President Clinton met senior Pentagon officials yesterday to explore options for a possible military attack on Iraq.
The White House said President Saddam Hussein of Iraq must "reverse course and allow full co-operation" with UN arms inspectors.
Mr Clinton also discussed diplomatic options, a senior administration official said.
Participants included the Secretary of State, Ms Madeleine Albright, and other senior civilian and military officials.
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Meanwhile, in Baghdad a bomb dropped during the 1991 Gulf War exploded in the eastern Iraqi city of Ramadi, killing two teenage shepherds, the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported on Tuesday.