As European and Middle East leaders showed little enthusiasm for an attack on Iraq, US Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz Saturday toned down his calls for a change of regime in Iraq.
"That's something for the president to decide. What the president has laid out ... is that we have a situation there that's really not acceptable," Wolfowitz told CNN.
Wolfowitz, considered a "hawk" on US policy towards Baghdad, has been lobbying within the Bush administration for action against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
However, US Vice President Dick Cheney found no support for new US strikes against Iraq on his short visit through United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia Saturday.
European leaders meeting in Barcelona did not bring the matter up for formal discussion, while Russia and Germany also outright opposed the idea.
When asked whether US plans might include the use of tactical nuclear weapons, Wolfowitz told CNN, "All options are always on the table, including the diplomatic option." (Albawaba.com)
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