BAGHDAD, November 11 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Iraq's parliamentary committee for international affairs Monday, November 11, recommended mandating the political leadership to do what it deemed fit to defend the Iraqi people and authorized President Saddam Hussein to do what he thinks is appropriate

The committee also recommended that Baghdad (should) reject UN Security Council Resolution 1441 which imposes tough new arms inspection terms.

The parliament's Arab and international relations committee "recommends the (Iraqi) leadership to reject the unfair UN Security Council Resolution 1441," committee chairman Salem al-Qubaissi told an extraordinary session of Iraq's National Assembly called to discuss the resolution, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"(The) parliament lends its full support to all (decisions) taken by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and which will be taken in the future," Qubaissi said.

Parliament speaker Saadun Hammadi gave an opening speech broadcast live on Iraqi state television in which he charged that the UN resolution contained "lies" about Iraq.

The 250-member assembly was expected to issue a statement on its position on the resolution which will be submitted to the decision-making Revolution Command Council (RCC).

Iraq has not yet officially responded to the U.S.-drafted resolution that imposes sweeping new arms inspection terms but hinted that it might accept the document by the November 15 deadline in order to avert a U.S. strike.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously voted Friday, November 8, to send U.N. inspectors into Iraq and warned of "serious consequences" if Iraq fails to meet disarmament obligations.

The inspectors must return within seven weeks and have greatly enhanced powers to seek out its weapons of mass destruction, according to the resolution.

All 15 Council members voted for the resolution giving Iraq seven days to accept what it called "a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations."

The vote was taken in the presence of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, who urged the Iraqi leadership to accept the resolution "for the sake of its own people and for the sake of world security and world order."

It came eight weeks after U.S. President George W. Bush told the United Nations in a speech to the General Assembly on September 12 that it must "move deliberately and decisively to hold Iraq to account."