Powell pulls back on Iraq

Mr Powell recalled the failure of the last major bombing of Iraq

US Secretary of State Colin Powell has sought to calm speculation that the US is preparing to extend its military campaign against terrorism to Iraq.

We do not believe that it is necessary to take military action against other sites

Alain Richard
French Defence Minister

In an interview with the BBC, Mr Powell said the US was aware of anxieties within Europe and the moderate Arab world, and insisted that no decision had yet been taken by President George W Bush about the next stage of the war.

Both Mr Bush and Mr Powell have issued veiled warnings against Iraq, fuelling speculation that the US might broaden its current campaign against Afghanistan to take in old enemies.

Mr Bush intensified the pressure earlier this week when he challenged Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to allow UN inspectors back into his country to monitor whether he is building weapons of mass destruction.

He said Mr Hussein would "find out" the consequences if he refused.

Allied unhappiness

The warnings have caused some discomfort among some of the principle European supporters of the military campaign in Afghanistan.

Mr Bush said Saddam will "find out" the consequences

"We should be very cautious in particular in talking about new targets in the Middle East. We could take on more than any of us is capable of handling," said German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

Similar concerns have been heard from the Arab world. During a visit to Washington, Egypt's foreign minister Ahmed Maher said that the use of force against Iraq would be a "mistake".

"It would not solve the problem and would detract from solidarity."

Jordanian Government spokesperson Saleh Qallab said that military action would have "negative consequences", a phrase echoed by Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara, who warned that the US would be making "a fatal mistake".

Keen to soothe fears, Mr Powell recalled the failure of the last major bombing campaign in Iraq.

"We'd better find something more creative than that," he said.

UN revises

On Thursday, the UN Security council unanimously approved a revision of the current sanctions against Iraq within six months, while extending the existing oil-for-food programme.

The revisions - advocated by the US and Britain - will ease sanctions on civilian goods reaching Iraq while tightening controls on weapons - so-called "smart sanctions".

The economic embargo against Iraq has been in place since the end of the Gulf War in 1991 but has come under mounting criticism for harming ordinary Iraqis, an allegation refuted by the US.

Iraq has angrily rejected any modification of the sanctions, saying the embargo must be ended altogether.