Rumsfeld hints at unilateral US action
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has said that the United States could attack Iraq initially without British support. Rumsfeld hinted that the growing pressure on British Prime Minister Tony Blair not to go to war without a second UN resolution may keep British forces out of the first wave of fighting. White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said a vote on a second resolution authorising the use of force would take place later this week. America has said it will not accept an extension of the March 17 deadline for Iraq to disarm.
 http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,4789_W_804412,00.html
=======

British Ambassador To Germany: 'We Share a Common Goal in Iraq' - Interview conducted by Louise Brown
.... The prime minister believes that Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction and that unless he is disarmed these could prove a danger to the world. Is there something that he knows that we don't? In Germany, for example, people still have difficulties understanding his position. .... It is our job to present Britain in Germany, including the policies of the British government, including policies like Iraq .......  http://www.britischebotschaft.de/en/
 http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1430_A_800317_1_A,00.html
========

 http://members5.boardhost.com/medialens/msg/9272.html
the medialens message board
Storm in a Teacup
Posted by Benjamin Mackie on March 11, 2003, 10:17 pm - 62.253.64.4
Lot's of blather tonight on the Ten about Rumsfeld comments about the UK maybe not taking part in the military action.
Its a total non-issue, and yet the BBC devoted much speculation about it. But Rumsfeld did not saying anything much at all. It was all pretty anodine stuff. Of course it's slightly ironic that when Rumsfeld suggests that the British may slightly tone down their role, Downing Street has to pop up to say please sir, please sir, we will be in the desert too! We are warmongers too! Pretty pathetic stuff, even by the Blair's standards.
=======