Senior U.S. officials have been quietly dispatched in recent days to the capitals of key Security Council countries where they are warning leaders to vote with the United States on Iraq or risk "paying a heavy price."

The order from the White House was to use 'all diplomatic means necessary,'" another U.S. diplomat said. "And that really means everything."

The wording of the order is a twist on "all means necessary," — the diplomatic terminology that authorizes going to war.

In the past three weeks, the administration has sent Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman and Kim Holmes, the assistant secretary of state for international organizations to Mexico City.

Mexican diplomats described the visits as hostile in tone and complained that Washington was demonstrating little concern for the constraints of the Mexican government whose people are overwhelmingly opposed to a war with Iraq.

"They actually told us: 'any country that doesn't go along with us will be paying a very heavy price,'" said one Mexican diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

To get its resolution through, the United States must secure nine votes in the 15 member council while preventing France, Russia or China — which are pushing for continued weapons inspections — from using their vetoes. The United States and Britain hold the two other vetoes.

Full Article: http://www.globalissues.net/article/635

Submitted by Mexica