Inspecting, squeezing, threatening

摘要

As the fasting month of Ramadan ends, and the December 8th deadline for Iraq to disclose its weapons programmes nears, anxiety is mounting in the Arab world. Western pressure on Saddam Hussein's regime, both physical and verbal, continues unabated. Those who are applying the squeeze see Mr Hussein's wary cooperation with the Security Council as a vindication of strong-arm tactics. The Islamic faithful see Mr Hussein as a victim of American bullying. The UN weapons inspectors have been niggled at by the Iraqis for spying and by the Americans for being too soft. But on the whole the inspections have gone well, so far. Before the programme was suspended in 1998, Iraq had denied the inspectors access to some sites on grounds of "national honour". Yet this week guards opened the gates to a presidential palace compound in central Baghdad with hardly a murmur. Inspectors visited a dozen other sites unimpeded, but have yet to exercise further intrusive privileges, such as the right to use drones and helicopters, and the right to take Iraqi technicians outside the country for interview.