U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Iraq must understand that if it will not disarm peacefully, it will be disarmed by force.
In a speech Sunday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Powell said Iraq has shown itself to be a threat to its neighbors and world security.
He said the United Nations weapons inspections process has run its course, and warned that inaction by the world community could be used by Iraq to share its weapons of mass destruction with terrorists.
The secretary of state added there is no rush to judgment on Iraq, but that time is running out. "We are in no great rush to judgment today or tomorrow, but it is clear that time is running out,"
He said Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, has hidden weapons meant to intimidate his neighbors and is placing millions of innocent people at risk.
Powell demanded that Iraq account for large amounts of anthrax and botulism toxin that can be used in biological weapons which were uncovered by international inspectors mopre than four years ago.
Powell said President Saddam would like to see the world community back away, but should not be in doubt that the United States will not shrink from war, if it is the only way to rid the Iraqi regime of its banned weapons.
“To those who say ‘Why not give the inspections process more time?’, I ask ‘How much more time does Iraq need? It is not a matter of time, it is a matter of telling the truth, and Saddam still responds with evasion and lies.”
“Saddam should tell the truth – now.”
“Without Iraq’s full and active cooperation, the 100 or so inspectors would have to look under every root and search the back of every truck in a country the size of California to find the munitions and programmes for which Iraq has failed to account,” Powell said.
Meanwhile, a newspaper owned by President Saddam Hussein's elder son said Sunday U.S. and British troops would return home in "plastic bags" should London and Washington invade Iraq.
"The British and American troops will have no choice but to flee or meet the same fate that met their predecessors and that's to return home in plastic bags," said the newspaper Babil, owned by Uday Saddam Hussein. "The number of these bags will be so huge that neither Bush nor his insignificant sidekick Blair would be able to hide or lie about." (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
