China has urged the United States to halt its military aggression o­n Iraq immediately and advised the superpower to continue searching for a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

The Xinhua news agency quoted a spokesperson for the foreign affairs ministry Kong Quan as saying the military action against Iraq violated UN charter and international law.

In contrast, Japan issued a statement backing the US-led military campaign.

"I understand the start of the use of force by America and support it," said Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in a televised address.

"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," he added.

Support also came from the Philippines and South Korea.

Philippine President Gloria Arroyo said Manila gave both political and moral support for the action while South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun also pledged his government's support.

Among the detractors were Iran which denounced the US attacks as "unjustifiable and illegitimate" but stressed that it would not take sides.

European reaction

According to a BBC report, the early reaction from European countries were also critical.

Germany expressed grave unease and called for all measures to be taken to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe. Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt condemned the war and accused the US of flouting international laws.

France said it hoped the war in Iraq will end "as soon as possible".

"At the moment when the first military operations have begun in Iraq, the French authorities note their deep concern," foreign ministry spokesman Francois Rivasseau said in a statement.

Sad day

The war, which began at 10.30am (Malaysian time) with a volley of missiles raining o­n Baghdad, also evoked mix responses from the US congress.

"This is a sad day for America, the world community, and the people of Iraq," said Republican Dennis Kucinich in a statement.

A CNN report said the congressman, a 2004 presidential hopeful and a leading opponent of war with Iraq, said Bush had launched an unprovoked attack against another country.

"Iraq does not pose an imminent threat to the United States of any of its neighboring nations. Iraq was not responsible for the terrorist attacks of Sept 11.

"Tonight President Bush has commanded US forces to go to war in violation of American traditions of defensive war that have lasted since George Washington. This war is wrong; it violates the Constitution and international law," he said.

Noble mission

Expressing support, House Speaker Republican Dennis Hastert compared the attack with the June 6, 1944 invasion of Normandy, France, saying the action by American forces is a "noble mission to free the Iraqi people from an evil tyrant."

"I am proud of our president, our troops, and our allies. Yes, we are fighting to preserve our national security. But we are also fighting to preserve the universal ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," he said.

Hastert said Saddam, "with his brutal track record, will do his worst and that we will do our best.

Another voice of support came from Democrat Senator Joseph Liberman, who said the strike was "a task of high justice and necessity."

Meanwhile, CNN said news of the attack had elicited varying reactions from the American public, with some backing the president and others critcising him for violating international laws.

"I'm all for it. You had to live here to understand it. We lost everything you can imagine," said Vince Diamonde, 55, from New York, the city where a terror attack reduced the World Trade Center to rubble o­n Sept 11, 2001.

On the other hand, a pastor from Brooklyn, Rev Lucius Walker Jr said: "It's a sad day in the history of the world. Our president is in violation of international principles."