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Europe Wary of U.S. Plan Against Iraq

Britain lone supporter of attack on Saddam

Sunday, July 21, 2002
(9:02 PM)
By Patrick E. Tyler
New York Times

There is a striking agreement in European capitals that Saddam's government is dangerous and may need to be confronted one day. But any agreement breaks down over strategic priorities in the Middle East, which Europeans consider neighboring territory for trade and security.

LONDON -- NYT
The last thing Europe wants is to be accused of going wobbly on Iraq.

But the American talk of overthrowing Saddam Hussein by military force is raising alarms in European governments.

They are saying that any U.S. miscalculation could undermine the international coalition that is fighting against terrorism, and the broad-based diplomacy needed to solve the crisis between Israel and the Palestinians. Also, they fear that a drive against Iraq would drive a wedge between Britain and the rest of Europe.

An exasperated French official said some of President Bush's conservative aides have become "obsessed about Iraq, while we are obsessed about achieving peace" between Israelis and Palestinians. "The important thing is to build a coalition for peace in the Middle East, not to build a coalition for war in Iraq," he said.

Washington's increasing talk of "regime change" is hindering diplomatic strategies to press Saddam to open his country again to U.N. inspectors searching for weapons of mass destruction, this official said.
(More: The Houston Chronicle News Source)
2002 © The New York Times Company.

Dan