Bush Decides No Immediate War with Iraq

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, December 19, 2002

Bush Decides No Immediate War with Iraq

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US President Bush decided Wednesday he will condemn Iraq's weapons disclosure as full of omissions and deceptions but will not immediately assert that Saddam Hussein is in "material breach" of the United Nations - a finding that could trigger war.

Instead, Bush plans to launch this week what officials called a deliberative process that would push the prospects for military action several weeks into next year.

He will press the United Nations to demand interviews outside of Iraq with Saddam's weapons scientists, forcing a showdown that Bush believes would bolster his case for war or reveal secrets of Saddam's arsenal, officials said.

The senior administration sources spoke on condition of anonymity after Bush met with his foreign policy team to sketch out strategy in response to Iraq's 12,000-page weapons declaration.

"My guess is that the United States will take some time and will talk to some of our friends and allies around the world about the (Iraqi) declaration and share ideas and thoughts about what's in it and what may not be in it," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told CNN's "Larry King Live."

The White House suggested Bush had problems with the declaration beyond previously disclosed omissions concerning chemical and biological weapons last noted in Iraq four years ago.

Bush, who plans to address the matter Friday, wants to soothe anxious allies and keep his pledge to have "zero tolerance" for the Iraqi president defiance - a balance aides concede won't be easy to strike.

Bush intends to use lapses in the declaration as evidence of Saddam's ill intent, increasing pressure on U.N. weapons inspectors to use all their powers to uncover Iraq's deceits, the officials said.

The Bush administration officials said Bush decided - for now - against declaring Iraq in "material breach" of a U.N. resolution arms resolution, which would provide him with what the United States considers legal justification for war.

Bush believes Saddam will resist demands under the U.N. resolution to bring scientists out of Iraq for interviews. If Saddam refuses, the United States would have a case for "material breach" that U.S. allies and the American public may find more justified than hastier action, the officials said.

On the other hand, if Iraq surprises Bush and turns over the scientists, U.S. officials believe the witnesses would provide evidence that could be used against Saddam, officials said.

Source: Agencies

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