WASHINGTON, Dec 18: Top officers in the US military are warning civilian leadership that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein may not quickly fall in the event of an attack, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday.

The generals want the Pentagon to better develop a plan for a “worst case” scenario, which includes the possibility of Hussein concentrating his most loyal forces in Baghdad in an effort to draw US troops into urban fighting.

Marine Commandant General James Jones, scheduled to takeover NATO command in Europe in February, has said in the last week he is not optimistic Hussein can be quickly toppled, the newspaper reported.

Jones, along with Army boss Eric Shinseki, have questioned the position of Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, who has argued Hussein’s regime would rapidly collapse after a US military campaign begins.—dpa