Iraq Talq

In a momentus step toward war with Iraq, Bush: We Must Deal With Saddam.

CAMP DAVID, Md. (AP) - President Bush ( news - web sites) and British Prime Minister Tony Blair ( news - web sites) said Saturday the world must act against Saddam Hussein ( news - web sites), arguing that the Iraqi leader has defied the United Nations ( news - web sites) and reneged on promises to destroy weapons of mass destruction.

Bush said U.N. weapons inspectors, before they were denied access to Iraq in 1998, concluded that Saddam was "six months away from developing a weapon." He also cited satellite photos released by a U.N. agency Friday that show unexplained construction at Iraq sites that weapons inspectors once visited to search for evidence Saddam was trying to develop nuclear arms.

"I don't know what more evidence we need," Bush said.

For the first time since 9/11, Bush is acknowledging the need to convince allies, using solid evidence, to join the war on terror. Instead of just using strong rhetoric ("Axis of Evil", "Evil dictator", "evil spawn of Satan", etc.).

Or is he? CNN reports Confusion over Iraqi nuke report.

"There's no report," [International Atomic Energy Agency] spokesman Mark Gwozdecky, said.

"[Bush and Blair] are going off of a New York Times article that really didn't get it right yesterday. In fact, we issued a press release last night saying there's no new information about any Iraqi nuclear activity, and until we get inspectors on the ground we can't draw any conclusion about whether they're in compliance with the Security Council resolutions with regard to nuclear activities."

Ouch. No wonder France, Russia, Germany, and China weren't too thrilled with Bush's and Blair's "case" for attacking Iraq. Bush isn't even presenting the right fabricated information. Most everyone accepts Iraq is developing weapons of mass destruction. But proving Iraq's link to terrorism and its subsequent threat to the world is key.