The White House had little reaction to Armey's comments. "The president has not decided on a particular course of action and is keeping all his options open," McClellan said. "Beyond that, it's speculating about hypotheticals."
Vice President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld have both said recently that the return of international inspectors to Iraq would not be enough to eliminate Saddam's hidden arsenal. Rumsfeld said Iraq's actions to conceal weapons laboratories underground and put them on mobile trailers might make inspections useless.
On Thursday, Armey said that the failure to resume international arms inspections inside Iraq would be insufficient grounds for war.
"In my estimation, it is not enough reason to go in, that he does not allow weapons inspections," Armey said. "What if the French decided they wanted to inspect American military facilities?"
Armey said he had supported the Persian Gulf war. But in this case, he said that basic principles of international law apply, and that attacking Iraq without a specific provocation would violate those norms.
"He has a right to hold dominion within his own national boundaries, as obnoxious as he is and as comical as he can be," Armey said. "He is what we in Texas know as a blowhard, he can't help himself."
Other prominent Republicans, including senators Richard Lugar and Chuck Hagel, have said recently that the conditions for a pre-emptive strike against Iraq are not yet in place. They and other lawmakers from both parties have recommended other steps first, including stricter enforcement of the no-flight zones.
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