US Warns Public to Prepare for Loss of Life

WASHINGTON, March 19 — With hostilities looming, the White House spokesman said today that a war with Iraq would be as short as possible, but he warned Americans to be prepared for casualties.

"On the brink of war with Iraq, Americans should be prepared for what we hope will be as precise, short a conflict as possible, but there are many unknowns and it could be a matter of some duration," said Ari Fleischer, the White House press secretary. "We do not know."

"Americans ought to be prepared for loss of life," he said. "Americans ought to be prepared for the importance of disarming Saddam Hussein to protect the peace."

Mr. Fleischer's comments were among the most direct from the White House so far on the costs and risks of a war, which would be the first under the doctrine asserted by President Bush that the United States has a right to pre-emptively attack countries deemed to pose a threat.

Speaking about eight hours before the deadline that President Bush set for Mr. Hussein and his two sons to leave Iraq in order to avoid a war, Mr. Fleischer said that "we have not received, unfortunately, any indication from Saddam Hussein that he intends to leave the country."

That deadline passed at 8 o'clock Eastern time tonight, but the American-led forces showed no immediate signs of beginning a large-scale attack.

In Baghdad, Mr. Hussein made no public or televised appearances today, but other officials maintained the defiant tone he had set the day before.

Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz, appearing in part to dispel rumors that he had defected, denounced the American war plan as "a breach of international law, a breach of the Charter of the United Nations" and an "imperialistic" effort at "colonization." He dismissed as unrealistic the suggestion that United States-led forces might enter Iraq "without shooting one bullet."

An invasion was now certain, White House aides said, even if Saddam and his sons fled at the last minute. In that case, the American forces would still enter Iraq to assure order, find and destroy banned weapons, help rebuild, and lay the foundations for a new government, administration and military officials have said.

President Bush remained out of public view most of the day, meeting first with military advisers to review war plans and later with the mayor of New York, Michael R. Bloomberg, to discuss that city's preparations for possible terrorist attacks.

The White House today sent Congress a document offering a formal justification for war. The document, required by Congress in October when it passed resolutions to support a possible war, said that "peaceful means alone" would not protect the United States from any threat from Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, and could not assure Iraqi compliance with United Nations disarmament demands.

The eight-page document — formally known as a "presidential determination" — said that the forcible removal of the government of President Saddam Hussein was "not only consistent with, but is a vital part of, the international war on terrorism."

In London, Prime Minister Tony Blair said that there was now little choice but to force Mr. Hussein from power. On Tuesday night, Mr. Blair survived a bruising vote on his government's support for war with Iraq.

The White House has said that Mr. Bush plans to address the nation, and the world, in the event of war. His speechwriters have been preparing such a speech for days, aides said. But the White House would not hint at the possible timing.

"You aren't going to have much notice," Mr. Fleischer advised reporters early in the day.

Meanwhile, extraordinary security measures were being taken across the country.

California officials doubled patrols around bridges, airports, the water system, and power plants; ordered random searches of vehicles at the Los Angeles and other airports; sent more than 20 airplanes aloft for nonstop surveillance of sensitive sites; and placed police on 12-hour shifts. Divers checked the hulls of ships at Los Angeles harbor.

In New York, vehicles parked outside churches and synagogues were towed. Miami assigned additional police to patrol near synagogues and Jewish centers, as well as along the seaport.

The ripples of anticipated war were felt at almost every level. Some schools canceled field trips; ticket sales flagged on Broadway; planners of the Academy Award show on Sunday vowed to go ahead, but to mute the tone of the usual celebratory evening.

The British, too, prepared for possible terrorist attacks. The government urged people to stock up on canned food and batteries in case of national emergencies following such attacks.

In London, Mr. Blair said that Britain was working with Washington on United Nations resolutions to reconstruct Iraq after war, Reuters reported.

"We want to ensure any post-conflict authority in Iraq is also endorsed by a new United Nations resolution," Mr. Blair told parliament. "That will be an important part of bringing the international community back together again."

Eight Iraqi opposition groups pledged today to build a democratic system in postwar Iraq and vowed to preserve the country's territorial integrity, Agence France-Presse reported from Ankara. A joint statement following talks with American and Turkish officials also set the goal of `a fully representative and democratic government that meets international standards.`

The statement appeared designed in part to ease Turkish concerns that Iraqi Kurds, a major element of the Iraqi opposition, might move under cover of war toward full independence, a step that could encourage their ethnic brethren in Turkey to follow suit.

In Berlin, the Foreign Ministry said that Germany had expelled four Iraqi diplomats for activities considered incompatible with their diplomatic status, a phrase often used to invoke espionage. The United States has asked several countries to expel Iraqi diplomats.