Archives for February 2003

By far the most common reason given for opposing the use of force was hostility to the United States’ role in the crisis. A U.N.-mandated intervention would win majority support, however.

Eighty-seven percent were against military action, up from 77 percent six weeks ago, the Ipsos agency found in a poll for France 2 television conducted on Saturday, a day when hundreds of thousands marched against war in France and around the world.

The number who said they were “totally opposed” to war leapt to 57 percent from 42 percent. Those “totally or rather” in favour of an attack fell to 11 percent from 16 percent.

However, if the U.N. Security Council voted to intervene in Iraq, only one in three of the more than 900 respondents felt France should play no part at all. Seventeen percent said French troops should fight and 47 percent said Paris should back a U.N.-sanctioned war without taking part directly in combat.

19 February 2003

Three giant cargo ships are being tracked by US and British intelligence on suspicion that they might be carrying Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

Each with a deadweight of 35,000 to 40,000 tonnes, the ships have been sailing around the world’s oceans for the past three months while maintaining radio silence in clear violation of international maritime law, say authoritative shipping industry sources.

The vessels left port in late November, just a few days after UN weapons inspectors led by Hans Blix began their search for the alleged Iraqi arsenal on their return to the country.

Uncovering such a deadly cargo on board would give George Bush and Tony Blair the much sought-after “smoking gun” needed to justify an attack on Saddam Hussein’s regime, in the face of massive public opposition to war.