Bush signs Congress' war-making resolution

US PRESIDENT George W Bush yesterday signed Congress' war-making resolution and told wary world leaders to "face up to our global responsibilities" to confront Saddam Hussein.

"Those who choose to live in denial may eventually be forced to live in fear," Mr Bush said as the United Nations began a bitter debate over his plans to disarm and oust Saddam. "Every nation that shares in the benefits of peace also shares in the duty of defending the peace."

With dozens of lawmakers from both parties on hand for the East Room signing ceremony, Mr Bush used his speech and last Friday's strong congressional vote to press the UN to adopt a resolution compelling Iraq to submit to unconditional arms inspections: "We will defend our nation and lead others in defending the peace." Though he said military action would be his last resort, Mr Bush left little room for Saddam to avoid confrontation: "Our goal is to fully and finally remove a real threat to world peace and to America."

The UN Security Council yesterday started its first day of open debate on Iraq at the behest of the dozens of non-Security Council nations who oppose an attack on Baghdad. The debate is mostly designed to take the administration to task on its Iraq policiesEven as Bush spoke, Russia's deputy foreign minister said the United States' proposed resolution is unacceptable, while a two-step proposal from France is closer to the Kremlin's stance. Both nations hold veto power in Security Council. "The American variant of the resolution on Iraq has not undergone changes. It is unacceptable and Russia cannot support it," Yuri Fedotov said, according to the news agency Interfax.

As if in reply, Mr Bush said: "The time has arrived once again for the United Nations to live up to the purposes of its founding to protect our common security. The time has arrived once again for free nations to face up to our global responsibilities and confront a gathering danger." Mr Bush, who received a standing ovation from the roughly 100 lawmakers in the audience as he signed the resolution, said: "This nation will not live at the mercy of any foreign power or plot."

The resolution requires the president to notify Congress, before or within 48 hours after an attack, that further diplomatic approaches would not have protected US security and to explain to Congress how the military action will not hurt the war on terror.

The resolution passed the House by a 296-133 margin and by a 77-23 margin in the Senate.