Isolated Bush and Blair say war will go ahead

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George W Bush were increasingly isolated in their support for war on Iraq last night after UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix said the Iraqi decision to give up its Al-Samoud missiles was “a very significant piece of real disarmament”.

But Mr Bush insisted the war would go ahead, declaring that he was ready to disarm Saddam Hussein “now”.

The US president said the second UN resolution was no more than “a commitment to our allies and friends” and that whatever the outcome, the Iraqi leader would be made to give up his suspected weapons of mass destruction.

“My attitude about Saddam Hussein is that if he had any intention of disarming, he would have disarmed,” he told USA Today. “We will disarm him now.”

His comments came as Mr Blix said Iraq was expected to begin the process of destroying its outlawed Al Samoud 2 missiles today.

Mr Blix said his deputy, Demetrius Perricos, was in Baghdad and would discuss with the Iraqis the “programme for the destruction”.

“There are very many of these missiles and a lot of items that pertain to them ... It is a very significant piece of real disarmament.”

He indicated the disarmament move could sway his report to the UN.

“It is to start tomorrow,” Mr Blix said. “So maybe tomorrow evening or Sunday we will have more to say.”

Mr Blair dismissed the move as an empty gesture.

“The moment I heard earlier in the week that Saddam Hussein was saying that he would not destroy the missiles was the moment that I knew later in the week that he would announce just before Dr Blix reported that he would indeed destroy these missiles,” he said.

However, the French and the Russians, both of whom have vetoes on the UN Security Council, indicated Mr Blix’s comments were significant.

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin described Iraq’s decision as an important step that showed inspections were working.

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said Russia could use its veto power to block military action.

“Russia has the right to a veto in the UN Security Council and will use it if it is necessary in the interests of international stability,” Mr Ivanov said.

The US, Britain and Spain are pushing a resolution that would open the door for war, while Russia, China and France are calling for continued weapons inspections and a diplomatic end to the crisis.

In Islamabad, a senior government source said Pakistan will likely vote with the United States at the council.

But Washington is still short of the nine votes it needs to get the resolution adopted. Some council members said they could support the US plan if it was open to negotiation.

Ireland remains committed to the line that any action against Iraq must have the backing of the United Nations. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will travel to the White House for a meeting with Mr Bush on March 13.