Will this weekends anti-war protests have any effect?

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/02/15/sprj.irq.protests/index.html

CNN's new poll is amusing on many different levels. The question form is an attempt to shape opinion. At the moment, about 2/3rds that have voted have said the protests will have no impact. That poll will shift in the next day or two.

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U.S., Britain Reworking Iraq Resolution

Sat Feb 15, 1:48 PM ET

By DAFNA LINZER, Associated Press Writer

UNITED NATIONS - Rattled by an outpouring of anti-war sentiment, the United States and Britain began reworking a draft resolution Saturday to authorize force against Saddam Hussein.

Diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the final product may be a softer text that doesn't explicitly call for war.

Before Friday's dramatic Security Council meeting, where weapons inspectors gave a relatively favorable accounting of Iraq's recent cooperation, Washington and London had been preparing a toughly worded resolution that would give them U.N. backing for military action.

British diplomats had said then that any resolution would have to include an authorization of force. They described working versions of the draft as short, simply worded texts that found Iraq in "material breach," of it's obligations and reiterated that Saddam now faces "serious consequences," as a result.

In diplomatic terms, coupling the consequences with material breach would be tantamount to an authorization.

But the measured reports by inspectors, in addition to massive global opposition to war — expressed both in the council and in the streets — came as a blow to their plans.

The two English-speaking allies had hoped to push through a new resolution quickly, and there had even been talk of a Saturday council meeting to introduce it. But their plans were put on hold Friday after staunch opposition, led by France, Russia and China drew rare applause inside the council chamber.

British and American diplomats conceded they would need to go home, consider the views of others and soften the tone of the draft.

"The situation is very fluid and so is the language right now," said Pakistani Ambassador Munir Akram. He said a resolution giving Saddam an ultimatum to relinquish power or be removed by force was still an option. But Akram said it would be very hard for Pakistan — a key ally for the United States despite an anti-American population at home — to vote in favor of any resolution authorizing war.

Others council members agreed.

While Secretary of State Colin Powell said after Friday's meeting that there was no talk of compromise yet, some diplomats said privately that it was the responsibility of the five council powers — the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China — to negotiate a way out of the impasse over Iraq.

Unless that happens, President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair are unlikely to gain U.N. support for a war to disarm Iraq. While they may be prepared to go to act without it, U.N. backing would offer international legitimacy and a guarantee that reconstruction costs would be shared.

U.N.-backing is particularly important for the British government, which faces strong public opposition to a war. More than 500,000 people attended an anti-war protest in London Saturday and millions more joined in similar demonstrations across the globe.

Noting the opposition, diplomats from Mexico, Chile, Angola and Bulgaria, key swing votes thought by the United States to be likely supporters, were considering abstaining in a vote as long as the five powers were unable to agree.

In Brussels, Belgium on Saturday, NATO members sought to rapidly resolve a dispute over U.S.-proposed war planning that has resulted in the alliance's worst split in years.

For the past month, Germany, France and Belgium have blocked a U.S. proposal for NATO to send early warning planes, missile defenses and anti-biochemical warfare units as a precaution to Turkey, the only NATO country bordering Iraq. The other 16 NATO allies say the delay undermines the alliances credibility while sending a signal of weakness to Saddam Hussein's regime.

A Monday meeting of the European Union will be the first opportunity to gauge readiness on the continent to negotiate. On Tuesday, the Security Council is to hold an open meeting on Iraq, designed mostly to embarrass the United States by providing a forum for non-council members to air their opposition to war.

But diplomats say that by the middle of next week, Washington and London will have a better idea about how soon they can circulate a draft.

All sides acknowledge they want to avoid forcing France, Russia or China to veto the resolution. So the draft will have to be considerably reworked or be designed to be withdrawn — a diplomatic strategy that would demonstrate Britain and the United States want U.N. support but not at any cost.

A similar situation occurred in the run-up to NATO's bombing of Kosovo in 1999 when a resolution authorizing force was withdrawn in the face of a threatened Russian veto.

At the end of the 78-day bombing campaign, the United Nations then came together to pass a resolution authorizing a U.N. administration of Kosovo and a framework for its reconstruction. Several council diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a similar play on Iraq may be the best way around the current split in the council.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=535&ncid=535&e=2&u=/ap/20030215/ap_on_re_eu/un_iraq_110

After 9/11 I went thru a very brief period of patriotism something I had never felt before. Seeing the constant coverage of the victims families caused tears,anger and pride at how the country seemed to be pulling together. Then I became obsessed with the news enough that I began seeking world view of the events of 9/11 this is when my eyes began to open to the truth. It's been a real depressing time coming to finally understand that this country really is rulled by money and money only. The rift between those that have and those that don't seems to be getting larger and larger every day. Systems in place don't benefit the common American. We're supposed to be the last superpower so why is War the only answer this administration seems to have towards world problems. It's so boring and old. Where are the new ideas? New ways to handle any situation? Daily now I wonder where else can I move in the world? There seems to be no place each country has it's problems and being a person of color some would not be welcoming. I certainly am no longer proud to say I'm American and wish other countries when talking about us would take the time to say the US government not the US. The US government acts it seems on it's own.

Karen - Why don't you move to Cuba where they also hate America. Another possibility would be an Arab country like Libya. Go for it. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out. Adios!

Please don't go alone. Take a whole bus load of leftists with you.

Amazing. I guess he got tired of posting as Simple Simon.

The funny thing is, way back on Oct. 26th, Bush Admirer was spending most of his time on Portland.indymedia.org, laughing about what he considered were 10 or 20 protestors getting together and comparing notes -- smelly hippies, he called them.

So, now he's back, to post and complain about the anti-war demonstrations again. And now, there's probably something like 20 million people all around the world, protesting.

Hey ass hole, if you're not paid by the government, listen-up: Iraq isn't a significant threat. Israel moved them from #1 down to #6 on their list (it's public record, and a software entrepreneur from Texas - as you claim to be, should have the intelligence to find the info). The CIA released a report in Oct. 2002 indicating that Iraq didn't pose a major threat when it came to weapons of mass destruction, but would if we attacked. And on and on an on.

You're such an ass hole that you think this is about partisan politics. There are major generals and retired generals strongly against this war. There are thousands of business people and republicans putting their names to petitions.

Take your head out of your rush limburger world. Yeah, pacifica and the left aren't perfect (you like to bitch about both). Some of their ideas aren't all that hot. But you, my friend, are as pompously ignorant as they come.