The Bush Administration is accelerating preparations for a military attack on Iraq, ridiculing its offer of unconditional weapons inspections and ignoring United Nations moves for a quick return of inspectors. And in response to a call by President George Bush for world leaders not to be fooled by Saddam Hussein's apparent backdown, the Prime Minister, John Howard, yesterday toughened his criticism of the Iraqi offer, calling it "nothing more than a diplomatic ploy". "There was no undertaking to comply with relevant Security Council resolutions. There was no commitment to allow inspectors full and unfettered access. There was no capacity to...