Iraq takes a step nearer war

Seven words from Iraq’s deputy premier today put Baghdad on course for a military showdown with the US.

“We do not accept President Bush’s conditions,” said Tariq Aziz, one of Saddam Hussein’s most trusted lieutenants.

With that he dismissed the return of UN weapons inspectors and made a US led attack on Iraq more likely.

The words would not have surprised George Bush. He had doubted earlier in the day that Saddam Hussein would comply with US demands and warned the Iraqi dictator he has only days, not weeks.

“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.”

Tariq Aziz, who was the voice of Baghdad during the Gulf War, also told MBC, a Gulf satellite TV station: “The return of inspectors without conditions will not solve the problem.

“We have had a bad experience with them. Is it clever to repeat an experience that failed and did not prevent aggression?”

UN inspectors – hunting for Iraq’s nuclear, chemical, biological and ballistic weapons were – were withdrawn in December 1998 on the eve of Anglo-American bombing raids and have not been allowed to return.

In a meeting with African leaders in New York today, 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.

The US president 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 lunched with the foreign ministers of Britain, Russia, France and China and then held 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.”