War Plan Fucked Up Big Time?

While war looks increasingly likely, it may still not be inevitable, as this third weekly glimpse at the news perhaps reveals.

First, we have an incredible (if it's accurate) account if the blow struck by the Turkish parliament's failure to authorise the use of U.S. troops -- the U.S. military's so-called "Plan A" which has apparently now been "abandoned". Powell has, according to this account, warned Bush that a UN vote to authorise war will result in a "humiliating defeat" (certainly Russia, France, and China seem for the moment united in their opposition, vowing that, "We will not allow a resolution to pass that authorizes resorting to force,") while White House aides complain that, "The vote in Turkey fucked things up big time," and others "now admit privately that the President, for all his tough talk, may have to back down and postpone his plans to invade Iraq in the near future, delaying any invasion until April or May at the earliest," an analysis corroborated by Israeli military intelligence.

On the disarmament front, Hans Blix is now claiming that the inspections "are beginning to work," (still no progress on disarming the United States, alas).

Around the world, Philippine President Arroyo has announced that U.S. troops will not be involved in combat missions there (as the United States had prematurely announced would be the case), Italian activists have not only blocked American military trains, but even turned them around, U.S. plans to use chemical weapons in Iraq have provoked the "first split in the Anglo-US alliance," Mexican President Vicente Fox says "Mexico would not accept any unilateral U.S. action to disarm Iraq," (despite The Superbrain's promise to "discipline" Mexico if it votes against the U.S. resolution), the Pope is sending a peace mission to the White House, and a new poll reveals that 84% of the Japanese people oppose a U.S. attack.

Listen, dammit: we can still stop this thing. There are lots and lots and lots of things we can all do to help stop it happening. The more we do, the less likely the chances it'll occur. It's as simple as that.

Posted by Eddie Tews at March 5, 2003 02:52 PM