Strategic Assessment

For several months now the Bush Administration has earmarked Iraq and Saddam Hussein’s regime as the main target in the next phase of America’s war against terrorism. While not linking Iraq directly to the September 11 terror attack, the administration claims that Saddam’s regime is the key threat to stability in the Middle East and beyond, and that the presence of non-conventional weapons in Saddam’s hands could have disastrous results for the United States and other countries, particularly if used as an instrument of terror. Sources close to the American government point out that the decision to proceed against Iraq has been made, that its realization is only a matter of time and method of operation, and that the American security establishment is already at the military planning stage.