Iraq Defies Bush's Cincinnati Speech

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, October 09, 2002

Iraq Defies Bush's Cincinnati Speech

Iraq has defied US President George W. Bush's latest speech in Cincinnati, Ohio that threatened to use force against Iraq, the official Iraq Daily reported on Wednesday.

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Iraq has defied US President George W. Bush's latest speech in Cincinnati, Ohio that threatened to use force against Iraq, the official Iraq Daily reported on Wednesday.

During a meeting with his top military aides Tuesday, President Saddam Hussein said the main reason that "pushed the Americans more upset" is Iraq's refusal to "subdue to evil schemes."

Iraqis would not accept "evil's rule" because they have their grand history, the state-run daily quoted Saddam as saying.

Bush warned on Monday that Iraq must give up its weapons of mass destruction or face the coming consequences.

"The time for denying, deceiving, and delaying has come to an end. Saddam Hussein must disarm himself or, for the sake of peace, we will lead a coalition to disarm him," Bush said in a 30-minute speech in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Laying out his case against Iraq, Bush accused Baghdad of invading and threatening neighbors, supporting terrorism, and violating UN resolutions by developing weapons of mass destruction.

But Iraq bluntly dismissed Bush's accusations as "lies."

Bush "tries to deceive the world by listing some of his past lies against Iraq," the daily quoted Information Minister Mohammad Said Al-Sahaf as saying in his comments on Bush's strongly-worded speech.

"Bush attempts to blackmail the (UN) Security Council in a bid to release an oppressive resolution that would just increase and prolong Iraqis' sufferings," Al-Sahaf added.

The United States and its closest ally Britain, accusing Iraq of secretly pursuing weapons of mass destruction, have been engaged ina joint diplomatic offensive to push through a new UN Security Council resolution on Iraq's disarmament.

The proposed UN resolution will reportedly set a seven-day deadline for Saddam to accept all its demands and then open all suspected sites, including his palaces, to international weapons inspectors.

The tough demands are coupled with a warning that "all necessary means," including the use of force, would be applied against Iraq if it fails to come into line.

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