DATE=01/27/99
TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP
NUMBER=6-11117
TITLE=SADDAM HUSSEIN
BYLINE=NELSON BROWN
TELEPHONE=619-2702
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
EDITOR=ASSIGNMENTS
CONTENT=
INTRO: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAQ HAVE PROMPTED U-S NEWSPAPER
EDITORS TO REVIEW UNITED STATES' AND UNITED NATIONS' POLICIES
REGARDING IRAQI LEADER SADDAM HUSSEIN. WE GET A SAMPLING NOW
FROM _____________ IN TODAY'S U-S OPINION ROUNDUP.
TEXT: AN EDITORIAL IN THE LOS ANGELES TIMES TOOK NOTE OF WHAT IT
DESCRIBED AS WASHINGTON'S NEW RULES OF ENGAGEMENT FOR U-S AIR
FORCE AND NAVY PILOTS PATROLLING THE NO-FLY ZONES OVER NORTHERN
AND SOUTHERN IRAQ. THE PAPER SAYS THE U-S PILOTS NOW HAVE WHAT
THEIR COMMANDERS HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR: PRESIDENTIAL AUTHORITY
TO CONDUCT MORE ASSERTIVE OPERATIONS IN RESPONSE TO INTENSIFIED
ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE AND INCREASING INTRUSIONS INTO PROHIBITED AIR
SPACE BY IRAQI FIGHTERS.
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES SAYS SADDAM HUSSEIN IS TRYING TO PROVE TO
HIS OWN PEOPLE AND OTHERS OUTSIDE THAT AFTER EIGHT YEARS OF
SANCTIONS AND ISOLATION HE IS NEITHER POWERLESS NOR INTIMIDATED.
BUT THE PAPER QUESTIONS WASHINGTON'S LATEST STRATEGY.
VOICE: THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS NEW STRATEGY IS NOT YET CLEAR.
THE PENTAGON HAS DECLARED SUCCESSFUL SOME OPERATIONS IN
WHICH RADAR AND ANTIAIRCRAFT SITES WERE BOMBED. AFTER
OTHERS IT HAS KEPT SILENT. THIS WEEK A MISSILE ARMED
WITH A TWO-THOUSAND POUND (900 KILOGRAM) WARHEAD WENT
ASTRAY AND HIT A CIVILIAN AREA, CAUSING CASUALTIES.
WASHINGTON EXPRESSED REGRETS, BUT IT IS NOT ABOUT TO
CHANGE ITS OPERATIONAL PLANS. THOSE OPERATIONS ARE PART
OF WHAT THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION DESCRIBES AS ITS
POLICY TO CONTAIN IRAQ. JUST WHAT CONTAINMENT INVOLVES
HAS YET TO BE SATISFACTORILY EXPLAINED.
TEXT: /// OPT /// THE LOS ANGELES TIMES SAYS THE MORE AGGRESSIVE
AIR OPERATIONS HAVE BECOME THE LEAD POLICY BY DEFAULT, IN THE
WAKE OF BAGHDAD'S EXPULSION OF THE U-N ARMS INSPECTORS AND THE
U-N SECURITY COUNCIL'S INABILITY TO AGREE ON WHAT TO DO NEXT. ///
END OPT ///
A DAILY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN NEW YORK CITY SAYS SADDAM HUSSEIN
IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING THE COUNTRY'S CIVILIANS IN HARM'S WAY.
IN THE WORDS OF THE "NEW YORK POST":
VOICE: A NATION THAT PLACES MILITARY TARGETS NEAR CIVILIANS IS
RESPONSIBLE IF, IN THE COURSE OF THOSE TARGETS BEING
ATTACKED, THE CIVILIANS ARE KILLED OR INJURED. IRAQI
FORCES IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS HAVE DRAMATICALLY STEPPED
UP THEIR EFFORTS TO PROVOKE THE AMERICAN AND BRITISH
AIRCRAFT ENFORCING THE NO-FLY ZONES THAT WERE
ESTABLISHED AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE GULF WAR.
ALLIED FORCES HAVE RESPONDED WITH ATTACKS ON IRAQI
ANTI-AIRCRAFT WEAPONS. THE FAULT IS SADDAM HUSSEIN'S.
THE BLOOD IS ON HIS HANDS.
TEXT: BUT THE WASHINGTON TIMES TAKES THE UNITED STATES TO TASK
FOR ITS RECENT PROPOSAL NOT TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF OIL IRAQ CAN
EXPORT UNDER ITS OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM. THE PAPER SAYS THE
PROGRAM IS NOT BENEFITING CIVILIANS HURT BY SANCTIONS. AND IT
NOTES WHAT IT CALLS A CONSENSUS AMONG ARAB COUNTRIES THAT IRAQ
DESERVES TO BE PUNISHED, NOT REWARDED, FOR ITS CONTINUED
NON-COMPLIANCE WITH NO-FLY ZONE RESTRICTIONS AND WEAPONS
INSPECTORS. THE WASHINGTON TIMES EDITORIAL SEES AN INHERENT
CONTRADICTION IN U-S POLICY:
VOICE: [THE UNITED STATES] HAS PROMISED 97 MILLION DOLLARS IN
U-S MILITARY EQUIPMENT TO ANTI-SADDAM IRAQI GROUPS. AND
IT HAS SPENT AROUND SEVEN BILLION DOLLARS TRYING TO
CONTAIN SADDAM HUSSEIN IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS. IT IS
TIME THE UNITED STATES DECIDED WHERE ITS HEART LIES. IT
CANNOT AGREE TO REWARD AND PUNISH IRAQ AT THE SAME
TIME...MONDAY'S BOMBING OF IRAQI TARGETS WAS AN ATTEMPT
TO SHOW THAT WE ARE STILL SERIOUS ABOUT CONTAINING
SADDAM HUSSEIN. IF THE UNITED STATES REAUTHORIZES THE
OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM IN MAY AND LIFTS THE OIL-EXPORTS
SANCTIONS, THE BOMBINGS WILL BE NOTHING BUT A HOLLOW
TRAINING EXERCISE.
TEXT: ANOTHER MAJOR NEWSPAPER IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL, THE
WASHINGTON POST, DIRECTS ITS CRITICISM AT THE U-N SECURITY
COUNCIL FOR NOT PAYING ENOUGH ATTENTION TO A REPORT FROM ITS
CHIEF IRAQI ARMS INSPECTOR.
VOICE: YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T HEARD OR READ MUCH ABOUT AMBASSADOR
RICHARD BUTLER'S LATEST REPORT TO THE [U-N] SECURITY
COUNCIL, AND THAT'S EXACTLY HOW THE SECURITY COUNCIL
WANTS IT TO BE. MR. BUTLER...SUBMITTED A 250-PAGE
DOCUMENT ON MONDAY THAT IS FULL OF UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTHS.
SECURITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MORE INTERESTED IN PLAYING
MAKE-BELIEVE THAN IN STANDING UP SADDAM HUSSEIN,
DISPARAGED THE REPORT, WITH RUSSIA AND CHINA LEADING THE
CLOSED-EYES BRIGADE. THEIR SUSCEPTIBILITY TO IRAQI
PROPAGANDA CAN'T CHANGE THE FACTS THAT MR. BUTLER AND
HIS ARMS CONTROL EXPERTS PRESENT IN STARK AND
UNEMOTIONAL DETAIL.
TEXT: THE WASHINGTON POST SAID THE REPORT DISPROVED THREE MYTHS:
THAT SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS DESTROYED HIS WEAPONS AND POSES NO
THREAT, THAT HE COOPERATED WITH THE WEAPONS INSPECTORS AND THAT
THE INSPECTORS SHOULD MOVE TOWARD A MORE PASSIVE MONITORING ROLE.
/// OPT /// THE PAPER CONCLUDES WITH A STINGING CONDEMNATION OF
FRANCE, RUSSIA AND CHINA'S POSITIONS IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL:
VOICE: THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB OF CHANGING THE SUBJECT -- OF
MAKING THE U-N INSPECTORATE THE VILLAIN RATHER THAN
SADDAM HUSSEIN. SADLY, A MAJOR CASUALTY OF THEIR
SOPHISTRY WILL BE THE SECURITY COUNCIL ITSELF, WHICH
MANDATED, WITHOUT ANY AMBIGUITY, THE DESTRUCTION OF
IRAQ'S BIOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND NUCLEAR WEAPONS
CAPABILITIES. BUT THIS ISN'T JUST SOME ABSTRACT QUESTION
OF CREDIBILITY. SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS USED THESE WEAPONS;
HE WILL USE THEM AGAIN. THE UNITED NATIONS CAN IGNORE
MR. BUTLER'S REPORT. THAT WON'T MAKE IRAQ'S MUSTARD GAS
ANY LESS HORRIFIC. /// END OPT ///
TEXT: AND WITH THAT COMMENT FROM THE WASHINGTON POST, WE
CONCLUDE THIS SAMPLING OF U-S PRESS OPINION ON THE INTERNATIONAL
RESPONSE TO IRAQ. (SIGNED)
NEB/NCB/GE
27-Jan-99 1:33 PM EST (1833 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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