A rchive Date
[ 23-01-2003 ]
Category
[ International Relations ]
sub-Categoy
[ U.S ]
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[http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2003/01/22/14373-ap.html
U.S. fighting more time for inspectors
By SCOTT LINDLAW - Associated Press
Wed, January 22, 2003
ST. LOUIS (AP) - President Bush said Wednesday there would be "serious consequences" for Saddam Hussein if the United States goes to war against Iraq and warned Saddam's generals against using weapons of mass destruction in such a scenario.
Bush said he would prefer to peacefully rid Iraq of its deadliest arms, but is willing to go to war to do so, if necessary.
"And should that path be forced upon us, there will be serious consequences. There will be serious consequences for the dictator in Iraq. And there will be serious consequences for any Iraqi general or solider who were to use weapons on our troops or on innocent lives," the president said White House officials said Bush's remarks, made to an audience in St. Louis, were part of an ongoing effort to brace Americans and U.S. allies for the increasingly likelihood of war. Bush also hopes to increase pressure on Saddam himself in hopes of producing regime changes short of war, such as a coup or the leader's exile, aides said.
Sprinkling blunt talk of war within a speech about the nation's sagging economy, Bush said, "Should any Iraqi officer or soldier receive an order from Saddam Hussein or his sons or any of the killers who occupy the high (offices) of their government, my advice is don't follow that order."
Bush warned the Iraqi military officers and soldiers that if they should carry out such orders, they will be treated as war criminals after the country is liberated.
Bush issued a similar warning in October, when he told a Cincinnati audience: "An Iraqi regime faced with its own demise may attempt cruel and desperate measures. If Saddam Hussein orders such measures, his generals would be well advised to refuse those orders. If they do not refuse, they must understand that all war criminals will be pursued and punished."
Officials said the latest warning reflects the fact that war may be weeks away and a cornered Saddam may resort to using chemical or biological weapons.
In another development, Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. military forces in the Persian Gulf region are prepared now for a war against Iraq but could wait for months at a high state of readiness if necessary.
"We're ready now," he told a Pentagon news conference. "The Iraqi regime should have no doubt."
Bush and his senior advisers have been struggling to quiet a rising clamor from U.S. allies and other nations to postpone war with Iraq and give U.N. inspectors more time to look for illicit hidden weapons.
Bush has shown little patience with the inspections process, telling the crowd Thursday that Saddam wants more time to give the "so-called inspectors more runaround."
Taking on France, which has championed delay, Secretary of State Colin Powell questioned whether the U.S. ally was serious about ever coming to grips with Iraqi deception.
"What they said is, we should let this process continue," Powell said in an interview released Wednesday. "But it's not clear to me how long they want to continue or whether they are serious about bringing it to a conclusion at some time."
Referring also to Germany, which is opposed to using force against Iraq, Powell said "I can't speculate as to what might change their attitudes."
The outcome of the carefully orchestrated American diplomatic effort, salted with undiplomatic tough talk, is unlikely to be clear at least until the Security Council receives a report from the inspectors next week and convenes to decide whether to do anything about it.
The inspectors, themselves, consider the report on 60 days of searches to be an interim account of whether President Saddam Hussein is complying with 12 years of council disarmament resolutions.
The report is due Monday. The council is expected to meet Wednesday.
In between, Bush makes his State of the Union speech on Tuesday night. But aides say he is unlikely to announce a decision then on whether to go to war. Instead, the speech will be part of a concerted effort to sway allies and the American public as well White House officials say.
The inspectors are determined to keep looking for weeks, and maybe months, for chemical and biological weapons and programs for nuclear arms and long-range missiles. They have the support of at least France, Russia, Chile and Syria.
France and Russia, as permanent members of the council, have the authority to veto any resolution, and French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin hinted on Monday that France might use its veto to stop a resolution authorizing an assault on Iraq.
Germany, which is on the council and will become its chairman next month, is even more at odds with the Bush administration, opposing force under any circumstances.
"I think the sense of the council is that the majority is against military action," Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador, Gennady Gatilov, told The Associated Press.
In the meantime, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld ordered the Navy to double the number of aircraft carrier battle groups positioned within striking distance of Iraq, defense officials said.
 World Fact Book (CIA)]
Cross-Indexed:
 Rice Rejects Outside Probe of Iraq Data
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