WASHINGTON, Jan 15: The United States has asked Nato to support possible military action against Iraq with AWACs radar surveillance aircraft, force protection and other means, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld confirmed Wednesday.

President George W. Bush has however made no decision to use force to disarm Iraq, Rumsfeld said.

“But it does take time to plan, and just as we’re planning with individual countries, it seemed appropriate, to the extent Nato wished to, to begin that planning process,” he told a Pentagon press conference.

Rumsfeld said the request which was taken up by the executive North Atlantic Council (NAC) in Brussels earlier Wednesday included force protection, AWACS, and other things.

He hesitated as to whether the support was non-combat in nature, noting that some allies already have indicated that they were prepared to participate in combat operations.

In Brussels, an official said the NAC had a general discussion of the proposal, describing it as being in early stages.

Besides AWACS radar surveillance planes, the US request set out plans for deployment of Patriot missile defense systems in Turkey and other military support if that key Nato ally were to come under attack.—AFP