London: The first raids on Iraq have only prepared the way for a major offensive
beginning "very shortly", British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said on March 20.
"These (raids) are preliminary operations only but certainly they are part of a
wider campaign that will be underway in time. You can expect further operations very
shortly," he told BBC Breakfast programme.
"This is simply a warning shot across the bows of the Iraqi leadership. They cannot
rest and they cannot hide. We will simply deal with them."
Confirming that the first strikes were targeting the Iraqi leadership, Hoon said
there was a "clear time table" for the start of the main military operation and UK
troops were "ready to go".
The initial strikes on targets in and around Baghdad were designed to hit part of
the sophisticated system of command and control centres used by Iraqi officials, he
said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tony Blair is updating his Cabinet about the start of war
against Iraq after meeting the key ministers and officials who will handle the
crisis.
Blair's war team includes Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, Chancellor Gordon
Brown, International Development Secretary Clare Short, Foreign Secretary Jack
Straw, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon, Home Secretary David Blunkett and Labour
Chairman John Reid.
PTI
