Final Word from Monday, March 10, 2003
An attack on Iraq could come any day, and participation by Czech soldiers is more likely than government officials try to admit. Parliament's approved resolution allows for engaging the Czech anti-chemical unit if there's a credible threat of the use of weapons of mass destruction. An attack by U.S.-led forces might itself be seen as proof that the threat exists. U.S. officials in Prague say American companies should plan for operational contingencies in the event of war, and the same would apply to Czech firms if the CR got involved. The embassy advises companies to be vigilant and prudent in their security posture and to have a backup location in case of disruption at their primary site. Last summer's floods forced many companies to relocate quickly and, tragic as they were, provided a test run of what could conceivably be required in the coming weeks.