US President George W. Bush demanded that the United Nations punish Baghdad for flouting its disarmament demands and warned Saddam Hussein: "The game is over."
"Saddam Hussein was given a final chance; he is throwing that chance away. The dictator of Iraq is making his choice. Now, the nations of the (UN) Security Council must make their own," Bush said.
The American leader said the United States would "welcome and support" a second UN Security Council resolution to trigger military action to enforce its November 8 disarmament ultimatum.
"Yet, resolutions mean little without resolve. And the United States, along with a growing coalition of nations, is resolved to take whatever action is necessary to defend ourselves and disarm the Iraqi regime."
With Powell at his side, Bush said the Council "spoke with clarity and authority" by approving the November measure unanimously, but that it must now show "whether its words have any meaning."
"Having made its demands, the Security Council must not back down when those demands are defied and mocked by a dictator," said Bush. But either through UN action or a US-led campaign, "Saddam Hussein will be stopped."
Earlier, Powell told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the standoff with Iraq will be ended "one way or the other" in a matter of weeks.
Mounting US pressure means Saddam "can now be expected to begin another round of empty concessions and transparently false denials. No doubt he will play a last minute game of deception," said Bush.
"The game is over. All the world can rise to this moment. The community of free nations can show that it is strong and confident and determined to keep the peace.
"The United Nations can renew its purpose and be a source of stability and security in the world. The Security Council can affirm that it is able and prepared to meet future challenges and other dangers," he said.
"And we can give the Iraqi people their chance to live in freedom and choose their own government," Bush declared.
Bush added Iraq harbors a terrorist network led by a member of the al-Qaeda group. The group "has plotted terrorism against France, Spain, Italy, Germany, the Republic of Georgia and Russia, and was caught producing poisons in London," he said. "The danger Saddam Hussein poses reaches across the world."
Bush said that Iraq's actions since the UN resolution left no doubt that he had any intention of disarming peacefully.
"And we have sources that tell us that Saddam Hussein recently authorized Iraqi field commanders to use chemical weapons, the very weapons the dictator tells the world he does not have," he charged. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
