A satellite image shows one of Saddam’s palaces

LONDON, February 2 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – A U.S.-led war on Iraq would start with a "large bang" before an invasion after which Washington would move to “ensure security” in the oil-rich country, as U.S. Secretary of State Collin Powell is expected to reveal the U.S. “hard evidence” that Iraq was developing banned weapons.

The invasion of Iraq will start with a devastating bombing campaign ahead of a massive ground attack by thousands of troops from Kuwait, the U.K. daily Observer newspaper reported Sunday, February 2.

U.S defence and intelligence officials have drawn up a list of targets, including Saddam's home town of Tikrit, as well as key Ministries and properties owned by members of Saddam's family and senior Iraqi officials, the paper said.

As part of the air campaign, these sites will be destroyed as well as other targets such as formations of Saddam's Republican Guard, Special Republican Guard and police and intelligence services, it added.

“The war will start with an extremely large bang. You can expect Saddam's base of Tikrit to get a clobbering,' one U.S. hawk said.

The raids will take place immediately before attacks on two fronts - a large armored attack from within Kuwait and an airborne assault to “secure” Iraq's oilfields.

The U.S.-led military campaign would launch a ferocious opening air assault involving hundreds, or possibly thousands, of all-weather, satellite-guided bombs and cruise missiles combined with covert missions and psychological operations.

U.S. and U.K. marines are also expected to storm ashore on the Faw Peninsula and stop any missiles based there from being fired at Kuwait's oil terminals, the daily added. 

The current plan targets the "centres of gravity" that keep the Iraqi president in power, “his” weapons of mass destruction, the Republican Guard and his presidential palaces, CNN quoted U.S. defence officials as saying. 

Republican Guard, Biological Weapons Real Fight

However, the unnamed officials made it clear that the real fight would be with the Republican Guard at the gates of Baghdad.

Intelligence suggests that the guard will not fight for long - but possible resistance is still a significant threat that will require both M1A2 and British Challenger 2 tanks to counter it.

In the meantime, U.S. officials are concerned that the Iraqi president could order the use of chemical or biological weapons if he feels that his regime is threatened.

Ironically enough, the U.S. helped Iraq develop its chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs during the eight-year Iran-Iraq war in 1980s. 

According to the U.S. New York Times, the administration of then U.S. president Ronald Reagan covertly provided “critical battle planning assistance at a time when American intelligence knew that Iraqi commanders would employ chemical weapons in waging the decisive battles of the Iran-Iraq war.”

Psychological Warfare

The leaks, however, are also clearly part of an increasingly vigorous propaganda effort and a “psychological warfare” designed to further persuade Saddam and his key commanders that it is not worth fighting and that exile is the best option.

A second key target of the propaganda effort is opponents of the war in both the UK and Europe.

Officials hope to persuade them that the Allies are now so technically advanced that war can be carried out with a minimum of civilian casualties - a claim unlikely to persuade those with memories of the civilian casualties of the allied bombing of Serbia and Kosovo.

Details of the military planning appear to have been leaked to coincide with President Bush's assertions last week that he would 'welcome' the departure of Saddam and his family if that meant war could be avoided, suggesting renewed approaches to persuade him to quit voluntarily.

Add to that, U.S. aircraft dropped more than 2.2 million leaflets (according to U.S. Central Command figures) since Jan. 23 over Iraqi cities, asserting that U.S. and British forces ''do not wish to harm the people of Iraq,” and “ ''Saddam uses his soldiers as puppets, not for the glory of Iraq but for his own personal glory.”