Sending troops to the Gulf. (International).

For Saddam Hussein, time may be running out. Last month, U.S. President George W. Bush warned the Iraqi leader, perhaps for the last time, that he needed to give up any biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons he may be hiding.

"We expect Saddam Hussein, for the sake of peace, to disarm," President Bush said. "I'm sick and tired of games and deception.... Time is running out."

If Hussein refuses to disarm, Bush warned, the U.S. will act.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has already ordered more than 150,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors, and marines to the Persian Gulf area. The troops, along with U.S. aircraft, ships, and equipment, are assembling at military bases in Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

According to U.S. officials, as many as 250,000 troops maybe needed to force Hussein to disarm--or to remove him from power if he does not give up his weapons.

Sgt. 1st Class John Washburn of Virginia is among the soldiers who have been sent to the Persian Gulf.

"I'm the man of the house now," Washburn's son, Chris, 13, told his local newspaper. "I have to take care of my sister and my mom.

"Serious Consequences"

For more than two months, United Nations (UN) inspectors have been searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. After the inspectors found 11 empty chemical warheads, Iraqi officials informed inspectors that they had found 4 more empty warheads.

A member of the Bush administration called the first discovery "troubling and serious" and said that it provided more evidence in the case for war. But UN inspectors argued that the discovery was a sign that their search was effective and should be given more time. Hans Blix, the chief UN inspector, did warn Iraqi officials, however, that they must cooperate more "than they have done."

Many world leaders have said that they will not support a war unless the UN finds dangerous weapons, or evidence that Hussein is preventing inspectors from doing their work. Meanwhile, U.S. citizens have staged hundreds of antiwar protests across the nation. Many say that they want to give the UN weapons inspections more time.

Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, hopes that the inspections will be enough to avoid a war. But he also warned Hussein that Iraq would confront "serious consequences" if the inspections were stopped. The UN would then "have to face up to its responsibilities and take the necessary action."