September 17, 2002
Media Contact: (202) 842-0200 ext. 800
Cato Expert: Give Iraq Inspections a Chance
WASHINGTON -- Cato Institute Director of Defense Policy Studies Ivan Eland issued the following statement regarding Iraq's announcement that it will admit U.N. weapons inspectors without conditions:
"Iraq has now accepted without conditions the restarting of inspections of its programs to develop weapons of mass destruction. This development should slow the U.S. government's rush to war. Although Saddam Hussein has manipulated the inspections in the past, he knows that his survival is at stake. Therefore, he actually may now have a much greater incentive than ever before to comply in good faith with any inspections. The United States and the international community have little to lose by giving Hussein a chance to fully comply with inspections before a war with Iraq is underway.
"The Bush administration has already claimed that Hussein remains in violation of other U.N. resolutions -- for example, resolutions requiring Iraq to account for prisoners from the Gulf War and pay Kuwait reparations for that conflict. But support in Congress and the international community for a U.S. invasion really hinges on Iraq's noncompliance with the requirement for weapons inspections. Now that Hussein says he is willing to reopen those inspections, the grave decision to take the country to war should be postponed."
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
Khristine Brookes, Vice President for Communications
(202) 218-4628, kbrookes@cato.org
Leigh Harrington, Director of Broadcasting
(202) 789-5204, lharrington@cato.org
Contact for TV and Radio
Chris Kennedy, Director of Media Relations
(202) 789-5212, ckennedy@cato.org
Contact for print media
Andrew Mast, Web Content Editor
(202) 789-5284, amast@cato.org
Laura Osio, Media Manager
(202) 789-5263, losio@cato.org
Contact for print media
Caleb Brown, Multimedia Producer
(202) 218-4603, cbrown@cato.org
Lester Romero, Multimedia Coordinator
(202) 789-5228, lromero@cato.org
Lindsey Cole, Media Relations Coordinator
(202) 789-5200, lcole@cato.org
|
For Media Only
|
"A Matter of Trust: Why Congress Should Turn Federal Lands into Fiduciary Trusts," by Randal O'Toole