DATE=6/30/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-234813
TITLE=U-S / IRAQ (L)
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A U-S FIGHTER JET OVER SOUTHERN IRAQ HAS FIRED ON AN
IRAQI MILITARY TARGET AFTER IRAQI RADAR LOCKED ONTO A BRITISH
WARPLANE IN THE NO FLY ZONE OVER SOUTHERN IRAQ. WE GET DETAILS
ON THIS LATEST ESCALATION OF TENSIONS IN THE GULF FROM
CORRESPONDENT NICK SIMEONE AT THE PENTAGON.
TEXT: ONE OF FOUR BRITISH MILITARY JETS ON PATROL OVER IRAQ'S
SOUTHERN NO FLY ZONE WAS TRACKED TUESDAY BY IRAQI SURFACE TO
AIR RADAR, AN INDICATION OF A POSSIBLE MISSILE ATTACK. IN
RESPONSE, AN AMERICAN F-16 PILOT ON PATROL IN THE REGION FIRED A
RADAR-SEEKING MISSILE AT THE IRAQI TARGET NEAR THE SOUTHERN CITY
OF BASRA.
NO ALLIED AIRCRAFT WERE HIT, AND THE U-S F-16 SAFELY RETURNED TO
ITS BASE. IRAQ SAYS THE U-S MISSILE FELL SHORT OF ITS TARGET.
THE PENTAGON SAYS IT IS STILL ASSESSING DAMAGE FROM THE INCIDENT
AND CAN NOT SAY FOR SURE WHETHER THE U-S MISSILE DID, IN FACT,
HIT THE IRAQI MISSILE SITE.
DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN TOLD REPORTERS THE INCIDENT MARKS
THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS THAT IRAQ HAS LOCKED ITS RADAR ONTO
ALLIED WARPLANES ENFORCING THE SOUTHERN NO FLY ZONE. AND, HE
SAYS AT THIS STAGE, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TUESDAY'S ACTION OVER
IRAQ MAY BE THE START OF A NEW ESCALATION IN TENSIONS IN THE
GULF.
// COHEN ACT //
WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY EVIDENCE ON THE PART OF THE
IRAQIS ALTERING THEIR AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM. WE'VE NOT
SEEN ANY EXAMPLES OF HIGHER ALERT. WE HAVE NOT SEEN
THEM MOVING THEIR RADAR TRACKING SYSTEMS AROUND IN ANY
SORT OF AGGRESSIVE FASHION. SO IT MIGHT BE A SITUATION
OF AN ISOLATED EXAMPLE.
// END ACT //
STILL, IRAQ LABELED THE MOVE BY THE UNITED STATES EVIDENCE OF
ANOTHER ROUND OF AGGRESSION TOWARD BAGHDAD. ANY SUGGESTION THAT
THE UNITED STATES OR ITS GULF WAR ALLIES ARE LOOKING FOR A FIGHT
OVER THE SKIES OF IRAQ WAS DISMISSED BY SECRETARY COHEN.
// SECOND COHEN ACT //
THEY (COALITION AIRCRAFT) ARE SIMPLY ENGAGING IN THEIR
OWN SELF-PROTECTION AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WE HOPE THAT THIS WILL BE SEEN AS AN ISOLATED EXAMPLE
AND NOT SEE ANY ESCALATION ON THE PART OF THE IRAQIS.
// END ACT //
THERE ARE NO PLANS TO INCREASE THE U-S MILITARY DEPLOYMENT IN
THE GULF REGION, WHICH HAS BEEN SCALED BACK CONSIDERABLY SINCE
FEBRUARY. AT THAT TIME, IRAQ AND THE UNITED STATES WERE PUSHED
TO THE BRINK OF MILITARY CONFLICT OVER ACCESS BY THE UNITED
NATIONS TO SUSPECTED IRAQI WEAPONS SITES. SECRETARY COHEN SAYS
THE CURRENT U-S DEPLOYMENT IN THE GULF IS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF
RESPONDING TO ANY THREAT IRAQ WOULD POSE TO ALLIED FORCES.
(SIGNED)
NEB/NJS/MMK
30-Jun-98 2:58 PM EDT (1858 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
