The United Nations Secretary General is either more gullible than, or a better negotiator than our fearless leader, Bill Clinton! The UN is reporting that Iraq has agreed to resume cooperation with UNSCOM, with military action seemingly only hours away. Is the UN or Bill Clinton really going to take this latest bait from Saddam? Annan has been receptive to Iraq's delaying tactics before, but the Whitehouse has reportedly dismissed this latest communication as unacceptable. Is this all a complicated ' wag the dog ' scenario, designed to take the heat off Clinton, in reference to Ken Starr's appearence before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday? For the details of past questionable behavior within UNSCOM, see: Unsafe at UNSCOM. ( 9-4-98 ) .

Saddam has learned to play Bill Clinton like a fiddle. Sadly, Clinton is showing his total lack of integrity in foreign policy, as The Whitehouse is letting Iraq control the situation. Clinton seems more concerned with his coming fund raising trip to Asia, than to address this latest stalling action by Saddam. Remember how Nixon spent many of his last days as President globe trotting? It is being reported that the President is not directly involved with the National Security Counsel meeting going on this morning ( Saturday ), and is only getting updates from Sandy Berger?

Iraq has jerked Bill Clinton's chain a few times now, and Saddam should not be allowed to get away with it again. Kofi Annan bought Iraq 24 hours with a last ditch letter to Saddam asking for them to resume compliance with UNSCOM weapons inspections, unconditionally and immediately. Iraq replied with a letter today from Tariq Aziz to the UN, delivered by Nazir Hamdoon, that rescinds their refusal to cooperate with UNSCOM, but it reportedly contains conditions disguised as an addendum. Hopefully, Clinton and the UN will not swallow this newest smoke screen delaying action ( of course Clinton is very familiar with smoke screens and delaying actions in dealing with his own domestic problems ).

Annan's letter to Iraq included the concept of having a comprehensive review of UNSCOM's work. Iraq has seized on this to back down, while not giving the appearence of losing face, in their current response communication back to the UN. Their phoney letter also includes praise for the Russian involvement in defusing the situation. This letter is a farce, designed to either buy time or shift the blame for this latest crisis to UNSCOM. This is not the unconditional resumption of UNSCOM inspections, required by UN resolutions. Luckily, the UN Security Council controls UNSCOM and not Kofi Annan, so weapons inspectors can only be ordered back into Iraq by that body. Annan, I believe, could order UN relief workers back into Iraq to become potential hostages. Hopefully, once the Security Council meets, they will dismiss this letter as an unacceptable response to the current situation!

Maybe, Clinton is happy to delay this, until closer to Starr's date to testify? We have seen Clinton use international affairs before, in taking the national focus away from his personal problems. See: Surrender to The Dark Side? ( 10-25-98 ) . He is desperately looking for issues to distract the American public, as the impeachment inquiry begins to heat up ( as in the new Kathleen Willey information and the imminent appearance of Ken Starr before the House Judiciary Committee ).

I hope, but see very little possibility, that the UN will ignore this distraction and continue preparations for military action, in the event that Iraq does not comply unconditionally. This could also work to facilitate a Clinton ' wag the dog ' routine. Clinton could call off the dogs of war and claim a victory over Saddam and Iraq, then begin a media campaign showcasing how he is getting tough, by forcing Iraq to resume cooperation with UNSCOM ( unfortunately, ignoring the Iraqi conditions )? The only thing for certain, is that Saddam has successfully bought himself and Iraq, some more time in delaying Operation Groundhog Day ( is that really what the Pentagon is calling this operation? )!

Don't be fooled again, Mr. President. Or, don't try to fool us again, Mr. President!

- Bongo ( We may be bombing, as you are reading this? )