Powell Says U.S. Has No Immediate Plans on War With 'Axis of Evil'

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, February 13, 2002

Powell Says U.S. Has No Immediate Plans on War With 'Axis of Evil'

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday that the United State has no plans for the moment to go into war with the so-called "axis of evil" nations, namely Iraq, Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"He (President George W. Bush) has no plan on his desk right now to begin a war with any nation," Powell said at a hearing of the Senate Budget Committee.

"The president is not asking for a war budget," he said. "The funds that he has asked for the Defense Department essentially are funds needed for transformation, funds needed to deal with problems that haven't been dealt with in recent years, and to make sure we are ready for whatever contingency may come along," Powell added.

The secretary said Iraq is perhaps a higher level of concern than others. With respect to Iran and DPRK, there is no plan to start a war with these nations, he noted.

As to Iraq, Powell said the country is in a slightly different category than Iran and DPRK. He said the administration is examining various options for a regime change in the country but the option may not necessarily be a military one.

Powell said Iraqi President Saddam Hussein could leave in many different ways, from natural causes through other causes but he did not want to talk any specifics about U.S. options for that end.

Questions?Comments? Click here

'Axis of Evil' Theory Meets with Attack: Roundup

EU Disagrees With U.S.Concept on "Axis of Evil"

Putin Opposed to Black Lists of "Evil Axis" States