Libpcre/ PCRE MIPS cross compilation error

[midas.tidda]

I am rtrying to cross compile PCRE for a MIPS architecture. I need this as a requirement for snort cross compilation for MIPS architecture.
I keep getting this error
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/bin/sh ./libtool --mode=link /usr/bin/gcc -g -O2 -I. -I. -o dftables dftables.olibtool: link: unable to infer tagged configuration
libtool: link: specify a tag with `--tag'
make: *** [dftables] Error 1
-------------------------------------------------------------

This I get despite the setting of the variable CC_FOR_BUILD=/usr/bin/gcc while I am using the cross compiler for the rest.
The configure script arguments are .
CC_FOR_BUILD=/usr/bin/gcc ./configure --host=mips --prefix=/home/cross/wrt54g/pcre --with-pcap=linux


Someone please help. This is urgent and I have already spent 2 days searching google for this error but to no benefit.
Thank in advance

[sarumont]

Try using the option '--tag=CC'.

/bin/sh ./libtool --tag=CC --mode=link /usr/bin/gcc