A senior Bush administration official today questioned the authenticity of a videotape showing Saddam Hussein speaking a few hours after the cruise missile strikes that opened the war in Iraq.

		— Iraqi President Saddam Hussein as he appeared on Iraqi television Thursday, left, and in a 1998 file photo, right. (AP Photos)

"We reach no conclusions about who that was or when it was taped or anything like that," the administration official said. "It does not lend itself to immediate conclusions."

State-run Iraqi television broadcast a seven-minute statement in which the official identified as Hussein, wearing a military uniform, vowed in Arabic to resist the invaders' and wear down U.S. patience. Western news accounts generally said the tape showed Hussein, but many newscasters noted that it could have been pre-recorded.

When asked about the videotape's mention of March 20, the date the strike occurred in Baghdad, the official said, "He put many dates out there."

President Bush, an early riser, began his day with a 6 a.m. telephone call from National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice to update him on overnight developments and give him an assessment of the missile strikes, which were aimed at a residence where intelligence reports indicated Hussein might be meeting with his inner circle.

Bush arrived in the Oval Office at about 6:55 a.m., the official said.

An aide said Bush would make calls to several world leaders today. The aide said Bush will remain largely out of public view for the rest of the week. The only event on his public schedule today is an Oval Office meeting with Cameroon President Paul Biya.

Cameroon is not one of the 30 countries that have allowed themselves to be publicly identified as part of the "coalition of the willing" supporting the U.S.-led war. The African republic is a one of the six nations on the United Nations Security Council that remained uncommitted about the failed resolution that would have authorized force against Iraq.

The senior official had no immediate reaction to the condemnation today from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was quoted as telling senior ministers in the Kremlin that the military action "can in no way be justified" and is "a big political error."

Other overnight critics included China and the Vatican, plus Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey and other largely Muslim countries. The governments of Japan and South Korea were among those issuing supportive statements, as did Albania, Denmark, Italy and Poland. Britain and Australia are supplying troops.

"The president understands that there are going to be many around the world who welcome this action to disarm Saddam Hussein after his defiance," the official said. "Other nations won't see it the same way. The United States will not be deterred from disarming Saddam Hussein."

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