Saddam Hussein tries to further divide the international
community by tweeking France and Russia's desires to protect it's oil
contracts which will enable them to do future business
with Iraq. This could be one major reason France and Russia do
not want to go to war with Iraq. If Saddam is overthrown
their oil contracts with Iraq could become null and void.

 

Saddam's invitation to Hans Blix to return to Iraq on March
17th seems geared to place another fly in President Bush's
ointment; as March 17th 2003 is the final deadline President
Bush has offered to Saddam Hussein to fully disarm. Saddam's
informal invite to Blix seems to be another manipulation, one
that the U.S. will likely disregard.

 

Saddam Hussein appears to be attempting to pit the U.S., France, 

and Russia into direct conflict over oil interests in the region. This

silent war which appears to be going on behind the scenes is

downplayed by the U.S. government and could become more

serious if France and Russia continue to take Saddam's bate.

No matter how vigorously President Bush tries to take the focus
off of oil as being what he wants in Iraq, Saddam Hussein tries
to place the focus directly on it.

 

Tensions might be relieved if the U.S., France and Russia could quietly decide 
amongst themselves ways in which their oil interests could be
protected in the event of war with Iraq. Or maybe they should just have an arm wrestle and get it over with.