DATE=12/16/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-243082 TITLE=PENTAGON / IRAQ -- WED UPDATE (L) BYLINE=JIM RANDLE DATELINE=PENTAGON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: A SENIOR U-S DEFENSE OFFICIAL SAYS THERE IS ABOUT A "50-50 CHANCE" THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL ATTACK IRAQ TODAY. THE COMMENT FOLLOWS A U-N REPORT THAT SAYS IRAQ IS NOT KEEPING PROMISES TO ALLOW FREE INSPECTIONS OF PLACES THOUGHT TO HIDE BANNED WEAPONS. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS, FROM THE PENTAGON. TEXT: PENTAGON OFFICIALS WON'T GIVE DETAILS OF POSSIBLE FUTURE AIR AND MISSILE STRIKES. BUT MILITARY EXPERTS SAY THEY WILL LIKELY FOLLOW PATTERNS OF PREVIOUS CONFRONTATIONS WITH BAGHDAD. THAT WOULD MEAN A WAVE OF ROBOT AIRCRAFT, CALLED CRUISE MISSILES, STRIKING IRAQI AIR DEFENSES AND THE COMMUNICATIONS NEEDED BY SADDAM HUSSEIN TO CONTROL HIS ARMY AND AIR FORCE. OTHER MISSILES WOULD LIKELY BE AIMED AT PLACES WHERE OFFICIALS SUSPECT WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION ARE HIDDEN. THE BARRACKS OF IRAQ'S REPUBLICAN GUARD, ELITE TROOPS SAID TO BE VERY LOYAL TO SADDAM HUSSEIN, ARE ANOTHER LIKELY TARGET. MILITARY EXPERTS SAY THE UNMANNED MISSILES LAUNCHED FROM SHIPS AND HEAVY BOMBERS WOULD PROBABLY BE FOLLOWED BY DOZENS OF MANNED STRIKE AIRCRAFT FROM THE U-S-S ENTERPRISE AND PERHAPS OTHER LOCATIONS. THE MANNED BOMBERS CAN CARRY THE LARGER, HEAVIER WEAPONS NEEDED TO PENETRATE HEAVILY PROTECTED BUNKERS LIKE THOSE THAT MAY BE SHELTERING IRAQ'S LEADERSHIP. PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY THE UNITED STATES HAS MORE THAN THREE HUNDRED CRUISE MISSILES ON SHIPS AND PLANES WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE OF IRAQ. THE SHIP-LAUNCHED MISSILES CAN TRAVEL 16- HUNDRED KILOMTERS AND CARRY A 450-KILOGRAM WARHEAD. AIR LAUNCHED MISSILES CARRY A WARHEAD TWICE AS BIG. U-S OFFICIALS HAVE SAID THE GOAL OF ANY U-S ATTACK IS TO DEGRADE, IRAQ'S ABILITY TO PRODUCE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. (SIGNED) NEB/JR/KL 16-Dec-98 2:13 PM EST (1913 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
