US President George W. Bush warned Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein that he holds the key to war or peace. "He's got to understand that his day of reckoning is coming," Bush told reporters.
"I am hopeful we won't have to go to war," he added. "Let's leave it at that until Saddam Hussein makes up his mind to disarm."
The State Department spokesman, Richard Boucher, said Saddam must either "change his ways or change his venue." Boucher added he was not aware of any moves under way to negotiate exile for the Iraqi president. "At this point, if it's an option he has, he ought to be smart enough to take it."
The US Army, meanwhile, declared it was bringing together commanders of key combat divisions for a battle exercise in Germany this month under Lieutenant General William Wallace, who would likely lead ground forces in any war against Iraq.
Dubbed "Victory Scrimmage," the exercise will involve more than 1,000 troops at the US army's training center at Graffenwohr, said a spokesman for the Heidelberg-based V Corps.
In a related development, Britain's Royal Navy is to send a hospital ship to the Gulf in a clear sign of British preparations to join the US-led military build-up for war against Iraq.
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Argus will be part of a task force led by the aircraft carrier Ark Royal, which will sail for the Gulf later this month, The Daily Telegraph said Friday.
Argus is not expected to sail until February with an escort warship, because it needs to be fitted with chemical and biological protection, the paper said.
Iraq announced, on its part, that chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix is to visit Baghdad in the third week of this month, AFP reported.
"This visit is a positive step ... I think the visit could lead to an improvement in the relationship between the United Nations and Iraq," General Hossam Mohammad Amin, who heads Iraq's National Monitoring Directorate, the body that liaises with the UN inspectors.
Blix was invited to Baghdad, said Amin, to discuss how to best apply UN Security Council Resolution 1441 on disarmament, as well as to cover outstanding issues from former Iraqi arms programs.
On January 27, Blix is to report to the UN Security Council on the results of inspections that resumed November 27. The report is deemed critical for world leaders gauging Saddam's commitment to disarmament. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
