SHANNON, Ireland. Sept 18 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia's top military officials believe that Baghdad's decision to readmit UN weapons inspectors to its territory may force the United States to abandon its plan for military action against Iraq.
"Iraq's decision to unconditionally readmit UN inspectors comes as a setback for the U.S. plans for a military operation," Colonel General Yury Baluyevsky, first deputy chief-of-staff of the Russian Armed Forces, told journalists in Shannon on Wednesday.
He believes that "this decision by Baghdad will make the United States take a fresh look at its relations with Iraq." Baluyevsky said that Washington's actual intentions regarding Iraq are the removal of Saddam Hussein, rather than the elimination of weapons of mass destruction in the country.
"I think that the issue is centered on Saddam Hussein himself, rather than on whether Iraq has or does not have weapons of mass destruction."
Baluyevsky objected to the idea of a possible military operation against Baghdad. "One should have a clear picture of the possible consequences after such a military operation. First, who will replace Saddam Hussein, second, what economic consequences would come with the first bomb or a missile that would hit Iraq. What impact will this have on world oil prices?" he said.
Baluyevsky noted that "some Western states, including Germany and France, which have economic interests in Iraq, are not rushing to support the U.S. plans for military action against Baghdad." "Only Britain has sided with the U.S. by backing a military operation," he said.