As I write, the UN security Council has unanimously passed the much awaited Resolution calling on Iraq to disarm and for weapons inspectors to return. The Resolution contains language warning Iraq of 'serious conseuences' if it does not give 'immediate, unimpeded, unconditional and unrestricted access' to weapons inspectors. What I find interesting in the lastest development are two things: first Syria's last minute decision to vote in support of the Resolution as opposed to the much expected abstention and second US Ambassador to the UN John Negroponte's statement that the resolution 'does not constrain any state' from acting against Iraq. Syria must have changed its position after consultations with other Arab states most of whom would like to see the back of Saddam without the attendant consequencies of a military confrontation. Ambassador Negroponte's reaffirmation of the US position confirms the fears of many that regardless of whatever happens at the UN HQ, Bush is going to pounce on Iraq anyway, and if necessary to do it alone with Blaire in a supporting cast role. Now that Bush has got the UN resoultion he was forced by internatuonal public opinion to seek in the first place and that both France and Russia are no longer insisting on passing a second resolution before going to war, the task is now much easier for Bush and Blaire to go to war against Iraq. The more difficult task facing Bush and Blaire is what to do with Iraq after Saddam has been overthrown. Sidi Sanneh _________________________________________________________________ MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~