Clinton warns Iraq

KUWAIT CITY (Reuter) - President Bill Clinton told Iraq yesterday that it would never again be allowed to threaten Kuwait. 'The United States and the international community will not allow Baghdad to threaten its neighbour, now or in the future. That is not a threat. That is a promise,' he told US troops, who had been rushed to the Kuwaiti desert to defend against a possible Iraqi repeat attack on the oil-rich emirate.

He delighted troops with a hint that they could be home by the end of December. 'Don't forget to do your Christmas shopping,' Mr Clinton told soldiers at a forward post, shortly after arriving from Israel on the last day of his Middle East tour.

Flanked by tanks, he told US, British, Kuwaiti and other Gulf Arab troops: 'We will not permit Iraq to enhance its capability below the 32nd parallel' -the line in southern Iraq below which Iraq is barred from flying its planes.