Blow for US as China says no to war in Iraq

THE United States ran into more opposition at home and abroad yesterday as it sought United Nations authority to wage war against Iraq.

With 250,000 troops poised to attack Iraq as soon as President George W Bush gives the order, the US has been trying to round up the nine votes needed in the UN Security Council to pass a resolution endorsing military action.

So far it only has four certain votes. Britain, which has been Washington’s closest ally, said it was ready to fine-tune the resolution as a way of rounding up a Security Council majority but not to change it substantively.