Saddam doesn't care, says Bush

President Bush said today he doubts if Saddam Hussein will comply with US demands and avoid a confrontation with the world community.

“I am highly doubtful that he will meet our demands. I hope he does, but I’m highly doubtful,” Bush said.

“The reason I’m doubtful is he’s had 11 years to meet the demands. For 11 long years, he has basically told the United Nations and the world he doesn’t care.”

In a meeting with African leaders, Bush reiterated his request for a UN resolution, demanding that Saddam disarm his weapons programmes.

“We’re talking days and weeks, not months and years,” the president said in outlining his request for a UN imposed deadline on Saddam.

“That’s essential for the safety of the world,” he said.

Bush also questioned why some Democratic politicians want a delay in voting on a US resolution allowing him to act against Saddam prior to any UN deadline being agreed upon.

Chuckling, the president said he could not imagine being an elected member of Congress and saying, “Vote for me and, oh, on matters of national security, I think I’m going to want somebody else to act.”

Bush spoke a day after asking the UN to join with the United States in taking action against Saddam unless the Iraqi president quickly meets a series of demands, including unconditional disarmament and an end to persecution of minorities.

Bush’s comments came as his Secretary of State Colin Powell was launching talks with key foreign leaders to see if they can put together a UN resolution that calls on Iraq to submit to weapons inspections or risk grave consequences.

Powell had lunch scheduled with the foreign ministers of Britain, Russia, France and China, and a separate session with the other members of the Security Council.

Only Britain stands firmly with the United States in its hard-line approach to Saddam. The three other permanent members of the UN Security Council, Russia, China and France, have the power to veto and torpedo a resolution.

Powell’s tough assignment is to try to gain their support.

“I think the Security Council realizes we have a problem they have to deal with,” Powell said.

Any new UN resolution “can’t be the kinds of resolutions we’ve had in the past.”

“There has to be deadlines this time. In the absence of deadlines, the Iraqis will string us out, will try to negotiate away or simply ignore the resolution.”

In a speech last night, Powell lashed out at the Iraqi leader.

“Saddam Hussein has long made an unholy alliance with terrorists,” Powell said. “What is not arguable is that he is in violation of international law.”

Raising the spectre of war, Bush told sceptical world leaders yesterday to confront the “grave and gathering danger” of Saddam’s Iraq - or stand aside as the United States acts.

Hesitant allies asked Bush not to go it alone, while some members of Congress said the president still had not made the case for an attack.

Powell stressed today that Bush has not yet made a decision.

“The president has made it clear that he feels Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi regime to be abhorrent but he’s not declaring war on anybody at this point.”