"Colin Powell, the American Secretary of State, told CNN: "We're not going to wait until February to see whether Iraq is co-operating or not.''

"

653 Also posted to: Home page . At: 12:59:00 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Independent: US warns war on Iraq may start before Christmas

"Jordan's King Abdullah II is vulnerable. Iraq is Jordan's top trading partner and the source of $600 million in U.N.-approved oil a year. Jordanian companies also do about $400 million a year in business under the U.N. oil-for-food program. But the U.S. is Jordan's No. 2 trading partner and provides the government with about $400 million in aid a year."

652 Also posted to: Home page . At: 12:53:28 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Iraq Fights Back With Commerce

"Hamas... rejects the idea of a two state solution; it still wants to liberate all of British mandate Palestine, which encompasses what is now recognised as the state of Israel.

A Fatah official at the talks has said Hamas has refused to budge from that position."

651 Also posted to: Home page . At: 12:24:13 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: BBC: Palestinians discuss bombing truce

Steve Bell on the gloom at Guildhall

650 Also posted to: Home page . At: 12:17:46 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Guardian: Be very afraid

"...The French and the Americans are now delivering the same hardline message to Iraq - which may surprise some who saw them argue over the resolution line by line for several weeks."

649 Also posted to: Home page . At: 12:07:31 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: BBC: France threatens force against Iraq

"It further transpired that all these agents had been given tasks for execution immediately upon the launch of the American offensive against Iraq. They were to sabotage Aqaba harbor installations to render the port unusable for taking delivery of reinforcements and supplies destined for the Americans and Jordanians fighting on the western front; to blow up key transport junctions, roads and bridges going north out of Aqaba and to stir up popular riots, if possible rebellion."

Zealots, apparently. Do or die.

648 Also posted to: Home page . At: 12:00:05 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: DEBKAfile: Saddam Uses Palestinian Terror Proxies for Jordan