DATE=1/26/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244729
TITLE=IRAQ DEAD CIVILIANS - L
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: U-S OFFICIALS CONFIRM THAT AN AMERICAN MISSILE WENT
ASTRAY MONDAY AND STRUCK A RESIDENTIAL AREA IN SOUTHERN IRAQ.
IRAQI OFFICIALS SAY THE WEAPON KILLED ELEVEN CIVILIANS AND
INJURED DOZENS MORE. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE U-S WARPLANES
WERE ATTACKING IRAQI AIR DEFENSES NEAR BASRA. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE
REPORTS, THE STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL OF IRAQI AIR SPACE CONTINUED
TUESDAY.
TEXT: PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS THE AMERICAN MISSILE WAS
AIMED AT AN IRAQI AIR DEFENSE SITE, BUT SWEPT PAST ITS INTENDED
TARGET AND HIT A CIVILIAN AREA.
/// BACON ACT ///
WE HAVE ANALYZED YESTERDAY'S (MONDAY'S) INFORMATION AND FOUND
THAT AN A-G-M 130 (MISSILE) DID MISS ITS TARGET AND EXPLODE IN A
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD SEVERAL KILOMETERS AWAY FROM ITS TARGET.
/// END ACT ///
MR BACON DENIED IRAQI CLAIMS THAT SEVERAL OTHER WEAPONS HIT
NON-MILITARY TARGETS AS WELL. HE SAYS U-S OFFICIALS HAVE NO WAY
TO CONFIRM IRAQI REPORTS OF ELEVEN DEAD IN THE MISHAP. MR. BACON
SAID THE U-S GOVERNMENT REGRETS ANY CIVILIAN DEATHS OR INJURIES.
IT IS NOT YET CLEAR WHAT WENT WRONG WITH THE ROCKET-POWERED
900-KILOGRAM WEAPON, BUT THE A-G-M-130 IS STILL IN USE BY
AMERICAN FORCES.
MONDAY'S INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE U-S AND IRAQI FORCES STRUGGLED
TO DOMINATE IRAQI AIRSPACE. THAT ACTION CONTINUED TUESDAY AS
IRAQI RADARS TARGETED SEVERAL U-S PLANES AND AMERICAN PILOTS
DROPPED MISSILES AND BOMBS ON IRAQI AIR DEFENSES.
IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, BAGHDAD'S FORCES HAVE BEEN USING RADARS,
ANTI AIRCRAFT GUNS AND MISSILES AGAINST U-S AND BRITISH PLANES
WITH GROWING FREQUENCY AND SOPHISTICATION.
TUESDAY, PRESIDENT CLINTON'S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SAID THE
PRESIDENT IS GIVING U-S PILOTS PERMISSION TO STRIKE AT THE ENTIRE
IRAQI AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM, NOT JUST THE PARTS THAT ARE TARGETING
AMERICAN PLANES AT A PARTICULAR TIME.
MR BACON SAYS THE GROWING INTENSITY OF IRAQI ATTACKS ON U-S
PLANES PROMPTED THE NEW "RULES OF ENGAGEMENT."
/// BACON ACT ///
WHAT'S CHANGED HERE IS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE
IMPOSITION OF THE NO-FLY ZONE, IRAQ IS MOUNTING A VERY
AGGRESSIVE, DETERMINED, DAY-IN AND DAY-OUT ATTACK AGAINST THGE
PLANES PATROLLING THE NO-FLY ZONE. AND WE ARE RESPONDING
APPROPRIATELY TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF AGGRESSIVENESS FROM SADDAM
HUSSEIN.
/// END ACT ///
WESTERN ALLIES BANNED IRAQI FLIGHTS FROM MUCH OF THE COUNTRY
AFTER THE 1991 GULF WAR TO PROTECT DISSIDENT POPULATIONS FROM
IRAQI AIR ATTACKS. WASHINGTON AND LONDON SAY THEY ARE ENFORCING
U-N RESOLUTIONS BANNING SUCH ATTACKS. BAGHDAD SAYS THE NO-FLY
ZONES ARE ILLEGAL VOWS TO RETAKE CONTROL OF ITS SKIES. (SIGNED).
NEB/JR/WDC/PT
26-Jan-99 5:13 PM EST (2213 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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