Desperate Saddam could attack America says CIA chief

CIA DIRECTOR George Tenet has told politicians Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, if provoked

Saddam might see it as "his last chance to exact vengeance by taking a large number of victims with him", Tenet wrote in a letter yesterday.

Tenet's assessment came as both the House of Representatives and Senate debated a resolution to authorise President Bush to use force against Iraq, and followed Bush's assertion the Iraqi leader might be planning a chemical or biological attack on US interests.

It is unlikely that such an attack by Saddam would come unless he felt cornered, Tenet's letter suggests. Nevertheless: "Iraq's increasing support to extremist Palestinians, coupled with growing indications of a relationship with al-Qaida, suggest that Baghdad's links to terrorists will increase, even absent US military action."

In a statement issued later, Tenet said there was "no inconsistency" between his letter and Bush's policy: "Although we think the chances of Saddam initiating a weapons of mass destruction attack at this moment are low in part because it would constitute an admission that he possesses weapons of mass destruction there is no question that the likelihood of Saddam using weapons of mass destruction against the United States or our allies in the region for blackmail, deterrence, or otherwise, grows as his arsenal continues to build."

Meanwhile, Sen Robert Byrd, a fierce opponent of the president's Iraq war resolution, was using parliamentary tactics to delay the measure. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said that could easily put off a final vote until next week. However, eventual approval of the administration-backed resolution appeared likely and was gaining broad bipartisan support in both chambers.

Both the House and the Senate worked into the evening on the measure and a final House vote was expected by late Thursday.

Secretary of State Colin Powell made appearances on both sides of Capitol Hill to urge lawmakers to pass the resolution with large bipartisan margins and without amendments. "I think the resolution is timely, and we need it now," Powell told reporters. He said it would help strengthen his hand at the United Nations Security Council.