Powell tells Congress there must be regime change in Iraq

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Secretary of State Colin Powell says the United States might have to act alone to bring about a "regime change" in Iraq.

Powell told House members Wednesday that President Bush is considering "the most serious set of options one might imagine" for dealing with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

"Regime change is something the United States might have to do alone," Powell said. "How to do it? I would not like to go into the details of the options."

But he said Bush is "examining a full range of options."

On Thursday, White House press secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters that Bush has not decided on a course of action.

Questioned at the House International Relations Committee hearing, Powell said United Nations inspectors must have an "unfettered right" to conduct long-term searches in Iraq for suspect weapons sites and that Bush "is leaving no stone unturned" as to what the United States might do if Saddam continues to resist inspection.

"We still believe strongly in regime change in Iraq, and we look forward to the day when a democratic, representative government at peace with its neighbors leads Iraq to rejoin the family of nations," he said.