DATE=11/19/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-241918
TITLE=US/IRAQI OPPOSITION (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE UNITED STATES IS STEPPING UP ITS CONTACTS WITH IRAQI
OPPOSITION GROUPS, JUST DAYS AFTER PRESIDENT CLINTON ALL BUT
CALLED FOR THE OVERTHROW OF PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN. U-S
OFFICIALS SAY THEY WANT TO ENCOURAGE AN EFFECTIVE AND UNIFIED
OPPOSITION TO BAGHDAD. BUT ANALYSTS ARE QUESTIONING HOW
EFFECTIVE THE ADMINISTRATION'S APPROACH WILL BE. MORE FROM
CORRESPONDENT NICK SIMEONE.
TEXT: MARTIN INDYK, THE TOP AMERICAN DIPLOMAT FOR THE MIDDLE
EAST, MET WEDNESDAY WITH AHMED CHALABI, THE LEADER OF THE IRAQI
NATIONAL CONGRESS. HE HEADS AN UMBRELLA GROUP OF SADDAM HUSSEIN
OPPONENTS WHICH SUCCESSFULLY LOBBIED THE U-S CONGRESS FOR NEARLY
100-MILLION DOLLARS IN MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO GROUPS ALLIED
AGAINST BAGHDAD. NOW IT IS UP TO THE WHITE HOUSE TO DECIDE WHICH
GROUPS GET THAT MONEY AND HOW IT WILL BE SPENT.
STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN ADMITS SUCH DECISIONS ARE
STILL A LONG WAY OFF.
/// RUBIN ACT ///
WE ARE IN CONTACT WITH A BROAD ARRAY OF IRAQI OPPOSITION
GROUPS ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM -- INCLUDING KURDS,
SUNNI, SHIA -- IN AN EFFORT TO BUILD A STRONG AND UNITED
AND EFFECTIVE OPPOSITION. THIS IS GOING TO TAKE TIME
AND WE DON'T EXPECT TO HAVE RESULTS OVERNIGHT.
/// END ACT ///
IRAQI OPPOSITION GROUPS HAVE LONG BEEN HAMPERED BY IN-FIGHTING
AND A LACK OF MUTUAL TRUST, PERHAPS DRIVEN BY WELL-FOUNDED FEARS
OF GOVERNMENT INFILTRATION. TWO YEARS AGO, MORE THAN 100 IRAQI
DISSIDENTS OPERATING IN THE PROTECTED NORTH WERE EXECUTED BY
IRAQI AUTHORITIES AFTER BAGHDAD LEARNED THEY WERE BACKED BY THE
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY.
JAMES WOOLSEY, WHO SERVED AS PRESIDENT CLINTON'S FIRST C-I-A
DIRECTOR, IS NOW A CRITIC OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S POLICY TOWARD
IRAQ.
/// WOOLSEY ACT ///
IT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA TO SIMPLY SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF
MONEY ON OPPOSITION GROUPS. IT NEEDS TO BE PART OF AN
OVERALL STRATEGY. IF THEY HAD NOT CANCELLED THE
(MILITARY) STRIKE FOR LAST SATURDAY -- SO THEY HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE OUT THE AIR DEFENSES IN THE CENTRAL
PART OF THE COUNTRY -- THEN THEY COULD HAVE ESTABLISHED
A NO-FLY ZONE OVER THE WHOLE COUNTRY. THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT [GENERAL NORMAN] SCHWARZKOPF SAID IN 1991 HE HAD
BEEN SNOOKERED [FOOLED] OUT OF DOING BY SADDAM'S
MILITARY. BUT THAT WAS SEVEN-AND-A-HALF YEARS AGO AND I
THINK IT'S LONG PAST TIME TO GET UN-SNOOKERED.
/// END ACT ///
WITHOUT SUCH MOVES, MR. WOOLSEY SAYS, ANY OUTSIDE EFFORT TO
CREATE AN EFFECTIVE IRAQI OPPOSITION WILL LIKELY FAIL, SINCE
WHATEVER ALLIANCE TAKES SHAPE WILL BE OUT-GUNNED BY A GOVERNMENT
THAT HAS SHOWN NO HESITATION IN CRUSHING DISSENT. (SIGNED)
NEB/NJS/WTW
19-Nov-98 5:45 PM EST (2245 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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