Iraq still defies UN, while U.S. receives support from Mexico, Saudi Arabia

Despite recent handover of documents to UN weapons inspectors, Chief U.N. inspector Hans Blix said today that Iraq still had not made a “fundamental decision” to disarm. Blixs comments come one week before he must present his findings on Iraqi disarmament to the UN Security Council.

The U.S. and Britain continue their drive to convince the divided Security Council to pass a second measure enforcing Iraqis repeated violations of Resolution 1441. Today, they secured Mexicos support for tough action; the first of a handful of undecided Security Council members to join the U.S., Britain and Spain.

Meanwhile, preparations for war continue. The Washington Post reports that in a major reversal, Saudi Arabia has agreed to new agreements that will allow expanded U.S. air operations from Saudi territory, including full use of Prince Sultan Air Base as an air operations center, in the event of war against Iraq, according to senior U.S. officials and diplomatic sources.

This follows a Saudi rejection of an emergency summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on Iraq.

See the Center’s report on the Sami Al-Arian arrest, indictment: Terrorist arrest shows holes in White House’s Muslim outreach program; warnings ignored