Tuesday, August 11, 1998

He still doesn't get it

Despite the mixed metaphor, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was on target when she observed, "Basically, Saddam Hussein has wrestled himself to the ground. He is stuck in a box, and he's thrown away the key."

Saddam, in fact, retains the key: He could cooperate, as he had promised, with the U.N. arms inspectors. Earlier this year, it looked as if he would, and even chief arms inspector Richard Butler speculated that sanctions, eight years old this month, could be lifted as early as October.

When the U.N. inspectors recently found traces of nerve gas on missile warhead remnants, Saddam refused to cooperate further with the inspections, deepening suspicions that he is still trying to hide a chemical and biological weapons capability. Until he relents, the economic sanctions remain in place.

Saddam portrays the United States as the villain in continuing sanctions, but even the nations most disposed to ease or lift the sanctions -- Russia, France and China -- were disgusted. The U.N. Security Council voted quickly and unanimously to condemn the Iraqi action.

Saddam hasn't gotten away with his threats of non-cooperation before; the Security Council is absolutely correct in not letting him get away this time.