The US President, Mr George W. Bush, today promised to be patient and consult with Congress and US allies over how to deal with Iraq.
Amid increasing reports the US is developing war plans to topple Saddam Hussein, Mr Bush said Iraq represented a real threat. The United States has accused Iraq of developing weapons of mass destruction and supporting terrorism.
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"These are real threats and we owe it to our children to deal with these threats. I promise you that I will be patient, and deliberate, that we will continue to consult with Congress, and of course we'll consult with our friends and allies. We'll discuss these threats in real terms," Mr Bush said in a speech at a school in Mississippi.
"And I will explore all options and all tools at my disposal: diplomacy, international pressure, perhaps the military. But it's important for my fellow citizens to know that as we see threats evolving we will deal with them. We must deal with them."
US allies have been urging the United States not to launch a strike against Iraq in an attempt to carry out its policy for a "regime change" in Baghdad. Arab leaders are adamantly opposed. Jordan's King Abdullah has said an attack on Baghdad would be ludicrous.
US officials say military contingency plans for a possible invasion of Iraq vary from using upward of 250,000 American troops and hundreds of aircraft launched from countries in the region to much smaller numbers of troops in hopes that Iraqi military support for Saddam would quickly crumble.
Iraq last week offered to discuss the return of UN weapons inspectors. A resumption of inspections aimed at stopping Iraq from acquiring weapons of mass destruction could increase pressure on the United States from its European and Arab allies not to attack.
The Bush administration scoffed at the offer and said whether or not inspectors were allowed back in would have no bearing on its policy to seek a "regime change."