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Posted on 10/05/2002 2:36:05 PM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
US President George W Bush, warning that war with Iraq may be unavoidable, said there was no room for negotiations, as Baghdad kept up a diplomatic drive for backing among Gulf states.
Speaking to hundreds of flag-waving supporters in the eastern US state of New Hampshire, Mr Bush said delay was not an option in keeping Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein from inflicting "massive and sudden horror" with weapons of mass destruction.
The danger to Americans "is grave and growing", and warned that war with Iraq may be unavoidable.
"There's no negotiations; there's nothing to talk about. We don't want you to have weapons of mass destruction," Mr Bush said.
He made the comments in a speech previewing a planned prime-time television address next Tuesday, to tell Americans why Washington should be prepared to take military action.
In a weekly radio address aired on Saturday, Mr Bush said if the Iraqi regime persisted in defiance, the use of force might become unavoidable.
Mr Bush's anti-Saddam drive and threat of military action, backed by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, has caused unease in many parts of the world.
Russia, France and China, who along with the United States and Britain are permanent UN Security Council members with veto powers, are opposed to a strong new UN resolution telling Saddam to admit UN inspectors unconditionally or face war.
They agree, however, that inspectors should return as soon as possible after a four-year hiatus.
"There are no serious obstacles to inspectors returning to Iraq as soon as possible," Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov told Russian television.
"From a legal point of view, no new UN Security Council resolution is required for the return of inspectors," he said,
He said October 19 had been named as the date for the first group of inspectors to fly to Iraq.
Iraq seeks support
Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri flew to Oman on Saturday after two days in Bahrain, on a Gulf drive for support.
In Bahrain, he called for solidarity with Iraq and said the region faced a serious threat to its security and future.
Gulf and other Arab states have indicated they would only support a military strike on Iraq with UN backing.
Egypt President Hosni Mubarak said that no country had the right to topple another Government.
"(Egypt) has affirmed from the start that no country has the right to intervene to overthrow the government in a sovereign country," President Mubarak said in the state-owned Middle East News Agency.
"The true danger to the region arises from the likely response of the people of the region to any military strike on Iraq.
"No one can control or ignore this matter," he said.
Meanwhile, in a meeting in Greece, European Union defence ministers skirted round the issue of how to deal with Iraq, underlining the bloc's struggle to agree on a common approach.
Peace rallies
Thousands of people flocked to peace rallies across Italy on Saturday to protest against a possible military strike.
Anti-war groups said demonstrators in 100 cities the length and breadth of the country took part in the protest.
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