invitation for U.N. inspector Blix to visit Baghdad, Bush said that "nothing's changed," and pledged to use all means at his disposal to change the regime in Baghdad. The United Nations hasn't formally responded to the invitation for Blix to meet with Baghdad officials.
The United States, which led the 1991 Gulf War coalition that ousted Iraqi forces from Kuwait, accuses Iraq of trying to rebuild its banned chemical, nuclear and biological weapons programs and of supporting terrorism. Bush has threatened unspecified consequences if weapons inspectors, who left the country ahead of U.S.-British strikes in December 1998, are not allowed to return.
About 10,000 Iraqis rallied Monday outside ruling Baath Party headquarters in a demonstration against the threat of U.S. military action, burning effigies of Bush and American flags. Participants carried banners pledging their support for Saddam.
Salim al-Qubiesi, a member of the Iraqi parliament, called on the world to get rid of Bush instead of Saddam, saying the U.S. president "represents a danger to human civilization because he is the No. 1 terrorist in the world."[/quoteurl]
