CIA report lacking, Graham says

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Bob Graham, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, accused the CIA Thursday of not providing vital information about Iraq that senators need before they vote on a resolution to authorize a U.S. military strike.

"We're being asked for the first time in U.S. history to launch a pre-emptive strike against another nation, and right now we're lacking all the information necessary to make that decision," the Florida Democrat said.

In response to criticism from Graham and other senators, CIA director George Tenet met briefly with the chairman Thursday and plans a full briefing for the committee today.

Graham and other senators specifically asked for information and analysis on how a war against Iraq would affect other nations in the region and the war against terrorism.

"That was purposefully omitted" from a National Intelligence Estimate that was given to the committee Tuesday night, two months after the committee requested it, Graham said.

Iraqi VP suggests Bush, Hussein duel

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- An Iraqi vice president offered an unusual suggestion Thursday for solving the U.S.-Iraq standoff: President Saddam Hussein and President Bush should fight a duel to settle their differences and spare their people the ravages of war.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan would be the referee for the duel, which should be held on neutral territory, Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan told Associated Press Television Network in an interview.

Ramadan made his remarks without giving any outward sign he was joking, although reporters who were present detected a note of irony in his voice.

"Bush wants to attack the whole (of) Iraq, the army and the infrastructure," Ramadan said.

"The American president should specify a group, and we will specify a group and choose neutral ground, with Kofi Annan as referee, and use one weapon, with a president against a president, a vice president against a vice president, and a minister against a minister in a duel," Ramadan said. "In this way we are saving the American and the Iraqi people."

In Washington, White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said the Iraqi offer was irresponsible and did not warrant a "serious response."

"I just want to point out that, in the past when Iraq had disputes, it invaded its neighbors. There were no duels, there were invasions. There was use of weapons of mass destruction and the military; that's how Iraq settles its disputes," Fleischer said.

Bush to speak Monday in Ohio

WASHINGTON -- President Bush will travel to Cincinnati on Monday to deliver a major speech outlining his reasons for threatening war against Iraq. The time and venue were unavailable Thursday.

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