Editorial: Spoiling for a fight

There are ominous signs that the British Government is shifting the focus in the build-up to a possible war against Iraq.

Until last week the only issue was supposedly whether Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. This in itself is far from straightforward. Hawks in the US and Britain will still find an excuse for war even if the United Nations weapons inspectors fail to discover such weapons or Saddam hands them over.

Almost certainly, President Bush and Tony Blair have sought such an outcome from the beginning, and the discussions between them have focused more on the best way to bring this about.

Last week, though, the British Government extended the terms of the debate by publishing a dossier on Saddam's abuses of human rights.

The dossier has been criticised by Amnesty International and questions have been raised about its accuracy.

There is also the broader question of why the British Government, with plenty of other matters on its mind closer to home, should see its role as being the main propagandist in preparing the world for war.

What is most disingenuous about the dossier is the implication that here is another reason for war. Sadly, there are abuses against human rights in many other countries as well. There would be wars galore if military action was the solution in each case.

The abuses of human rights, however appalling, are a diversion. The single issue must remain Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. The issue must be resolved under the auspices of the UN. The British Government should not move the goalposts.

- INDEPENDENT

Herald feature: Iraq