Most Britons oppose war with Iraq - poll

Reuters. 3 August 2002

 

LONDON -- Most Britons would not support their country taking part in any U.S.-led military action against Iraq, according to a poll for a Sunday newspaper.

 

The YouGov poll for the Mail on Sunday newspaper said 57 percent of those surveyed thought British Prime Minister Tony Blair -- U.S. President George W. Bush's staunch supporter on Iraq -- was behaving like the president's &quuot;poodle."

 

Only 15 percent said Britain and Washington should have total freedom to take military action against Iraq, with 37 percent in support of British troops being used in any U.S.-led action.

 

Newspapers have published a steady trickle of leaks over the last couple of weeks suggesting that up to 30,000 British soldiers could take part in a U.S.-led invasion, perhaps as early as next year.

 

The Mail on Sunday said Blair would risk his political future if he took Britain to war, although opposition to action against Iraq has yet to dent his popularity at home.

 

The poll said there was a general acceptance among Britons that Iraq's President Saddam Hussein was stockpiling chemical and biological weapons and wanted to make a nuclear bomb.

 

But the majority, 54 percent, said they would feel "less safe" if Britain joined a new Gulf war.

 

 

BBC. 3 August 2002. Saddam removal still key US aim.

 

WASHINGTON -- The United States says it still wants to see Saddam Hussein removed as the leader of Iraq, even if he allows United Nations weapons inspectors back into the country. US Under-Secretary of State John Bolton told the BBC that that Baghdad's invitation to the chief UN weapons inspector for "technical talks" made no difference to America's demand for "regime change."

 

"We continue to favour the reintroduction of the inspectors and we are supporting them as much as we can," said the US Under-Secretary of State, who is Washington's arms control expert.

 

"But... our policy at the same time insists on regime change in Baghdad.

 

"That policy will not be altered whether the inspectors go in or not," Mr Bolton added.

 

However he refused to be drawn on how the Iraqi leader might be removed from power.

 

"There are all kinds of ways for regime change to take place," he said.

 

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