War starts with attempt to assassinate Saddam

War started in Iraq early today with a bold attempt to assassinate Saddam Hussein with cruise missiles and precision guided bombs.

The attack was launched 90 minutes after President Bush’s 1am (Irish time) deadline for Saddam to flee his country ran out.

But apparently Saddam survived. At 5.30am a man in military uniform resembling the Iraqi leader – who has used doubles in the past – went on Iraqi TV to condemn crimes against Iraq and humanity.

“It is the duty of all good people ... to defend this dear nation,” he said.

A US official, who described the raid as a “decapitation strike” said the attack on Baghdad and another target was aimed at killing Saddam at a location where he and other Iraqi leaders were located.

Another official said US forces launched a surgical military strike against a “target of opportunity” near Baghdad.

The start of Operation Iraqi Freedom used more than 40 Tomahawk cruise missiles – fired from a destroyer and a nuclear submarine in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf – and precision-guided bombs dropped from F-117 Nighthawks, the Air Force’s stealth fighter-bombers, military officials said.

Officials said the attacks were not a sign that the main air offensive against Iraq had begun. Rather, they were approved by President George Bush in response to time-sensitive intelligence on the whereabouts of Iraqi leaders – presumably including President Saddam Hussein.

Officials said it was possible that other limited attacks in various parts of Iraq could be launched over the next day, even before the main air assault begins.

Another senior defence official said two F-117A stealth fighter-bombers participated in the attack.

Each dropped two 2,000-pound bombs called Joint Direct Attack Munitions, which are guided by satellite signals.

They attacked a “small complex of buildings,” the official said. He added the attack was aimed at Saddam.

The bombs dropped by the planes are each twice as big as the sea-launched cruise missiles .

Three of the Tomahawks were launched from the destroyer Donald Cook in the Red Sea. The Navy released three pictures of the missiles being launched just hours after the attack.

In an address to the nation at 3.15am Irish time, President George Bush described the action as the opening salvo in an operation to “disarm Iraq and to free its people.”

“On my order, coalition forces have begun targeting selected targets of military importance to undermine Saddam Hussein’s ability to wage war,” the president said. ”These are the opening stages of what will be a broad and concerted campaign.”

“Now that conflict has come, the only way to limit its duration is to apply decisive force,” Bush said in his address to the nation.

“We will accept no outcome but victory.”

As he has many times in the run-up to war, Bush declared that the United States has “no ambition in Iraq except to remove a threat. Our forces will be coming home as soon as their work is done.”

Anti-aircraft fire and explosions were heard across Baghdad after air raid sirens went off in the capital at dawn.

The attack came at the end of an anxious day of waiting at the White House.

Bush scrutinised final battle plans and told Congress why he was poised to launch the largest pre-emptive attack in US history.

With the sun just rising, a handful of cars were speeding through the streets, but no pedestrians were out.

The military action began less than two hours after the clock ran out on a deadline set by President George Bush for Saddam Hussein and his sons to leave Iraq or face war.

The 48 hour deadline, set on Monday after attempts at a diplomatic solution failed, ended at 1am (Irish time) today.

The war was described as “a vital part of the international war on terrorism” in a formal notice sent to Congress by Bush.

After about a half hour, the fire from the ground and the explosions stopped, and the capital returned to the hush that reigned over the city throughout the night as the deadline neared.

The only sound heard was that of a mosque’s muezzin making the call for the faithful to come to dawn Islamic prayers.

Bush gave the attack go-ahead near the end of a three hour meeting with his war council – including Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The meeting ended about 45 minutes before the 1am (Irish time) deadline (8pm in Washington).

Aides said the group poured over weather forecasts and troop positions, and Bush acted on the advice of his military commanders.

The president then reviewed his address with his chief speechwriter and went to the residence for dinner with Laura Bush.

They were in the living room when White House chief of staff Andrew Card called to inform the president that intelligence officials had no information that Saddam had left Iraq.

Bush polished his remarks a final time and headed back to the Oval Office to deliver them to an anxious nation.

The attack came at the end of an anxious day of waiting at the White House.

Bush scrutinised final battle plans and told Congress why he was poised to launch the largest pre-emptive attack in US history.

The president stayed out of the public eye even as his 1am (Irish time) deadline for Saddam Hussein to leave his country or face war passed.

“The disarmament of the Iraqi regime will begin at a time of the president’s choosing," said his press secretary, Ari Fleischer, moments after the deadline passed.

The American people are ready for the disarmament of Saddam Hussein. They understand what’s at stake. The military is ready, the nation is ready and the cause is just.”

After meeting yet again with Pentagon officials, including Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Bush had just finished dinner and was in the living room of the White House residence with first lady Laura Bush when his chief of staff, Andrew Card, called.

Card informed the president hat intelligence officials had no information that Saddam had left Iraq.