Invasion forces flew more than 600 bombing missions over Iraq on Thursday, stepping up the air campaign that had slowed because of bad weather, defense officials said.
They were hitting Republican Guard formations around the capital, Baghdad.
Still, Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks told a press conference Thursday morning at command headquarters in Qatar that the US, British invasion force remains "on plan."
US planes put attacks on the Republican Guard's Medina and Hammurabi divisions at the top of their target lists, reports said.
Meanwhile, Britain said on Thursday it had made a "significant" discovery of protective chemical suits in Iraq that showed Baghdad was ready to use weapons of mass destruction.
Military chiefs conceded there was nothing "offensive" in their find in the south of the country but said the cache of protective clothing discovered by British forces showed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was ready to use banned weapons.
"We do have evidence that the Iraqi regime is prepared to use weapons of mass destruction (WMD)," Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon told reporters one week into the Iraqi war.
"British forces have made significant discoveries in recent days that show categorically that the Iraqi troops are prepared for the use of such horrific weapons," he said.
Hoon conceded the latest find of clothing and documents was neither conclusive nor offensive but said the suits were "obviously to protect his (Saddam's) own forces."
Admiral Sir Michael Boyce, Britain's chief of defense staff, said of the British find: "There were numerous chemical weapons suits and respirators left behind and this kit was effective and in good working order.
"We have to ask ourselves why Iraqi commanders felt that infantry in this part of Iraq should be issued with weapons of mass destruction equipment.
"For reasons of security I can't tell where this find was made, other than that it was within the oil fields, but I can tell you that we estimate that there were upwards of some 100 suits across the site, along with other related equipment," he told reporters. (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
