Iraq 'ready for war'

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz has said his country was ready to defend itself, as US President George W Bush stepped up expectations of a military attack to topple Saddam Hussein.
"President Bush and his government did not bring the Iraqi leadership to power, therefore they cannot remove the Iraqi leadership," he said after a visit to South Africa.

"We are very well prepared to defend the country against any kind of aggression."

He spoke after Mr Bush said that he would use "all tools" at his disposal to oust Saddam Hussein.

"It's a stated policy of this government to have a regime change. And it hasn't changed," he told a news conference on Monday.