President Bush wants an early end to inspections, when they have just begun. The teams have only recently reached full staff and acquired high-technology support and intelligence cooperation from the United States.

Unlike the previous round of inspections, they have gained prompt access to sites. Even the earlier inspections succeeded in disabling Iraq’s nuclear program and destroying 95 percent of its chemical and biological weapons.

It is much too early to dismiss new, tougher inspections even if Iraqi cooperation is grudging.

Mohamed ElBaradei told the Security Council that he has seen no evidence that Iraq has revived its nuclear weapons program, and he explicitly asked for several months, which he called a “valuable investment” that “could help us avoid war.” ÿ

Hans Blix has said that his inspections of biological and chemical weapons disarmament should take a year.

Iraq poses no threat while inspections are under way. Wouldn’t it be wiser to give inspectors a chance to find and destroy any weapons than to rush into a war in which Saddam might use them — potentially prompting the United States or Israel to launch a nuclear strike?

Erin Hickok

Senior

Marketing/International Business