ABC Radio National Breakfast 6:50am September 9, 2002
Iraq Analysis
George W Bush and Tony Blair argue the Iraqi threat must be addressed quickly while at the same time making it clear the world has all the evidence it needs that Saddam Hussein continues to develop weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons.
While President Bush prepares to address the UN about Iraq later this week, Administration officials indicate the speech will now amount to an ultimatum. But it's still unclear if President Bush will ask the UN Security Council to set a deadline for Iraqi compliance for a return of UN weapons inspectors, or a resolution authorising international military force to allow inspections to go ahead.
So, is war inevitable? Or is there still room for a diplomatic solution, amid the mounting anti-Iraqi rhetoric? We speak to Colonel Philip Wilkingson, a senior fellow at King's College and a former colonel in the British Army and to John Pike, director of Global Security.org.
Copyright 2002, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
