UPDATE ON IRAQI DISINFORMATION Filename:300143ja.91 CDSN = LGX658 MCN = 91030/02220 TOR = 910300145 OTTUZYUW RUEKJCS4270 0300143-UUUU--RUEALGX. ZNR UUUUU O 300143Z JAN 91 FM JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC INFO RUEADWD/OCSA WASHINGTON DC RUENAAA/CNO WASHINGTON DC RUEAHQA/CSAF WASHINGTON DC RUSNNOA/USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE RUFGAID/USEUCOM AIDES VAIHINGEN GE RHLBAAA/USCINCSO QUARRY HEIGHTS PM RUEOFAA/COMJSOC FT BRAGG NC//J2// RUEORDF/DIRAFMIC FT DETRICK MD//IS// RUCQVAB/USCINCSOC INTEL OPS CEN MACDILL AFB FL RUWSMXI/MAC INTEL CEN SCOTT AFB IL//IN// RUEOAYB/FSTC INTEL OPS CHARLOTTESVILLE VA RUEDBIA/CDR513THMIGP FT MONMOUTH NJ//IAM-IC-D// RHCGSRB/COMUSARCENT FT MCPHERSON GA//AFRD-DSO// RUEALGX/SAFE O R 300131Z JAN 91 FM USIA WASHDC TO ALL PRINCIPAL POSTS IMMEDIATE ALL POLADS POSTS IMMEDIATE RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA IMMEDIATE 6217 RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS IMMEDIATE 7817 RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN IMMEDIATE 1344 RUFHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV IMMEDIATE 5565 RHIPAAA/USCINCCENT RIYADH FWD IMMEDIATE RHIPAAA/USCENTCOM FWD RIYADH SA IMMEDIATE RUCJACC/USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE RUEHAL/AMCONSUL ALEXANDRIA IMMEDIATE 3417 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 5293 RUEADWW/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEADWW/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/JCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUCQVAB/USCINCSOC INTEL OPS CEN MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE RUEOACC/CDR4THPSYOPGP FORT BRAGG NC IMMEDIATE RUCWAAB/FBIS RESTON VA IMMEDIATE RUCBSAA/USCINCLANT NORFOLK VA IMMEDIATE RHDLCNE/CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON ENGLAND IMMEDIATE RUEHVC/AMCONSUL VANCOUVER IMMEDIATE RUEHON/AMCONSUL TORONTO IMMEDIATE RUEHIK/AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI IMMEDIATE RUEHWR/AMCONSUL POZNAN IMMEDIATE RUFHOM/AMCONSUL PALERMO IMMEDIATE RUFHOMN/AMCONSUL NAPLES IMMEDIATE RUEHWR/AMCONSUL KRAKOW IMMEDIATE RUFHOM/AMCONSUL GENOA IMMEDIATE RUFHOM/AMCONSUL FLORENCE IMMEDIATE RUFHMDB/AMCONSUL BARCELONA IMMEDIATE INFO RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI BT UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 USIA 04270 USIA STATE-PA, NEA/P, P/HELMAN, INR/AMR; DIA-OSC/6B, OSC/5C USCINCCENT RIYADH-PAA/DALGLIESH: USCINCSOC-SOJ9/BLAIR NSC-NDYKE; DOD-PA, OUSD/PPFS, DUSD/SP/PO; JCS-J33/SOD/PC CENTCOM REAR-CCPA; TAIPEI FOR CIS; GENEVA-UNHRC EO 12356 N/A /*********** THIS IS A COMBINED MESSAGE ************/ SUBJECT: UPDATE ON IRAQI DISINFORMATION REFERENCE: USIA 2882 1. SUMMARY. THIS CABLE, WHICH UPDATES AND REPLACES REFTEL, SUMMARIZES THE MAIN IRAQI DISINFORMATION CHARGES SINCE JANUARY 16, 1990 AND PROVIDES MATERIAL POSTS SHOULD USE, AS APPROPRIATE, IN COUNTERING FALSE IRAQI STORIES. NEA AND MUSLIM AREA POSTS UILL RECEIVE SUPPLEMENTARY CABLES CONTAINING NEW MATERIAL USEFUL IN COUNTERING FALSE IRAQI CLAIMS ON AN AD HOC BASIS. ALL POSTS WILL RECEIVE UPDATED VERSIONS OF THIS SUMMARY CABLE ON A WEEKLY TO BIWEEKLY BASIS. SUMMARY INFORMATION ON IRAQI DISINFORMATION FROM AUGUST 1990 TO JANUARY 15, 1991 IS CONTAINED IN REFTEL. END SUMMARY. ------------ 2. OVERVIEW ------------ IRAQ IS VIGOROUSLY SPREADING DISINFORMATION ABOUT THE COMBAT SITUATION IN THE GULF. THESE CHARGES USUALLY ORIGINATE IN IRAQI MEDIA AND HAVE BEEN WIDELY AND OFTEN UNCRITICALLY REPEATED BY SYMPATHETIC MEDIA IN YEMEN, ALGERIA, TUNISIA, JORDAN, AND, TO A LESSER EXTENT, MEDIA IN PAKISTAN, MOROCCO, MAURITANIA, BANGLADESH, AND OTHER COUNTRIES. IRAQI AMBASSADORS AND EMBASSY SPOKESMEN HAVE ALSO MADE BLATANT DISINFORMATION CLALMS IN MEDIA APPEARANCES WORLDWIDE. SOME DISINFORMATION STORIES SURFACE AS COVERT MEDIA PLANTS, SUCH AS A FALSE STORY IN THE PAKISTANI "MARKAZ" NEWSPAPER ON JANUARY 16. IT FALSELY CLAIMED THAT PAKISTANI SOLDIERS IN THE MULTINATIONAL FORCE HAD TURNED ON U.S. SOLDIERS, KILLING 72 OF THEM, WITH FIVE PAKISTANIS DYING IN THE EXCHANGE. ON JANUARY 18, ISLAMABAD RADIO REPORTED THAT THE PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT HAD DECIDED TO EXPEL THE IRAQI EMBASSY PRESS COUNSELOR FOR "ACTIVITIES INCOMPATIBLE WITH HIS DIPLOMATIC STATUS," INCLUDING INCITING PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS, AND "PROVIDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE PUBLICATION OF PROPAGANDA MATERIALS AGAINST THE STATE." RADIO MONTE CARLO IN ARABIC HAS ALSO BROADCAST DISINFORMATION STORIES. /****** BEGINNING OF SECTION 005 ******/ -------------------- 4. BABY MILK CLAIMS -------------------- THE CABLE NEWS NETWORK (CNN) WAS THE VICTIM OF AN IRAQI DISINFORMATION STORY ON JANUARY 23. CNN'S REPORTER IN BAGHDAD, WORKING UNDER IRAQI CENSORSHIP, BROADCAST A REPORT THAT AN INFANT FORMULA FACTORY HAD BEEN BOMBED BY THE MULTINATIONAL FORCE, A DISINFORMATION CLAIM THAT HAD FIRST BEEN MADE BY THE IRAQI NEWS AGENCY ON JANUARY 21. IN FACT, THE BUILDING CONTAINED A BIOLOGICAL WARFARE SITE. U.S. CENTCOM SPOKESMAN COL. GALLAGHER STATED ON JANUARY 23, "THIS FACILITY ... HAS MILITARY GUARDS AROUND IT, BARBED-WIRE FENCE, IT HAS A MILITARY GARRISON OUTSIDE. NUMEROUS SOURCES HAVE INDICATED THAT THE FACILITY IS ASSOCIATED WITH BIOLOGICAL WARFARE PRODUCTION." GEN. COLIN POWELL SAID, "IT IS NOT AN INFANT FORMULA PLANT. IT WAS A BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS FACILITY -- OF THAT WE ARE SURE." WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN MARLIN FITZWATER ADDED, "THE IRAQIS HAVE HIDDEN THIS FACILITY BEHIND A FACADE OF BABY MILK PRODUCTION AS A FORM OF DISINFORMATION." U.S. CENTCOM COMMANDER GEN. SCHWARZKOPF NOTED ON JAN. 27, "WHEN WE WENT AFTER THAT FACILITY WE WENT AFTER IT IN A PRECISION WAY, (AND) DAMAGED ONLY THAT PART OF THAT FACILITY THAT ... WAS A RESEARCH FACILITY FOR BIOLOGICAL WARFARE." FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT THE "BABY MILK" THEME HAVE BEEN A STAPLE OF IRAQI PROPAGANDA AND DISINFORMATION SINCE EARLY SEPTEMBER 1990. DURING DECEMBER 1990, THE IRAQI HEALTH MINISTER FALSELY CLAIMED THAT U.N. SANCTIONS PREVENTED MILK AND MEDICINE FROM BEING SHIPPED TO IRAQ, THEREBY CAUSING 1,416 DEATHS AMONG IRAQI CHILDREN LESS THAN FIVE YEARS OLD (HE SOON RAISED THE NUMBER TO 2,042). IN FACT, THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS ON SHIPPING MEDICINE TO IRAQ AND FOOD SHIPMENTS /****** BEGINNING OF SECTION 006 ******/ FOR HUMANITARIAN PURPOSES ARE ALSO ALLOWED UNDER U.N. PROCEDURES, WHICH IRAQ HAS REFUSED TO FOLLOW. ---------------------------------- 5. ALLEGED "CLASHES" BETWEEN U.S. AND MOSLEM COALITION FORCES ---------------------------------- THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL VERSIONS OF THIS STORY. AS MENTIONED EARLIER, A VERSION THAT SURFACED ON JAN. 16 FALSELY ALLEGED CLASHES BETWEEN U.S. AND PAKISTANI TROOPS. ON JAN. 22, THE IRANIAN NEWS AGENCY FALSELY CLAIMED THAT 100 SOLDIERS WERE KILLED IN A CLASH BETWEEN "AMERICAN TROOPS AND ARMIES OF MOSLEM COUNTRIES" NEAR DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA. THIS STORY WAS REPEATED THE SAME DAY BY THE CUBAN NEWS SERVICE PRENSA LATINA, THEREBY CIRCULATING IT THROUGHOUT LATIN AMERICA. IT WAS ALSO REPORTED IN TUNISIAN NEWSPAPERS ON JAN. 23. PHONY CLAIMS OF CLASHES BETWEEN U.S. TROOPS AND THOSE FROM VARIOUS MOSLEM COUNTRIES CAN BE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO SURFACE IN AN IRAQI EFFORT TO ANGER POPULATIONS IN THESE COUNTRIES. ------------------------------------------- 6. OTHER FALSE IRAQI DISINFORMATION CLAIMS ------------------------------------------- IRAQI SCUD MISSILES HAVE EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED "AMERICAN BASES" IN RIYADH AND DHAHRAN (RADIO BAGHDAD, YEMEN TV, JAN. 21). IRAQI MISSILES HAVE HIT THE ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTRY AND HAVE TURNED TEL AVIV INTO A "GHOST TOWN," ALLEGEDLY ACCORDING TO A "BRITISH CORRESPONDENT." (IRAQI NEWS AGENCY (INA), JAN. 20). MORE THAN 1000 ISRAELIS HAVE BEEN KILLED AND 2500 WOUNDED BY IRAQI SCUD MISSILE ATTACKS (IRAQI CHARGE D'AFFAIRES CITED IN ARGENTINE NEWSPAPER "LA NACION," JAN. 20). IRAQ HAS KILLED 6000 ALLIED TROOPS (IRAQI-FINANCED "INQILAB" NEWSPAPER IN BANGLADESH, JAN. 20). THE SAUDI ROYAL FAMILY HAS FLED TO MOROCCO ("AL-RA'YI" NEWSPAPER IN JORDAN AND "ECH CHURUQ" NEWSPAPER IN TUNISIA, JAN. 21.) THIS CLAIM WAS DERIDED AS "ABSOLUTELY UNTRUE" BY AN OFFICIAL SAUDI SPOKESMAN IN A STATEMENT TO THE SAUDI PRESS