US war plans put 200,000 troops in Iraq

The United States plans to take over parts of Iraq and send in up to 200,000 troops if Baghdad fails to comply with a historic United Nations demand to disarm.

President George W. Bush has approved the initial assault, leaving the US poised to act immediately if Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein refuses to obey, Washington officials said yesterday.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said Iraq was still studying the UN demand that arms inspectors have unfettered access to any site suspected of producing chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, or face serious consequences.

United States officials said President Bush had approved a plan to initially capture parts of Iraq and establish footholds to thrust in 200,000 or more troops.

The officials stressed that the plan was flexible, but that the President had in recent weeks accepted advice from Army General Tommy Franks that smaller numbers of troops could not capture and hold Iraq if invasion became necessary.

They said an assault would begin with a smaller number of troops while US bombers attacked President Hussein's palaces, air defences and bases.

In London, the Sunday Telegraph said yesterday that Britain would begin mobilising 15,000 troops this week for a land war if diplomatic efforts to ensure Iraq disarms fail.

The British force would comprise up to 200 Challenger battle tanks, and about 150 special forces troops would be put on standby, the paper said.

Nations around the world praised the UN resolution as a chance for peace, saying it was up to Baghdad to disarm and prevent war.

France, which with Russia helped to tone down the original US resolution, said it would not be opposed in principle to the use of force if Iraq did not observe the UN call to disarm.

Inspectors will demand that Baghdad produce a comprehensive list of weapons sites, and will check that list against more than 100 priority sites compiled by Western experts.

An advance team of about a dozen inspectors is expected to head for Baghdad around November 25 to make spot inspections.

Between 80 and 100 inspectors are due to resume their work in full by December 23.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said yesterday that the Cabinet would this week formally approve 10 weapons inspectors going to Iraq.

She said the UN had indicated that it would like the New Zealand team in place by about next Monday.

"It's a done deal provided the inspections go ahead, which I think they will," she said.

The Cabinet would probably process the request by Wednesday.

A medical officer and a communicator would be among the first to go.

National Party foreign affairs spokesman Wayne Mapp fully supported the commitment.

"New Zealand must be prepared to back the enforcement of the United Nations' resolution. Iraq cannot be permitted to avoid its obligations."

The chief UN weapons inspector, Hans Blix, is due this week in Cyprus, where his team will have a base, and will then head for Iraq, a Cyprus Government source said.

THE ULTIMATUM


The UN Security Council has voted 15-0 to force Saddam Hussein to disarm or face "serious consequences" - almost certainly war.

FINAL TIMETABLE


November 15: Iraq must confirm that it will comply with the resolution.

December 8: Iraq must provide details of any weapons of mass destruction.

December 23: Weapons inspections must resume in full.

February 21: Inspectors must report back to the Security Council.

WAR PLANS

The US plans to initially capture parts of Iraq and establish footholds to send in 200,000 troops if Baghdad does not comply.

Britain will begin mobilising 15,000 troops this week for a land war.

- AGENCIES

Further reading
Feature: War with Iraq

Iraq links and resources