Bush: Saddam's downfall key to peace

US president George Bush has said that ending the "direct and growing threat" from Saddam Hussein would pave the way for peace in the Middle East.

He said it would encourage democracy throughout the Arab world.

While pointing out the Iraqi regime still had time to avoid war, he said that US troops were now ready.

And he spoke at length about his plans for Iraq once Saddam was gone.

"The US has no intention of determining the precise form of Iraq's new government.

"That choice belongs to the Iraqi people," he said. "Yet we will ensure that one brutal dictator is not replaced by another."

The address came at the end of a day marked by intense diplomatic activity, as Mr Bush struggled to find votes in favour of a war-making resolution at the UN Security Council.

Answering critics who say war would destabilise the region, Mr Bush predicted there would be a "new stage for Middle East peace" once Saddam lost power.

"A liberated Iraq can show the power of freedom to transform that vital region, by bringing hope and progress to the lives of millions," Mr Bush added.

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