Posted 12:00 p.m. Feb. 5

by Zeb Eckert
U-WIRE Washington Bureau Chief

Secretary of State Colin Powell told the United Nations Wednesday morning that the Iraq is continuing its “policy of evasion and deception that goes back 12 years.”

In a speech widely anticipated to make the case for war against Iraq, Powell told the U.N. Security Council that Saddam Hussein is harboring chemical weapons and “has no compunction about using them again.”

He said Iraq is continuing its nuclear weapons program and used a multimedia presentation to illustrate how Saddam Hussein is in defiance of the U.N. resolution calling on him to disarm.

“We have no indication that Saddam Hussein has ever abandoned his nuclear weapons program,” Powell said. “On the contrary, we have more than a decade of proof that he remains determined to acquire nuclear weapons.”

After Powell’s speech, 15 members of the Security Council gave remarks, followed by Mohammed Aldouri, Iraq’s ambassador to the United Nations.

Stay with the U-WIRE Washington Bureau and this website for an in-depth story later today and reaction from the United Nations and Washington. Please visit www.uwire.com for additional coverage of Powell’s speech Wednesday.