Washington: President George W Bush has reiterated his determination to see a regime change in Baghdad terming Iraqi President Saddam Hussein "a threat", but indicated the US was not in a hurry.

"We are determined to see a regime change in Baghdad. Saddam Hussein is a threat and that is part of our thinking. And that has not changed." Bush told reporters at the Texas ranch on August 21.

Highly critical of Saddam's non-compliance to UN directives, Bush said, "Nothing he has done has convinced me that he is the kind of fellow that is willing to forgo weapons of mass destruction, is willing to be a peaceful neighbour.

"He has not convinced me, nor has he convinced my administration," he said after a meeting with top security advisers Vice-President Cheney, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Richard Myers and National Security Adviser Dr Condoleezza Rice.

Bush said the issue that figured in the meeting was not Iraq, but National Missile Defence.

"We are testing a layered programme which involves a terminal phase, mid-course as well as a boost phase. We have had some very good successes with both short-range missiles as well as longer range missiles, intercepting them," Rumsfeld said.

PTI