DATE=1/26/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244719
TITLE=IRAQ / US POLICY - L
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE UNITED STATES HAS EXPANDED RULES OF ENGAGEMENT FOR
AMERICAN PILOTS ENFORCING THE NO-FLY ZONES OVER IRAQ. NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISOR SANDY BERGER SAYS THE PRESIDENT MADE THE CHANGE
TO GIVE PILOTS GREATER LATITUDE TO ATTACK IRAQI AIR DEFENSES.
U-S OFFICIALS SAY IRAQ IS CHALLENGING WESTERN PLANES MORE AND
MORE OFTEN. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS.
TEXT: MR. BERGER SAYS U-S PILOTS MAY NOW ATTACK ANY PART OF THE
IRAQI AIR DEFENSE NETWORK -- NOT JUST THE PARTS THREATENING
SPECIFIC U-S PLANES.
HE SAYS THE UNITED STATES IS RESPONDING TO "CONCERTED ATTACKS" BY
SADDAM HUSSEIN'S FORCES.
IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, BAGHDAD'S FORCES HAVE BEEN USING RADARS,
ANTI AIRCRAFT GUNS AND MISSILES WITH GROWING FREQUENCY AND
SOPHISTICATION AGAINST BRITISH AND U-S AIRCRAFT. DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAY SINCE DECEMBER, 20 SURFACE-TO-AIR
MISSILES HAVE BEEN FIRED AT U-S WARPLANES.
WHEN THE STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL OF IRAQI AIRSPACE FIRST INTENSIFIED
A FEW WEEKS AGO, U-S PILOTS WERE SHOOTING AT THE SPECIFIC RADAR
OR MISSILE SYSTEM THAT WAS TARGETING THEM.
THE POLICY CHANGE BECAME EVIDENT IN RECENT DAYS, AS U-S PLANES
FIRED ON A WIDER VARIETY OF IRAQI TARGETS. GENERAL ANTHONY
ZINNI, COMMANDER OF U-S FORCES IN THE PERSIAN GULF, SAYS THE
ENTIRE IRAQI AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM IS A THREAT TO U-S PLANES, SO THE
ENTIRE SYSTEM IS NOW A TARGET.
/// ZINNI ACT ///
THIS HAS BEEN A CLEAR INDICATION THAT THIS IS
ORCHESTRATED AND OBVIOUSLY IS PART OF THE DECLARED
OBJECTIVE BY THE IRAQ IN LEADERS TO VIOLATE THE NO-FLY
ZONE SANCTIONS AND TO SHOOT DOWN OUR PLANE THAT ARE
PATROLLING THESE ZONES. WE RESPONDED WITHIN OUR RULES OF
ENGAGEMENT BY DEFENDING OURSELVES AND ATTACKING THIS AIR
DEFENSE SYSTEM.
/// END ACT ///
TUESDAY, U-S WARPLANES WERE AGAIN TARGETED BY IRAQI RADAR NEAR
THE NORTHERN CITY OF MOSUL. THEY RESPONDED WITH MISSILES AND
PRECISION GUIDED BOMBS. NO WORD YET ON DAMAGE TO IRAQI TARGETS.
MONDAY, A SIMILAR MISSILE STRIKE APPEARS TO HAVE KILLED ELEVEN
CIVILIANS NEAR THE SOUTHERN CITY OF BASRA. IRAQI PRESIDENT
SADDAM HUSSEIN IS VOWING TO AVENGE THE DEATHS.
GENERAL ZINNI SAYS CIVILIANS WERE NOT DELIBERATELY TARGETED.
/// ZINNI ACT ///
WE DEEPLY REGRET ANY CIVILIAN CASUALTIES, REGARDLESS OF
WHAT THE CAUSE MAY BE, BUT THESE EXCHANGES HAVE BEEN
INITIATED BY SADDAM HUSSEIN. THIS HAS BEEN A DELIBERATE
ONSET OF REPEATED ATTACKS AGAINST OUR FORCES.
/// 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
AND WILL STEP UP RESISTANCE TO THE FLIGHT BAN. (SIGNED).
NEB/JR/LTD/JO
26-Jan-99 3:24 PM EST (2024 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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