-Caveat Lector- US warns of nuclear response BBC News Wednesday, 11 December, 2002, 09:59 GMT
The White House says no options have been ruled out Washington has said it is prepared to use nuclear weapons if necessary to respond to any attack with weapons of mass destruction (WMD) against itself or its allies. "The United States will continue to make clear that it reserves the right to respond with overwhelming force - including through resort to all our options," a White House strategy document released on Tuesday said. It is believed to be the first update on America's WMD policy since 1993. BBC Washington correspondent Ian Pannell says that while the new document only restates existing policy, it has been widely interpreted as a direct warning to Iraq. US officials said only that the passage was meant to put emphasis on the role of deterrence against such an attack. 'Essential part of defence' Copies of the six-page strategy document were released to the media ahead of its official unveiling. Called the National Strategy to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction, the document is to be delivered to Congress on Wednesday. It says the threat of overwhelming force is an essential part of defence. It also includes a commitment to boost programmes aimed at containing the damage from any chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear attack. The document also says that some states support terrorists and already have weapons of mass murder; it contends that they seek even more "as tools of coercion and intimidation". "For them, these are not weapons of last resort, but militarily useful weapons of choice intended to overcome our nation's advantages in conventional forces and to deter us from responding to aggression against our friends." Iraqi denial In 1991, President George Bush Senior warned Baghdad that it would face the severest consequences if it attacked US forces with chemical or biological weapons. Iraq has used chemical weapons against its own Kurdish population and is believed to have also used them in its war with Iran. President George W Bush has repeatedly vowed to strip Baghdad of any weapons of mass destruction by force if Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein does not bow to a UN disarmament ultimatum. UN inspectors are currently in Iraq to seek out any illegal arms held by the regime. Iraq denies possessing banned weapons but has been accused by America of lying. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2564509.stm <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
