US President George W. Bush on Monday demanded Iraq allow international arms inspections to resume, saying the global war on terrorism also targets those who make weapons of mass destruction "to terrorize the world."
Bush's comments were the most explicit linkage of Iraq to the US-led war on terrorism launched in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on the US, and were bound to feed renewed speculation Iraq could be the next US target. The White House said the remarks did not represent a shift in policy.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Asked how he viewed Iraq in the context of future steps in the war, Bush told reporters: "My message is that, if you harbor a terrorist, you're a terrorist. If you feed a terrorist, you're a terrorist. If you develop weapons of mass destruction that you want to terrorize the world, you'll be held accountable."
Referring to Iraq's president, Bush said, "As for Mr. Saddam Hussein, he needs to let inspectors back in his country to show us that he is not developing weapons of mass destruction."
If Iraq's leader refuses to readmit inspectors, "he'll find out" what the consequences are, Bush said. The president spoke in the White House Rose Garden as he welcomed two US aid workers freed after three months' captivity in Afghanistan.
At the UN in New York, Iraq's ambassador, Mohammed Aldouri, said Baghdad would not allow the inspectors to return as long as the UN maintained sanctions imposed after Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990.
"Our position is very clear on that question. We will not permit weapons inspectors. We have nothing to inspect," Aldouri said.
The US and Russia on Monday were discussing revising the UN sanctions on Iraq, which now aim in part to force a resumption of weapons inspections. The inspections were intended to investigate Iraq's past nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs.
After expelling the weapons inspectors in December 1998, Iraq rejected a UN resolution adopted in December 1999 calling for the suspension of UN sanctions if it allowed the inspectors to return.
On the CNN program Larry King Live, US Secretary of State Colin Powell declined to specify what Bush meant by "he'll find out" but said Saddam should take it as a "very sober, chilling message."
Asked if the US might move on to Iraq after its mission in Afghanistan is accomplished, Powell said all options are open.
"I don't want to answer that in the speculative manner that the question often comes to us," Powell said. "The president has all of his options. The Iraqi regime led by Saddam Hussein is an evil one. They are developing -- tried to develop weapons of mass destruction."
Spokesman Ari Fleischer said Bush's remarks did not represent an expansion of the president's doctrine of intolerance for terrorists or countries that assist terrorism.
He said the US has long identified Iraq as a state sponsor of terrorism and consistently sought to relaunch the arms inspections halted by Iraq in 1998. He also said the campaign against terrorism encompassed actions other than armed conflict, such as financial restrictions.
Nevertheless, Bush reiterated on Monday the US-led battle against Afghanistan's Taliban was only "the beginning" of the battle against terrorism."
"We're going to make sure that we accomplish each mission we tackle. First things first," he said.
Bush said the campaign against Afghanistan's Taliban was in a dangerous phase and that casualties were possible, as US Marines hit the ground near the Taliban's last stronghold.
"This is a dangerous period of time. This is a period of time in which we're now hunting down the people who are responsible for bombing America," Bush said. "No president or commander in chief hopes anybody loses life in the theater, but it's going to happen."
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