ACCESSION NUMBER:00000

FILE ID:97020402.POL

DATE:02/04/97

TITLE:04-02-97  DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REPORT, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4



TEXT:

(Iraqi missiles) (220)



U.S. BELIEVES IRAQ IS HIDING SCUD MISSILES



Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon the U.S. believes that Iraq possesses an

operational capability of 18 to 25 Scud missiles, some of which have

been hidden.



"This is against the sanctions" levied against Iraq by the United

Nations following the Persian Gulf war," he said.



Bacon was answering questions prompted by a German newspaper report

suggesting that the U.S. might consider launching a cruise missile

strike against Iraq for developing missiles.



The spokesman said Iraq "has been notable" for its lack of compliance

with U.N. Security Council resolutions such as failing to grant full

access to U.N. inspectors, to return captured Kuwaiti equipment, and

fully account for missing Kuwaitis after the 1991 war. "We think it

would be wise," Bacon said, "for Saddam (Hussein) to comply" with the

resolutions. U.N. sanctions prohibit Iraq from building missiles.



While declining to describe what future U.S. military actions might be

taken, the spokesman said, "We have shown time and...again that we are

prepared to protect U.S. forces and...our interests in the Gulf."



He said the U.S. currently has a substantial force of between 20,000

and 21,000 U.S. military personnel in the region, indicating that

there is "nothing abnormal" about that level of force in the Gulf.

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