Dear NPR News,

Daniel Schorr repeated the well-worn fabrication that Iraq "expelled" United Nations weapons inspectors three years ago, in his commentary on All Things Considered today.

In fact, the inspectors were withdrawn suddenly on December 16, 1998 by Richard Butler, then the head of the defunct inspection agency UNSCOM, in anticipation of a US attack ostensibly because Iraq was refusing to cooperate with inspections.

Butler had just submitted a 10-page report accusing Iraq of failing to cooperate with UNSCOM and hence providing the immediate pretext for the four-day long American bombardment.

"Mr Butler withdrew his staff from Baghdad on the advice of the US, saying he had taken the decision because inspectors were not able to do their work" reported the Financial Times ("Threat to Iraq grows as weapons team pulls out," December 17, 1998)

Mr. Schorr also seems to have forgotten that Mr. Butler worked to bring about the US attack after allowing UNSCOM to be used for hostile foreign intelligence operations against Iraq by the United States. The Washington Post reported that:

"Butler's conclusions were welcome in Washington, which helped orchestrate the terms of the Australian diplomat's report. Sources in New York and Washington said Clinton administration officials played a direct role in shaping Butler's text during multiple conversations with him Monday at secure facilities in the U.S. mission to the United Nations. Spokesmen for Butler and the Clinton administration declined to comment on those conversations." ("Iraq Hasn't Cooperated, Arms Inspector Reports; Finding Revives Prospect of Airstrikes" December 16, 1998)

This is only some of the evidence of collusion between the United States Government and some elements within UNSCOM to deliberately subvert the weapons inspection program and use it for means for which it was not on paper intended--the overthrow of the government of Iraq. While Mr. Schorr may not like the fact that the Iraqi government refused to willingly cooperate with a scheme for its own overthrow, he can hardly be surprised or consider it unreasonable.

But what he should not do now is alter the facts in order to lay the groundwork for a new attack on Iraq. Has NPR got no standards for factual accuracy to which its commentators must adhere?

Sincerely,