Dont know why the sneeky beaky people spent years and millions developing the HPM. Bill Gates was able to do the same thing with Windows 2000 for a mere fraction of the cost!
Seriously now, there is no way that the US would use Nuclear Weapons in a pre-emptive strike. The most likely cause of a nuclear weapon being used in the region is if Iraq were to attack Isreal with a chemical/biological weapon, then as stated before, Isreal may retaliate.
I remember on a TV programme a few weeks ago it was alleged (or revealed I cannot remember which) that during Gulf War 1 the allies had battlefield nuclear weapons in theatre. Had Saddam used his WMD allies would have retaliated with a nuclear strike.
Off course there have been rumours that Gulf War syndrome was caused by the release of a chemical or biological weapon, either deliberately or inadvertently.