"Iraq has backed down, but that is not enough. Now Iraq must live up to its obligations," Clinton said at a quickly called a news conference at the White House.
Iraq on Saturday sent a series of letters to the United Nations that eventually led the White House to conclude Baghdad was ready to comply with the Security Council-ordered weapons inspections. President Clinton canceled an ordered military strike against Iraq early Saturday when he received word that Hussein was backing down.
If Hussein's government fails to keep its word, Clinton said, overwhelming force remains an option."
"We remain ready to act," he said.
The president said Iraq must allow inspectors "unfettered access" to view any site they wish; it must turn over all relevant documents on chemical and biological weapons production; and it must not interfere with the inspectors themselves.
"The return of the inspectors ... is the best outcome, because they have been and they remain the most effective tool to uncover, destroy and prevent Iraq from rebuilding its weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them," Clinton said.
U.N. officials said yesterday that its weapons inspectors were returning to Iraq shortly. At the end of a Security Council meeting, Richard Butler, chief of the U.N. weapons inspection team, said he was ordering the inspectors to return tomorrow.
Clinton acknowledged that deep skepticism surrounds Hussein's promises, but he argued that holding back from a military strike is the best long-term strategy.
"If we take military action, we can significantly degrade Saddam Hussein's ability to develop weapons of mass destruction and to deliver them," Clinton said. "But that would also mark the end of UNSCOM," the U.N. special commission on Iraq.
With National Security Adviser Sandy Berger, Defense Secretary William Cohen and Gen. Hugh Shelton, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at his side, Clinton said U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan shares his understanding of Iraq's obligations.
At the United Nations, Annan said Clinton's "statesmanlike response ... will be welcomed by the international community."
A senior administration official said yesterday that Clinton gave Shelton the go-ahead to begin the operation Friday morning.
But shortly before U.S. missiles were to be launched Saturday morning, news reports from Baghdad indicated the Iraqi government was prepared to back down. Clinton put the mission on hold, and attack plans began forming for a later hour.
The president spent much of the day in the Situation Room, weighing options with Vice President Al Gore and members of the national security team.
After the White House and British officials rejected Iraq's first statement over the protests of U.N. officials prepared to accept it, Iraq produced two additional letters clearly stating it would cooperate unconditionally with the inspectors and renouncing past declarations limiting their work.
Clinton conferred again by telephone Saturday night with members of his team, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and French President Jacques Chirac. At 3 a.m. yesterday, Berger asked Shelton to scrap the attack plans.
Iraq averted the attack by mere hours. "It was close. Very close," Secretary Cohen said.
He said the U.S. military will "maintain a steady force" in the region "that is more than adequate to deal with Saddam Hussein."
But Cohen said the buildup might not reach full planned strength because the United States already has plenty of firepower in the region, with more than 170 aircraft, one aircraft carrier and about two dozen other ships.
Before Clinton's announcement, Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations, Nizar Hamdoon, said Irill cooperate fully with U.N. inspectors.
Clinton to Iraq: War averted for now, but follow up
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Clinton said yesterday that Iraq must cooperate with U.N. weapons inspectors unconditionally, or Saddam Hussein could again face the punishing military strikes he avoided this weekend by agreeing to work with the United Nations.
"Iraq has backed down, but that is not enough. Now Iraq must live up to its obligations," Clinton said at a quickly called a news conference at the White House.
Iraq on Saturday sent a series of letters to the United Nations that eventually led the White House to conclude Baghdad was ready to comply with the Security Council-ordered weapons inspections. President Clinton canceled an ordered military strike against Iraq early Saturday when he received word that Hussein was backing down.
If Hussein's government fails to keep its word, Clinton said, overwhelming force remains an option"
"We remain ready to act," he said.
The president said Iraq must allow inspectors "unfettered access" to view any site they wish; it must turn over all relevant documents on chemical and biological weapons production; and it must not interfere with the inspectors themselves.
"The return of the inspectors ... is the best outcome, because they have been and they remain the most effective tool to uncover, destroy and prevent Iraq from rebuilding its weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them," Clinton said.
U.N. officials said yesterday that its weapons inspectors were returning to Iraq shortly. At the end of a Security Council meeting, Richard Butler, chief of the U.N. weapons inspection team, said he was ordering the inspectors to return tomorrow.
Clinton acknowledged that deep skepticism surrounds Hussein's promises, but he argued that holding back from a military strike is the best long-term strategy.
"If we take military action, we can significantly degrade Saddam Hussein's ability to develop weapons of mass destruction and to deliver them," Clinton said. "But that would also mark the end of UNSCOM," the U.N. special commission on Iraq.
With National Security Adviser Sandy Berger, Defense Secretary William Cohen and Gen. Hugh Shelton, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at his side, Clinton said U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan shares his understanding of Iraq's obligations.
At the United Nations, Annan said Clinton's "statesmanlike response ... will be welcomed by the international community."
A senior administration official said yesterday that Clinton gave Shelton the go-ahead to begin the operation Friday morning.
But shortly before U.S. missiles were to be launched Saturday morning, news reports from Baghdad indicated the Iraqi government was prepared to back down. Clinton put the mission on hold, and attack plans began forming for a later hour.
The president spent much of the day in the Situation Room, weighing options with Vice President Al Gore and members of the national security team.
After the White House and British officials rejected Iraq's first statement over the protests of U.N. officials prepared to accept it, Iraq produced two additional letters clearly stating it would cooperate unconditionally with the inspectors and renouncing past declarations limiting their work.
Clinton conferred again by telephone Saturday night with members of his team, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and French President Jacques Chirac. At 3 a.m. yesterday, Berger asked Shelton to scrap the attack plans.
Iraq averted the attack by mere hours. "It was close. Very close," Secretary Cohen said.
11-16-98
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