The United States and Britain vowed Tuesday to move forward with a new resolution for the use of military force to disarm Iraq, even as an open debate in the UN Security Council laid bare deep opposition to war. A second resolution could be introduced as early as today, after the end of a two-day session during which nations not on the 15-member Security Council were given the chance to voice their opinions. (Getty Images)...

Protests fail to move Bush

Shelley Emling - Cox New York Correspondent

Wednesday, February 19, 2003

United Nations --- The United States and Britain vowed Tuesday to move forward with a new resolution for the use of military force to disarm Iraq, even as an open debate in the U.N. Security Council laid bare deep opposition to war.

A second resolution could be introduced as early as today, after the end of a two-day session during which nations not on the 15-member Security Council were given the chance to voice their opinions.

In Washington, President Bush said a second U.N. resolution "would be useful" but not necessary.

"War is my last choice," Bush said. "But the risk of doing nothing is even a worse option, as far as I'm concerned. Saddam Hussein is a threat to America. Saddam Hussein is providing links to terrorists. And we will deal with him."

Although aware of the widespread anti-war demonstrations over the weekend, Bush said he reserved the right to "respectfully disagree" with those who don't believe Saddam is a threat to world peace.

"You know, the size of protests is like deciding, well, I'm going to decide policy based upon a focus group," Bush said. "The role of a leader is to decide policy based upon the security --- in this case, the security of the people."

Also Tuesday:

> In Ankara, Turkish officials said they were waiting for the Bush administration to answer their demand for $32 billion in economic aid to ensure Turkey's participation in a war with Iraq. The Turkish request is about $6 billion more than the amount American officials termed their "final" offer over the weekend. The Turks called their offer "final" as well, as the two longtime allies seemed to harden their positions.

> In Brussels, Belgium, future European Union members voted to endorse a stern admonition delivered to Saddam by current EU members Monday. Thirteen countries scheduled to become EU members next year backed the statement approved by EU members, which warns Saddam to disarm "immediately and fully." The EU statement acknowledged that "inspections cannot continue indefinitely," although it emphasized that "war is not inevitable." The statement set no deadlines by which the inspection process must get results.

> In Rome, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Iraq had to "move very fast" to cooperate or face war. But he declined to spell out how long inspections should continue, saying it was up to the Security Council to decide whether they had gone on long enough.

> In Baghdad, the spokesman for the U.N. weapons inspectors expressed frustration at conditions Iraqi scientists and engineers have insisted on before they will agree to be interviewed. Only three scientists have been interviewed, according to the spokesman, Hiro Ueki. Iraqi officials reported U.N. inspectors visited at least eight military and industrial sites.

> In Washington, the Pentagon ordered the deployment of 28,000 more troops to the Persian Gulf. They will join around 150,000 personnel already in the area.

The Security Council voted unanimously Nov. 8 for U.N. Resolution 1441, which gave Iraq one last chance to comply with inspections and disarm or face "serious consequences."

Divisions have erupted in recent weeks over how long to give U.N. inspectors, who have been searching Iraq for biological, chemical and nuclear weapons.

"There are no time limits stipulated for inspections in 1441," said South African Ambassador Dumisani Shadrack Kumalo, urging that the inspection process be given ample time to show results.

South Africa requested the open U.N. session to allow nonaligned and anti-war nations to air their positions.

Representatives of 70 countries --- most of whom are expected to voice opposition to war --- have requested an opportunity to speak.

Iraq's U.N. ambassador, Mohammed al-Douri, said U.S. moves against Iraq are part of an American march toward world domination.

Iraq has consistently denied possession of any banned weapons.

Al-Douri appealed to the United Nations to heed the "call of millions" who condemned war in weekend demonstrations.

France and Germany oppose military action and want inspectors to be granted additional time.

France is one of five permanent Security Council members with veto power.

Even British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Washington's staunchest ally, agreed during a news conference Tuesday that there is no need to rush to war.

"Indeed we have waited 12 years," said Blair, who is facing a stinging public outcry against war at home.

But he added that without full cooperation by Saddam, the inspectors "are never going to be able to play detective to search out weapons hidden" in such a large country.

War Protests  Won't Deter Bush

by Ron Fourner   AP

WASHINGTON (Feb. 18) - President Bush declared on Tuesday that he wouldn't be deterred by global protests against war with Iraq, saying ''I respectfully disagree'' with those who doubt that Saddam Hussein is a threat to peace.

He said such a war remains a final resort, but ''the risk of doing nothing is even a worse option as far as I'm concerned.''

Despite heavy opposition at the United Nations and protests around the world, the Bush administration appeared ready to push ahead this week for a new Security Council resolution that could open the way for war.

Bush said that the size of the protests against a possible U.S.-led war against Iraq was irrelevant.

''Size of protest, it's like deciding, 'Well I'm going to decide policy based up on a focus group.' The role of a leader is to decide policy based upon the security - in this case - security of the people.''

Millions of people around the world took to the streets over the weekend to protest such a war.

''Democracy is a beautiful thing, and that people are allowed to express their opinion,'' Bush said.

''Some in the world don't view Saddam Hussein as a risk to peace,'' he added. ''I respectfully disagree.''

Bush said that Saddam Hussein continued to pose a very real threat to Americans and to the world.

The president expressed confidence that the United States would come up with an acceptable aid package for Turkey, a close U.S. ally in the region who will play a vital role if there is military action against Baghdad.

Bush said Turkey has ''no better friend than the American government'' and that Washington and Ankara were still working out details of an aid package.

The U.S. military plans to use bases in Turkey both for aircraft and for ground forces in the event of an attack on Turkey's neighbor to the south.

Bush indicated that he was running out of patience. Asked if he planned to set an ultimatum for Saddam's compliance, Bush suggested that would be pointless, like extending ''another, another, another last chance.''

''He knows my feelings, and that is, he needs to disarm - completely and totally disarm. He's a fellow that likes to buy time and buy it through deception and delay.''

The global anti-war protests have put the White House on the defensive. Presidential spokesman Ari Fleischer began his daily briefing by reading newspaper clips about demonstrations against the staging of missiles in Germany in the early 1980s, and said, ''This is not the first time there have been mass protests and in a previous instance America stood on principle ... and as a result the Berlin Wall came down.''

He also told reporters that former President Franklin Roosevelt overcame protests from isolationists to lead American into World War II.

''Often the message of protesters is contradicted by history,'' he said.

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