DATE=12/17/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243210
TITLE=IRAQ / ATTACK (L-ONITER)
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE TOP U-S GENERAL, HUGH SHELTON, SAYS AMERICAN AND 
BRITISH WARPLANES HAVE HIT IRAQ HARD, FOR A SECOND NIGHT IN A 
ROW.  DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN SAYS THE BOMBS AND MISSILES
ARE AIMED AT WRECKING IRAQ'S WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.  
V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS FROM THE PENTAGON, THE LATEST ATTACK 
INCLUDED A WAVE OF AIR-LAUNCHED CRUISE MISSILES.

TEXT:  EACH OF THE ROBOT PLANES CAN CARRY UP TO 14-HUNDRED 
KILOGRAMS OF EXPLOSIVES AND LAND WITHIN METERS OF ITS TARGET.  
THIS VERSION OF THE CRUISE MISSILE HAS TO BE CARRIED TO WITHIN 
900-KILOMETERS OF THE TARGET BY B-52 BOMBERS, BASED ON THE 
BRITISH ISLAND OF DIEGO GARCIA, IN THE INDIAN OCEAN.

DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY UP TO 112 OF THE AIR-LAUNCHED MISSILES ARE 
AVAILABLE FOR THE IRAQ ATTACKS.  THEY WON'T SAY HOW MANY HAVE 
BEEN USED SO FAR, OR WHAT THEY HAVE HIT.

WHILE THE SECOND NIGHT'S ATTACKS BEGAN, DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM
COHEN WAS BRIEFING REPORTERS ON THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST NIGHT'S 
CAMPAIGN.  HE SAYS IN THAT EFFORT, 70 WARPLANES AND 200 MISSILES 
HIT MORE THAN 50 IRAQI TARGETS.

                        /// COHEN ACT ///

         OUR TARGETS INCLUDE IRAQ'S AIR-DEFENSE SYSTEM, ITS 
         COMMAND-AND-CONTROL SYSTEM, AIR FIELDS, AND OTHER 
         MILITARY INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES.  ONE THING 
         SHOULD BE CLEAR:  WE ARE CONCENTRATING ON MILITARY 
         TARGETS.  WE ARE  NOT  ATTACKING THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ.

                         /// END ACT ///

GENERAL SHELTON SAID SOME OF THE ATTACKS WERE VERY ACCURATE.  HE 
SHOWED REPORTERS AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF TARGETS, TAKEN BEFORE AND 
AFTER THE RAIDS.  SOME BARRACKS [MILITARY LIVING QUARTERS] 
HOUSING AN IRAQI REPUBLICAN GUARD UNIT WERE HIT HARD.

                       /// SHELTON ACT ///

         HERE ARE THEIR BARRACKS, SHOWN IN THIS AREA BEFORE THE 
         STRIKE ALONG WITH THE HEADQUARTERS AREA.  YOU SEE OVER 
         HERE THAT THIS HEADQUARTERS IS NOW RUBBLE.

                         /// END ACT ///

PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE PLANNED SEVERAL DAYS OF RAIDS.  
SECRETARY COHEN SAYS EVEN WHEN THE SCHEDULED ATTACKS ARE 
FINISHED, THE UNITED STATES WILL TRY TO "CONTAIN" IRAQ -- UNTIL 
AND UNLESS SADDAM HUSSEIN KEEPS PROMISES TO GET RID OF WEAPONS OF
MASS DESTRUCTION, AND ALLOW U-N EXPERTS TO VERIFY THE CLAIM.

TO HELP CONTAIN IRAQ, AND TO PREVENT ATTACKS ON IRAQ'S NEIGHBORS,
WASHINGTON IS DISPATCHING THOUSANDS MORE MILITARY PERSONNEL AND 
DOZENS OF ADDITIONAL AIRCRAFT TO THE GULF.  OFFICIALS SAY THE 
FIRST OF THOSE REINFORCEMENTS WILL BEGIN THEIR JOURNEY TO THE 
GULF ON FRIDAY.   (SIGNED)

NEB/JR/WTW

17-Dec-98 7:24 PM EST (0024 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.