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08 February 2003

Text: Bush Says Iraq Defying U.N. Calls to Declare Weapons, Disarm

(Radio Address to the Nation February 8) (750)
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has continued to violate United Nations
Security Council resolutions calling for a full declaration of his
weapons programs and full cooperation in the disarmament of his
regime, President Bush said in his radio address to the nation
February 8.
"The Iraqi regime's violations of Security Council Resolutions are
evident, they are dangerous to America and the world, and they
continue to this hour," he said.
Bush said the United States would welcome and support "a new
resolution making clear that the Security Council stands behinds its
previous demands."
However, he added, "resolutions mean little without resolve," and said
that the United States and a growing coalition of nations will take
"whatever action is necessary to defend ourselves and disarm the Iraqi
regime."
Following is the text of Bush's February 8 radio address, as released
by the White House:
(begin text)
RADIO ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT TO THE NATION
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Powell
briefed the United Nations Security Council on Iraq's illegal weapons
program, its attempts to hide those weapons, and its links to
terrorist groups.
The Iraqi regime's violations of Security Council Resolutions are
evident, they are dangerous to America and the world, and they
continue to this hour.
The regime has never accounted for a vast arsenal of deadly,
biological and chemical weapons. To the contrary, the regime is
pursuing an elaborate campaign to conceal its weapons materials and to
hide or intimidate key experts and scientists. This effort of
deception is directed from the highest levels of the Iraqi regime,
including Saddam Hussein, his son, Iraq's vice president and the very
official responsible for cooperating with inspectors.
The Iraqi regime has actively and secretly attempted to obtain
equipment needed to produce chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.
Firsthand witnesses have informed us that Iraq has at least seven
mobile factories for the production of biological agents -- equipment
mounted on trucks and rails to evade discovery.
The Iraqi regime has acquired and tested the means to deliver weapons
of mass destruction. It has never accounted for thousands of bombs and
shells capable of delivering chemical weapons. It is actively pursuing
components for prohibited ballistic missiles. And we have sources that
tell us that Saddam Hussein recently authorized Iraqi field commanders
to use chemical weapons -- the very weapons the dictator tells us he
does not have.
One of the greatest dangers we face is that weapons of mass
destruction might be passed to terrorists who would not hesitate to
use those weapons. Saddam Hussein has longstanding, direct and
continuing ties to terrorist networks. Senior members of Iraqi
intelligence and al Qaeda have met at least eight times since the
early 1990s. Iraq has sent bomb-making and document forgery experts to
work with al Qaeda. Iraq has also provided al Qaeda with chemical and
biological weapons training. And an al Qaeda operative was sent to
Iraq several times in the late 1990s for help in acquiring poisons and
gases.
We also know that Iraq is harboring a terrorist network headed by a
senior al Qaeda terrorist planner. This network runs a poison and
explosive training camp in northeast Iraq, and many of its leaders are
known to be in Baghdad.
This is the situation as we find it -- 12 years after Saddam Hussein
agreed to disarm and more than 90 days after the Security Council
passed Resolution 1441 by a unanimous vote. Saddam Hussein was
required to make a full declaration of his weapons programs. He has
not done so. Saddam Hussein was required to fully cooperate in the
disarmament of his regime. He has not done so. Saddam Hussein was
given a final chance. He is throwing away that chance.
Having made its demands, the Security Council must not back down when
those demands are defied and mocked by a dictator. The United States
would welcome and support a new resolution making clear that the
Security Council stands behinds its previous demands. Yet, resolutions
mean little without resolve. And the United States, along with a
growing coalition of nations, will take whatever action is necessary
to defend ourselves and disarm the Iraqi regime.
Thank you for listening.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)