LONDON - The United States has asked Britain to contribute troops if war erupts in Iraq, top officials said yesterday.
"It's clear that only the credible threat of force and serious consequences are likely to elicit Iraqi cooperation and compliance," Philip Reeker, a State Department spokesman, said at a regular news briefing.
British lawmakers are scheduled to debate the Iraq situation next week in the House of Commons. Many are wary of joining a U.S.-led military action to disarm Saddam Hussein.
Prime Minister Tony Blair called the American request a general inquiry, not a specific request, and said Washington has sounded out many other nations in the same way.
"We have received the same general request as everyone else. We haven't received a specific request in relation to specific troop requirements," Blair said during a Commons question and answer session.
The United States has drawn up plans to invade Iraq with up to 250,000 troops if the country does not comply with the United Nations resolution calling on Iraq to get rid of its weapons of mass destruction.
Britain is a major U.S. ally, and its air force routinely joins U.S. warplanes in enforcing the "no-fly" zones in northern and southern Iraq.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense refused to give details of talks between Britain and the United States or to discuss the number of British troops requested. The British government is engaged in "contingency planning" for military action, he said.
News reports from Britain said Washington was asking about 50 countries what contribution they could make, and that Britain was asked to deploy about 15,000 troops to support any U.S. military action against Iraq.
British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon said the U.N. Security Council should consider whether Iraq has already breached the resolution by attacking British and American warplanes patrolling the no-fly zones this week. U.S. officials have said Iraqi anti-aircraft fire appears to be a violation.
"It is important that we recognize that this is an aggressive, belligerent state as far as our aircraft are concerned," Hoon said. "But it would be a matter for the Security Council to discuss once all the evidence had been amassed."
"It's clear that only the credible threat of force and serious consequences are likely to elicit Iraqi cooperation and compliance," Philip Reeker, a State Department spokesman, said at a regular news briefing.
British lawmakers are scheduled to debate the Iraq situation next week in the House of Commons. Many are wary of joining a U.S.-led military action to disarm Saddam Hussein.
Prime Minister Tony Blair called the American request a general inquiry, not a specific request, and said Washington has sounded out many other nations in the same way.
"We have received the same general request as everyone else. We haven't received a specific request in relation to specific troop requirements," Blair said during a Commons question and answer session.
The United States has drawn up plans to invade Iraq with up to 250,000 troops if the country does not comply with the United Nations resolution calling on Iraq to get rid of its weapons of mass destruction.
Britain is a major U.S. ally, and its air force routinely joins U.S. warplanes in enforcing the "no-fly" zones in northern and southern Iraq.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense refused to give details of talks between Britain and the United States or to discuss the number of British troops requested. The British government is engaged in "contingency planning" for military action, he said.
News reports from Britain said Washington was asking about 50 countries what contribution they could make, and that Britain was asked to deploy about 15,000 troops to support any U.S. military action against Iraq.
British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon said the U.N. Security Council should consider whether Iraq has already breached the resolution by attacking British and American warplanes patrolling the no-fly zones this week. U.S. officials have said Iraqi anti-aircraft fire appears to be a violation.
"It is important that we recognize that this is an aggressive, belligerent state as far as our aircraft are concerned," Hoon said. "But it would be a matter for the Security Council to discuss once all the evidence had been amassed."