Kennedy: US guilty of imperialism over Iraq

Charles Kennedy accused the United States yesterday of betraying "more than a hint of imperialism" in its determination to topple Saddam Hussein as leader of Iraq.

In a strongly worded critique of Washington's approach to the crisis, the Liberal Democrat leader denounced the White House for having no long-term strategy for bringing Iraq into the world community.

In an emergency statement to the party's conference in Brighton, Mr Kennedy said armed strikes on Baghdad could not be ruled out, but called on Tony Blair to make his priority the return of United Nations weapons inspectors to the country.

He said: "We Liberal Democrats will do everything we possibly can to ensure that the route of unconditional inspection within the UN structure is followed, rather than the extreme uncertainties and dangers of the use of military force."

Speaking on the eve of today's recall of Parliament, Mr Kennedy warned the Prime Minister: "We will not suspend our critical faculties . . . that would be to abandon the necessary and obligatory role, which is effective parliamentary opposition."

He went on: "Am I alone in feeling increasingly concerned about this concept called 'regime change'? I think not. Who decides the legitimacy of such change and on what basis under international law? And with what ultimate objective in mind? I have yet to hear a satisfactory answer to these questions. There is more than a hint of imperialism here.

"And am I alone in worrying about the undermining of the moral, the legal and the practical authority of the United Nations? Again, I think not ..."

Mr Kennedy was scathing about the support of the US Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld, for a so-called "decapitation strategy" on Iraq. He said: "Let us never lose sight, whatever transpires, of the need for a rehabilitation strategy over Iraq – not least because of the innocent, oppressed people with whom we have no quarrel."

Mr Kennedy's scepticism about American motives – which he characterised as acting as a "candid friend" offering an "occasional cautionary tap on the shoulder" – distances him from the other two main party leaders.

But he insisted: "I believe we have spoken for a huge, a growing body of concerned and informed public opinion across our country, opinion that straddles the conventional divisions of purely party politics."

The Liberal Democrat leader welcomed today's publication of the Government's dossier on Iraqi efforts to build up its arsenal of biological and chemical weapons, but added: "We should not lose sight of the fact there is still no definitive evidence linking the Iraqi regime with al-Qa'ida and the atrocities of September 11."

He insisted that MPs must be allowed a vote on any future proposal to commit British forces to a conflict and added: "There's another strand of opinion which we need to take into account in reaching our conclusions: the sensitivities of the Muslim community at home and the views of the Arab world abroad."

To applause from delegates, Mr Kennedy said pressure must be maintained for a re-starting of the Middle East peace process.

"The tragic scenes of the past days and months make that more urgent than ever before," he said. "There must be a just settlement, giving Israel security and the Palestinians a state of their own."