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Iraq, misunderstood There's a Simple ExplanationBy Rick Horowitz
"...the chair now recognizes the distinguished ambassador from Iraq." "I thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to participate in this special meeting of the Security Council, and also for the opportunity to respond to the comments of Mr. Colin Powell of the United States. Although I regret that the time afforded me is so brief as compared to that afforded Mr. Colin Powell, I am nonetheless grateful, and mindful of the old Iraqi proverb, 'Beggars can't be choosers.' There is much wisdom in this. "Mr. President, the pronouncements of Mr. Colin Powell, and allegations concerning Iraqi possession of weapons of mass destruction, are utterly unrelated to the truth. As His Excellency President Saddam Hussein has only recently reiterated, Iraq is totally free of such weapons, and any allegations to the contrary are totally without basis in fact. Our desire for peaceful coexistence with our neighboring states is total, and our cooperation with the various inspection teams is also total. Mr. President, it is not for nothing that Iraq is called a 'totalitarian' state. "Regarding specific allegations made by Mr. Colin Powell, permit me to reply to several -- specifically, three sound recordings ostensibly made by the United States through surreptitious means. Let me say first of all, Mr. President, that sound recordings can be easily fabricated to create negative impressions as desired by an interested party. And second, for brave and well-trained Iraqi officers to speak in the manner alleged in these recordings would be incomprehensible. In fact, we are certain beyond doubt that once these particular officers are located by Iraqi authorities, they will say nothing even remotely similar to this. "Nonetheless, Mr. President, in the eventuality that such recordings are deemed to be genuine, I am happy to provide explanations for the comments heard therein, explanations at great variance from their manipulative use by Mr. Colin Powell, whose government seeks only confrontation and domination. I am certain, Mr. President, that upon hearing our explanations, fair-minded people will be satisfied that Iraq's actions remain, as always, completely above suspicion. "I turn first to the alleged recording of a colonel in the Republican Guard raising with his superior 'a small question' concerning an expected visit from Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei along with his team of inspectors. According to Mr. Colin Powell, the colonel says, 'We have this modified vehicle...What do we say if one of them sees it?' From these statements, you are asked to conclude that Iraq is producing weapons of mass destruction, and attempting to hide the illegally altered equipment presumably used in such production. "Nothing could be further from the truth. Rather than translating the colonel as saying, 'We have this modified vehicle,' a more accurate translation would be 'We have this customized vehicle.' It is well known how fond Iraqis are of customizing their cars and trucks, and especially their vans. If the colonel worries that, on viewing some sweet set of wheels with the roof lights and the porthole windows and the hand-stenciling, Mr. ElBaradei might be struck with envy and therefore file a negative report, discretion in this regard is a perfectly understandable response. "Likewise, Mr. President, in the second sound recording, Mr. Colin Powell insinuates an Iraqi effort to destroy evidence regarding the possible presence of forbidden ammunition. 'After you have carried out what is contained in the message,' an officer in the Republican Guard headquarters is alleged to say to an officer in the field, 'destroy the message. Because I don't want anyone to see this message.' I ask you, Mr. President, is it wrong to try to prevent littering? "Finally, Mr. President, we have a third sound recording, in which a colonel in the Republican Guard supposedly tells a captain to 'Remove the expression "nerve agents" wherever it comes up in the wireless instructions.' Mr. Colin Powell insists on drawing a negative conclusion from this conversation, but Mr. Colin Powell is not nearly as fluent in Arabic as he might suppose. The colonel does not ask to have removed the expression 'nerve agents,' but rather 'nervous agents.' In a time of great tension such as this, even members of the Republican Guard can face the future with trepidation, and the last thing His Excellency President Saddam Hussein wishes is to have any of his loyal officers embarrassed by revelations of even momentary distress. "This is compassion, Mr. President, not cover-up. "Now, concerning these alleged photographs..." Posted 2/6/03. The
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Rick Horowitz
