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DATE=1/13/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244124
TITLE=IRAQ-WEDNESDAY - L
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO: U-S OFFICIALS SAY AMERICAN WARPLANES ATTACKED SEVERAL 
IRAQI ANTI-AIRCRAFT SITES WEDNESDAY, HITTING AT LEAST TWO OF 
THEM.  A PENTAGON SPOKESMAN SAYS IRAQ PROVOKED THE STRIKES BY 
FIRING A MISSILE AT THE PLANES PATROLLING IRAQ'S NORTHERN NO-FLY 
ZONE.  THIS IS THE SEVENTH CONFRONTATION BETWEEN ALLIED PLANES 
AND IRAQI FORCES SINCE DECEMBER'S AIR RAIDS ON IRAQ'S SUSPECTED 
HIDING PLACES FOR BANNED WEAPONS.  V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS 
FROM THE PENTAGON.
TEXT:  PENTAGON SPOKESMAN STEVE CAMPBELL SAYS COALITION PLANES 
WERE PATROLLING THE NORTHERN NO-FLY ZONE NEAR MOSUL, WHEN IRAQI 
FORCES POINTED SEVERAL MISSILE RADARS AT THEM.  HE SAYS "THERE 
ARE INDICATIONS" THAT IRAQI TROOPS FIRED AT LEAST ONE 
SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILE AT THE PLANES.
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL CAMPBELL SAYS U-S PLANES FIRED AT THE IRAQI 
SURFACE TO AIR MISSILE SITES.  HE SAYS THEY PROBABLY HIT AT LEAST
TWO OF THEM.
U-S AND BRITISH OFFICIALS DENY IRAQI CLAIMS THAT AT LEAST ONE 
AMERICAN PLANE WAS HIT.
OFFICIALS IN BAGHDAD SAID U-S AND BRITISH PLANES VIOLATED IRAQI 
AIR SPACE AND DROPPED AT LEAST FOUR BOMBS "ON CIVILIAN POSITIONS"
HITTING A HOUSE.
U-S OFFICIALS ALSO SAY SOME IRAQI PLANES WERE VIOLATING A "NO FLY
ZONE" BUT WERE NOT INVOLVED IN WEDNESDAY'S INCIDENTS.    
THE UNITED STATES AND ITS ALLIES SET UP THE NORTHERN NO-FLY ZONE 
IN 1991 TO PROTECT IRAQI KURDS AFTER A FAILED UPRISING AGAINST 
IRAQI LEADER SADDAM HUSSEIN. THE SOUTHERN ZONE WAS ESTABLISHED IN
1992 TO PROTECT SHI'ITE MUSLIMS FROM GOVERNMENT ATTACKS. BAGHDAD 
CALLS THE ZONES ILLEGAL AND A VIOLATION OF IRAQI SOVEREIGNTY. 
BAGHDAD STEPPED UP ITS MILITARY CHALLENGES TO THE ZONES AFTER 
DECEMBER'S ALLIED AIR RAIDS ON IRAQ.  THOSE STRIKES WERE AIMED AT
PUNISHING IRAQ FOR REFUSING TO FULLY COOPERATE WITH U-N WEAPONS 
INSPECTORS.  THE INSPECTORS WERE CHARGED WITH RIDDING IRAQ OF ITS
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND THE MISSILES NEEDED TO DELIVER 
THEM.
U-S OFFICIALS SAY WEDNESDAY'S INCIDENT IS PART OF AN INCREASINGLY
AGGRESSIVE IRAQI CHALLENGE TO THE NO-FLY ZONES.  THEY SAY BAGHDAD
HAS DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES IN THE FLIGHT 
EXCLUSION ZONES, AND IS USING THEM MORE AGGRESSIVELY AND MORE 
OFTEN. (SIGNED).
NEB/JR/TMD/JO
13-Jan-99 11:47 AM EST (1647 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.