Bush appeals to leaders for support in Iraq as he comes under fire over war

US PRESIDENT George W Bush dismissed criticism of his “pre-emptive” war against Iraq yesterday and appealed to world leaders to “step forward” and support the nation’s transition to democracy.

Speaking at the opening of the UN General Assembly in New York, Mr Bush said "every young democracy needs the help of friends.

"Now the nation of Iraq needs and deserves our aid and all nations of good will should step forward and provide that support."

But he faced criticism from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and French President Jacques Chirac, who questioned the right of America to use force without UN authorisation.

Mr Bush did not set out detailed plans for UN involvement in rebuilding Iraq, but he said it should play a role in developing a constitution, a civil service and free and fair elections.

Mr Bush took a thinly veiled swipe at France, which is demanding a swift end to the US-led administration of Iraq, saying the transition to democracy "must unfold according to the needs of Iraqis neither hurried nor delayed by the wishes of other parties".

The gathering was the first time world leaders have met since the invasion of Iraq. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan criticised the doctrine of "pre-emptive" strike, saying it "could set precedents that result in a proliferation of the unilateral and lawless use of force, with or without credible justification".

But he admitted the UN was at a "fork in the road" in deciding on the validity of such action. "The (Security) Council needs to consider how it will deal with the possibility that individual States may use force "pre-emptively" against perceived threats," he said.