Bill Sykes' Newsletter
from America.
(April 2003)
An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear
or favor)---of the American Scene
Events leading up to President Bush’s war.
 Monday
the 17th of March 2003.
President Bush spoke to the Nation. His speech was perceived
to be long on rhetoric and short on substance. President
Bush stated that diplomacy has failed and now is the time
to act. He referred a number of times to a world coalition
against the tyranny of Saddam Hussein. (What coalition---the
coalition of two?). He urged the Iraqi troops to desert
their posts and not participate in any action against
American and British troops and above all not to destroy
the oil wells. Once again the question of liquid gold
rears its ugly head. Bush said that the Security Council
had not lived up to their responsibilities - perhaps he
means that they did not capitulate to his demands
 President
Bush reiterated his ultimatum to Saddam Hussein, his two
sons, top officials of the Iraqi Government, senior military
officers, and advisors, to leave the country within 48
hours or suffer severe consequences. President Bush said
"We are going to disarm Iraq and free the Iraqi people
from the tyranny, oppression and brutality of the Saddam
Hussein regime". Mr. Bush intimated that a war with
Iraq would diminish world terrorism.
Comment: It would appear the chance
that Saddam Hussein and his entourage will accept abdication
into exile are very remote, even though it has been reported
that our "Good Friends" Saudi Arabia and Bahrain
have both indicated that they would accept the Iraqi leadership
as exiles. Now there’s a humiliating blow to American
Imperialism. I’m sure that Saddam Hussein knows
that he has very little chance of winning a war against
the overwhelming military might of the American war machine
and may eventually decide that he will not go down without
a fight, and in order to avoid humiliation in the Arab
World will destroy as many of the infidels, who have invaded
his country, by what ever means are at his disposal.
With regard to Mr. Bush’s remark that the defeat
and removal of the current Iraqi regime would diminish
world terrorism, I think that the opposite will occur
and terrorism against America and its citizens will increase
substantially.
World reaction to the Presidents speech.
-
 Secretary
General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, was reported
as saying that the American decision to conduct a
war against Iraq without a United Nation’s sanction
could lead to a humanitarian disaster.
-
 President
Putin of Russia reacted by saying. "America is
making a grave mistake by their unilateral decision
to conduct a war against Iraq which may lead to the
destabilization of the World".
-
The President of France lashed out at the United
States, Great Britain and Spain, for their disparaging
remarks and their complete refusal to obtain a diplomatic
solution to the Iraqi situation.
-
The Arab Nations, as can be expected, dismissed
Mr. Bush’s accusation that Iraq is an oppressed
nation and stated that the United States and Britain
are the aggressors and must be punished.
-
 Pope
John Paul the second, was reported to have said, "The
war against Iraq threatens the fate of humanity and
will harm relations between Muslims and Christians".
-
 The
leader of the House Commons, Mr. Robin Cook, received
an unprecedented ovation after his resignation speech
which included the words, "Neither the International
Community nor the British public are persuaded that
there is an urgent and compelling reason for this
action in Iraq". He further commented that Iraq’s
military strength was less than half of what it was
in Gulf War One and it was therefore illogical to
argue that Iraq presented a current threat, and went
on to say that Iraq probably did not have weapons
of mass destruction in the commonly understood sense
of being a credible threat.
We welcome feedback about any of the contents
of these newsletters. Please send all correspondence to
bill_sykes@huddersfield1.co.uk
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