France, U.S. dismiss initial Iraqi rejection of UN resolution

President George W. Bush dismissed the Iraqi parliament's unanimous rejection of a UN resolution requiring the return of weapons inspectors. Bush called Iraq's parliament a "rubber stamp" and said that he wants to hear from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein whether the nation will disarm or face attack, according to the BBC. The rejection came amidst an unexpected warning from France that spurning the inspections would "obviously" result in a UN Security Council-sanctioned war, according to French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin and the BBC. The Iraqi president has until Friday to make up his mind on the resolution, which demands Iraq submit a detailed list of its arms and allow inspectors complete access to all suspected weapons' sites, according to the BBC. Iraq must confirm whether it will "comply fully" with the resolution by Friday. Iraq then has 30 days to reveal all programs, plants and materials which could be used for weapons production. Inspectors must be allowed to resume checks within 45 days of the resolution being passed. Thereafter, inspectors have 60 days to report back to the Security Council but may report violations earlier, according to the UN.

National: Washington, D.C.

Webster resigns post on national accounting advisory board

William Webster '45 resigned yesterday as head of a new accounting oversight board in the midst of continuing controversy surrounding his involvement with a company under investigation for fraud, according to The New York Times. The departure of Webster, a former federal judge and former head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Central Intelligence Agency, came exactly one week after Harvey Pitt stepped down as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The new Public Company Accounting Oversight Board was set up by the SEC after numerous Wall Street accounting scandals undermined investors' confidence, according to The Times. Webster was recruited for the accounting-oversight post by the White House but was barely approved for the post. Pitt originally tapped John H. Biggs for the job. Biggs was a chief executive of an investment plan and had been outspoken in calling for stricter accounting rules. Biggs said some members of the accounting profession found him too tough and complained to Pitt, who then turned to Webster as a second, presumably more palatable choice.

Local: Amherst, Massachusetts

Amherst has potential to grow 20 percent in next 30 years

Amherst residents will have the opportunity next week to discuss the results and implications of a $25,000 study into the potential for residential development in the community. The study, commissioned in 1999, found that there are 2,000 acres of buildable land not subject to constraints, such as steep slopes or wetlands with the potential to build 3,600 new houses, in addition to the 9,400 currently existing ones, according to the Daily Hampshire Gazette. The study showed that there is the potential for a population increase from 35,000 to 43,000, which would result in an increase in school-age children from 4,100 to 5,100. There could also be as much as a 20 percent increase in water usage and a 25 percent increase in roads. Most of the increases would occur over the next 30 years, according to the Gazette, with the most rapid growth in the next 10 years. If the town chose to slow development, it could change zoning rules or increase its efforts to acquire or place restrictions on undeveloped land, said Associate Planner Niels la Cour. It could even declare a moratorium on new construction, as it did in the mid-'80s, he said to the Gazette.