Secretary Cohen's Year-End Interview with Pentagon Print Media, Jan 31, 1998 "So if one has to resort to military options, we should not overestimate what they would in fact achieve. They will be substantial, they are something that Saddam Hussein should understand, and something a great deal more than any pinprick that might have been delivered in the past. But what we hope to do is to curtail his ability to manufacture or reconstitute his weapons of mass destruction, and curtail his ability to threaten his neighbors."
Too close for comfort? By Rudy Purificato Air Force Research Laboratory Science & Technology Writer Leading Edge January '98 "Saddam Hussein built 19 'palaces' after the Persian Gulf War. We suspect these palaces may be sites where unauthorized material is hidden."
If U.S. Military Strike Doesn't Sway Saddam, What's Next? --
Thursday, January 29, 1998; Page A01 --
Preparing for what could be the biggest U.S. military strike since the 1991 Persian Gulf War and struggling to win international support for the use of force against Iraq, the Clinton administration has yet to decide what would follow a bombing campaign if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein refuses to back down, according to senior administration and military officials.
[EXCERPT] DoD News Briefing
Tuesday, January 27, 1998 - Situation in Iraq. There are a range of targets that are important to Saddam and that he may use to support his regime. Republican Guard units, special Republican Guard units that provide security forces, intelligence, command and control.
[EXCERPT] U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing -- JANUARY 26, 1998 -- IRAQ Weekend Mtg to Review Options / US Consultations With Key Allies and UNSC Members / Military Strike Option and Authority for Use of Force / Inability of UNSCOM to Carry Out Mission / Decision Made Under Chapter VII of Charter / Concern for Biological Weapons Capability / No Decision on Unilateral Actions Russian Amb at State Dept / Visit to Baghdad by Russian Envoy / Shared Concerns About Compliance with UN Resolutions / Secretary's Contacts / "One More Attempt" to Persuade Iraq to Comply Secretary's Travel re Iraq Issue
Decision to Strike Iraq Nears --
Saturday, January 24, 1998; Page A01 --
President Clinton and his senior national security advisers have concluded that a military strike against Iraq is likely within a few weeks unless Iraqi President Saddam Hussein stops interfering with the work of U.N. weapons inspectors, according to highly placed U.S officials.
[EXCERPT] U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing -- JANUARY 21, 1998 -- IRAQ Amb. Butler visit to Baghdad: Initial reports not encouraging UNSCOM investigations have been crucial Repeated Iraqi declarations have been proven wrong Not aware of recent contact between Secretary Albright and FM Primakov on Iraq Military option has not been ruled out Amb. Butler to report to UNSC on Jan. 23 U-2's unique capabilities could be supplemented by other governments' aircraft Long-term aim is to contain Iraq militarily
BRITAIN / IRAQ VOA 16 January 1998 --
BRITAIN IS SENDING AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER TO THE PERSIAN GULF AS THE STALEMATE BETWEEN IRAQ AND THE UNITED NATIONS OVER WEAPONS INSPECTORS CONTINUES.
IRAQ/U-N VOA 16 January 1998 -- THE UNITED NATIONS WITHDREW AN AMERICAN-LED TEAM OF WEAPONS INSPECTORS FROM IRAQ FRIDAY AMID A CONTINUING STAND-OFF OVER THE U-N'S EFFORTS TO ENSURE THE ELIMINATION OF IRAQ'S WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
U-S/IRAQ PULLOUT VOA 15 January 1998 -- THE UNITED NATIONS IS WITHDRAWING AN AMERICAN-LED WEAPONS INSPECTIONS TEAM THAT HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF THE LATEST CONFRONTATION WITH THE SADDAM HUSSEIN GOVERNMENT.
U.N. Urges Iraq to End StandoffThe Washington Post
Thursday, January 15, 1998; Page A25 --
The Security Council today condemned Iraq's latest obstruction of U.N. weapons inspections and called on Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to halt the confrontation that has brought Baghdad and the United Nations to the brink of renewed crisis.
U.S. Lines Up Backing for Iraq Face-Off --
The Washington Post Wednesday, January 14, 1998; Page A01 --
The Clinton administration once again marshaled its international allies to present a unified front against Iraq yesterday as the Baghdad regime carried out its threat to block a U.S.-led weapons inspection team and reignited a crisis that has bedeviled Washington for months.
CLINTON/IRAQ VOA 14 January 1998 -- PRESIDENT CLINTON HAS WELCOMED THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL STATEMENT CONDEMNING IRAQ.
CLINTON/IRAQ VOA 14 January 1998 --
PRESIDENT CLINTON IS PREDICTING A STRONG INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE IF IRAQ FOLLOWS THROUGH WITH ITS THREAT TO BLOCK WEAPONS INSPECTIONS BY A U-N TEAM DOMINATED BY AMERICANS.
IRAQ/U-N VOA 14 January 1998 -- THE SECURITY COUNCIL DEPLORED BAGHDAD'S DECISION TO PREVENT AN AMERICAN-LED TEAM OF U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS FROM CARRYING OUT ITS MISSION. BUT IRAQ'S DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER TARIQ AZIZ TOLD REPORTERS HIS GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BACK DOWN.
COHEN / IRAQ VOA 14 January 1998 -- DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS THE UNITED STATES WILL USE DIPLOMATIC MEANS, FOR THE TIME BEING, TO PRESS IRAQ TO OPEN ITS FACILITIES TO WEAPONS INSPECTORS.
COHEN / IRAQ VOA 14 January 1998 -- DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS THE UNITED STATES WILL USE DIPLOMATIC MEANS, FOR THE TIME BEING, TO PRESS IRAQ TO OPEN ITS FACILITIES TO WEAPONS INSPECTORS.
COHEN / IRAQ INSPECTORS VOA 13 January 1998 -- THE TOP U-S DEFENSE OFFICIAL HAS CONDEMNED IRAQ'S DECISION TO BLOCK WEAPONS INSPECTIONS BY A U-N TEAM.
IRAQ INSPECTIONS/REACT VOA 13 January 1997 -- THE U-N SECURITY COUNCIL IS PLANNING TO ADOPT A FORMAL STATEMENT IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO REMINDING IRAQ THAT IT CANNOT DICTATE THE TERMS OF U-N WEAPONS INSPECTIONS.
IRAQ/U-N VOA 13 January 1997 -- THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT TUESDAY CARRIED OUT ITS THREAT TO BLOCK THE WORK OF A GROUP OF U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS, RAISING FEARS OF ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL CRISIS OVER THE U-N'S EFFORTS TO VERIFY THE ELIMINATION OF IRAQ'S WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.
PENTAGON/IRAQ VOA 13 January 1998 --
THE U-S DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SAYS IT HAS NO PLANS TO SEND MORE TROOPS OR WEAPONS TO THE PERSIAN GULF TO DEAL WITH THE LATEST CRISIS IN IRAQ. OFFICIALS SAY A ROBUST FORCE IS ALREADY THERE.
ANNAN/IRAQ VOA 12 January 1998 -- THE U-N SECRETARY-GENERAL IS URGING IRAQ TO TAKE NO ACTION AGAINST WEAPONS INSPECTORS BEFORE CHIEF INSPECTOR RICHARD BUTLER ARRIVES NEXT WEEK IN BAGHDAD.
IRAQ / KURDS VOA 12 January 1997 --
THE TWO MAIN KURDISH FACTIONS BASED IN NORTHERN IRAQ HAVE BEEN LOCKED IN A BLOODY
POWER STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL OVER THE WESTERN-PROTECTED ENCLAVE. MEDIATION EFFORTS LED BY THE UNITED STATES TO END THE INTRA-KURDISH CONFLICT HAVE YIELDED FEW RESULTS.
IRAQ/U-N VOA 12 January 1998 -- THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT MONDAY ANNOUNCED IT IS HALTING THE WORK OF A TEAM OF UNITED NATIONS WEAPONS INSPECTORS, HEADED BY AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.
A NEW PLAN FOR IRAQ VOA 10 January 1998 -- A PLAN BY A FORMER U-S DIPLOMAT TO GET BADLY NEEDED FOOD AND MEDICINE TO IRAQ WITHOUT REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON SADDAM HUSSEIN.
IRAQ OIL VOA 07 January 1998 -- IRAQ HAS STARTED PUMPING OIL AGAIN INTO ITS NORTHERN PIPELINE, MOVING BAGHDAD ONE STEP CLOSER TO BEGINNING THE THIRD PHASE OF THE UNITED NATIONS SPONSORED OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM.
