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| Iraq |
| Bush: Tomorrow is the moment of truth |
| 2003-03-16 |
| US President George W Bush has called for the immediate and unconditional disarmament of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, saying tomorrow is a moment of truth for the world. "Tomorrow is the day that we will determine whether or not diplomacy can work," Mr Bush said after a critical summit with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. He has urged nations who have voiced a commitment to peace and security to demonstrate that commitment by supporting the disarmament of Iraq. "The United Nations Security Council in resolution 1441 has declared Iraq in material breach of its long-standing obligations, demanded once Iraq's full and immediate disarmament, and promised serious consequences if the regime refused to comply," he said. "That resolution was passed unanimously and its logic is inescapable, the Iraq regime will disarm itself or the Iraqi regime will be disarmed by force." Mr Blair has made a "final appeal" for the international community to issue a clear ultimatum authorising force if Iraq does not give up its weapons. "We make a final appeal for there to be that strong, unified message on behalf of the international community that lays down a clear ultimatum to Saddam, that authorises force if he continues to defy the will of the whole of the international community," he said. "I think it is so important that even now, at this late stage, we try to get the United Nations... resolving this." He said Iraqi President Saddam Hussein "plays these games, and we carry on allowing him to play them. Now is the moment to decide, whether we meant it or simply whether we are going to drag out this process forever. Because the threat is there and everyone accepts it. The threat of weapons of mass destruction, the threat of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of terrorists." |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |