Continuing his anti-Iraq rhetoric President George W Bush in his weekly radio address this morning that "the status quo is totally unacceptable."
President Bush's remarks were broadcast as he was meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to discuss Iraq at Camp David, the presidential retreat outside of Washington.
Mr Berlusconi, said Mr Bush, is one of a growing group of leaders that are calling "on the world to act" against Iraq.
Reiterating much of his argument to the United Nations on Thursday, the US president harshly criticized Iraq's non-compliance with 16 UN resolutions.
"By supporting terrorist groups, repressing its own people and pursuing weapons of mass destruction in defiance of a decade of UN resolutions, (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein's regime has proven itself a grave and gathering danger."
President Bush also welcomed congressional debate on Iraq expected next week.
"Congress must make it unmistakably clear that when it comes to confronting the growing danger posed by Iraq's efforts to develop or acquire weapons of mass destruction, the status quo is totally unacceptable," he said.
The president said that if necessary the United States would act unilaterally against Iraq, which Washington believes fosters terrorism and poses an increasing threat to US national security.