World Tribune.com

Ionic Quadra Special

New consensus on Iraq
includes Colin Powell

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Tuesday, November 27, 2001

WASHINGTON Ñ The Bush administration is building a case with its NATO and Arab allies and organizing an international coalition against Iraq.

On Monday, U.S. President George Bush made the clearest threat yet that he might order an attack on Iraq if it refuses to honor United Nations Security Council resolutions and to allow the return of UN weapons inspectors.

U.S. officials said Bush's statement marks a consensus in the administration that Iraq is the prime candidate for the next target of Washington's war against terrorism. They said the consensus includes Secretary of State Colin Powell, who had dismissed the prospect as he sought to form a coalition for the war in Afghanistan.

But the officials said they did not expect an imminent strike on Baghdad. They said Washington has encountered resistance from such allies as Britain and France to a campaign to overthrow Saddam. Russia, they said, opposes the effort.

U.S. officials said Saddam is being presented as a threat to the region with his renewed development of weapons of mass destruction.

"If they develop weapons of mass destruction that will be used to terrorize nations, they will be held accountable," Bush said. "And 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."

Asked what the United States will do if Saddam refuses to allow UN inspectors to enter Iraq, Bush replied, "He'll find out."

Hours later, Iraqi Foreign Minister Nagy Sabri said his country would not allow the return of UN inspectors. At the same time, Iraq's military has been placed on alert and commanders have cancelled all officer leave.

In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is said to have raised the prospect of a U.S.-led attack on Iraq with Bush administration officials. Sharon wants U.S. guarantees that Washington will inform Jerusalem in advance of any attack on Baghdad.

On Monday, Israeli Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Moshe Ya'alon said a U.S. attack on Baghdad could spark an Iraqi missile strike on Israel. Israeli intelligence sources said they expect a U.S. strike by February 2002.

"These have been longstanding concerns of the United States, longstanding concerns about weapons of mass destruction," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said. "As the president said, this has always been his position."

In Ankara, Turkey's National Security Council meets on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of a U.S.-led strike on Iraq. Turkey, a neighbor of Iraq, has been a leading ally in the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan.

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