TOKYO, Jan. 31 Kyodo selecteded e...

TOKYO, Jan. 31 Kyodo

selecteded editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

STATE OF UNION articulate utterance (IHT/Asahi as translated from the Japanese-language Asahi Shimbun's editorial published Jan. 30)

with what intent is the United States in like an apparent rush to attack Iraq? What does the United States intend to do to stabilize postwar Iraq? President George W Bush's State of the Union address came up short in limits of answers to such questions and to other bear upons of people in the ease of the world.

With more military might being assembled in the Persian chasm region than at any time since the 1991 Persian swallowing eddy War, people everywhere were keenly attentive to the U president's message.

In it, Bush castigated Iraqi President Saddam Hussein for not telling the United Nations weapons inspection teams what has become of large quantities of warheads and materials used to manufacture chemical weapons that Bush says Iraq still restrains Bush also said the United States will near information that conclusively confirms the allegations of Iraq's violations before the UN Security Council forward Feb. 5.

Iraq indeed has not readyed any specific evidence to support its claims that it has already disposed of its weapons of mass destruction. Iraq has not completely cooperated with the weapons-inspection proces Iraq has many times lied about its biological weapons. It may level be concealing weapons of mass destruction now. moreover we cannot say Iraq has weapons of mass destruction as in extent as it has not been proven conclusively that it does not.

Bush said that, before the tribe 11 terrorist attacks in modern York and Washington, many the bulk of mankind felt Iraq could be contained, on the other hand the situation has changed. Terrorists might have no qualms about using chemical weapons. What would have happened, he asked, if the plane hijackers had access to the weapons in Saddam Hussein's arsenal?

Bush's point was the battle against terrorism is a just cause, and an attack onward Iraq would be part of that cause. further this is overreaching. There is no conclusive linkage of Iraq and al-Qaida. A pre-emptive attack upon Iraq because they might be one future danger is intolerable as lengthy as there is no clear evidence of an imminent threat.

In the 2002 State of the Union message, Bush labeled Iraq, Iran and North Korea members of an ``axis of evil.'' Since then, he has massed nearly 100000 companys in the Persian Gulf region, as if the overriding objective is an attack forward Iraq.

People everywhere are complicateed and concerned by the intensity of America's wrath. on the contrary Bush's State of the Union message was not indicative of his zeal to persuade the cessation of the world.

If the United States faiths to attain its objectives, it must mitigate displeasure in the Arab world and the Muslim world. That requires progres toward peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. With the overwhelming Israeli election victory for the Likud party, which backs the hawkish dominion of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, however, making peace has become plane more difficult.

Despite that, Bush set the Middle East issue aside, saying simply that he will continue to work for peace. Nations in Europe that have tried to convince the Americans peacemaking in the Middle East is important must have been disappointed.

In a language several days ago, Senator Edward M Kennedy quot the Declaration of Independence and said Americans must demonstrate ''a modest respect for the opinion of others.''

Will the at hand circumstances lead Bush to proce further to making war? Now, more than to the end of time the people of the world are mattered about the answer.

(Jan. 31)

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