The former war correspondent - who has covered 11 wars from Vietnam to Bosnia in his career - said a United Nations and Arab coalition was needed before any military action could be taken.

"I do believe Saddam Hussein to be one of the world's most dangerous men but there has to be support from the UN and Arab states," he said.

"But I just don't think it is something we should rush into until we have support at home and abroad.

"The US and the UK are not global policemen."

Mr Bell said his message came from his personal experience with British forces in the Gulf in 1992 - and the fact that former American and British commanders from that conflict had expressed concerns about resorting to military action to enforce weapons inspections.

He believed Saddam could still be persuaded with diplomacy - but not with sanctions.

"There is a chance words could work," he said. "They have sometimes worked in the past.

"Sanctions tend to hurt the little people. They hurt the civilians not those in power."

Mr Bell sought assurances from Defence Secretary George Robertson in the Commons on Monday that military action would not be used without the same home and foreign support enjoyed in 1992.

Mr Robertson promised there was complete unanimity in the UN Security Council and the allies of the US and Britain that Saddam Hussein must allow access to all sites suspected of holding weapons of mass destruction.

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