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Politics : Did Slick Boink Monica? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Surething who wrote (4808)	2/5/1998 9:34:00 PM
From: Mr Metals	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 20981

Russian President Boris Yeltsin has said that the worst was over in the dispute, but again sounded a warning that U.S. military action could unleash a world war. India warns against military action in Iraq crisis NEW DELHI, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral has written to the United Nations chief to warn that military force against Iraq would only complicate the situation, the foreign ministry said on Thursday. ''Gujral has...strongly stressed that any military conflict would aggravate the enormous suffering which the people of Iraq have undergone because of the sanctions regime,'' the ministry said in a statement. A foreign ministry spokesman told reporters that the letter to Secretary-General Kofi Annan reiterated India's support for U.N. resolutions seeking to destroy weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The letter, which followed others to U.S. President Bill Clinton and leaders of the other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, said India was ready to contribute to the process of finding a peaceful solution to Iraq's reluctance to co-operate with U.N. arms inspectors. The United States, with support from Britain, has said it will use military force if Iraq refuses to back down on the inspections issue. Clinton was due to confer in Washington on Thursday with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, his closest ally in the crisis. Russian President Boris Yeltsin has said that the worst was over in the dispute, but again sounded a warning that U.S. military action could unleash a world war. Gujral's letter expressed particular concern for the plight of women and children in Iraq, who the statement said were the most adversely affected and the main victims of malnutrition and shortage of medical supplies. ''In this context, Prime Minister Gujral has expressed his appreciation to the U.N. Secretary General for...recommending expansion of the oil-for-food programme to ameliorate the acute hardships of the Iraqi people,'' the statement added. Gujral drew the U.N. chief's attention to the fact that disruption of peace and stability in the Gulf, where India has energy interests and a number of citizens, would have a ''serious adverse effect'' on India's economy and national welfare. The spokesman, noting that New Delhi was in touch at the highest levels with Iraq, said the letters were a serious attempt by India to engage in dialogue on the crisis. ^REUTERS@ 18:00 02-05-98 Mr M.

To: Surething who wrote (4808)	2/5/1998 9:37:00 PM
From: Mr Metals	Respond to of 20981

This sounds like pretty heavy chit. Third U.S. carrier joins Gulf force against Iraq By Barry May DUBAI, Feb 5 (Reuters) - The United States brought a third aircraft carrier into the Gulf on Thursday adding to the armada ready for possible military action against Iraq. ''The Independence, along with her escorts, has entered the Gulf,'' said Commander Gordon Hume, U.S. Navy spokesman at Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. The 80,000 tonnes Independence with 75 aircraft aboard and a battle group that includes a cruiser, a destroyer and a submarine joined an American fleet headed by the 95,000 tonnes nuclear-powered carriers Nimitz and George Washington already operating in the strategic waterway. The United States now has more than 150 strike warplanes and dozens of support aircraft aboard the three carriers in addition to about 175 other tactical planes at bases in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain. About 20 U.S. combat ships are in the Gulf. More American military firepower is arrayed within striking distance of Iraq than at any time since the 1991 Gulf War over Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. The Independence was ordered to the Gulf from the Pacific to replace the Nimitz, which has been flying daily patrols over Iraq since last year as part of Operation Southern Watch. Operation Southern Watch enforces a no-fly zone over southern Iraq declared by the United States and other Western powers in 1992. ''''Nimitz will depart when they're directed to but we're certainly going to ensure that an appropriate and comprehensive turnover is conducted,'' said Hume. A fourth Western carrier, Britain's Invincible, arrived in the Gulf last month with 19 Harrier jump-jets, five helicopters and an escort of other warships. Britain is the only country to actively support the U.S. arms build-up in the Gulf. France, which also keeps warships in the region, said on Thursday it would not join a strike against Iraq and would not extend logistic help to U.S. forces. In addition to the naval weaponry, the United States has a large air force based in Saudi Arabia and smaller air units in Kuwait and Bahrain. These forces include small stealth fighters, ground-attack aircraft and supersonic long-range bombers. U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright failed during talks with Saudi, Kuwaiti and Bahraini leaders this week to achieve a public commitment to let U.S. forces attack Iraq from their territory. The best she could get was agreement that Iraq would be responsible for ''grave consequences'' if diplomacy failed to persuade President Saddam Hussein to comply with United Nations resolutions on biological and chemical weapons. U.S. Defence Secretary William Cohen said on Wednesday he expected approval within the next day or two for additional U.S. troops, aircraft and ships to head to the Gulf region. He said Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni, chief of the U.S. Central Command with responsibility for the Middle East, had asked for additional resources and President Bill Clinton was reviewing the request. Defence sources in Washington said Zinni sought additional stealth fighters -- six of the radar-evading aircraft have been in Kuwait since last year -- other bombers and marines. Cohen and Zinni are due to visit Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates next week as part of contingency planning for any strike against Iraq. The six Gulf Arab oil states were allies in the U.S.-led coalition that expelled Iraqi occupation troops from Kuwait in 1991 but are reluctant to get involved in the present crisis. A British guided-missile destroyer, the Nottingham, on Thursday began a four-day visit to the Saudi Gulf port of Dammam. 16:45 02-05-98 Mr M. PS. I'm worried about my stocks going up and down a nickel here and a dime there but look what's going on out there.