US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he had ordered regional commanders to sharpen war plans, according to the New York Times.
The newspaper Sunday quoted Rumsfeld as saying he ordered commanders to rewrite war plans to make best use of precision weapons, intelligence and swift deployment.
The US military then "could begin combat operations on less notice and with far fewer troops than thought possible or even wise before the September 11 attacks," it said.
The new approach for how America goes to war, according to Rumsfeld, reflects an assessment of the need after Sept. 11 to refresh war plans continuously and to respond faster to the threats from terrorists and nations possessing biological, chemical or nuclear weapons.
In Baghdad, cabinet ministers swore a new oath to President Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported ahead of a Tuesday referendum to renew his seven-year term of office. "Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan expressed to President Saddam Hussein, in the name of the cabinet, the allegiance of the cabinet on the occasion of the great referendum," INA said.
"On Tuesday, the Iraqi people will dish out to the American administration a huge slap," said Babel newspaper. And it would be "strong enough to bring it to reason and make it understand that intervention in Iraq would be illegal and no cakewalk," the newspaper said.
It accused Washington of seeking to control Iraq's oil reserves -- the second largest in the world behind Saudi Arabia. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
