Pre-Emptive Strike on Iraq: Count NATO Out

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The United States would not be able to involve NATO in a pre-emptive strike on Iraq because offensive action runs contrary to the founding principles of the North Atlantic alliance, officials said.

NATO invoked its Article V mutual defense clause for the first time the day after the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, but it was sidelined from the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan that followed.

An official at the 19-nation alliance said that although Article V is still "activated," Washington would have to prove a link between the hijacked airliner attacks and Baghdad for it to be used as a mandate for NATO strikes on Iraq.

"Article V was adopted for a very specific incident," said the official, who asked not to be named. "I don't think you can automatically presume that the situation we're talking about here (an attack on Iraq) would fit in this context."

But could Article V be re-invoked for strikes on Iraq?

"There is no chance," said the official. "We're talking pre-emptive action here and that's not part of NATO's doctrine."