Bush says diplomacy has only "weeks, not months"

WASHINGTON - President Bush, moving toward a decision on war with Iraq, said Thursday he will give diplomacy "weeks not months" and said the United States would welcome Saddam Hussein going into exile.\n"For the sake of peace, this issue must be resolved," the president said amid intensified administration efforts to increase pressure on reluctant U.S. allies to disarm Saddam.\nBush spoke after meeting with Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, a firm supporter of the United States' hardline position toward Iraq.\nMeanwhile, another ally - Canada - objected to any unilateral action by the United States against Iraq.\n"If one state acts by itself it risks consequences," said Bill Graham, the foreign minister of Canada. Graham met with Secretary of State Colin Powell and said afterward that the United Nations had a responsibility to force Iraq to disarm.\nThe British and Italians are among Bush's staunchest supporters while a number of other U.S. allies, including France and Germany, want to give U.N. weapons inspectors more time in Iraq.\nIn the Oval Office session with Berlusconi, Bush put allies on notice that he will not wait long to act against Saddam, even if the United Nations refuses to back his actions.\n"This is a matter of weeks not months," Bush said.\nAcross the Potomac River from Washington, Vice President Dick Cheney continued the administration's drumbeat of tough talk, seeking to calm many Americans' fears about a new military conflict distracting U.S. officials from the anti-terror campaign.\n"We will not permit a brutal dictator with ties to terror and a record of reckless aggression to dominate the Middle East and threaten the United States of America," Cheney said before the Conservative Political Action Conference. "Confronting the threat posed by Iraq is not a distraction from the war on terror it is absolute crucial to winning the war on terror."\n"Whatever action is required, whenever action is necessary we will defend the freedom and the security of the American people," Cheney said.\nBush was meeting later with Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, who is trying to rally nations behind a plan to offer Saddam exile. Bush said he was open to the idea.\n"Should he choose to leave the country, along with other henchmen who have tortured ... Iraqi people, we will welcome that, of course," Bush said. He said, however, that the U.S. would continue to insist that Iraq disarm, regardless of who governs the nation.\nBerlusconi said he came to Washington to help Bush build support against Saddam. Seated with Bush in front of a roaring Oval Office fire place, Berlusconi said, "I'm here to convince my friend President Bush that this is in the interest of everybody."\nSenior administration officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that while the timeline could change in the fluid Iraq standoff, Bush intends to continue the consultation period until Feb. 14, when U.N. weapons inspectors give the Security Council an update on the situation in Iraq.\nAdministration officials have said repeatedly that time is running out for Saddam. "The president is using this window now to engage in very busy and active diplomacy," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.\nThe Saudis have been seeking a way to avoid war and have not said publicly they will allow the United States to use military facilities in Saudi Arabia. However, U.S. officials have been saying for weeks they are satisfied with the level of cooperation being offered privately and the U.S. commander who would run a war against Iraq just returned to Washington from a round of meetings with military leaders in the region, including those in Saudi Arabia.\nIn a letter published Thursday in newspapers including The Wall Street Journal and the Times of London, the leaders of Britain, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Denmark paid homage to the "bravery and generosity of America" in ensuring peace in Europe.\nAnd in a veiled attack on France and Germany, the leaders call for "unwavering determination and firm international cohesion on the part of all countries for whom freedom is precious."\nIn addition, Albania officials released a letter from Prime Minister Fatos Nano to Bush pledging the country's "total and unconditional" support in the war on terrorism.\nThe administration, meanwhile, combed intelligence data for details Powell could release to support its accusations that Iraq has a secret weapons programs and links to terrorist groups when he appears next week before the public U.N. session. The administration is working to find a way to release such information without compromising U.S. intelligence sources.\nThursday evening, Bush's schedule called for a mostly social gathering with the commanders of all the major military commands and their spouses. Talk would cover the war on terror, Afghanistan, military transformation and Iraq, but the setting was not designed as a decision-making or battle plan-reviewing session.\nAlso Thursday, Bush directed up to $15 million to be available to deal with the refugee crisis that any military action may produce. "Such an emergency may arise if it becomes necessary for the United States and other nations to use military force to disarm the Iraqi regime of its weapons of mass destruction," Bush said in a memo to Powell.\nWith allies, among the issues Bush will discuss is whether imposing a final deadline on Iraq would help spur the international community to increase pressure on Saddam. The administration also is considering a new U.N. resolution. One senior official said it could declare Iraq in violation of its obligations to disarm and authorize the use of force after a certain deadline.\nOr, the official said, a deadline could be set without a resolution being proposed by the United States in the Security Council.