18 December 1998
JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF CHAIRMAN SAYS AIR STRIKES CUT IRAQI ASSETS
(Shelton: U.S.-British air power focuses on 75 targets) (830) By Jacquelyn S. Porth USIA Security Affairs Writer Washington -- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Henry Shelton says U.S. and British air action against Iraqi military targets -- now in its third day -- has succeeded in reducing Saddam Hussein's military assets. The United States and the United Kingdom intend to use their military forces to reduce Iraq's military capabilities "as much as we possibly can," Shelton told reporters at a Pentagon news conference on December 18. Providing a still early analysis of incoming bomb damage assessment (BDA), the chairman said, "We certainly have reduced his assets." Shelton's analysis followed the launch of more cruise missiles in three days than were used during the entire "Desert Storm" military operation in 1991. His presentation also came after 200 strike and strike-support sorties which were flown on December 17. So far, "Operation Desert Fox" has concentrated on degrading the Iraqi president's ability to threaten his neighbors by conventional military and other means and to reduce his ability to produce weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems, manufacture long-range missiles, and deploy chemical weapons on conventional warheads. Despite a tremendous amount of Iraqi anti-aircraft fire, Shelton said, "our aircraft have enjoyed great success." Defense Secretary Cohen, who answered questions with Shelton, indicated that Iraqi missile fabrication facilities have been targeted, hit, and destroyed. These plants were singled out because they pose a threat to the region, he added. By the third day of the operation, Shelton said U.S. and British forces had moved against 75 targets. He said military resources have been marshalled against targets which are perceived to have the highest threat value, for example Iraqi long-range missile manufacturing capabilities. Speaking even while military strikes continued, Cohen said the military operation is "proceeding according to plan." So far, he added, "it is going reasonably well." While acknowledging Iraq's tactic of successfully moving many of its valuable military assets around the country, the secretary also pointed out that even if allied military air strikes missed the opportunity to hit them, the Iraqis would soon find out that their storage facilities are now destroyed. Cohen and Shelton confirmed that Iraqi radio and television broadcasting facilities have been targeted because they are used by Saddam Hussein not only as part of his command-and-control operations, but to convey propaganda. They also acknowledged a limited strike on a petroleum lubrication facility in Basra selected because it has been used for illegal oil shipments in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. Shelton indicated that U.S. and British forces "are continuing to attack a wide range of military targets" and displayed new black-and-white photo imagery showing the latest destruction in Iraq including a missile research and development facility. Video tapes of the bombing missions in Iraq shown for the first time at the briefing revealed an F-14 Tomcat strike against a critical Iraqi communications node. At a briefing following Shelton and Cohen's remarks, Rear Admiral Tom Wilson, director of intelligence for the Joint Chiefs, and Vice Admiral Scott Fry, director of operations, provided considerable detail about the kinds of targets which have been attacked in the past three days. They include surface-to-air missile sites, Special Republican Guard and hangar maintenance facilities, airfields supporting attack helicopters which have been used against Iraqi Kurdish and Shi'ia populations, and air defense systems. The Ibn al-Haythan missile research and development center, located north of Baghdad, was one facility singled out for attack because of its role in manufacturing shorter-range ballistic missiles and providing data useful to produce long-range missiles. Fry warned that military analysts are "only in the initial stages of looking at the BDA." BDA is divided into three phases and analysts are only beginning to examine a small percentage of the damaged targets sets in Phase One. Additional information will be released as the air campaign continues. The early statistics cited by Wilson and Fry show, for example, that of 11 weapons of mass destruction production facilities hit, none was severely damaged. Among the eight Republican Guard facilities attacked, only one was damaged severely. The briefing also made clear that Iraqi L-29 aircraft are being targeted because it is possible they could be reconfigured into unmanned vehicles for reconnaissance purposes or, possibly, to deliver weapons of mass destruction. Both officers were asked if there had been any surprises so far. While Wilson said no, Fry indicated that he had been surprised by the complete lack of military response -- beyond anti-aircraft fire -- by the Iraqis. He attributed this to self-preservation. He also noted that Iraqi military units in the south of the country were barraged with leaflets in Arabic advising them they would not be harmed if they did not take action against allied forces or neighboring countries.
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