The disclosure of the classified text follows newspaper reports that the planning for a war with Iraq focuses on using nuclear arms not only to defend U.S. forces but also to "pre-empt" deeply buried Iraqi facilities that could withstand conventional explosives.
For decades, the U.S. government has maintained a deliberately vague nuclear policy, expressed in such language as "all options open" and "not ruling anything in or out." As recently as last weekend, Bush administration officials used similar statements in public, consciously avoiding the word "nuclear."
"I'm not going to put anything on the table or off the table," White House Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr. said on NBC's "Meet the Press," adding that the United States will use "whatever means necessary" to protect its citizens and the world from a "holocaust."
But in the paragraphs marked "S" for "secret," the Sept. 14 directive clearly states that nuclear weapons are part of the "overwhelming force" that Washington might use in response to a chemical or biological attack.
Ernest, would you say this make the n in pre-empNt, a capital n even if pre empt is not spelled that way?:)
The disclosure of the classified text follows newspaper reports that the planning for a war with Iraq focuses on using nuclear arms not only to defend U.S. forces but also to "pre-empt" deeply buried Iraqi facilities that could withstand conventional explosives.
No, This is already just repetition. The LA Times came out with this unsubstantiated fear mongering claim last week and now someone at the WT chose to reference it. It wasnt worth repeating then or now. Its like the preverbal lie that makes it half way around the world before the truth gets off the ground.
Preemptive use of nukes is too big a policy change to be undertaken like this. This story is either the LA Times playing games or the Pentagon doing the same with Saddams people.
Well Dave, I believe NSPD 17 puts the N in the doctine quite sufficiently.
It's about time.
DefiNitily!!
Wonder if they faxed a copy to Saddam?