The Hindu : Saddam has to go, says U.S.

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 07, 2002

International

International

Saddam has to go, says U.S.

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington May 6. The United States has said it will go ahead with its objective of ousting the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, even if that country were to allow U.N. weapons inspectors back.

The Secretary of State, Colin Powell, said on Sunday that the Bush administration's policy on a leadership change in Iraq was "separate and distinct and different" from allowing weapons inspectors back into Iraq. "The United States reserves its option to do whatever it believes might be appropriate to see if there can be a regime change. U.S. policy is that, regardless of what the inspectors do, the people of Iraq and the people of the region would be better off with a different regime in Baghdad," Gen. Powell said in a talk show.

The Bush administration has accused Mr. Hussein of violating international treaties and agreements, actively seeking and acquiring weapons of mass destruction, dealing ruthlessly with his own people and instigating Palestinian violence. But the U.S. has not found too many takers for its plan to strike Iraq with Arab nations quickly rejecting the idea.

Iraq has been holding talks with the United Nations over the last two months on the return of weapons inspectors. Even last week, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Naji Sabri, held talks with the U.N. Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, on disarmament and the return of weapons inspectors. Baghdad maintains that it has dismantled all weapons of mass destruction."The President has made no decision as to how he is going to deal with Saddam Hussein," the National Security Adviser, Condoleezza Rice, said. "... the President has felt that it's extremely important to make clear that the status quo is not acceptable with this regime," she added.

Ms. Rice said the Iraqi leader "is not likely to ever convince the world, in a reliable way, that he is going to live at peace with his neighbours, that he will not seek weapons of mass destruction and that he will not repress his own people."

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