Republicans expressed growing concern last night over the implications of potential US military action in Iraq.
Former secretary of state Mr Henry Kissinger told NBC the Bush administration would have to put the question to the US people and "compare the existing dangers today to an attack on Israel or Saudi Arabia in five years if we do not do anything".
Republican Senator Dick Lugar also expressed doubts about US preparedness for any military action, particularly as resources were already committed to the front lines of the campaign in Afghanistan.
"Clearly we do not, at this point, have the allies. We haven't figured out the money part of it. And I'm not certain we have the intelligence support we need and can get," Mr Lugar told ABC.
Mr Bush has not yet decided to invade Iraq, White House communications director Mr Dan Bartlett told ABC, but Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's development of and search for weapons of mass destruction "is a danger that we must confront," he said.
"Bush has not moved from the stance of the last several months that Saddam's track record is abysmal, that he is somebody who violates the human rights of his own people, murders his own peoples, invades other countries, [and] is developing and seeking weapons of mass destruction," Mr Bartlett said.
AFP