Bush signs US Iraq war resolution

US President George Bush today signed Congress’ war-making resolution and told wary world leaders to 'face up to our global responsibility' to confront Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

"Those who choose to live in denial may eventually be forced to live in fear," Bush said as the United Nations began a bitter debate over his plans to disarm Saddam and remove him from power.

"Every nation that shares the benefits of peace also shares the duty of defending the peace."

Bush used the speech - and the congressional vote - to press the UN to adopt a new resolution compelling Iraq to submit to unconditional weapons inspections.

"We will defend our nation and lead others in defending the peace," the president said.

Though he said military action would be his last resort, Bush left little room for Saddam to avoid confrontation.

"Our goal is to fully and finally eliminate a real threat to world peace and to America," he said.

The president’s message came as the UN Security Council 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 policies, and White House officials expected sharp criticism throughout the day.

Even as Bush spoke, Russia’s deputy foreign minister said the United States’ proposed resolution is unacceptable, while France’s proposal is closer to the Kremlin’s stance. Both nations hold veto power in the 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.

However, the French proposal contains 'many positions that Russia shares,' Fedotov was quoted as saying.

As if in reply, 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 responsibility and confront a gathering danger."

Bush said:"“This nation will not live at the mercy of any foreign power or plot."

The resolution was passed by strong margins in both the House and Senate.

In a major victory for the president, weeks of back-and-forth between Congress and the White House produced little significant change in Bush’s initial draft of the resolution.

The measure giving Bush the authority to use military force, if necessary, to rid Iraq of its biological and chemical weapons and disband its nuclear weapons program was approved on Friday.

In his speech, Bush spelled out several ways Saddam has avoided compliance with UN resolutions on weapons of mass destruction and made it clear his patience was running out.

"I have not ordered use of force. I hope the use of force will not become necessary. Yet, confronting the threat posed by Iraq is necessary by whatever means that requires," he said.