Powell Denies US Planning Operation Against Iraq

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, April 08, 2002

Powell Denies US Planning Operation Against Iraq

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U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell denied on Sunday that the Bush administration was planning a military operation against Iraq, adding the all options are open in dealing with Saddam Hussein's regime.

"The president does not have on his desk the real and present plan," Powell told Fox News Sunday.

"The United States is not yet planning an operation against Iraq," Powell said. "All options are open."

However, the U.S. Secretary of State acknowledged the current Israeli-Palestinian crisis has complicated the Bush administration 's options against Iraq.

"The kind of situation we find in the Middle East now complicates our thinking and complicates the consideration of options," Powell said.

The Bush administration has threatened to take military action against Iraq to try to overthrow President Saddam Hussein's regime.

Speaking at a joint news conference with visiting British Prime Minister Tony Blair at his ranch near Crawford, Texas, Bush said he explained to Blair that his policy is "the removal" of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. Then he corrected his words by adding: "We support regime change."

Blair said Iraq would be better without the regime of Saddam Hussein, but how to deal with Baghdad is "a matter for discussions. "

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