Latest on the US build-up for war in Iraq

Sunday December 29, 2002 21:27

by kev - sp

More troops move in, Powell is impatient, Saudi agrees to let US use its territory and Bush says 'burden of proof is on Saddam'

More than 100 UN weapons inspectors are now in Iraq, but the 200 or so searches they have carried out since November 27th have apparently uncovered no traces whatsoever of the chemical, biological or nuclear weapons programs Washington insists Iraq is intent on pursuing.

Colin Powell, indicating frustration with the inspectors' slow progress, told NBC's "Meet the Press" program: "I think that this can't go on indefinitely."

"The president has not made a decision yet with respect to the use of military force or with respect to going back to the United Nations [yeah right] ...of course we're positioning ourselves - positioning our military forces for whatever might be required" Powell said.

US officials said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had signed an order to move thousands of troops, dozens of strike aircraft and probably two more aircraft carrier battle groups to the Gulf, starting early next month, for a possible war.

This deployment will at least double the 50,000 US military personnel already near Iraq, and more might be sent in February, according to US officials.

According to the Pentagon, Saudi Arabia has privately assured the US that they could launch air support missions from Saudi bases in the event of a war with Iraq and could coordinate the air war from a central command post near the Saudi capital.

Also, Bush said in his weekly radio address Saturday that: "the burden is now on Iraq's dictator to disclose and destroy his arsenal of weapons. If he refuses, then for the sake of peace [sic], the United States will lead a coalition [???] to disarm the Iraqi regime and free the Iraqi people."

For a special report on the Iraq crisis, see the Guardian website

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/