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News Analysis
By
Yasser Alaskary
December 15, 2002
- In
a show of unity the Iraqi opposition finally holds a conference
in London, after three opposition leaders met in Iran.
The opposition agree on a political blueprint
for Iraq after Saddam is ousted including a federal democracy,
to refuse foreign guardianship and occupation, and Islam
as the official state religion.
- The
military build-up to oust Saddam's regime intensifies
as a computerised test run of the war is launched
in Qatar and Hungary is asked to host around 2,400 Iraqi
exiles for training to prepare them for
a post-Saddam Iraq.
- To
shore up Turkey's support for action Bush hosts the political
leader Tayyip Erdogan, whose Islamic-related
party now heads the government, and agree on using Turkey's airbases to attack
Saddam while senators visit Turkey.
- In
gathering support for military action, Germany now agrees to participate
in any NATO operations against Saddam, and the US looks
to Asia for support.
- America
denounces Iraq's dossier,
but this is unlikely to be enough. Testimonies from Iraqi
scientists is the more likely trigger for military action.
- Saddam
signals he has given up hope for support from his usual
allies as he exposes suppliers of dangerous
arms and cancels an oil deal with Russia. And, in a bid to
make sure Iraqi generals do not carry out orders to launch
chemical or biological attacks, the US threatens to use
nuclear retaliation.
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