United Nations weapons inspectors have been advised by the US to leave Iraq, a sign that a US-led attack is imminent.
Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said on Monday: 鈥淟ate last night I was advised by the US government to pull out our inspectors from Baghdad.鈥�
ElBaradei is leading the nuclear weapons inspections in Iraq. He says similar advice has been given to UNMOVIC, the inspection body responsible for all other weapons and lead by Hans Blix.
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The order to withdraw has not yet been issued to the scientists carrying out the inspections and Blix is scheduled to give a report to the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday that would call for them to be given more time.
Helicopter flight
But five out of the eight helicopters being used by the inspectors have been flown out of Iraq after their insurance cover was withdrawn. And, with the hopes of UN diplomacy providing a way to disarm Iraq without force now fading fast, a mass exodus of diplomats and aid workers from Baghdad has already begun.
On Sunday, the US ordered non-essential personnel to leave Kuwait, Syria and Israel and Britain also advised its citizens to leave Kuwait.
There has been concern that UN inspectors could be held as human shields in the event of war, but Iraqi officials have played down such notions. 鈥淭he inspectors came by a decision of the Security Council, which decides on their departure,鈥� said the Iraqi foreign minister Naji Sabri on Sunday.
The speed of withdrawal would certainly depend on Iraqi co-operation, said one inspector. 鈥淚f they let us use aircraft to get out, we could be gone in 48 hours or even less,鈥� he told the Associated Press. 鈥淚f they won鈥檛 let us fly out, we would have to drive to a border.鈥�
Speeding up
On Friday, Saddam Hussein鈥檚 science adviser Lieutenant General Amer al-Saadi the Blix and ElBaradei to visit Baghdad to discuss speeding up the inspection process. There has been no statement on whether this invitation was accepted or rejected.
The UN weapons inspectors are charged with verifying the declaration and destruction of Iraq鈥檚 weapons of mass destruction. The US, UK and others argue that Iraq is not cooperating fully and that the threat of forced disarmament must now be carried through.
But France, Russia and others point to the Iraqi missiles that have been destroyed as evidence that inspections are working, and argue that more time is needed.