Global Policy Forum

By Brian Whitaker

The US may try to remove Saddam Hussein from power even if he agrees to new weapons inspections, the secretary of state, Colin Powell, said yesterday. His remarks came less than 48 hours after the Iraqi foreign minister met the UN secretary-general, Kofi Annan, for talks aimed at resolving the impasse over inspections.

"US policy is that, regardless of what the inspectors do, the people of Iraq and the people of the region would be better off with a different regime in Baghdad," Mr Powell said. "The United States reserves its option to do whatever it believes might be appropriate to see if there can be a regime change."

He told ABC television the issue of inspectors is a "separate and distinct and different" matter from the question of Saddam Hussein's leadership. President George Bush has declared an intention to remove President Saddam from power. He has said all options are open, including a military campaign to overthrow the Iraqi leader if he continues to reject the inspectors.

The row over UN weapons inspectors, who left in 1998 when Iraq withdrew its cooperation, had until now formed the centrepiece of the US argument for "regime change". In the hope of averting an attack, Baghdad recently began diplomatic moves towards a formula that would allow the inspectors' return. But Mr Powell's latest comments give Iraq no incentive to relent.

Mr Bush's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, yesterday dodged a question on whether the inspections issue provides justification for US military action against Iraq. She said that Saddam Hussein "is not likely to ever convince the world, in a reliable way, that he is going to live at peace with his neighbours, that he will not seek weapons of mass destruction, and that he will not repress his own people".

US efforts to link the Iraq issue to the "war on terrorism" have failed to bear fruit. Even the alleged meeting between Mohammed Atta, believed to have led the September 11 hijackers, and an Iraqi intelligence officer has been debunked in the US media. Last Friday, Mr Annan reported progress from his talks with the Iraqi foreign minister, Naji Sabri, on the return of inspectors. Mr Sabri described the talks as positive and useful.

Iraq removed another potential irritant yesterday when it announced that it would resume oil exports, which had been suspended last month. The move was designed to put pressure on the United States to stop Israeli incursions into Palestinian territory.

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