Examine the new Iraq weapons inspection resolution

Overview: President George W. Bush and other top U.S. officials met yesterday with chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix to discuss disarming Iraq. Meanwhile, the U.N. Security Council is showing signs of possible progress toward a compromise on an Iraq resolution among the five veto-holding permanent members.

Have students read "U.N. Officials Debate a Compromise on Iraq" and answer the following questions:

1. Who are Hans Blix and Mohammed ElBaradei? Why did President George W. Bush and other top U.S. officials meet with Blix and ElBaradei yesterday? Why were these talks politically important for the U.N. and the Bush administration? Under what circumstances would the Bush administration take unilateral military action against Iraq? Why do you think the U.S. is taking such a tough stance on the U.N. weapons inspection issue? Do you think it's important for the U.S. to pursue the diplomatic route before taking military action against Iraq? Discuss.

2. Inform students that yesterday, the U.N. Security Council showed signs of possible progress toward a compromise on an Iraq resolution among the five veto-holding permanent members: the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China. Divide your class into five groups and have each group represent one of the five countries. Refer each group to multimedia resources, including the CNN.com Special: Showdown: Iraq, to learn about the status of the new Iraq weapons inspection resolution and the country's position on the resolution. Instruct students to identify the "crucial sticking point" of the resolution and how it is being deliberated among the five nations.

3. After students complete their research, conduct a mock summit, in which you are the moderator. Have the groups try to defend their countries' positions on the resolution. Instruct groups to state their objections to the U.S. policy. After all groups have presented, have students try to reach a consensus on the resolution. Can the main sticking point of the resolution be resolved? If not, challenge students to play with the semantics of the sticking point. Following the summit, point out that the video segment teaches us that the U.S. wants bilateral support for its position on Iraq, but it also wants the power to work unilaterally. Ask students to predict what will happen in the end. Will it be a win-win for the U.S.? Explain. How might each veto-empowered country react?