BBC NEWS | Middle East | War of Words

President George W Bush's public denunciation of Iran, Iraq and North Korea as "sponsors of terror" and part of an "axis of evil" has prompted angry reactions.

31 January 2003
Iraq 'only weeks from war'

UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George Bush
Blair and Bush at the White House

US President George W Bush and UK Prime Minister Tony Blair deliver their uncompromising message after talks at the White House. Mr Bush reiterated that he would resist any attempt to "drag out" inspections in Iraq.

President George Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair

The BBC's Andrew Marr reports

28 January 2003
Bush accuses Saddam of "deceiving not disarming"

President Bush's State of the Union address
President Bush addresses his public

A year on from including Iraq in the "axis of evil" he outlined in his first State of the Union address, President George W Bush again used his annual keynote speech to attack Saddam Hussein, accusing him of "deceiving" rather than disarming.

President Bush's State of the Union address

5 September 2002
Pressure mounts to recall UK parliament

Tony Blair (left) and George W Bush
Bush and Blair discuss Iraq

UK politicians increase pressure on Tony Blair to recall parliament to debate the Iraq crisis. Both Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith and Liberal Democrat Charles Kennedy want Mr Blair to consult MPs at the earliest opportunity.

The BBC's Guto Harri

Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith

27 August 2002
US 'won't wait for support'

Donald Rumsfeld with US marines
Donald Rumsfeld visits US marines

Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld warns the United States will not wait for unanimous support before launching any military attack to remove Saddam Hussein.

The BBC's Steve Kingstone reports

21 August 2002
Bush maintains pressure on Iraq

US President George W Bush
President Bush keeps up the verbal attack

President Bush renews his calls for a regime change in Iraq, saying it is "in the interests of the world" but promises that he will consult allies before taking any military action.

The BBC's Mike Wooldridge reports

8 August 2002
Saddam calls for dialogue

Iraqi crowd carries pictures of Saddam Hussein
Iraqis mark Saddam's birthday

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein says any attack on Iraq will be doomed to failure. He calls for peaceful dialogue but there is no sign of agreement on letting weapons inspectors back into the country.

The BBC's Rageh Omaar reports

Saddam Hussein's speech

30 January 2002
Bush identifies 'axis of evil'

President Bush gives the State of the Union address
President Bush's State of the Union address
President Bush says Iraq is part of an "axis of evil" threatening the world's peace. He says he will not permit the world's most dangerous regimes to threaten the US with the world's most destructive weapons.

The BBC's James Robbins reports

State of the Union address


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