New Delhi:
Justifying his decision on Iraq, former US President George W Bush has said that dislodging of the "brutal dictator" Saddam Hussain was a necessity after 9/11 attacks but regretted that military had to be used to do so as there was no other "choice".
Bush, who had earned immense criticism for the war on Iraq launched in March 2003, rejected the suggestion that his action had led to radicalism among the Muslim community and insisted that the world and Iraq were "better off" now.
Describing Hussain as a "brutal dictator" who posed a danger to the US, he said it had become more important for America to remove him after the 9/11 attacks.
Removal of Hussain was important as it was "felt" that Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction and the then President was not allowing IAEA inspectors in, Bush said while addressing a key summit in New Delhi.
Hussain was arrested by the US troops from a hiding place in December 2003 and was hanged on December 30, 2006.
Bush said the decision to "change regime" in Iraq had actually been taken by the previous Bill Clinton administration.
"My hope was to disarm Saddam peacefully... I am sorry we had to use military but there was no choice," the former US President said.
Explaining the necessity of using force, he noted that the UN Security Council had passed 17 resolutions calling for disarming of Hussain but the Iraqi ruler was not cooperative.