UNITED NATIONS -- Secretary of State Colin Powell, relying on a stream of U.S. intelligence, urged the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday to move against Saddam Hussein because Iraq has failed to disarm, harbors terrorists and hides behind a ''web of lies.''
His extraordinary presentation in the packed council chamber included satellite photographs, intercepted conversations between senior Iraqi officers and statements from informants that could make or break support for going to war to disarm Iraq.
Russia, France, China and other council members skeptical of the need for a military confrontation now said they would review the evidence and demand answers from Baghdad. But they endorsed continued weapons inspections and diplomatic efforts to avert war. France and Germany went further, calling for strengthening the inspections regime that was already toughened up in November under a Security Council resolution crafted by Washington and adopted by an unanimous council. Three months after Iraq pledged that it would disarm, Powell presented his evidence to a high-level audience of foreign ministers and ambassadors in an appearance that was televised live to an anxious world. While he spoke, Iraqi TV carried a day-old interview with Saddam.
Iraqi officials dismissed Powell's case as a collection of ''stunts'' and ''special effects'' that relied on ''unknown sources'' and were aimed at undermining the work of the inspectors. ''What we heard today was for the general public and mainly the uninformed, in order to influence their opinion and to commit aggression on Iraq,'' Lt. Gen. Amir al-Saadi, an adviser to Saddam, said in Baghdad.
The overwhelming majority of the Security Council believe Iraq must do more to cooperate with inspectors and disarm.
"The issue before us is not how much time we are willing to give the inspectors... but how much longer we are willing to put up with Iraq's noncompliance before we as a council, we as the United Nations say: 'Enough. Enough.'"
COLIN POWELL,
U.S. Secretary of State
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