Stormin' Norman: Don't rush into war

Schwarzkopf became famous during the last Gulf War

Former US Gulf War commander Norman Schwarzkopf has said a new war with Iraq has not yet been justified.

The thought of Saddam Hussein with a sophisticated nuclear capability is a frightening thought

Norman Schwarzkopf

General Schwarzkopf, who became known as "Stormin' Norman" during the 1991 Gulf War, called for United Nations weapons inspectors to be given more time to assess whether Iraq had any illegal weapons.

"I think it is very important for us to wait and see what the inspectors come up with, and hopefully they come up with something conclusive," he said in an interview with the Washington Post.

Interviewed at his home in Tampa, Florida, the 68-year-old retired general said he would like "better information" before he supported an invasion of Iraq.

"The thought of Saddam Hussein with a sophisticated nuclear capability is a frightening thought," he said.

"Now, having said that, I don't know what intelligence the US Government has."

'Nervous' about Rumsfeld

US President George Bush, speaking in his annual State of the Union address late on Tuesday, said he would present fresh evidence to the UN next week about Iraq's weapons programme.

General Schwarzkopf praised his former comrade-in-arms, US Secretary of State Colin Powell, but said he was "somewhat nervous" about comments made by the Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld.

"When he makes his comments, it appears that he disregards the Army," he was quoted as saying.

"He gives the perception when he's on TV that he is the guy driving the train and everybody else better fall in line behind him - or else."

General Schwarzkopf led US troops to victory in a UN-sanctioned allied military operation that followed Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

He served under President George Bush senior. At the time, Colin Powell was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and current Vice President Dick Cheney was defence secretary.

He remains close to the Bush family and campaigned in Florida with Mr Cheney during the 2000 presidential election, the Washington Post said.