US forces massed in the Gulf are ready for war as soon as President George W. Bush gives the word, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld confirmed, as Turkey said there was a "mutual understanding" in talks with Washington on opening bases to US troops for any war on Iraq.
A new draft resolution by Britain and the United States, giving the international green light for conflict, could be presented at the United Nations as early as Monday, according to reports.
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Speaking on US television, Mr Rumsfeld described the US and British forces amassed in the Gulf as "ample" but declined to discuss numbers - which are believed to be around 150,000.
"We are at a point where, if the president makes that decision, the department of defence is prepared and has the capabilities and the strategy to do that," Mr Rumsfeld said. He stressed that going to war was "the last choice."
"There still is at least a remote possibility that [Iraqi leader Saddam] Hussein could decide to leave the country at some point," he added.
Mr Bush's first choice for how Iraq should disarm was that it be done voluntarily, Mr Rumsfeld said. "His second choice would be that [Saddam's] regime leaves - voluntarily or involuntarily. And the last choice would be that the regime has to be thrown out".
Washington is waiting to hear whether Turkey would allow the deployment of its troops in return for a financial package amounting to some $26 billion in grants and loans.
Turkish Prime Minister Abdullah Gul has said there is "mutual understanding" in talks with Washington on opening Turkey to US troops for any war on Iraq.
In Brussels, a NATO spokesman said AWACS surveillance planes would be deployed over Turkey by February 27th to defend the country against the fallout of possible war in Iraq.
AFP