Crisis Still Likely, Iraq Paper Warns

An influential Iraqi newspaper warned Thursday that despite Baghdad’s acceptance of a U.N. resolution on weapons inspections, more trouble with the U.S. probably lies ahead.

The Babel newspaper, owned by President Saddam Hussein’s elder son, Uday, also called on France, Russia and China to support Iraq in the dispute.

“After Iraq’s positive stance, the Security Council members -- especially Russia, France and China -- should be aware that our problem and crisis with the United States is not over yet and may have just started,” Babel said in a front-page editorial.

France, China and Russia, along with the U.S. and Britain, are veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council. In the past, France, China and Russia have differed with the United States on how best to deal with Baghdad. If Iraq fails to fully cooperate with inspectors, the U.S. and Britain have made it clear they will attack the country.

Babel urged Paris, Beijing and Moscow to differentiate between Iraq, “which adopts a policy of peace, and a country [the United States] that adopts a cowboy policy.”

“Our problem and crisis with the United States is not over yet and may have just begun,” the paper said, adding that Baghdad’s acceptance of the “unjust resolution shows Iraq’s good intentions and reaffirmed that the country is clear of weapons of mass destruction.”