WASHINGTON, Sept 18: Protesters chanting “inspections, not war” disrupted US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s opening remarks Wednesday at a congressional hearing on Iraq.

The protest erupted as Rumsfeld was beginning his prepared statement before the House Armed Services Committee.

“The question facing us is this what is a responsible course of action for our country?” Rumsfeld asked. “Do we believe it is responsibility to wait for a weapons of destruction 9/11, or is it the responsibility of free people to do something, to take steps to deal with such a threat before such an attack has occurred.”

A women rose to her feet in the audience and said: “Yes, Mr. Rumsfeld, I think we need weapons inspections not war.”

Another woman joined her unfurling a banner that said “UN inspection not war,” and they chanted “Inspections, not war” until being escorted from the hearing room.—AFP