Saddam is Warned: We'd Nuke Baghdad

Sept. 19, 2002
By TREVOR KAVANAGH, Political Editor

AMERICA will NUKE Baghdad if Saddam Hussein dares unleash weapons of mass destruction, it emerged last night.

The chilling warning to Iraq was revealed by former Tory Premier John Major, who led Britain in the 1991 Gulf War.

During that conflict, allied forces were armed with “battlefield” nuclear weapons and prepared to use them in a counter attack, he said.

Saddam was privately warned his capital would be obliterated if he used weapons of mass destruction against allied troops or Middle East targets — including Israel.

And senior security sources last night confirmed Saddam has been warned AGAIN of the consequences if he breaks the ban on using terror weapons.

Mr Major wrote of the Gulf War: “In private, Saddam Hussein received an unmistakable warning about the immediate and catastrophic consequences for Iraq of any such attack on civilians.

“I knew that if he did use these diabolical weapons we would have to escalate our response to bring the war to a speedy and conclusive end before too many of our troops were exposed to them.”

Prepared ... Israeli missiles yesterday

Mr Major yesterday supported renewed action but raised questions about the way a cornered Saddam might lash out.

He said: “On this occasion we will specifically be going to war in order to replace the Iraqi regime. Saddam will be gone.

“He will be dead, he will be in prison, or he will be in exile. Would he try to create maximum chaos? Would he seek to use weapons of mass destruction?

“Would he use them on oil fields in the Middle East to create economic chaos? Would he pass them to terrorist groups, would he — perhaps the worst nightmare of all — try to use them on an adjacent capital?

“We can largely protect against that, do not press me on how, we can protect against that.”

Saddam targeted Jerusalem with 39 Scud missiles in 1991 — killing two and injuring hundreds — in an attempt to drag Israel into the fighting.

He had chemical and biological warheads too but chose not to use them in the face of America’s warning.

Yesterday Israeli forces moved Patriot missile launchers — which take out incoming rockets — into position in case Saddam targets them again.

Pressure was building on Iraq as a British ex-UN official warned that sending in weapons inspectors is a “no-win” move because Saddam would hide his arsenal.

Tim Trevan, an expert on biological weapons, said: “I don’t think sending in weapons inspectors is a good idea, but it may be a necessary thing to do because of the political situation.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2002431528,00.html