45 Countries Back US in War against Iraq: Powell

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, March 19, 2003

45 Countries Back US in War against Iraq: Powell

US Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Tuesday that a total of 45 countries support the United States in the looming war against Iraq.

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US Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Tuesday that a total of 45 countries support the United States in the looming war against Iraq.

Powell said 30 of those countries, which have offered military and logistical assistance, will join in the "coalition of the willing," while the 15 others declined to be named.

According to the US State Department, those countries include Afghanistan, Albania, Australia, Azerbaijan, Britain, Bulgaria, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey and Uzbekistan.

US Forces to Enter Iraq Even if Saddam Leaves

US forces will enter Iraq even if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein takes US President George W. Bush's ultimatum to leave the country with his sons, the White House said Tuesday.

"The president made it plain (Monday night) to the American people that if Saddam were to leave, American forces, coalition forces, would still enter Iraq," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters at a regular news briefing.

"The bottom line is a coalition of the willing will disarm Saddam Hussein's Iraq no matter what," Fleischer said.

However, he hoped this time the US-led coalition forces could enter Iraq "peacefully because Iraqi military would not be under orders to attack or fire back, and in that way Iraq could be disarmed from its possession of weapons of mass destruction."

In a prime-time televised address to the whole nation on Mondaynight, Bush warned if Saddam Hussein doesn't leave Iraq within 48 hours, he will face war.

"It is too late for Saddam Hussein to remain in power, it is not too late for the Iraqi military to act with honor and protect your country by allowing the peaceful entry of coalition forces toeliminate weapons of mass destruction," he said. Enditem

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