Gadfly:*

Back in September, Republican (!) congressman Ron Paul assembled a list of 35 questions about Iraq, the war on terrorism, and other related subjects. Of interest are the following:

15. Are you aware of a Pentagon report studying charges that thousands of Kurds in one village were gassed by the Iraqis, which found no conclusive evidence that Iraq was responsible, that Iran occupied the very city involved, and that evidence indicated the type of gas used was more likely controlled by Iran not Iraq?

21. Is it not true that, contrary to current claims, the no-fly zones were set up by Britain and the United States without specific approval from the United Nations?

31. Is it not true that a war against Iraq rejects the sentiments of the time-honored Treaty of Westphalia, nearly 400 years ago, that countries should never go into another for the purpose of regime change?

* Merriam-Webster: a person who stimulates or annoys especially by persistent criticism

UPDATE: On November 19, Slate's Explainer discussed the issue of the no-fly zones. Bottom line is that Iraqi attacks on American and British warplanes in the "no-fly zone" are not a breach of the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

posted by Quiddity at 11/18/2002 07:50:00 AM