WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld Tuesday expressed frustration with the position that more evidence is needed that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has weapons of mass destruction.
"The fixation on a smoking gun is fascinating to me," he told reporters at a Pentagon news conference Tuesday.
Rumsfeld's comments came a day before Secretary of State Colin Powell is set to release intelligence to the U.N. Security Council he believes will convince the world community that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is violating U.N. sanctions.
In Rumsfeld's view, the question is not whether the United States can present proof that Iraq is poised for an imminent attack on the United States, or that it is arming terrorists to do the same.
"What is being tested is whether or not, after more than a decade, Saddam Hussein will finally cooperate with the U.N. resolutions requiring his cooperation. Regrettably, the answer is more apparent every day as he continues to deceive and deny and reject those U.N. resolutions," Rumsfeld said. "It is unfortunate that the test seems to be that (smoking gun) for a lot of people -- when in fact, the test in the U.N. resolution, if people would read it, is whether or not Saddam Hussein is going to cooperate."
"In our country, in courts of law it has been customary to seek evidence that could prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. That approach, of course, is appropriate when the objective is to protect the rights of the accused. But in an age of weapons of mass destruction and weapons that can kill tens of thousands of innocent people, our goal has to be to take all reasonable steps to protect the lives of our citizens," Rumsfeld said.
Rumsfeld met Monday and Tuesday with the Bahrain's ruler, Emir Hamad bin Isa al Khalifaf. "Bahrain understands the threat that Saddam Hussein poses to the region and the world, and was here to show solidarity with the president's efforts," Rumsfeld said.
In a statement to reporters Tuesday, the emir called on Saddam Hussein to cooperate with U.N. arms inspections to avoid yet another war in the Middle East.
"For the sake of peace, we urge Iraq to comply with the international inspectors so that the people of the region can avoid another war," the emir said at a briefing on the steps of the Pentagon.
He stopped short of saying Bahrain would support a U.S.-led military invasion of Iraq.
"How you implement (U.N. resolution) 1441 (calling for the disarmament of Iraq) is for the world community to decide," he said, sidestepping a question about his country's intentions.
At the same time, the emir gave no indication that aggressive action by the United States would cause a rift in the 50-year old military relationship the Pentagon enjoys with the tiny Persian Gulf island nation connected by bridge to Saudi Arabia.
"Bahrain's relationship with the United States goes way back ... so the military facilities (shared) is not because of today's situation; it has been for many years," he said.
Bahrain plays host to about 1,500 U.S. Navy personnel and is a port for a small armada of ships assigned to the Navy's 5th Fleet.
With an economy based largely on banking and oil exports, Bahrain is particularly keen on seeing the region stabilize.
"Defense cooperation between Bahrain and the United States represents a key element in the defense system of the Arabian Gulf region, which maintains the flow of oil to the whole world, oil which underpins the global economy and ensures the continuity of trade between this vital region and all international markets. We are committed to secure all means to defend our countries in order to preserve peace and stability before anything else," he said.
