DATE=12/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243362
TITLE=IRAQ MONDAY (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=AMMAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: UNITED NATIONS RELIEF WORKERS SAY THEY HOPE TO RETURN TO
IRAQ IN THE COMING DAYS, AFTER EVACUATING ALL BUT ESSENTIAL STAFF
LAST WEEK DURING THE U-S AND BRITISH AIR STRIKES. VOA'S SCOTT
BOBB REPORTS FROM AMMAN THAT THE DEVELOPMENTS COME AS BAGHDAD
OFFICIALS SAY THOUSANDS OF IRAQI'S WERE KILLED OR WOUNDED IN THE
FOUR DAYS OF STRIKES.
TEXT: THE HEAD OF THE U-N HUMANITARIAN WORKERS IN IRAQ SAYS HE
HOPES HIS STAFF WILL RETURN WITHIN DAYS TO RESUME ASSISTANCE TO
IRAQIS WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM EIGHT YEARS OF ECONOMIC SANCTIONS.
MOST STAFF WERE EVACUATED TO JORDAN AFTER THE STRIKES BEGAN.
A U-N SPOKESWOMAN EARLIER SAID U-N WEAPONS INSPECTORS, WHO LEFT
FOR BAHRAIN HOURS BEFORE THE STRIKES BEGAN, WERE READY TO RETURN
-- BUT WERE AWAITING ORDERS FROM U-N HEADQUARTERS.
MEANWHILE, IRAQIS CONTINUED TO DIG OUT FROM THE RUBBLE LEFT BY
NEARLY 100 STRIKES. MANY EXPRESSED BOTH RELIEF AND DEFIANCE WHEN
THE STRIKES WERE OVER.
THESE FEELINGS WERE ECHOED IN THE IRAQI PRESS. THE OFFICIAL
"AL-QADISSIYA" NEWSPAPER SAID THE HEROISM OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE HAD
FOILED THE ATTEMPT TO BREAK THE BOND BETWEEN SADDAM HUSSEIN AND
HIS PEOPLE.
THE "AL-THAWRA" NEWSPAPER OF THE RULING BAATH PARTY SAID THE
AMERICAN AND BRITISH AGGRESSORS HAD FAILED TO ACHIEVE THEIR
CRIMINAL AIMS. AND THE INFLUENTIAL "BABEL DAILY" SAID THE STRIKES
WERE HALTED BECAUSE, HAD THEY CONTINUED FOR MUCH LONGER, THE
WHOLE ARAB NATION (GREATER ARAB WORLD) WOULD HAVE ERUPTED.
///REST OPT./// REACTION ACROSS THE ARAB WORLD WAS EQUALLY
CRITICAL.
THE ARAB LEAGUE CONDEMNED THE STRIKES AND ANNOUNCED MONDAY IT WAS
CONSULTING ITS MEMBERS ON THE PROSPECTS OF HOLDING AN ARAB SUMMIT
-- THE FIRST IN MORE THAN TWO YEARS.
IN A MESSAGE TO THE LONDON-BASED "AL-HAYAT" NEWSPAPER, EGYPT'S
LARGEST ISLAMIST ORGANIZATION, THE ISLAMIC GROUP, THREATENED TO
RETALIATE AGAINST U-S INTERESTS AND BLOW UP EMBASSIES OF KUWAIT,
ONE OF THE FEW ARAB GOVERNMENTS TO PUBLICLY SUPPORT THE AIR
STRIKES.
LEBANON'S "AN-NAHAR" NEWSPAPER CALLED THE STRIKES THE SILLIEST OF
WARS. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES' "AL-ITTIHAD" NEWSPAPER CALLED THE
OPERATION DECEITFUL. AND JORDAN'S "AL-RAI" NEWSPAPER SAID THE
STRIKES HAD UNLEASHED ARAB FURY ON THE UNITED STATES.
SOME NEWSPAPERS LINKED THE AIR STRIKES TO THE VOTE IN THE U-S
CONGRESS TO IMPEACH PRESIDENT CLINTON. MOROCCO'S "AL-ITTIHAD"
NEWSPAPER, FOR EXAMPLE, PUBLISHED A HEADLINE SAYING, "TOMAHAWK
MISSILES FAIL TO HIT U-S CONGRESS." (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/PCF/KL
21-Dec-98 11:55 AM EST (1655 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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