 |
|
Iraq "is a very serious issue and we discuss it in a very serious way."
|
WASHINGTON,
Sept 4 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - U.S. Secretary of State
Colin Powell, en route to Johannesburg late Tuesday, conceded there were
differences in the U.S. administration over how to tackle Iraq but
insisted that President George W. Bush was engaged in
"serious" consultations on what action to take, news agencies
reported.
Earlier
Rumsfeld had dismissed any split as "baloney." ".. what's
important is what the president says, and what's important is what the
president decides," he said, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Powell,
viewed as a moderate on potential military action in Iraq, was also
insistent that the weapons program being conducted by Iraq under Saddam
was a real "danger" to the international community.
Iraq
"is a very serious issue and we discuss it in a very serious
way." There are lots of views in the administration, outside the
administration, up on the Hill, throughout the talk shows, the media,
and throughout the international community.
The
United States Tuesday dismissed as a ploy Iraq's latest offer to allow
U.N. weapons inspectors to return and said it was committed to ousting
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein regardless of whether the inspections
resume.
Iraq
is unlikely to allow the thorough inspections needed to ensure Baghdad
is not developing nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, U.S. Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said, AFP reported.
"I
haven't seen any indication on their part to agree to anything, except
as a ploy from time to time," Rumsfeld said.
"There
might be inspections. The inspections might be this, that or the other
thing. And then you'll find at the last moment, they'll withdraw that
carrot or that opportunity and go back into their other mode of thumbing
their nose at the international community."
Rumsfeld
and White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Washington wanted Iraq to
live up to its commitment to allow inspections mandated by UN Security
Council resolutions, but both insisted that would not be enough to
satisfy the United States.
"The
policy of the United States is regime change with or without
inspectors," Fleischer said.
Two
senior Iraqi officials earlier hinted at a resumption of inspections
amid a flurry of diplomatic activity designed to avert a possible U.S.
strike.
Visiting
Cairo for Arab League meetings on the possibility of a U.S. attack,
Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said a "return of inspectors is
part of UN Security Council resolutions, and we call for the application
of these resolutions."
In
Johannesburg, Deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz said Iraq was ready to
cooperate with the United Nations in ending the standoff with the United
States.
President
George W. Bush has labeled Iraq part of an "axis of evil" and
said it threatens world peace by supporting terrorism and developing
weapons of mass destruction.
Iraq
has used chemical weapons against Kurdish rebels, and UN inspectors had
found evidence of nuclear and biological weapons programs before leaving
Iraq ahead of U.S.-British air strikes in December 1998. Iraq has not
allowed the inspectors to return.
Bush's
stance was echoed in London by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who
offered to provide proof Baghdad continues to develop such weapons, in
spite of assurances to the contrary.
"There
needs to be some more work, some more checking done, but I think
probably the best thing to do is to publish that within the next few
weeks... We will produce whatever we have," Blair said.
Rumsfeld
said the Bush administration could soon offer its own case against
Saddam, perhaps at upcoming congressional hearings on Iraq, as lawmakers
discussed when to schedule such hearings.
Leaders
in the U.S. Senate said they expect Bush would seek congressional
support for any move against Saddam, even though the administration
insists it is not required by U.S. law.
Bush
also has promised to consult U.S. allies before attacking Iraq, but has
reserved the right to act unilaterally if necessary.
Many
of Washington's European and Arab allies have demanded UN approval of
such action.
German
Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer warned that a strike on Iraq would be
"a fatal error," while French President Jacques Chirac again
said he opposed any unilateral action against Saddam.
Former South African president Nelson Mandela called on Iraq to allow
the UN inspectors back into the country, but said they needed to be
representative.
Saddam
meanwhile assured the Iraqi people they would beat their enemies. "We
have won in the past and we will also triumph in the Mother of
Battles," he said.
