Bush seeks 'all means' to disarm Saddam

US President George W Bush has asked Congress for authority to use “all means he determines to be appropriate, including force” to disarm and overthrow Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, saying the US will take action on its own if the UN Security Council baulks.

The President sent to Congress his proposed wording for a resolution that would give him such broad war-making authority. He told reporters in the Oval Office that the power to use force was all-important.

“If you want to keep the peace, you’ve got to have the authorisation to use force,” he said.

The President immediately began trying to build support for the proposed resolution that he wants Congress to approve before lawmakers go home to campaign for the November 5 elections.

A letter to Congress from White House counsel Al Gonzales and congressional liaison Nicholas Calio, hoping for “early agreement” accompanied the President’s proposed wording. It was submitted to Congress as a “White House discussion draft”.

Essentially a two-page indictment of Saddam’s regime, including a reference by name to its assassination plot against Mr Bush’s father, a former president, the resolution concludes:

“The president is authorised to use all means that he determines to be appropriate, including force, in order to enforce the United Nations Security Council resolutions (on disarmament), defend the national security interests of the United States against the threat posed by Iraq, and restore international peace and security in the region.”

Meanwhile, Saddam told the UN that Iraq is free of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.

“Our country is ready to receive any scientific experts, accompanied by politicians you choose to represent any one of your countries, to tell us which places and scientific installations they would wish to see,” foreign minister Naji Sabri told the world body, quoting the Iraqi president.

Appearing at the homeland security command centre, Mr Bush told reporters he had not heard the speech by Iraq’s foreign minister.

“Let me guess, the United States is guilty, the world doesn’t understand, we don’t have weapons of mass destruction – it’s the same old song and dance we’ve heard for 11 years,” he said, calling anew for the UN to pass a get-tough resolution.

At the White House, nine Democratic and Republican lawmakers emerged from a session with Mr Bush predicting bipartisan support for the commander in chief.

“I think we have no choice but to have the strongest support possible for the president’s efforts here,” said Congressman Norm Dicks.

But the President also stressed he is not on the verge of declaring war, said Congressman John McHugh.

“The most important word I heard inside today from the President was the word ‘if’. He made it repeatedly clear that this resolution is not intended as a declaration of war, it is not intended as an immediate prior step to aggression,” said Mr McHugh.

Mr Bush spoke to reporters after meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell on his difficult diplomatic effort to draft a UN Security Council resolution against Iraq. The administration has to overcome strong reservations by Russia and France, which have veto power in the Security Council.

“The United Nations Security Council must work with the United States and other concerned parties to send a clear message that we expect Saddam to disarm,” Mr Bush said.

“And if the United Nations Security Council won’t deal with the problem, the United States and some of our friends will,” he declared.