Blair turns the screw on Saddam

A SHIFT of policy to topple Saddam Hussein has been agreed between President Bill Clinton and Tony Blair, it emerged last night.

Mr Blair yesterday fell into line with the tough message from Washington that the aim of US and British policy should be to remove the Iraqi leader from power, a shift from the previous emphasis on containing the threat from Iraq.

"We are looking with the Americans now at ways in which we can bolster the opposition and improve the possibility of removing Saddam Hussein altogether. I entirely share the sentiments President Clinton expressed on that point," the Prime Minister told MPs.

The two leaders were due to have more talks by telephone last night. Officials in London said the help for the Iraqi opposition would focus on propaganda, and broadcasting criticism of President Saddam's regime in Iraq. America has already set up Radio Free Iraq in Prague to broadcast news and propaganda to Iraqis.

There could also be a fresh blockade of oil shipments in the Gulf, following evidence that President Saddam is earning precious dollars to sustain his position by busting sanctions with extra oil sales.

Politicians in Washington and London said that as long as President Saddam remained in power, the threatened use of chemical or biological weapons in the Middle East would remain. But efforts to arm the opposition factions would represent a highly dangerous strategy, they added.

Both the Central Intelligence Agency and British security services have previously given assistance to the Iraqi opposition in its efforts to topple Saddam, but the results have been half-hearted and have had catastrophic results. Right-wing Republicans in the US Congress want to step up this strategy, and pushed through $97m (pounds 58m) in support for the Iraqi opposition earlier this year, including a provision that could allow surplus US military equipment to be used.

The London-based Iraqi National Congress (INC), one of the main opposition groupings, welcomed the British and American initiatives.

"We are certain that the Iraqi people will take heart from President Clinton's statement and are ready to take up that responsibility," said a statement.

Ahmed Chalabi, the head of the INC, was in Washington yesterday to gather support for his group's efforts to overthrow President Saddam.

"We need some resources and political support but the primary responsibility for liberating Iraq falls on the Iraqi people," he said. However, both Britain and the US have reservations about Mr Chalabi, and have backed other groups as well as the INC at different times.

Any move to overthrow President Saddam would cause widespread unease in the Middle East and among America's allies, and yesterday France was quick to criticise the effort. "It is not in the French political and diplomatic tradition to announce such plans for interference and action," said the Foreign Minister, Hubert Vedrine. "France insists on respecting Iraq's sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence," said a French foreign ministry statement.

Mr Blair warned that if there were more breaches of the fresh undertakings by Iraq, force would be used without warning. He also revealed how close British forces had come to action before the Iraqi climbdown.

Mr Blair said on Saturday morning he gave the final authorisation for air strikes later that afternoon, but Mr Clinton took the decision to delay the strikes soon after 1pm London time. According to reports in Washington, several of his advisors - including the Secretary of Defense, William Cohen, and Madeleine Albright, the Secretary of State - wanted him to press on, but he overruled them.