Bush's Letter Left on Conference Table 6 1/2 Hours;U.S. Officials Describe Tension, Some Lighter Moments of Baker-Aziz Meeting

When Secretary of State James A. Baker III got to the subject of war in his meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz, he was blunt but purposely vague. "I owe it to you, out of respect, to tell you what the consequences will be," Baker said. Referring to the Iraqis' eight-year-long, bloody war with Iran, he added, "Don't think if war comes, this will be parallel to your previous experience."

Baker did not get specific about the massive array of warplanes and missiles and high technology assembled by the anti-Iraq alliance in the Persian Gulf. Instead, according to a…