ABOARD THE USS GEORGE WASHINGTON. Feb 1: The commander of a US battle group in the Gulf says US warplanes could launch continuous attacks against Iraq for weeks, reports AP.

Rear Adm. Michael Mullen spoke to reporters from the hangar deck of the USS George Washington, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier sailing about 100 miles (160 kilometers) off the southern coast of Iraq.

"If we are called on to respond militarily, we are very capable of doing that and in a very strong, very precise and very devastating manner", said Mullen. He commands the George Washington battle group which includes three other ships and a submarine.

' The George Washington and its sister ship, the USS Nlinitz. each carry 50 strike aircraft and are both within striking distance of Iraq. A third carrier, the USS Independence, is expected to arrive in the Gulf early next month.

The US carriers have conducted joint maneuvers with the British carrier HMS Invincible since its arrival in the Gulf on January 25.

The United States also has more than 300 other aircraft in Saudi Arabia. Kuwait and Bahrain but would need the ap-eroval of those countries before lunching any strike from their territory.

The United States has threatened to use force against Iraq if Baghdad continues to refuse to cooperate with UN weapons inspectors.

Mullen said pilots and ground crews aboard the carriers were training for a possible strike.

Reuter adds: DefencdSecfe-tary William Cohen on Saturday warned against "unreasonable expectations" from any US military raids on Iraq, saying no attempt would be made to destroy the country or depose President Saddam Hussein.

Cohen told reporters in a Pentagon interview that any

bombing and missile strikes by a major US force now in the Gulf would be "significant." but could not by themselves eliminate Iraq's ability to make chemical or biological arms.

"The United States has the power to do great damage. We also have the requirement that we act within certain guidelines." he said.

Another AP report says. Jordan s King Hussein and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, two of the United States' closest Arab allies, are cautioning Washington against using force in its confrontation with Iraq.

The United States and Britain have threatened attacks against Iraq if it refuses to allow UN weapons inspectors into sensitive sites.

Hussein reportedly told US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright that strikes against Iraq would harm civilians and set oack the Arab-Israeli peace process.