(Washington Post) Jonathan B. Tucker - Assuming that Iraq does possess stocks of chemical and biological weapons, the Bush administration needs a coherent and practicable action plan to address these proliferation threats that might include the following elements: A promise of lenient treatment to members of the Iraqi security services who come forward with verifiable information about the location of weapons of mass destruction. Also, a substantial monetary reward for information leading to hidden weapons. Sealing the borders of Iraq to the extent possible to prevent rogue elements of the security services from smuggling out weapons of mass destruction, relevant documents, or key scientists. An offer to Iraqi weapons scientists of attractive employment opportunities in peaceful areas of research. A model could be the International Science and Technology Centers in Moscow and Kiev, through which the U.S., EU, and Japan have employed hundreds of former Soviet weapons scientists in peaceful research projects. Only if these measures are taken would a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq reduce the threat of weapons of mass destruction, rather than exacerbate it.
2003-03-14 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive