US, UK, Spain withdraw resolution
'The United States, Britain, Spain today withdrew a draft resolution seeking UN Security Council authority for military action to disarm Iraq. British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock blamed France for threatening to veto the resolution which would have issued Iraq with an ultimatum to disarm by Monday or face military action. "We have had to conclude that council consensus will not be possible," Greenstock said, flanked by US Ambassador John Negroponte. Mr Negroponte said he thought the vote would have "been close." "We regret that in the face of an explicit threat to veto the vote counting became a secondary consideration," Mr Negroponte said. Moments later, French ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere said that in one-on-one consultations in the past hours "the majority of the council confirmed they do not want a use of force."'

One would surmise that the French Ambassador is correct, that is, that the US failed to achieve a majority on the Security Council. Nevertheless Chirac's threat to veto the resolution has been used against him effectively in the propaganda wars, at least in the Anglo-Saxon corporate media. Either it was an error for Chirac to be so explicit about the use of veto, or else he believed that he had to do so in order to defeat US efforts to get the 'moral majority' of Security Council members.

US, UK, Spain withdraw resolution
'The United States, Britain, Spain today withdrew a draft resolution seeking UN Security Council authority for military action to disarm Iraq. British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock blamed France for threatening to veto the resolution which would have issued Iraq with an ultimatum to disarm by Monday or face military action. "We have had to conclude that council consensus will not be possible," Greenstock said, flanked by US Ambassador John Negroponte. Mr Negroponte said he thought the vote would have "been close." "We regret that in the face of an explicit threat to veto the vote counting became a secondary consideration," Mr Negroponte said. Moments later, French ambassador Jean-Marc de La Sabliere said that in one-on-one consultations in the past hours "the majority of the council confirmed they do not want a use of force."'

One would surmise that the French Ambassador is correct, that is, that the US failed to achieve a majority on the Security Council. Nevertheless Chirac's threat to veto the resolution has been used against him effectively in the propaganda wars, at least in the Anglo-Saxon corporate media. Either it was an error for Chirac to be so explicit about the use of veto, or else he believed that he had to do so in order to defeat US efforts to get the 'moral majority' of Security Council members.