Saddam Hussein called the hand of George W. Bush and put a stumbling block in front of U.S. war plans by informing U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan that he would allow U.N. weapons inspectors to immediately return to Iraq without condition. The White House was dismissive of Hussein's olive branch and said disarmament, not inspections, was the issue as the U.S. stepped up military preparations and operations against Iraq.