US plans to strike Iraq in October

Diplomatic sources in Cairo said they expect the U.S. to direct a military strike at Iraq in October should Baghdad continue its refusal to cooperate with the special international committee, UNSCOM, investigating weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

The sources told ArabicNews.com Saturday that the "U.S.A informed France, Russia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Egypt that it expect to be supported in military operations against Iraq if Baghdad continued its current status."

The sources added that "Washington has reached an understanding with France and Russia concerning this matter after Washington's approval last February of changing its plan to strike at Iraq and allowing the United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan to meditate to solve the crisis peacefully."

The sources added, "In case of Iraq's insistence on its current status, the military operations will aim at weakening the Iraqi regime to the utmost degree in order not to defy the Security Council's resolution."