The majority of the Japanese, according to various opinion polls in January, think it is unnecessary to shed American soldiers' precious blood to punish Iraq.

"Why do they punish Iraq strongly and not punish Israel?"

Or is their attitude more conflicted than that, notwithstanding their eagerness to punish Iraq?

All contended that the Western powers punishing Iraq should compensate Jordan for lost income.

Washington officials have repeatedly asserted that they were seeking to punish Iraq not for American purposes, but for the world's good.

In practice, however, it has also been used to punish Iraq.

It is the most ambitious effort the U.N. has made to settle the war and punish Iraq.

The economy has been undermined by international sanctions imposed to punish Iraq for invading Kuwait in 1990.

But it became even clearer that if the United States resorts to force to punish Iraq, it cannot count on the Security Council's support.

Washington gives the world one mercy: It has stopped threats about punishing Iraq; it just whimpers now and then.