Rumsfeld Heckled at Congress Meeting

Anti-war protesters today heckled the US secretary of state, Donald Rumsfeld as he made a statement to a Congress committee.

Mr Rumsfeld paused during a testimony outlining the Bush administration's view of the threat posed by Saddam Hussein as the protesters unfurled banners behind him. "Inspections, not war!" they chanted.

The defence secretary - regarded as one of Washington's key hawks - stared ahead silently without altering his expression or appearing to listen. The demonstrators then left.

"As I listened to those comments, it struck me what a wonderful thing free speech is," Mr Rumsfeld observed, as he continued his statements on Saddam.

In the statement he said that Iraq had stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons and was trying to get enough weapons-grade material to build a nuclear bomb.

The US's goal is to prevent President Saddam from using such weapons of mass destruction to attack America or its allies, he said.

"The last thing we want is a smoking gun. A gun smokes after it has been fired. The goal must be to stop Saddam Hussein before he fires a weapon of mass destruction against our people."

Mr Rumsfeld's testimony came shortly after the US president, George Bush, said President Saddam was "not going to fool anybody" with his promise to admit weapons inspectors. He predicted that the UN would rally behind his Iraq policy despite signs of unease.

In an oval office meeting with congressional leaders, Mr Bush thanked Democrats and Republicans alike for their commitment to vote on a congressional resolution on Iraq before November's elections.

"I think it's an important signal for the world to see that this country is united in its resolve," he said.