Newton justifies U.S. strike against Iraq

A U.S. envoy said in Beirut Monday that a military strike against Iraq is inevitable if the Iraqi leadership fails to stick to promises made to the international community in a deal struck with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan last month.

"We're determined that there will be compliance. We'll do whatever it takes," David Newton, former U.S. ambassador to Iraq, said at a press conference.

Newton arrived in Beirut Sunday evening at the end of a regional tour to win backing for a possible military strike against Iraq.

Newton said US forces would remain in the Gulf region to make sure that Iraq allows unfettered access to United Nations inspectors, as stipulated in the agreement with the U.N.

"Past experience with the Iraqi government is not encouraging, but nevertheless we all want the efforts of the secretary-general (Annan) to succeed," he said.

Hinting that he had won at least tacit Arab support for a strike in case Iraq violated the agreement, Newton said Arab leaders he met were of the same opinion: that Iraqi compliance was necessary.

"That carries a certain logic that if peaceful means fail, then other means have to be used," he said.

Newton has also been to Syria, Jordan, Yemen, Eygpt and Gulf countries.

Drawing a parallel between Iraq and other countries in the Middle East known to possess weapons of mass destruction, a reference to Israel, Newton said the international community has restricted inspections to Iraq because weapons there have already been used.

"Iraq is an exception because it is under sanctions and because it has used these weapons of mass destruction before," Newton said.

"Saddam used them not only against the Iranians but even against his own people," he added.