The Hindu : Force will be used if need be, says Bush

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 09, 2003

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Force will be used if need be, says Bush

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

New York March 8. The United States President, George W. Bush, has once again said that while the use of military force against Iraq is the last resort, the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, will be disarmed by force if he did not disarm peacefully.

"We will not wait to see what terrorists or terror states could do with weapons of mass destruction. We are determined to confront threats wherever they arise. And, as a last resort, we must be willing to use military force. We are doing everything we can to avoid war in Iraq. But if Saddam Hussein does not disarm peacefully, he will be disarmed by force," he said in his weekly radio broadcast. Mr. Bush did not take note of the upbeat assessment of the chief weapons inspector at the Security Council on Friday — rather he merely acknowledged the fact that the inspector "reported" on the efforts to verify Iraq's compliance with Resolution 1441.

"Unfortunately it is clear that Saddam Hussein is still violating the demands of the United Nations by refusing to disarm," Mr. Bush said going on to stress again that American intelligence showed that even as Baghdad was destroying "a few" prohibited missiles, Saddam Hussein had ordered the continued production of the very same type of missiles.

"These are not actions of a regime that is disarming. These are the actions of a regime engaged in a wilful charade. If the Iraqi regime were disarming, we would know it — because we would see it."

"Saddam Hussein has a long history of reckless aggression and terrible crimes. He possesses weapons of terror. He provides funding and training and safe haven to terrorists who would willingly deliver weapons of mass destruction against America and other peace-loving countries."

Mr. Bush called on people of "goodwill" to recognise that allowing a dangerous dictator to defy the world and build weapons of mass destruction was not peace. "... it is pretence. The cause of peace will be advanced only when terrorists lose a wealthy patron and protector and when the dictator is fully and finally disarmed."

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