The Bush administration over the weekend dramatically escalated its PR campaign calling for an attack on Iraq. On Friday, President Bush called the leaders of Russia, China and France and tried, unsuccessfully, to gain their support. The Kremlin spokesperson said Putin expressed serious doubts that there are grounds for the use of force, and the foreign minister said an attack on Iraq could undermine efforts to combat international terrorism. French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder met the next day and said any military action must have the approval of the United Nations. Schroeder went further, rejecting any attack on Iraq, even if the US has UN backing. And a senior member of Schroeder’s governing Social Democrats accused President Bush of behaving like a Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus. White House officials said not to take the French and Russian public statements too literally.