Rice claims ‘moral case’ to oust Saddam

US national security adviser Condoleezza Rice called Iraq's Saddam Hussein an "evil man" in a broadcast interview Thursday, saying he would wreak havoc on the world, if the West does nothing to stop him.

In an apparent attempt to sway sagging British public support for any US move to oust the Iraqi president, Rice told the BBC that the US believes it has a "moral case" for removing the Iraqi leader.

There is mounting speculation the United States soon will launch a military campaign to remove Saddam.