1.   At first Saddam refused to accept the plan, fearing that it would be used as an excuse to maintain the sanctions indefinitely.

2.   At one point Clinton suggested that the United States was prepared to maintain sanctions against Iraq as long as Saddam remained.

3.   Clinton is determined to maintain economic sanctions against Iraq.

4.   Clinton outlined a strategy of containment, promising to use force again if necessary and to maintain economic sanctions on Iraq.

5.   Instead, Washington leads the drive to maintain economic sanctions against Baghdad, much against the wishes of Europe and Japan.

6.   It has accused American inspectors of acting as instruments of an effort by the United States to maintain those sanctions in perpetuity.

7.   Last week, the U.N. Security Council agreed to maintain its sanctions on Iraq, stating that more details regarding Iraqi weapons programs must be released and reviewed.

8.   Moreover, the sanctions will be maintained until Iraq complies with all relevant U.N. resolutions.

9.   Officials speculate that Iraq hopes that new clashes will erode international support for maintaining sanctions and enforcing the no-flight zones.

10.   Ritter is concerned about growing opposition in the Security Council to US efforts to maintain economic sanctions against Iraq.