US Intelligence Says Saddam Tape Probably Authentic
VOA News
18 Jul 2003, 21:54 UTC
A U.S. intelligence official says a new audiotape purportedly made by Saddam Hussein is probably authentic.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, says the tape was also likely recorded in recent days, indicating the former dictator survived the war in Iraq.
The tape was aired Thursday on Arab television station Al-Arabiya. The voice on the tape denounces Iraq's new Governing Council and urges Iraqis to fight the U.S.-led occupation of the country.
Meanwhile, a new report commissioned by the Pentagon says U.S. officials must bring order to Iraq quickly or risk losing all support from the Iraqi people.
The report, written by a team of five experts, says the next three months are crucial for addressing the "volatile" security situation in the country.
The report comes as U.S. military officials confirm a roadside bomb killed a U.S. soldier as he drove toward the Iraqi town of Fallujah. The U.S. military says the soldier's vehicle was blown off the road by a remote-controlled explosive device
Also Friday, the United States said it is willing to consider a new U.N. mandate giving the United Nations a bigger role in peacekeeping and reconstruction in Iraq.
A State Department spokesman says Washington is open to the idea, but adds the current mandate encourages nations to participate in Iraq's "stabilization."
The news came as the U.S. military said it has completed the latest operation (Operation Soda Mountain) to neutralize Iraqi insurgents who have been attacking U.S. forces. A military statement says coalition forces detained more than 600 people during the raids, including 62 leaders of the ousted Saddam Hussein regime.
Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
