[Peace-discuss] blair

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

U.S. Hails Blair's Case Against Iraq
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


Filed at 10:50 a.m. ET


WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House on Tuesday called Britain's dossier of 
evidence against Iraq ``frightening'' and praised Prime Minister Tony Blair 
for his strong defense of U.S.-led effort against Saddam Hussein.

``The 45-minute window under which Iraq is prepared to use biological and 
chemical weapons is one further sign of worries we have about Iraq and their 
militaristic intentions,'' White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

Blair's dossier said Iraq has military plans for the use of chemical and 
biological weapons and has tried to acquire ``significant quantities'' of 
uranium from Africa.

``The dossier they released is frightening,'' Fleischer said.

The document said that Iraq plans the use of chemical and biological weapons, 
including against its own Shia population and said that some of these weapons 
are deployable within 45 minutes of an order to use them.

Fleischer dismissed suggestions that Blair is focused on disarming Saddam 
while Bush is more bullish about ousting the Iraqi leader.

``I don't think there's any difference between us,'' Fleischer said.

The dossier provided a highly detailed history of Iraq's weapons program, but 
there appeared to be little new information in the report.

Fleischer said there is other evidence of wrongdoing that Britain and the 
United States won't release because of concern that publicity would 
jeopardize their intelligence gathering operations.