LONDON - Former British prime minister John Major says that before any US-led attack is launched against Iraq, its leader Saddam Hussein will be warned that if he uses chemical or biological weapons, nuclear bombs will be dropped on his country.
Mr Major revealed that 'private warnings' had been passed on to President Saddam that there would be an immediate nuclear response if he used weapons of mass destruction during the 1991 Gulf War, following Iraq's invasion of neighbouring Kuwait.
Mr Saddam had been told that Baghdad would be 'obliterated' if he used chemical or biological weapons against either allied coalition troops or any Middle East target.
The warnings had the desired effect and Mr Major, who was Conservative Party prime minister at the time, said that similar warnings would be passed on before any future strike against Iraq.
Mr Major said in a future war, the worst nightmare would be that Mr Saddam, facing defeat, might use his chemical or biological weapons.
'In a new war, we will be going in specifically to replace the Iraqi regime. Saddam will be gone,' Mr Major said.
'He will be dead. He will be in prison or he will be in exile.
'If he was cornered, would he try to create maximum chaos? Would he seek to use weapons of mass destruction?
'Would he use them on oil fields in the Middle East, to create economic chaos? Would he pass them to terrorist groups?
'Would he - perhaps the worst nightmare of also - try to use them on an adjacent capital?'
During the 1991 war, Iraq targeted Jerusalem with 39 Scud missiles, killing two people and injuring hundreds of others, in an attempt to drag Israel into the war.
Mr Saddam knew that if Israel joined the coalition forces, Arab support of the coalition might evaporate. The US persuaded Israel not to retaliate against the Iraqi attacks, supplying Patriot ground-to-air missiles to help destroy the Scuds.
Mr Major made his remarks about the nuclear deterrent in a public appeal to the current Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith to question Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair more closely over Iraq.
Mr Major asked: 'What is the exit strategy after the current Iraqi regime has gone? Who will replace them? How long will coalition troops stay in Iraq?
'Will Iraq split into pieces? Will there be chaos thereafter?'
He said these questions should already have been asked of Mr Blair.
