British Prime Minister Tony Blair has declared that ousting the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was now the main aim of the imminent US-led war on Baghdad.
"It is the case that if the only means of achieving the disarmament of Iraq of weapons of mass destruction is the removal of the regime, then the removal of the regime has to be our objective," said Mr Blair in the House of Commons.
"It is important that we realize that we have come to this decision because we have given every opportunity for Saddam voluntarily to disarm.
"The will, not just of this country but of the United Nations, has to be upheld," he added.
During his weekly Commons question period, Mr Blair said that senior members of Saddam's regime "will be held accountable for what they have done," implicitly suggesting that Saddam himself could be tried for war crimes.
"There was a possibility, if Saddam Hussein was prepared to leave voluntarily and quit Iraq and spare his people the conflict... then the circumstances in relation to any immunity might have been different," he said.
Asked by opposition Conservative leader Mr Iain Duncan Smith what plans were in place for "a civilian representative government in Iraq," the prime minister said the issue was under discussion.
"We are in discussion now, not just with the United States but other allies and the United Nations," he said.
"We want to ensure that any post-conflict authority in Iraq is endorsed and authorised by a new UN resolution. That will be an important part of bringing the international community back together again."
AFP