"If we install the rule of force in place of international security structures, no country in the world will feel secure. That is why Russia insists on a quick end to military operations." -- Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"This is bitter news. War is the worst of all solutions." -- German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer.

"This attack violates the U.N. charter and the basic norms of international laws. The countries involved ignored the opposition of most countries and peoples of the world and went around the U.N. Security Council to begin military action against Iraq. We urge relevant countries to stop their military action and return to the right path. As long as there is hope we will continue to work hard for peace." -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan.

"We were left with no other option but to use force...Our message to the people of Iraq is that we are with you and we support you in your plain wish to rid yourself of the leadership of Saddam Hussein." -- British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.

"Our action in Iraq will, by stopping the spread of chemical and biological weapons, make it less likely that a devastating terrorist attack will be carried out." -- Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

"It's a sad day for all the Arabs, that Iraq and its people should be subjected to a military strike which will leave nothing standing and take no account of civilians nor of the whole of Iraq." -- The Arab League's Secretary General, Amr Mussa.

"Right up until the end, the Iraqi regime defied international law by ignoring its obligations to disarm... and it threw away its last chance. With a full sense of our responsibilities, the government of this nation supports the re-establishment of international law so that conditions for peace and security prevail." -- Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar

"The Netherlands will politically support the military action against Saddam Hussein. Peace and security, also for the Iraqi people themselves, is the ultimate goal." -- Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.

"Pakistan deplores the initiation of military action against Iraq. Our position is quite clear, we are against war." -- Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri.

"The Russian leadership expresses regret that the Iraqi crisis is being solved by military means without a decision by the UN Security Council, that is to say by the system of international security." -- Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov.

"These are preliminary operations only but certainly they are part of a wider campaign that will be under way in time. This is simply a warning shot across the bows of the Iraqi leadership. They cannot rest, they cannot hide, we will simply deal with them." -- British Defense Minister Geoff Hoon.

"I understand the start of the use of force by America and support it. If a dangerous dictator possesses dangerous weapons of mass destruction, we will face a big danger. How to get rid of this threat concerns people around the world." -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

"As the first military operation in Iraq starts, the French authorities express their deep concern." -- Statement from the French Foreign Ministry.

"It is regrettable that the war is occurring outside the mandate of the United Nations Security Council...We call on the United Nations to assert its authority to ensure that military action is conducted in the rules of international humanitarian law" -- South African Foreign Affairs ministry spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa.

"We are very sad and disappointed by the outbreak of war against Iraq." -- Greek spokesperson for the EU Presidency.

"A large and powerful nation, along with its allies, has acted with disregard for international law, humanity and universal justice...this is a black mark in history with the world now seeing might is right." -- Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"The government and the people of Indonesia strongly deplore the unilateral action by the United States and its allies who decided to wage war against Iraq." -- Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

"What we are doing is not only in the interest and the safety of the American people but overthrowing Saddam and removing those weapons of mass destruction, taking them into our control, is good for the entire world. It is not a selfish task." -- U.S. Democrat presidential hopeful Senator Joseph Liebermann.

"The Philippines is part of the coalition of the willing. We are giving political and moral support for actions to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction." -- Philippine President Gloria Arroyo.