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Canada Won't Back U.S. Strike on Iraq - Manley
TORONTO (Reuters) -- Canada will not back the United States if it decides to launch a pre-emptive strike to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister John Manley said on Sunday in an interview during CTV's "Question Period."

Manley said Canada was not willing to become involved in a U.S.-led strike on Iraq because there was not sufficient evidence that Iraq was developing weapons of mass destruction or of any link to al Qaeda.

"As for going in and changing the regime, as opposed to going in and ensuring that there are no weapons of mass destruction, we haven't signed on to that," Manley told CTV.

"They'd be going in without Canadian support, but I'm not so sure they'd be going in alone," he added.

Canada has been urging the return of U.N. weapons inspectors to Iraq to ensure the country is not developing weapons of mass destruction, Manley said.

Manley's statement echoes earlier comments made by Canadian Foreign Minister Bill Graham, who told Reuters on Friday that Canadian troops would not join the U.S. in an attack on Iraq if Washington did not provide enough justification.

President Bush ( news - web sites) has begun talking to world leaders to make his case for ousting Saddam and will address the United Nations ( news - web sites) on the issue of Iraq next week.

Iraq is expected to dominate talks between Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Bush when they meet in Detroit on Monday.

posted by West 10:56 AM