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Iraq: U.S. May Need a Year to Prepare Against Hussein Drained by the U.S.-led war on terrorism in Afghanistan, the U.S. military would need at least one year before it could be ready for a large-scale offensive against Iraq, according to the Washington Post (see GSN, Feb. 22). Stocks of precision-guided bombing systems and other arms are depleted, personnel forces are strained and the military would need time to transfer command logistics to the region around Iraq before attacking, according to analysts, foreign diplomats and senior administration and Pentagon officials. The United States also is working to gain diplomatic support for an offensive, which many countries have opposed, the Post reported (see GSN, Feb. 14). The United States is continuing to try to persuade the U.N. Security Council to revise sanctions against Iraq and demand that Iraq allow U.N. weapons inspectors to return (see GSN, Feb. 15). The U.S. military is increasing production of “smart” bombs and other supplies in preparation for an attack that would probably start with massive bombing of Iraqi antiaircraft systems and suspected sites with weapons of mass destruction, the Post reported. Partly due to concern that Iraqi missiles could carry weapons of mass destruction to Kuwait and Israel, Iraqi WMD sites would be an immediate, primary target. A ground offensive with U.S. troops prepared to operate in an environment involving chemical or biological weapons would probably follow a massive air assault, the Post reported. The United States must stockpile WMD protective gear in the region for troops and civilians, according to the Post “What deterrent is there on [Iraqi President] Saddam Hussein since we have told him his head is on a platter?” said retired Air Force Gen. Charles Boyd. “We can never suppose he will do anything but use chemical or biological warfare” (Pincus/DeYoung, Washington Post, Feb. 24). U.S. Officials Respond U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in response to the Post article that the military is “rapidly replenishing” its smart bombs after using many in Afghanistan. He emphasized, however, that increasing weapons production is not necessarily indicative of future military action. “This happens any time one’s engaged,” he said. The U.S. military will be ready if called to action, Rumsfeld said. “You can be sure that the United States of America is going to be capable of doing anything that the president asked them to do, because he’ll know that before he asks anyone to do anything” (CBS “Face the Nation”/Defense Department transcript, Feb. 24). U.S. General Richard Myers refused to specifically comment on the Post report, but he said the military is ready. “We’re ready to do whatever the commander in chief asks us to do, and we will be ready,” he said (ABC “This Week”/Defense Department transcript, Feb. 24). Inspectors Must Be Aggressive, Rumsfeld Says Any thorough weapons inspections in Iraq would have to be more intrusive than the UNSCOM inspections that operated in Iraq after the Gulf War until 1998, Rumsfeld said. “If you try to use the old regime, it wouldn’t work. You would have to have a much more intrusive regime and many more inspectors and the Iraqis not controlling when they could come in, where they could go, what they could do. And the Iraqis aren’t going to agree to something like that,” he said. Former inspections were unsuccessful because the Iraqis moved and hid weapons of mass destruction, lied to the inspectors and refused access to inspectors, Rumsfeld said. “The only real information they found was from defectors.” Since 1998, Iraq has had time to further hide its WMD programs and improve technology, Rumsfeld said. “You could … put inspectors all over that place, and it would be very difficult to find anything.” When asked if weapons inspections in Iraq would be worthless, however, Rumsfeld said “no” (CBS “Face the Nation”/Defense Department transcript, Feb. 24). Blair Backs U.S. Tough Line on Iraq Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that he supports U.S. President George W. Bush’s statements that Iraq poses a serious threat, and that he would support U.S. action against Iraq, according to the London Observer (see GSN, Feb. 8). Blair and Bush are scheduled to meet in April to discuss plans to overthrow Hussein, the Observer reported. “The meeting will be to finalize Phase 2 of the war against terrorism,” said a senior British official. “Action against Iraq will be at the top of the agenda.” “The alliance with the United States is strong. It will remain strong,” Blair said Saturday at a meeting with European leaders in Stockholm. “We will deal with issues together. The Americans are absolutely right to emphasize the continuing importance of the war against terrorism and continuing the elimination of weapons of mass destruction.” Blair is facing growing opposition to action against Iraq within his own Labor Party, however, according to the Observer. British intelligence officials have also expressed concern and said the only window of opportunity for a campaign against Iraq would be in the fall and winter of 2002. Blair plans to publish evidence showing that Iraq is working to build or obtain simple nuclear capabilities and ways to use “dirty” radiological bombs in order to counter opposition to action against Iraq, the Observer reported (Kamal Ahmed, London Observer, Feb. 24).
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