Gen. Franks- U.S. forces training in Persian Gulf ready for Ira

KUWAIT -- U.S. troops are increasing their training with friendly forces in the Persian Gulf and are ready to act against Iraq if called upon, Gen. Tommy Franks, the head of U.S. Central Command, said Saturday.

Franks, who oversaw U.S. military action in Afghanistan, acknowledged increased military exercises in the Gulf region.

Asked whether U.S. forces in the region were ready for war, Franks said: "We are prepared to undertake whatever activities and whatever actions we may be directed to take by our nation."

But, he noted at a press conference wrapping up a 3-day visit: "Our president has not made a decision to go to war."

Franks made clear that regardless of the decision, U.S. handling of Iraq will differ from the course taken since a the 1991 Gulf War. Efforts since then have focused on containing Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and demanding compliance with U.N. resolutions through a low-key campaign of airstrikes on Iraqi targets.

"The only course of action that is not available to us is to continue the course of action that we've seen over the last 11 years, where we've seen United Nations' Security Council resolutions one after the other defied," Franks said.

On Friday, Kuwait's official news agency quoted Foreign Minister Sheik Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah as saying his country would back any U.N.-led action against Iraq, including military, but that Baghdad's recent decision to allow the return of weapons inspectors would avert another Gulf war.

Like other Arab nations, Kuwait publicly opposes any unilateral U.S. action.

While in Kuwait, Franks said he met with Defense Minister Sheik Jaber Mubarak Al Hamad and U.S. military officials at bases in Kuwait.

A few thousand U.S. Air Force personnel with a variety of strike and support aircraft are based at Kuwait's Al Jabar air base. Some aircraft are used to patrol a "no fly" zone over southern Iraq. U.S. personnel also are stationed at Camp Doha.

Franks said he congratulated Sheik Jaber on several recent weapons purchase commitments and praised the progress of the Kuwaiti armed forces over the past decade. Kuwait remains heavily dependent on U.S. military protection.

Earlier, Franks was in Qatar for two days to meet with officials and visiting U.S. soldiers stationed there. He was headed next to the United Arab Emirates and said he planned to spend a couple more days in the region after, but did not say where.