U.S. and British Forces in Persian Gulf Attack Iraqi Targets
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Clinton ordered a "strong, sustained series of airstrikes"
against Iraq on Wednesday in response to Saddam Hussein's
continued defiance of U.N. weapons inspectors.
Military officials said the punishing attack began with a volley of
long-range cruise missiles and would last up to four days.
Clinton, speaking to the nation from the Oval Office, said he acted "to
protect the national interest of the United States" and Iraq's neighbors in
the Middle East.
"Saddam Hussein must not be
allowed to threaten his neighbors with
nuclear weapons, poison gas or
biological weapons," he said.
In the charged political atmosphere of
the day, Senate Majority Leader
Trent Lott, R-Miss., criticized the
military action even before it was
formally announced.
"While I have been assured by
administration officials that there is no
connection with the impeachment
process in the House of
Representatives, I cannot support this
military action in the Persian Gulf at
this time," his statement said.
"Both the timing and the policy are
subject to question," he said in a
statement.
The House had been scheduled to
begin debate on four articles of
impeachment against Clinton on
Thursday, with votes likely on Friday.
House leaders were discussing
postponing impeachment votes in light
of the military action.
Asked about Lott's criticism, Defense
Secretary William Cohen said: "I am
prepared to place 30 years of public
service on the line to say the only
factor that was important in this
decision was what was in the
American people's best interests."
In contrast to Lott, outgoing House
Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., said
in advance of Clinton's announcement
he would support "whatever
appropriate steps" were
recommended by the president's
senior advisers.
The top two Democrats in Congress voiced their support for the attack.
"Saddam Hussein should make no mistake that despite domestic political
differences in the United States, the American people and Congress stand
firmly behind the defense of our nation's vital interests," Senate Minority
Leader Tom Daschle and House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt said in a
statement.
Clinton also made reference to the impeachment debate.
"Saddam Hussein and the other enemies of peace may have thought that
the serious debate currently before the House of Representatives would
distract Americans, weaken our resolve to face them down," he said. "But
once more the United States has proven that although we are never eager
to use force, when we must act in America's vital interests we will do so."
At the Pentagon, Cohen told reporters "the world knows it cannot trust
Saddam Hussein. The world does know it can trust the United States."
The defense chief added: "We did not use force lightly ... but Iraq has
exhausted all patience."
Clinton, noting that the holy month of Ramadan starts this weekend, said
the airstrikes were necessary now because "for us to initiate military action
during Ramadan would be profoundly offensive to the Arab world."
Clinton said the purpose of the attacks was to go after "Iraq's nuclear,
chemical and biological weapons and its military capacity to threaten its
neighbors."
The action was carried out jointly with the British, and Prime Minister
Tony Blair, addressing his nation, said it was given the code name
"Operation Desert Fox."
Clinton laid out five conditions last month that he said Iraq must meet to
avoid military strikes and said Wednesday that Saddam had failed to
cooperate on four of the five.
"I gave Saddam a chance, not a license," he said.
He added Iraq had been warned that military action would come "without
delay, diplomacy or warning."
Further, he said that because of Iraq's intransigence, the weapons
inspectors "are saying that even if they could stay in Iraq, their work would
be a sham."
At the Pentagon, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Washington, Prince
Bandar, consulted with Air Force Gen. Joseph Ralston, vice chairman of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Bandar declined to comment as he left the
building. Key elements of the U.S. forces arrayed against Iraq are based
in Saudi Arabia.
The report on Iraqi intransigence to
the United Nations from Richard
Butler, the chief U.N. weapons
inspector, clearly "raises a serious
concern about Iraq's willingness and
ability to comply with the
commitments they made in
mid-November," Lockhart said. The
spokesman said Clinton and his
advisers had consulted with
members of Congress.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a
member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said decisive action by
Clinton would win him public support.
"Obviously there will be those who will question his motives and timing,"
McCain said in light of the impeachment proceedings. But he said: "I think
he will receive significant support, because it's pretty obvious that Saddam
Hussein is neither complying nor cooperating."
Rubin laid out the rationale for a possible U.S. attack, from Iraq's past
record of noncooperation with the United Nations to its recent barring of
inspection of the office of the ruling Baath party, stripping suspect sites of
files and buzzing a U.N. helicopter involved in inspection work.
The array of U.S. air power poised to strike Iraq is even more extensive
than was assembled in November, when Iraq narrowly averted a U.S.
attack with a last-minute promise to cooperate with U.N. inspectors. The
goal was to significantly degrade Iraq's ability to reconstitute an arsenal of
nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and perhaps to cripple the
Republican Guard forces that are crucial to Saddam's hold on power.
State Department spokesman James Rubin said the administration has lost
hope that Iraq would reverse course and offer serious cooperation with
the U.N. weapons inspectors. He noted that Clinton had given Saddam a
reprieve in mid-November on the basis of a pledge of noninterference.
In the Gulf region already are 24,100 U.S. military men and women; 22
ships, eight armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles; and 201 military
aircraft, among them 15 Air Force B-52 bombers also equipped with
cruise missiles. The bombers are based on the Indian Ocean island of
Diego Garcia.
One aircraft carrier battle group is in the Gulf; another is on its way.
The U.N. Security Council met in emergency session Wednesday to
discuss chief inspector Butler's report that Iraq failed to cooperate fully
with U.N. monitors. The council met for about 90 minutes and agreed to
resume consultations later.
Butler ordered all staff from UNSCOM, the U.N. Special Commission,
and the International Atomic Energy Agency to leave Baghdad overnight.
Butler is chairman of the UNSCOM. |
