UK/IRAQ: The British Foreign Office heightened expectation of war yesterday by advising all British nationals to leave Iraq immediately.
The revised Foreign Office travel advice coincided with a move by foreign ministries elsewhere, including Russia and Thailand.
The travel warning follows recent statements in Washington that war is only weeks away.
The British Foreign Office said it was issuing the advice because of "increasing tensions in the region and the risk of terrorist action". It added: "If you are considering going to Iraq you should be aware that British nationals were used as hostages during the 1990-01 crisis by the Iraqi regime, being held where their safety was at most risk.
"You should also be aware that there is no British diplomatic presence in Iraq to offer consular assistance." The Russian foreign ministry has advised all citizens to leave Iraq, although it is keeping its diplomatic mission open.
Relatives of its diplomats have already started to leave.
"The situation in Iraq is not easy, including its psychological aspect," a foreign ministry spokesman, Alexander Yakovenko, said.
Thailand said yesterday it had evacuated 78 of its 106 nationals living in the country.
The British Foreign Office has also revised its advice for other parts of the region, warning against all non-essential travel to Kuwait, which could be a launchpad for a US-led invasion of Iraq, and "to leave unless you consider that your presence there is essential".
The families of British embassy staff in Kuwait have been ordered to leave, and staff have been given the option of leaving.
Advice is also being given by London against non-essential travel to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.
"If already in Israel you should maintain a high level of vigilance and consider whether your presence and that of your dependants is essential," it said.
"In the case of the West Bank and Gaza, we would advise you to leave now while exit routes remain open."
Meanwhile, more British troops headed out to the Gulf region.
About 1,000 paras, infantry and support troops from the 16 Air Assault Brigade left RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire early today for the Gulf. The latest troop deployment will take the British military presence in the region to about 19,000 - comprising 9,000 soldiers, 8,000 sailors and Royal Marines with 2,000 from the RAF.
However, the bulk of the main British ground force - the 7th Armoured Brigade "Desert Rats" - have yet to leave their bases in Germany.
In total, more than 40,000 personnel from all three services are being deployed to the region.