ROBIN COOK yesterday exposed the divisions between Britain and the United States by

Posted by admin · · Jump to comments

ROBIN COOK yesterday exposed the divisions between Britain and the United States by refusing to rule out more diplomatic efforts to avert war against Iraq, while Washington was adopting a more hawkish approach to the Kofi Annan peace mission. As our four- wheel-drive hummed along the highway, Radio Monte Carlo informed us of the latest New York Times prediction of "massive raids" in the event of Saddam's non-compliance with weapons inspection teams, or a possible 1,500 dead.So who would be making up the "collateral damage" next time? The Iraqi peasant in his red chequered headdress trying to kick-start his battered Nissan on the edge of Baghdad, not far from an anti-aircraft battery? The kids who begged us for Iraqi dinars?Or would it include the moustachioed waiter who served us Cola last night and who smiled weakly at us, partly I suspect in embarrassment, and admitted: "I would like to go to America.". Kofi Annan appeared to be promising us the earth, or promising Saddam a clearer definition of UN resolution 687 in return for letting the UN's inspectors into his palaces, but the Iraqis, almost wearily, accepted the possibility of yet another "Allied" attack. The anti-aircraft guns were back on the usual ministry roofs and a bunch of old American-made Kuwaiti armour - rusting relics from the 1990 attempt to turn the emirate into Iraq's 13th province - was being trucked up a highway out of town.Just outside Abu Ghoraib, groups of young men - 30 or 40 strong but thin and ungainly figures in old jeans and ill-fitting shirts - stood to attention in front of smartly dressed soldiers in khaki and black berets.Saddam's would-be volunteers were being taught how to dress to attention, but they were no Dad's army, more like Dad's kids, a rag-tag bunch of youths listening earnestly to their military commanders in case Iraq's third major war in two decades was to begin in a few days' time.What the West can do from the air can still be seen on the highway west of Baghdad.

"Give me money," he shrieked, banging the door again, staring at me through the glass and wrinkling his eyes to imitate tears. Or was it imitation? On the pavement an hour later, almost on the banks of the Tigris, three more children attacked, older this time, grabbing at our coats, screaming "money" until we gave them half a dollar; they grabbed our bags for more until we physically pushed them from us, cursing them - heaven help us - for their assault. Would Madeleine Albright, I wonder, have given them a cent? Or would she have lectured them on the iniquities of their leader and the need for UN sanctions, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the immorality of weapons of mass destruction (those, at least, in Iraqi hands, the others being apparently less dangerous).It was a strange old day in Baghdad yesterday, one of those mild winter afternoons along the Tigris - dark Mediterranean blue under the February sun - that should presage peace rather than war. He could have been no more than four years old, barefoot and dressed in a worn oversize leather jacket with a dozen holes ripped in- to it. HE CAME at us through the traffic, banging his tiny fist on the side of our car. Describing what happened as a ``shameful act'', King Hussein warned of the vulnerability of Jordan, caught as it is between Israel and Iraq.. One man said that many students and teachers had been put in jail, though he admitted that his information was sketchy.Abdul Salam al Majali, the Prime Minister, said a state of emergency may be imposed.

As the clashes escalated, police and rioters used guns and Mr Kateb was shot through the heart from behind, according to a doctor who saw his body in the hospital. Nayif Abu Hlaleh, an MP who was leading the rally, told a Jordanian newspaper it was peaceful ``but suddenly the police started throwing tear gas and shooting with live ammunition''.The riots are serious because they took place among Jordanians in an area traditionally loyal to the Hashemite monarchy and a recruiting ground for the army and police. They are also the type of outburst every Arab ruler fears if there is a second round to the Gulf war. Within hours of the shooting of Mr Kateb the streets of Ma'an looked like a West Bank town during fighting between Israelis and Palestinians.Tyres were burning and streets were blocked by stones. Young stone-throwers wrapped their head-dresses around their faces to prevent recognition.On Saturday four policemen were hospitalised after a gun battle.At the same time the relatives of Mr Kateb stormed the hospital where his body had been taken and took it away for burial.