Bush: Iraq not 'fooling anybody'
US President George Bush today said Saddam Hussein was “not going to fool anybody” with his promise to admit weapons inspectors.
And the president predicted the United Nations will rally behind his Iraq policy, despite signs of unease in the Security Council.
In an Oval Office meeting with leading Republicans and Democrats, Bush thanked them for their commitment to vote on a congressional resolution on Iraq before the November elections.
“I think it is an important signal for the world to see that this country is united in its resolve,” he said.
Answering recent criticisms by France and Russia that the promise of inspections might replace the need for the tough new UN resolution sought by Bush, he said: “All they’ve got to do is look at his record.
“His latest ploy, his latest attempt not to be held accountable for defying the United Nations – he is not going to fool anybody.”
“I am convinced that when we continue to make the case about his defiance, his deception, the fact that time and time again _ dozens of times _ he has told the world, ‘Oh, I will comply’ and he never does, that nations who care about peace and care about the validity of the United Nations, will join us,” Bush said.
It was the second day in a row that Bush has prodded the UN to move against Saddam, reflecting concerns by senior advisers that Iraq has gained the upper hand in the public relations battle.
“Reasonable people understand this man is unreasonable,” Bush said.
Democratic leaders sounded a note of bipartisanship as they left the meeting.
House Speaker Dick Gephardt said that a stern resolution was needed give Bush authority to deal with Saddam diplomatically and “military, if we must”.
Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle, another Democrat, said, “I think this is an important moment for our country and for the international community to work together.”
Bush had mocked Democrats last Friday for wanting to wait for a congressional vote until after the UN had acted.
“If I were running for office, I’m not sure how I’d explain to the American people, say, ‘Vote for me, and oh, by the way, on a matter of national security, I think I’m going to wait for somebody else to act,”’ Bush said.
Bush has raised the spectre of military action to remove Saddam from power if the Iraqi leader fails to dismantle his chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programmes.
Bush wants the authority to use force included, at least implicitly, in any new Security Council resolution _ and in any congressional resolution, as well.
An administration official said yesterday that the White House was drafting a congressional resolution authorising the president to use “all appropriate means” to deal with Iraq.
As Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld prepared to testify today on Iraq before a House panel, the Pentagon said it was seeking to move some B-2 bombers closer to Baghdad.
Officials yesterday said the administration is seeking permission from Britain to base a small number of B-2 stealth bombers on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia – instead of their current base in Missouri.
On the diplomatic front, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov challenged the US demand for a new Security Council resolution.
He said there should be “no artificial delays” blocking the return of the inspectors.
“We don’t need any special resolution,” Ivanov said. He said the inspectors “should go to Iraq and get down to discharging their functions” of determining how many weapons Iraq possesses.
Russia’s stand is crucial because of its role as a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council.
Bush will have a chance to make his case directly to the Russians on Friday when he meets Ivanov and Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov.
