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Iraq I: Bush Says WMD Threat Is Unique as Congress Prepares to Vote By Bryan Bender In an effort to build support for military force to disarm Iraq if diplomatic attempts by the United Nations fail, Bush said the Iraqi regime is “a threat to peace” and pledged to defeat the threat if Hussein does not agree to unfettered inspections and the verified destruction of the chemical and biological weapons and nuclear development efforts he agreed to forgo at the end of the 1991 Gulf War. “Some ask why Iraq is different from other countries or regimes that also have terrible weapons,” he said in the Cincinnati speech. “While there are many dangers in the world, the threat from Iraq stands alone because it gathers the most serious dangers of our age in one place.” Unlike other regimes seeking such weapons, Bush said Iraq’s weapons are controlled by a “murderous tyrant” who has used chemical weapons in the past to kill thousands of his own people and during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War. He cited the thousands of tons of chemical agents, including mustard gas, sarin nerve gas and VX nerve gas, as well as at least 30,000 liters of anthrax and other biological pathogens that Iraq previously acknowledged but remain unaccounted for. As for nuclear weapons, he said new evidence indicates that Iraq is reconstituting its efforts to build a nuclear bomb, including satellite photographs that reveal rebuilding at nuclear facilities. “We agree that the Iraqi dictator must not be permitted to threaten America and the world with horrible poisons and gases and atomic weapons,” Bush said of recent deliberations among his top national security and intelligence advisers. One More Chance to Disarm Despite Bush’s indictment of the Iraqi regime, he did hold out the prospect that military force can be avoided if Hussein takes certain steps, saying military force to disarm him is not unavoidable. These steps would include unfettered access to suspected weapons sites by U.N. inspectors — accompanied by military personnel to destroy the weapons — the ability to interview Iraq weapons personnel outside the country without the threat of retribution as well as Iraq ceasing its support for terrorism, among other steps. Members of the U.N. Security Council are considering a resolution calling on Iraq to take the diplomatic approach to avoid a military showdown (see GSN, Oct. 3). Despite his U.N. maneuvering, Bush is clearly not counting on Hussein to meet those demands. “I hope this will not require military action,” he said. “But it may. And military conflict could be difficult. An Iraqi regime faced with its own demise may attempt cruel and desperate measures. If Saddam Hussein orders such measures, his generals would be well advised to refuse those orders. If they do not refuse, they must understand that all war criminals will be pursued and punished.” Bush’s speech came as U.S. lawmakers prepare to vote this week on a resolution authorizing the use of military force in Iraq if necessary (see GSN, Oct. 3). Bush is expected to get overwhelming support. Two holdouts in his own party, Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) and Representative Richard Armey (R-Texas) said yesterday that their doubts have been set to rest and they will vote for the congressional resolution. “The time of denying, deceiving and delaying has come to an end,” Bush said. “Saddam Hussein must disarm himself, or, for the sake of peace, we will lead a coalition to disarm him.”
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