Iraq should be treated as a 'poisonous snake'

IRAQ is not the military power it once was during its war with neighbour Iran but experts believe it should still be treated with caution.

One document published just over a year ago by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, stated Iraq is still relatively well-equipped, well-trained and strong by the standards of the region.

And with the possibility that Saddam may resort to non-conventional warfare such as chemical or biological weapons, it warns Iraq should be considered a "poisonous snake". "One does not play with poisonous snakes, wounded or not," it adds.

"One either kills them as safely and efficiently as possible or leaves them alone."

The report states that Iraq currently has more than 400,000 people in active service, of which 375,000 are in the army.

It also has the ability to mobilise 400,000 reserves who could fight. There are 2,200 main battle tanks, many of them the Soviet designed T-72 type, 3,700 other armoured weapons, 2,200 major artillery weapons and 70 to 90 armed helicopters.

There are also between 140 and 160 major surface-to-air missile launchers, between 500 and 700 light surface-to-air missile launchers and about 3,000 anti-aircraft guns.

It is believed Saddam has just over 300 combat aircraft at his disposal but only a third now consists of relatively modern models, mainly from the 1970s and 1980s, such as Soviet-era MiG fighters.

While some pilots are thought to perform well, overall training is said to be "outdated, unrealistic and incompetent", according to the report. Iraq's military has been known for its use of Scuds, the liquid-fuelled, short-range ballistic missiles.

Although it is not clear whether the notoriously inaccurate missiles are still in existence, it has been feared that Saddam has been trying to arm ones hidden from the inspectors with chemical or biological warheads.

The Republican Guard, which is said to make up about 60,000 of the army, are effectively the country's elite force and the ones most likely to be engaged in fighting.

Three of their six divisions are armoured with the rest being mechanised and motorised infantry. In turn, they are supplemented by the 10,000 or so men in the Special Republican Guard, who effectively guard Saddam.

They are unlikely, however, to be any match for British or US soldiers: their training is likely to have been affected by the sanctions and underfunding, leaving them with only the most basic equipment.