Inspectors 'no deterrent to Iraq'

Inspectors 'no deterrent to Iraq'

The US will soon have six aircraft carriers near Iraq

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has told the BBC he believes Iraq is capable of building new weapons even with inspectors in the country.

In an exclusive interview to be broadcast later on Tuesday he said even the destruction of al-Samoud missiles as demanded by the United Nations was no real sign of disarmament.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov told the BBC he was still not ruling out the use of Russia's veto in the UN Security Council to prevent a war in Iraq.

The United States is sending another 60,000 troops to the Gulf, though questions remain over whether the US will be allowed to use bases in Turkey.

[Iraq's co-operation] is such a reluctant process that it would take so many years to ever really believe you'd done the task of disarming

Donald Rumsfeld,
US Defence Secretary

Watch the full interview on BBC Two at 2100 GMT or online via streaming video

Mr Ivanov said Russia was trying to persuade other members of the UN Security Council to allow the weapons inspectors more time to do their work, and he added that military action would be a mistake at this time.

Meanwhile, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein remained defiant in a televised message to mark the Islamic new year, saying his people would win any war.

Mr Rumsfeld - seen as one of the leading hawks of the Bush administration - told the BBC's David Dimbleby he was not impressed by Iraq's level of co-operation with the United Nations weapons inspectors.

Even the destruction of the stock of al-Samoud II missiles - seen as a key test of Iraq's willingness to disarm - did not convince him that Saddam was complying with UN demands.

"Every single thing that he does, that anyone could cite is co-operative was after some long period of denying, of refusal to do it, and ultimately a willingness to do part of it," he said.

"It is such a reluctant process that it would take so many years to ever really believe you'd done the task of disarming."

More troops

US officials told the BBC that Mr Rumsfeld had ordered another 60,000 troops to head for the Gulf even though they might only arrive after war has begun.

MILITARY BUILD-UP

200,000 US troops in region

105,000 of these are in Kuwait

106,000 more are en route or on alert

Sixth US aircraft carrier heading to region

US B-52 bombers expected to take part in assault on Iraq have landed in UK

Clickable deployment map

Among the new forces being sent are the 1st Armoured Division and the 1st Cavalry Division.

Mr Rumsfeld is scheduled to hold talks with General Tommy Franks, who will be in charge of any invasion.

Correspondents say the pair will discuss other strategies for waging war after Turkey's parliament did not approve a request for US forces to use the country as a launch pad.

Turkey may yet reconsider that decision - which is linked to promises of US financial aid - and it remains unclear if the timing of any attack will be affected.

The accelerated military build-up was announced a day after US and UK planes launched a raid on southern Iraq which Baghdad said killed six people.

The UK said there was no evidence of casualties.

The fruit of your faith and your patience will be victory over your enemy

Saddam Hussein

Saddam vows victory

In his new year message, Saddam urged Iraqis to remain faithful and said "the believers" would beat the armies of US President George W Bush, whom he called a "tyrant" who thought he was God.

Despite the public holiday, work continued on the destruction of the al-Samoud system with a further two or three missiles and a launcher being taken out of commission, Iraqi officials said.

UK-Russia talks

On the diplomatic front, Mr Ivanov is scheduled to hold talks in London with his British counterpart Jack Straw.

Iraq is expected to be the dominant issue, with Russia and the UK - two permanent Security Council members - on opposite sides over whether to support a new resolution or give the inspectors more time.

Also on Tuesday, a spokesman for China - another veto-holding member of the Council - said Beijing welcomed the destruction of the missiles and hoped weapons inspectors would be given more time.

UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix is due to present his latest report detailing Iraqi disarmament on Friday.

The Security Council is expected to take its crucial vote on the new resolution at some point in the following week.

Meanwhile Iran - which fought a bitter eight-year war with its western neighbour - called for a UN-supervised election in Iraq to effect a power transition.

Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi also called on Iraqi opposition groups to reconcile with Saddam Hussein's administration to help to avert a war which Iran fears could damage the region.