In the report, published on Monday by the CNA Corporation, a Virginia-based think tank, the former generals warned that climate change could trigger major security threats across the globe that will boost “civil strife, genocide and the growth of terrorism,” unless CO2 emissions are curtailed.

The group suggests weak governments will fall or be overthrown with the increased chaos of change, including higher water levels and food shortages. In many cases this would require US military forces to inhabit danger areas, putting more and more soldiers at risk.

“We can’t wait until we have absolute certainty, “ said General Gordon Sullivan, “we know that we never have 100% certainty and if we wait, we might wait too long.”

General Anthony Zinni, a former commander of US Central Command, countered George W’s assertion that the economy will suffer if the US curbs its gas emissions.

“We will pay for this one way or another,” he said. “We will pay to reduce greenhouse gas emissions today, and we’ll have to take an economic hit of some kind. Or we will pay the price later in military terms. And that will involve human lives. There will be a human toll.”