The Iraqi expulsion of US members of the UN inspection team has hardened American opinion against Mr Saddam Hussein and increased the likelihood of military action in the near future. Six US weapons inspectors left Baghdad last night by road for Jordan after being ordered out of the country by the authorities, the official INA news agency reported.
President Clinton called the expulsion decision "clearly unacceptable and a challenge to the international community". The White House spokesman, Mr Mike McCurry, called Mr Saddam's latest action "utterly outrageous" and said Mr Clinton wanted the UN Security Council to say so as well. While the diplomatic moves could take time, the US is not ruling out any military actions, Mr McCurry said.
At the State Department, a spokesman said the US would not "wait indefinitely" for Iraq to comply with the UN demands.
In Congress, the House International Relations Committee unanimously approved and sent to the full House a resolution urging the President to take military action if Iraq refuses to back down. "We cannot dance around Saddam Hussein's continued defiance," said Democratic member Mr Thomas Lantos.
Meanwhile, the British aircraft carrier Invincible has been ordered to move from the Caribbean to the Mediterranean where it will be closer to the Gulf region.
After conferring yesterday with his senior foreign policy and defence advisers, President Clinton instructed his UN ambassador, Mr Bill Richardson, to return to New York and call for a special meeting of the Security Council. The US is looking for a new resolution imposing tougher sanctions on Iraq and threatening force if necessary.
On Monday the 15-member council unanimously voted for a resolution condemning Iraq's interference with the UNSCOM inspection team and imposing travel bans on senior Iraqi officials. However, Russia, China, France and Egypt made it clear that military action was not necessary.
Now that the US members of the team have been expelled and the other UNSCOM inspectors are being withdrawn in solidarity, it remains to be seen if the Security Council members are prepared for tougher measures, including force.
Nine UNSCOM technicians will remain in Baghdad to monitor cameras checking on Iraqi weapons installations.