US 'bombs' Iraq with leaflets

The US air force dropped 240,000 leaflets over northern Iraq today, part of a psychological warfare campaign ahead of a possible war.

The leaflets, dropped near Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery batteries outside the city of Mosul, warned the Iraqi military against firing on coalition aircraft.

“Any hostile action by Iraqi air defences toward coalition aircraft will be answered by immediate retaliation,” the leaflets said. “Iraqi air defence positions which fire on coalition aircraft or activate air defence radar will be attacked and destroyed.”

Leaflets have also been dropped over Iraq’s southern no-fly zone.