The Hindu : The game is over, says Bush

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 08, 2003

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The game is over, says Bush

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

Washington Feb. 7. In what seems to be an unmistakable sign that a military showdown with Iraq is round the corner, the United States President, George W. Bush, has said that "the game is over'' for the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, and called on the United Nations to "renew its purpose and be a source of stability and security in the world.''

There can be no two ways of looking at the context and setting of Mr. Bush's message.

The words were carefully selected; delivered in the Roosevelt Room of the White House and the Secretary of State, Colin Powell, stood beside him. Gen. Powell, on Wednesday, went before the Security Council to give additional information and intelligence on Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

He did not sway any members of the Council but Mr. Bush commended him for a "powerful presentation'' of the facts.

"Saddam Hussein was required to fully cooperate in the disarmament of his regime; he has not done so. Saddam Hussein was given a final chance; he is throwing that chance away,'' he said. "Saddam Hussein can now be expected to begin another round of empty concessions, transparently false denials. No doubt, he will play a last-minute game of deception. The game is over,'' Mr. Bush said.

He had some direct words for the Security Council as well. "The dictator of Iraq is making his choice. Now the nations of the Security Council must make their own... the Security Council will 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,'' Mr. Bush said reiterating that Washington was willing to go it alone if the Council did not rise to the occasion.

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