Blix's Integrity Under Challenge
Until recently, I have found myself becoming a fan of Hans Blix, the chief UN weapons inspector. He obviously opposes a war with Iraq, but has been honest in his reports to the UN. He has a thankless job and is under intense pressure. From all accounts he has been performing it well and with integrity. For that, he has earned my admiration and hopefully that of many others.
However, I fear the pressure has overwhelmed him. He now stands accused of hiding evidence of another Iraqi weapon - an unmanned drone. This weapon was not mentioned in his last report to the UN council and was found buried in a 173 page UN report by US and UK diplomats.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald:
London and Washington were planning to demand that Blix reveal more details about the aircraft, which has a wingspan of 7.45 metres and would possibly be capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction.
According to the London Times, this is having a major impact on the remaining six undecided votes on the UN Security Council.
"It's incredible," a senior diplomat from a swing voter on the council said. "This report is going to have a clearly defined impact on the people who are wavering. It's a biggie." An explicit report by Dr Blix of the discovery of an Iraqi violation would help the six swing voters -- Angola, Cameroon, Chile, Guinea, Mexico and Pakistan -- to explain a change of position to their publics.Unlike the outlawed Al-Samoud 2 missile, which was declared as a purportedly legal weapon, the drone was not declared. It would be the first undeclared weapons programme found by the UN and is considered by British and US officials to be a "smoking gun".
Others mostly quote the London Times or New York Times. I haven't read the NYT's article (subscription), but it apparently had some details about some newly discovered Iraqi rockets that could deliver weapons of mass destruction.
U.N. inspectors have uncovered a new variety of Iraqi rocket that was apparently configured to strew bomblets filled with chemical and biological agents, The New York Times reported Monday, citing U.S. officials.
It will be interesting to see how the UN vote actually turns out. If the swing voters needed it, this could easily provide them with political cover for supporting the Liberate Iraq position. No matter how the vote turns out, I fear the war to Liberate Iraq has resulted in yet another casualty - the integrity of Hans Blix.
