Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE= 4/8/2003

TYPE=SPECIAL REPORT

TITLE=KUWAITI REACTION

NUMBER=9-008

BYLINE=WILLIAM CHIEN

DATELINE=KUWAIT UNIVERSITY

UNVOICED:

INTRO: British tanks have taken control the center of Basra, Iraq's second largest city. As these events were occurring, VOA reporter William Chien asked two English speaking military experts in Kuwait for their views on the battle for Basra.

TEXT: After securing the international airport outside Baghdad, coalition forces are now turning to the task of taking full control of the rest of the city. Not far from their minds are the stratagems used by the British forces in successfully taking control of Basra, Iraq's second largest city.

How did it happen that Iraq did not destroy any bridges or other infrastructure during its retreat from Basra? Dr. Sahmlan Al Easa directs the political science department at Kuwait University and thinks he knows why.

///EASA ACT///

I don't think they have had the opportunity to do this job.they were surprised by how soon they arrived.they surprised everybody by arriving.before anybody do anything.

///END ACT///

Easa says that for the same reason, the Iraqi military also had no opportunity to use chemical weapons. Of course, there may have been another reason.

///EASA ACT///

I think they have not had the opportunity or do not have it. The Americans threaten to use bigger bombs.

///END ACT///

Easa does not believe that U.S. forces will suffer heavy losses during the next step of their military plan. He said that even though the Iraqi army wants to engage in street fighting and to cause increased casualties in order to halt the advance of U.S. forces, it appears that Iraq's Republican Guard is falling back and may be disintegrating.

The significance of the British occupation of Basra is clear to Dr. Easa.

///EASA ACT///

The significance.the capital in the south, largest city after Baghdad.Shiite community in Iraq that means that Baghdad is next. It used to be the capital one day. Very significant because forces occupy.all major cities in the south collapsed.

/// END EASA ACT///

Dr. Ma'asooma Mubarak of the political science department of the University of Kuwait argues that the British army could have occupied Basra much earlier.

///MUBARAK ACT///

Delaying the entrance of British troops to Basra was in order to save the civilians and have less casualties among civilians. As long as Iraqi troops and Baath officials in Basra do not surrender, they didn't show any understanding or ability to surrender in the past week, so there is no way but to enter the city of Basra in the last two days.

///END ACT///

The British delayed the capture of Basra in order to give civilians time to escape to safer areas and to give the enemy an opportunity to surrender. Professor Mubarak also thinks he knows why there have been no uprisings on the part of local Shiite Muslims.

///ACT MUBARAK///

The Shiites are getting orders from both sides not to uprisefrom the American military headquarters and from the Shiite clergymen headquarters. During this time an uprising might harm any attempt or ability to rise. The two to three days in the US involvement in the war in Iraq the Shiites were still about what happened in 1991 because they were not sure if the US was serious and they did not want to repeat what happened in the past.

///END ACT///

She says that coalition forces do not want them to revolt because it would be difficult to distinguish Shiite rebels from Saddam Hussein's militia. Shiite Muslim religious leaders are also asking their followers not to revolt, because an uprising could yet bring disaster down upon the Shiite community and they do not wish to reenact the massacre that occurred after the 1991 Gulf War.

///OPTIONAL FROM HERE ON///

Mubarak also has strong ideas on who should have the leading role in post-Saddam Iraq.

///ACT MUBARAK///

I believe that the UN should have a greater role in such stage, not to form the new government but to participate with the US and Great Britain on how to do or go around in order to maintain peace and security after the fall of Saddam. And to set the agenda for rebuilding Iraq. And to send humanitarian aid to Iraq.

///ACT END///

She believes the reconstruction of Iraq is beyond the capability of the U.S. alone and a global effort to rebuild Iraq would be good for international unity. It might also help restore the image of the UN as a vital international institution. (Signed)