Turkey's refusal to allow US troops to use its bases may delay an invasion of Iraq by two weeks or more, but the United States says it can win a war without Turkey's help.
The Turkish parliament's weekend vote, which has prevented the US military from disembarking troops and equipment from waiting ships, could put back a war until late March or early April, US officials and defence experts said.
The White House said Turkey's stance had made the situation "more complicated" but said President George W. Bush remained determined to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein by force if he did not surrender his alleged weapons of mass destruction.
US officials have also dismissed Iraq's latest arms concessions as the "mother of all distractions".
Baghdad has begun to destroy its al-Samoud 2 missiles, banned because their range exceeds UN limits, and has offered new concessions relating to chemical and biological weapons, but the White House said Saddam was only doing the bare minimum on disarmament.
The United States said yesterday it wanted a vote next week on its resolution authorising war against Iraq, but some undecided nations are still hoping a compromise could delay military action.