THE United States piled pressure on its reluctant allies last night, formally asking Nato members for military assistance in a possible war against Iraq.

Donald Rumsfeld, the US Defence Secretary, confirmed that America had tabled a proposal for six forms of support, including access to airspace, bases, ports and refuelling facilities, and was seeking permission to deploy missiles on Turkish soil.

The request came as the head of Nato’s parliamentary assembly gave warning of a widening rift between the US and some of the other 18 members of the alliance. “There is a growing gap in attitudes and perceptions between the Europeans and the United States,” Douglas Bereuter, who is also a US congressman, said. “This will endanger the consensus in Nato and this is just the sort of time when we can least afford a growing gap.”

Nato sources said that the allies had been asked to deploy Awacs early warning and surveillance aircraft and Patriot air defence missiles to protect Turkey, a Nato member and a likely base for US-led airstrikes on Iraq. The request also included using standing naval forces and minesweepers.

The timing of the proposals was sensitive, with political leaders and public opinion in many European countries opposed to a war with Iraq, at least in the absence of specific UN authorisation, and urging more time for UN arms inspections. Several allies, notably France and Germany, say that the US and Britain would need a fresh UN Security Council mandate to use force against Baghdad. Germany has ruled out participation in any attack on Iraq, but has opened its airspace to US military aircraft.

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