CRY HAVOC ALREADY:

Army warning to Blair (Robert Fox, 3/13/03, Evening Standard

British military commanders in the Gulf warned today that a decision to send their troops into action must be taken within the next few days or not at all.

Army planners have told Tony Blair they cannot maintain forces on the ground in a high state of readiness indefinitely.

The warning came as Pentagon sources made it clear that action is now only a few days away and that the British are a vital part of the opening phase of the attack on Iraq.

The US commander, General Tommy Franks, has said that once the Americans start moving out of Kuwait to begin the big push from the south, the British forces will go with them.

British military chiefs have also informed Mr Blair that once he has ordered the Desert Rats, Royal Marines and air assault troops into battle, it will be almost impossible to call them back.

Posted by Orrin Judd at March 13, 2003 7:50 PM