Britain Urges Citizens to Leave Iraq Immediately Due to Rising Tensions and Terrorism Threat

Britain has urged its citizens to leave Iraq immediately due to rising tensions in the region and the threat of terrorism. The British Foreign Office reminded British citizens today that they were taken hostage by Iraq during the Gulf War. At the same time, the British embassy in Kuwait advised Britons to leave Kuwait, which borders Iraq. Earlier today, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell criticized countries that are calling for more time for UN weapons inspectors in Iraq, stating that these countries are afraid to take responsibility for a potential war to disarm Saddam Hussein's government. Mr. Powell made these remarks in an interview with France's national radio, referring to France's proposals for intensifying UN weapons inspections. He stated that this is why Washington is consulting with its friends and allies to draft another UN Security Council resolution regarding Iraq that would authorize the use of military force. The U.S. Secretary of State noted that even without this resolution, the United States could take military action based on Security Council Resolution 1441, which warns of serious consequences for Iraq's refusal to disarm. On Tuesday, President Bush stated that global anti-war protests and opposition from some of the United States' allies to the use of force to disarm Iraq would not deter him from this course of action.