U.S. Accused of Being Overbearing

The Iraqi government criticized the United States for opposing the appointment of a Russian as deputy chief of U.N. weapons inspectors, saying this proved that the Americans wanted to dominate inspection operations. The statement on the official Iraqi News Agency came as United Nations officials said Scott Ritter, an American once blocked from working by Iraq, has led an inspection team on visits to six sites the Iraqis consider “sensitive.” Ritter’s visits were seen as a test of Baghdad’s pledge last month to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to cooperate with inspectors. Meanwhile, Annan said that, contrary to U.S. assertions, the United States would need to consult with the U.N. Security Council before mounting a military strike against Iraq.