UNITED NATIONS, Sept 24: The great divide over the US-led war in Iraq continued to manifest itself at the United Nations as the US President George Bush sought help from the world body to rebuild Iraq.

“Now the nation of Iraq needs and deserves our aid — and all nations of goodwill should step forward and provide that support,” Bush told some 85 heads of state on Tuesday.

Despite conciliatory comments from several leaders, the scars from the diplomatic battle over the Iraq war were evident from France to Indonesia.

UN secretary general set the tone for the debate by sharply criticizing the “doctrine of first strike” espoused by the United States saying that the Bush administration’s doctrine of pre-emptive military intervention could lead to the “law of the jungle.”

French President Jacque Chirac who minced no words in decrying the US-led war which he had vigorously opposed received the most applause from the world community.