The US president took a hard line with Iraq on Thursday leaving no doubt about his determination to tackle Saddam Hussein, with or without the United Nations.
George Bush rammed home the message — if there is no disarmament then ”action is unavoidable” — in a 25 minute address to the UN General Assembly.
But reflecting the divisions over the best way to handle Iraq, the world leaders and diplomats listening in the UN hall gave only polite applause to Bush’s sermon.
The president did say however that Washington wanted to work with the UN Security Council on a new resolution to make sure the Iraqi leader ”immediately and unconditionally” complies with disarmament commitments made to the United Nations.
”But this time there will have to be a strong motion allowing a strong solution. Nothing else will do,” said a senior official in the Bush administration.
According to diplomatic sources, Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair agreed during a recent meeting that Britain would draw up a draft resolution.
Bush left no doubt however that he would not wait forever for the UN Security Council to agree action.
”We cannot stand by and do nothing while dangers gather. We must stand up for our security and for the permanent rights and the hopes of mankind,” he told the General Assembly.
”By heritage and by choice, the United States of America will make that stand. And, delegates to the United Nations, you have the power to make that stand, as well.”
Bush said Iraq could have its own nuclear weapon within a year if it could obtain the fissionable material necessary to arm it.
But the United States has still to show any proof in public to back accusations that the Iraqi president has acquired or is developing chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.
This is what makes many US allies sceptical about the authenticity of the Iraqi threat and makes them worry about the impact of military action against Iraq on the rest of the tense Middle East.
Iraqi television warned in response to Bush’s speech that a US attack ”would start an uncontrollable fire”.
”It was a very hard speech and one that clearly left little room for doubt and it will need detailed examination,” said Germany’s Foreign Minister Joshka Fischer.
Until now, only Blair has clearly backed Bush’s stand. And the US leader will still have problems convincing the opposition Democrat-controlled Congress to support his policy before mid-term elections in November.
Bush made a five-point case against Saddam’s abuses of UN resolutions but did not mention the return of weapons inspectors for the first time since 1998, diplomats observed.
US Vice President Dick Cheney and other top officials have expressed scepticism about the worth of sending back inspectors. Washington believes this would just give Saddam more breathing space.
Hans Blix, the head of the UN inspectors, has indicated he would need one year to draw up a report for the United Nations. And the US government is already showing signs that its warnings are to be taken seriously.
The US military has strengthened its force in the Gulf and 600 officials from the Central Military Command, normally based in Tampa, Florida, will be transferred to Qatar, the Gulf state close to Iraq, officially for an ”exercise”. – Sapa-AFP