Bush gives Saddam and sons 48 hours to leave Iraq

1.15pm

WASHINGTON - President Bush has given Iraqi President Saddam Hussein 48 hours to go into exile with his sons or face the full military might of the United States.

In a 13-minute address to the American people signalling an end to months of diplomacy and a prelude to war, a sober Bush said: "All the decades of deceit and cruelty have now reached an end. Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave Iraq within 48 hours. Their failure to do so will result in military conflict, commenced at a time of our choosing."

Bush spoke as much to the Iraqi people as to his US audience. He urged Iraqi soldiers not to sacrifice their lives for a "dying regime" and warned them not to set oil fields on fire or use chemical or biological weapons against US troops or anyone else.

He promised food and medicine for the Iraqi people and a speedy liberation which would bring an end to torture and repression. Rejecting arguments that he lacked legal authority, Bush invoked his full authority to attack Iraq without the specific approval of the United Nations Security Council.

"The United States of America has the sovereign authority to use force in assuring its own national security. That duty falls to me as commander in chief by the oath I have sworn -- by the oath I will keep," he said.

The speech came on the day in which Bush accepted he could not win a Security Council majority for a war which is overwhelmingly unpopular around the world. Even natural allies like Chile and Mexico refused to back Washington.

Hours before Bush spoke, Iraq's Foreign Minister Naji Sabri, quickly dismissed the notion of Saddam leaving. "The only option (to secure peace) is the departure of the warmonger number one in the world, the failing President Bush who made his country a joke," he said.

The United States and Britain have 280,000 troops poised to attack and are expected to quickly overwhelm Iraqi defences. But they could still face severe challenges if the Iraqis use chemical weapons or decide to defend Baghdad street by street.

"All Iraqi military and civilian personnel should listen carefully to this warning," Bush said.

"Do not destroy oil wells, a source of wealth that belongs to the Iraqi people. Do not obey any command to use weapons of mass destruction against anyone, including the Iraqi people.

War crimes will be prosecuted, war criminals will be punished and it will be no defence to say, 'I was just following orders'."

Bush also put the homeland defences of the United States on a high "orange" alert status, with additional security at air and sea ports and other critical facilities.

Bush and his allies, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, decided early on Monday there was no chance of winning UN authorisation for an ultimatum to Iraq and stopped efforts to win a majority in the Security Council, signalling the end of diplomacy.

The United States warned foreigners to get out of Iraq quickly. UN weapons inspectors and other foreigners scrambled to evacuate Baghdad, ahead of an expected massive US aerial bombardment which will be followed by a ground invasion to kill or capture Saddam and dismantle his government.

An attack on Iraq could begin within hours of UN inspectors leaving, which they were expected to do on Tuesday.

US officials said they had picked up intelligence suggesting the possible use of chemical or biological weapons by Iraq but had no definitive signs of such plans.

Turkey's cabinet, after days of delay, said it would discuss on Tuesday a resolution allowing US forces to use its territory to launch a northern front against Iraq and could put it to parliament on Wednesday. The parliament previously rejected the plan but with war now virtually inevitable, Turkey may want to join the US-led coalition before it is too late.

In Baghdad, several nations closed their embassies, some foreign journalists were also leaving and Russia told its nationals to get out. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was leaving 10 international staff in Iraq.

The United States and Britain blamed France, which threatened a veto against the resolution, for its defeat. But France's UN ambassador, Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, said the real reason was that "the majority of the council confirmed they do not want to authorise the use of force."

After months of uncertainty, shares on Wall Street and in London rallied strongly on hopes war would begin soon and bring a swift US victory. World oil prices slumped as dealers bet war would be short and inflict limited damage on oil flows.

Bush says Saddam has illegal weapons of mass destruction that he might give to groups such as Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda organisation. Saddam acknowledged on Monday Iraq once had such weapons, during the 1980s, but said the country no longer possessed any.

Public opinion in Europe, Asia and the Middle East has been overwhelmingly opposed to a war. Anti-war leaders are likely to argue that by going to war without Security Council sanction, the US is violating the UN Charter and international law.

In London, Blair faced a political crisis. Much of his Labour Party is opposed to the war and Robin Cook, the British government's leader in parliament and former foreign secretary, resigned in protest. One more minister was expected to follow.

- REUTERS

Full text of Bush's speech

Herald Feature: Iraq