Bush: Democratic Iraq could be 'inspiring example'

Bush sets out his vision for Iraq. Story Tools VIDEO CNN's Bruce Morton reports on what kind of democracy, if any, there will be in Iraq when Saddam's regime is toppled (February 27) PLAY VIDEO CNN's David Ensor reports CIA officials have compiled a list of key Iraqis they believe could be convinced to turn against the Iraqi leader (February 26) PLAY VIDEO CNN's Jaime FlorCruz on U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's efforts to get Chinese support for a new U.N. resolution on Iraq (February 26) PLAY VIDEO As global equity markets suffer from war jitters, analysts will be listening closely to British Prime Minister Tony Blair's comments. CNN's Christiane Amanpour gives her analysis. PLAY VIDEO SPECIAL REPORT •  War Tracker •  On the Scene Map •  Commanders: U.S. | Iraq •  Weapons: 3D Models •  Coalition casualties | POW/MIA •  Special Report LATEST DEVELOPMENTS United Nations: Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix says, "Iraq could do more," while reports say Mexico appears to be shifting to the U.S. position in the Security Council. Washington: Sources say the United States and Saudi Arabia have reached a deal for complete access to Prince Sultan Air Base as an operations center in case of war with Iraq, while the Saudi foreign minister says use of the base is for "no-fly" zone patrols. London: British Prime Minister Tony Blair withstands one of the largest revolts in his own Labor Party as the House of Commons approves a motion warning Iraq it is facing a "final opportunity" for disarmament. Baghdad: Saddam Hussein rejects the idea of leaving Iraq: "We will die here," he tells CBS. Washington: CNN learns U.S. intelligence officials have a list of 2,000 members of the Iraqi elite. Iraq Tracker

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Creating a "free and peaceful" Iraq will be a difficult task requiring a "sustained commitment" from the United States and other countries, but a new Iraq could serve as "a dramatic and inspiring example of freedom" throughout the Middle East, President Bush says.

"Any future the Iraqi people choose for themselves will be better than the nightmare world that Saddam Hussein has chosen for them," Bush said Wednesday night in a speech to the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C.

Bush compared the rebuilding of Iraq to U.S. efforts after World War II to rebuild war-ravaged countries, including wartime enemies Germany and Japan.

"After defeating enemies, we did not leave behind occupying armies. We left constitutions and parliaments. We established an atmosphere of safety, in which responsible, reform-minded local leaders could build lasting institutions of freedom." (Full story)

The United States, Britain and Spain say Iraq has missed its last chance to disarm peacefully. The three countries are working to line up U.N. Security Council members behind a proposed resolution that could clear the way for a war with Iraq led by the estimated 200,000-plus U.S. and British troops now massed in the Persian Gulf region.

Turkey's parliament will debate on Thursday a resolution to allow 62,000 American troops onto Turkish soil to lead an armored attack into northern Iraq if there is a war.

The Turkish Cabinet sent the proposal to parliament Tuesday, but Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) delayed the vote while it attempted to garner support for the package. (Full story)

The White House is working on an emergency spending plan for a war with Iraq and may ask Congress for as much as $95 billion to cover its costs, administration sources said Wednesday. (Full story)

France: War now would be 'illegitimate'

Hours before Bush's speech, France's prime minister warned that waging war on Iraq before giving diplomacy more time to work would be "perceived as precipitous and illegitimate."

France and two other veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council -- Russia and China -- oppose war and have urged the council not to cut short weapons inspections.

"Today, a military intervention when all the chances of a peaceful solution haven't yet been explored would divide the international community," French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said Wednesday in Paris. "Let's not deceive ourselves. Let us make no mistake: It would be perceived as precipitous and illegitimate." (Full story)

The possibility of war already has divided Britain's ruling party.

After hours of sometimes passionate debate in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Tony Blair won approval of a resolution calling on Iraq "to recognize this as its final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations."

But 199 lawmakers -- about a third of the house -- backed a resolution saying Blair had failed to make the case for war. Despite the defection of as many as 100 Labour members, the resolution was defeated. (Full story)

Meanwhile, China and Russia on Thursday said war in Iraq "can and should be avoided" and repeated a call for weapons inspectors to be given more time, Chinese media reported.

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and visiting Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov noted the international community was against military action, and said that wish should be respected, Xinhua reported. (Full story)

Council to hold closed consultations

U.S., British and Spanish diplomats met Wednesday evening with representatives of the council's 10 non-permanent members, who held a meeting at the Spanish mission a few blocks from the United Nations.

"It's really useful to talk these things through informally, without commitment, without being reported as your government position," said British Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock. "I think the mutual understanding is growing, even if the mutual acceptance is not necessarily growing."

The Security Council was scheduled to hold closed consultations Thursday on Iraq.

"I think it'll be a chance for the co-sponsors to explain the rationale behind the resolution in greater detail and address whatever questions the other members may have with respect to our proposal," U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte said.

He said he continued to believe the United States, Britain and Spain have a "solid case" and a "convincing position." Diplomats, however, told CNN they have seen no clear-cut changes in the entrenched positions on both sides.

A vote on the proposed resolution -- which is expected to clear the way for a U.S.-led war with Iraq -- is expected to come some time after chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix briefs the Security Council on the progress of weapons inspections in Iraq on March 7.

Blix: Unclear whether Iraq wants to comply

Amid all the talk of giving inspections more time, Blix told German weekly Die Zeit that it is not completely clear whether Iraq wants to comply with inspections.

"On the other hand, this country had eight years of inspections, four years without inspections and now 12 weeks with them. Is it now the right time to shut the door?" he said in an interview scheduled for publication Thursday.

"The whole thing is a process, which only moves along centimeter by centimeter," Blix said. "Even if Iraq would cooperate immediately, actively and unconditionally with us, we would need several months."

Blix said it would take a "big effort" on the part of Iraq to clarify remaining issues relating to its disarmament, but he added, "I don't think we can say that we have a very long list of disarmament issues.

"We welcome every step, and I have the impression that they stepped up their efforts lately."

CNN Correspondents Richard Roth, Stephanie Halasz, Jill Dougherty and Andrea Koppel contributed to this report. For latest developments, see CNN.com's Iraq Tracker.

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