The White House has dismissed the Iraqi parliament's unanimous rejection of the UN's disarmament resolution as "political theater" and said it was awaiting Baghdad's official response.
"We want to see whether [Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein] will take the one final opportunity to co-operate with the United Nations and disarm," said White House national security spokesman Mr Sean McCormack.
Earlier today, Iraq's parliament voted unanimously to reject the much argued-over UN resolution aimed at dismantling any chemical, biological or nuclear weapons programs and stockpiles. However, the parliament agreed to support Saddam in any de4cision he takes.
The international community will regard today's vote as predictable posturing designed to show Iraq will not be bullied.
"The Iraqi parliament doesn't have much of any voice in the conduct of the affairs of this regime. There's only one voice that truly matters in that despotic regime," Saddam's, said Mr McCormack. "This is political theater.
"What we, the world, are waiting to see, is an indication of Iraq's intent to comply with the resolution, whether or not they intend to co-operate, and that's really the test," the spokesman said.
Iraq's parliament voted unanimously this morning to reject the resolution despite a call form Sadam's influential son, Uday, that parliament should accept.
But Uday, who is a member of the parliament and a very influential figure in the regime, also warned Iraq must take the initiative and launch an "armed action" if diplomacy fails to resolve the disarmament impasse.
During the protracted talks over the wording of the UN resolution, the French argued strongly that a strike on Iraq should only occur with UN sanction. But today they have threatened to attack Iraq if it fails to comply.
Under the terms of UN resolution 1441, Iraq has through Friday to signal whether it will comply with the measure - which cleared the UN Security Council by a 15-0 vote on November 8th - or face severe consequences.
AFP