IN LIKE A LION:

How Saddam hides illegal weapon sites: Blair to reveal spy dossier of videos and phone taps (Kamal Ahmed and Nick Paton Walsh, February 2, 2003, The Observer)

Saddam Hussein is using an elaborate network of deception to frustrate the United Nations' weapons inspectors and conceal Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, according to new intelligence documents released by Downing Street.

In a significant escalation of pressure on the Iraqi leader, the documents say that more than 20,000 Iraqi intelligence officers are using psychological intimidation against inspectors, checking their backgrounds to see 'if they are young, nervous [or] vulnerable in some way'.

Weapons material and documentation is also being hidden in people's homes, hospitals and 'even mosques', according to the dossier of evidence. All the material is being moved constantly.

The documents will make up a key plank of the evidence to be presented by Colin Powell, the US Secretary of State, to the UN Security Council on Wednesday. He will say that Saddam is failing to comply with the inspections and that he is already in breach of UN resolutions.

They are part of a new 'constant campaign' of information against Iraq by the Government which is seen as essential if a sceptical British public is to be convinced of the need for a military attack on Iraq.

America is planning military action with British forces alongside in a matter of weeks, probably launching the first airstrikes by mid-March before a massive ground offensive. Officials said that the United Nations would be given 'one more chance' to make Saddam comply with resolution 1441 calling for his disarmament.

You have to assume that the date and the "massive" ground offensive are disinformation, but it doesn't look like Tony Blair is acting as a brake on George W. Bush, does it?

More:
War Plan Calls for Precision Bombing Wave to Break Iraqi Army (ERIC SCHMITT and THOM SHANKER, February 2, 2003, NY Times)

The Pentagon's war plan for Iraq calls for unleashing 3,000 precision-guided bombs and missiles in the first 48 hours of the opening air campaign, an effort intended to stagger and isolate the Iraqi military and quickly pave the way for a ground attack to topple a government in shock.

The initial bombardment would use 10 times the number of precision-guided weapons fired in the first two days of the Persian Gulf war of 1991, and the targets would be air defenses, political and military headquarters, communications facilities and suspected chemical and biological delivery systems, military and other Pentagon officials say.

Military planners said the immediate goals would be to break the Iraqi Army's will to fight, driving large number of troops to surrender or defect - and offering them guarded sanctuary if they do - while cutting off the leadership in Baghdad in hopes of causing a rapid collapse of the government of President Saddam Hussein.

The air campaign would be carried out by about 500 Air Force attack, radar-jamming and support planes flying from bases scattered throughout the gulf region and nearby, as well as by Navy planes from either four or five aircraft carriers, each carrying about 80 attack and support aircraft. About 300 American warplanes are already based at airfields north and south of Iraq. Two of the aircraft carriers are now stationed in the region, with two more scheduled to arrive within striking distance later this month.

The air war would be significant for what the targets will not be as much as for what they will be. Because the United States wants to help rebuild Iraq quickly after any conflict, the air campaign is intended to limit damage to Iraqi infrastructure and to minimize civilian casualties.

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 2, 2003 7:08 AM