Iraqi Cabinet Ministers Defy Threat of Attack

BAGHDAD — As U.S. officials considered military action, Iraqi ministers said Sunday that they are not afraid of American attacks and would not back down on their decision to bar U.N. arms inspections.

Trade Minister Mohammed Mehdi Saleh said Iraq has suffered for so long under U.N. sanctions that it has nothing to fear from new U.S. threats.

“They will not kill in a military strike more than they are killing with sanctions every day,” Saleh said, referring to the U.N. Security Council trade sanctions imposed on Iraq after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

Deputy Prime Minister Tarik Aziz said Iraq was not moved by last week’s Security Council resolution that held his country in “flagrant violation” of U.N. edicts for its decision to stop cooperating altogether with weapons inspectors.

Aziz spoke after meeting a delegation of Irish and Scottish politicians who said they oppose the use of force against Iraq.

“I think nothing is solved by military action,” said Tam Dalyell, a Scottish member of the British Parliament.