U.S. diplomats expect to have a resolution on Iraq to present to the UN Security Council early this week that calls for inspections of Iraq’s weapons program to be carried out quickly and forcefully.

The United States wants the resolution to refer to unspecified “consequences”–which could be interpreted as the use of force–if Iraq fails to comply with the inspections and disarmament demands.

According to a report in the New York Times, a major factor in the need for quick weapons inspections is the “window” for military action against Iraq. Military officials and other experts say the optimal time for using troops is the winter months, before the heat and sand storms set in. This means that such military action would have to begin between December and February.

Today we go to a speech recorded last Tuesday at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts by Scott Ritter, former United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq. Documentary filmmaker Robbie Leppzer of Turning Tide Productions provided this footage to Democracy Now!

Tape:

• Scott Ritter, former United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq speaking at Deerfield Academy.

Related link:

• Turning Tide Productions