Bush weighs setting Iraq deadline
Washington fails to convince Security Council that time has run out for Iraq, but eight European leaders voice support
'I expect to put forward information and evidence which will fill in some of the gaps,' U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday of his Feb. 5 appearance before the UN Security Council. Photo: Charles Dharapak/AP
Associated Press
Washington — U.S. President George W. Bush, moving toward a decision on war with Iraq, said Thursday that he will give diplomacy "weeks not months" and said the United States would welcome Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's going into exile.
"For the sake of peace, this issue must be resolved," Mr. Bush said amid intensified administration efforts to increase pressure on reluctant U.S. allies to disarm Mr. Hussein
Mr. Bush spoke after meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, a firm supporter of the United States' hardline position toward Iraq.
Meanwhile, another ally, Canada, objected to any unilateral action by the United States against Iraq.
"If one state acts by itself it risks consequences," Foreign Minister Bill Graham said after a meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell.
The British and Italians are among Mr. Bush's staunchest supporters, while a number of other U.S. allies, including France and Germany, want to give UN weapons inspectors more time in Iraq.
In the Oval Office session with Mr. Berlusconi, Mr. Bush put allies on notice that he will not wait long to act against Mr. Hussein, even if the United Nations refuses to back his actions.
"This is a matter of weeks not months," Mr. Bush said.
He was to meet later with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, who is trying to rally nations behind a plan to offer Mr. Hussein exile. Mr. Bush said he was open to the idea.
"Should he choose to leave the country, along with other henchmen who have tortured ... Iraqi people, we will welcome that, of course," Mr. Bush said. He said, however, that the United States would continue to insist that Iraq disarm, regardless of who governs the nation.
Mr. Berlusconi said he was in Washington to help Mr. Bush build support against Mr. Hussein.
Senior administration officials, insisting on anonymity, said that while the timeline could change in the Iraq standoff, Mr. Bush intends to continue the consultation period until Feb. 14, when UN weapons inspectors give the Security Council an update on the situation in Iraq.
Administration officials have said repeatedly that time is running out for Mr. Hussein. "The President is using this window now to engage in very busy and active diplomacy," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.
The Saudis have been seeking a way to avoid war and have not said publicly that they will allow the United States to use military facilities in Saudi Arabia. U.S. officials, however, have been saying for weeks that they are satisfied with the level of co-operation being offered privately and the U.S. commander who would run a war against Iraq just returned to Washington from a round of meetings with military leaders in the region, including those in Saudi Arabia.
In a letter published Thursday in newspapers including The Wall Street Journal and the Times of London, the leaders of Britain, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Denmark paid homage to the "bravery and generosity of America" in ensuring peace in Europe.
In a veiled attack on France and Germany, the leaders call for "unwavering determination and firm international cohesion on the part of all countries for whom freedom is precious."
The administration, meanwhile, combed intelligence data for details that Mr. Powell could release to support its accusations that Iraq has a secret-weapons program and links to terrorist groups when he appears next week before the public UN session. The administration is working to find a way to release such information without compromising U.S. intelligence sources.
ON Thursday, Mr. Bush directed up to $15-million to be available to deal with the refugee crisis that any military action may produce. "Such an emergency may arise if it becomes necessary for the United States and other nations to use military force to disarm the Iraqi regime of its weapons of mass destruction," he said in a memo to Mr. Powell.
With allies, among the issues Mr. Bush will discuss is whether imposing a final deadline on Iraq would help spur the international community to increase pressure on Mr. Hussein. The administration also is considering a new UN resolution. One senior official said it could declare Iraq in violation of its obligations to disarm and authorize the use of force after a certain deadline.
Or, the official said, a deadline could be set without a resolution being proposed by the United States in the Security Council.
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