Put Iraq war on 'back burner'
2002-12-31 14:38
Washington - Former US secretary of state Warren Christopher said in a letter to The New York Times that the White House should focus on North Korea and international terrorism, and put the war on Iraq on the "back burner".
"Unless the president has been provided intelligence about Iraq's capacities that he has not shared or even hinted at in his public statements, the threats from North Korea and from international terrorism are more imminent than those posed by Iraq," said former president Bill Clinton's top diplomat from 1993 to 1997.
Christopher (77) said that in his experience the United States "cannot mount a war against Iraq and still maintain the necessary policy focus on North Korea and international terrorism".
Pyongyang's intention to reopen its nuclear plant puts it six months away from having nuclear-weapons grade material to make several nuclear bombs, he said.
"Contrast this with Iraq. Not only is North Korea much further along than Iraq in building nuclear weapons but, by virtue of its longer-range missiles, it has a greater delivery capability," Christopher added.
"I am convinced that this crisis requires sustained attention from top government officials, including the president," he said.
"And then there is the war on terrorism. Deadly terrorist attacks continue around the globe, wreaking havoc in far-flung places such as Indonesia, Kenya, Jordan and Yemen, where three American missionaries were killed by a gunman yesterday," Christopher said.
"A United States-led attack on Iraq will overshadow all other foreign-policy issues for at least a year," Christopher said.
"Before President (George W.) Bush gives the signal to attack Iraq, he should take a new, broad look at the question of whether such a war, at this moment, is the right priority for America.
"In light of recent developments, failure to revisit the question would reflect a level of confidence in the present course that is unwarranted and unwise," wrote the former senior government official. - Sapa-AFP
- SAPA