Pacifica's Peace Watch
Thurs. Feb. 6, 2003
Today's Stories:
International Reaction to Secretary Colin Powell’s UN
Security Council Briefing
Reactions to Secretary Colin Powell from Arabs
Skepticism over the Existence of Iraq’s Chemical Weapons
Pacifica listeners in Washington, DC react to Secretary Powell’s
report
Utah Phillips Commentary
The Media and War
Poetic Responses to War
Psycho Bush
The audio of today's show is posted at http://www.radio4all.net/
Story: International Reaction to Secretary Colin
Powell’s UN Security Council Briefing
Reaction to Secretary of State Colin Powell’s address
yesterday to the United Nations Security Council ranges from
laudable to laughable, depending on which newspaper you read.
But whether you deemed Powell’s presentation as convincing
or lacking, it failed to budge world opinion. The four veto
bearing members of the Security Council stood by their earlier
statements, with Britain supporting the U.S. position, France
opposing it and Russia and China urging for the inspectors
to be given more time.
Speaking through a translator, French Foreign Minister Dominique
de Villepin’s response was measured and stands in contrast
to the assertions by the Secretary that Iraq has missed its
“last chance” provided under Resolution 1441.
Tape: France Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin
Russian Minister for Affairs Igor Iganov, through a translator
stressed that diplomacy must be the means through which conflicts
with Iraq are resolved. He further asserted that the inspections
are working and under Resolution 1441 the inspectors Quote
“alone can recommend to the security council how much
time they need to carry out the tasks entrusted to them.”
End quote. Iganov went on to call for cooperation by all nations.
Tape: Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs Igor Iganov
Jack Straw, Secretary of State and Foreign Affairs for the
United Kingdom, characterized Powell’s presentation
as powerful and authoritative evidence that Iraq poses a very
grave danger.
Tape: Jack Straw Secretary of State and Foreign Affairs
for the United Kingdom
Syrian representative Mikhail Wehbe read a letter from Farouh
El Sharad, Syrian Deputy Premiere Minister for Foreign Affairs,
urging all member states who have information on Iraq’s
weapons of mass destruction to turn them over to UNMOVIC and
the International Atomic Energy Agency so that they may investigate
the information and support the inspectors in their efforts.
El Sharad asserted that any talk of war right now is premature.
Tape: Syrian representative Mikhail Wehbe
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Story: Reactions to Secretary Colin Powell from Arabs
Anticipating no surprises from US Secretary of State Colin
Powell’s presentation to the UN Security Council, Arab
commentators dismissed his alleged new evidence of Iraq’s
wrong doing. They were equally unimpressed by efforts being
made by Arab leaders to grapple with the crisis.
Tape: Report by Rafael Krafft in Amman, Jordan
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Story: Skepticism over the Existence of Iraq’s
Chemical Weapons
Christopher Simpson is a Professor of Communications at
American University, an author and long time observer of political
events in Washington. He's rather skeptical of two of the
most serious charges made by Secretary Powell that Iraq harbors
Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Tape: Christopher Simpson speaking with Eddie Becker of
Pacifica station WPFW in Washington, DC
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Story: Pacifica listeners in Washington, DC react
to Secretary Powell’s report
At Pacifica station WPFW in Washington, DC, the listeners
calling into a local talk show in response to Secretary Powell’s
address to the UN Security Council were overwhelmingly opposed
to his conclusion that Iraq presents an imminent threat.
Tape: Listeners calling into the Dorothy Healy Show with
co-host Terry Kester on Pacifica station WPFW. Produced by
Peacewatch intern Keith Shaljian.
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Story: Utah Phillips Commentary
Folksinger and activist Utah Phillips has been thinking
a lot about the impending war with Iraq recently, and he offers
this creative call for peace.
Tape: Peacewatch commentator Utah Phillips
(break)
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As reaction to Secretary of State Powell’s address
yesterday continues to pour in from around the world, a press
conference was held in Baghdad this evening, where senior
Iraqi officials announced their response. Jeremy Scahill has
just come out of that meeting.
Tape: Peacewatch Correspondent Jeremy Scahill, in Baghdad
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Story: The Media and War
In 1991, investigative journalist Martin Yant wrote a book
called Desert Mirage: The True Story of the Gulf War. In his
book, Yant details some of the lengths the US military went
to control media coverage of the War against Iraq. Soldiers
physically threatening reporters and photographers, and limiting
access to the battlefield were just a couple of methods employed
in order to keep the media, and American citizens from seeing
or hearing the truth; Yant suggests that the First Bush administration
thought if the public knew too much, support for the war might
disappear.
Tape: Martin Yant, author of Desert Mirage: The True Story
of the Gulf War, speaking with Andrew Stelzer from KBOO radio
in Portland, Oregon
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Story: Poetic Responses to War
First Lady Laura Bush scheduled a symposium at the White
House a few weeks ago on the poetry of Emily Dickinson, Langston
Hughes and Walt Whitman, and she invited several noted poets.
Sam Hamill, founder of Copper Canyon Press, was one of the
invited poets. Hamill not only declined the invitation but
called upon other poets to write poems in opposition to the
impending war in Iraq. Subsequently, the symposium scheduled
for Feb. 12th was cancelled.
PeaceWatch spoke with Hamill yesterday about his letter
to the First Lady and what motivated him to decline her invitation.
We share his poem “State of the Union” today,
along with poems from other poets against the war, read by
Peacewatch Editor Lona Alias and Producer Scott Gurian.
Tape: Sam Hamill, founder of Copper Canyon Press, Peacewatch
Editor Lona Alias and Producer Scott Gurian
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Story: Psycho Bush
Finally, tonight, we present this musical segment from the
radio satire group, the Christmas Coup Comedy Players, at
Pacifica stations KPFT in Houston and WBAI in New York.
Tape: “Psycho Bush,” by the Christmas Coup Comedy
Players
Credits
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For a copy of today's show, please contact Pacifica
Radio Archives at 800 735 0230.
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