Posted on 03/19/2003 9:09:20 AM PST by PlanoMike
'SADDAM'S LAST CHANCE'
British military chiefs in the Gulf have warned Saddam Hussein he is drinking "in the last chance saloon".
With just hours to go before the deadline for Saddam to leave Iraq, RAF planes and British troops across the region were awaiting the signal to attack.
A military source at Central Command in the Qatar desert said: "It's gone past last orders, it's chucking out time in the last chance saloon."
Military planners in the British headquarters remain undaunted by predictions of sandstorms and believe their vast array of hardware will cope with the weather.
They were also confident that troops will be able to cope with chemical weapons if they are used against them, as US intelligence fears.
Millions of leaflets have been dropped by British and US planes over Iraq urging Iraqi soldiers not to use chemical weapons and warning them of dire consequences if they do.
Across the region there was a sense of purpose as G-Day, the day of invasion, approached.
In the British command centre, battle plans are stored on laptop computers and sent by e-mail on a secure system.
One soldier in the British command centre said: "We are ready. Everyone knows what they're supposed to be doing and we will do it."
The Government has sent 30,000 British troops, warships and airplanes to the Gulf to back up American forces.
President Bush has given Saddam and his sons until 1am UK time on Thursday to go into exile or face military action.
Last Updated: 10:03 UK, Wednesday March 19, 2003
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