DATE=12/17/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243154
TITLE=IRAQ / STRIKE (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=AMMAN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

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INTRO:  IRAQ IS REPORTED CALM AFTER A SERIES OF U-S AIR ATTACKS 
DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.  MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT SCOTT 
BOBB REPORTS FROM AMMAN, JORDAN, REPORTS FROM HOSPITALS IN IRAQ 
SAY TWO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED.

TEXT:  THE ATTACKS BEGAN IN THE EARLY HOURS BEFORE DAWN THURSDAY,
AND DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS THE SKYLINE WAS REPEATEDLY LIT 
BY EXPLOSIONS, AMID A WAIL OF AIR SIRENS AND THE THUD OF 
ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY.

AT DAWN, IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN BROADCAST A RADIO MESSAGE
SAYING SEVERAL TARGETS HAD BEEN HIT.  HE URGED IRAQIS TO KEEP ON 
FIGHTING WHAT HE CALLED THE ENEMIES OF GOD, THE NATION, AND 
HUMANITY.  THE MESSAGE UNDERSCORED THAT PRESIDENT SADDAM WAS 
UNHARMED AND STILL IN CONTROL.

THE ATTACKS FOLLOWED THE EVACUATION WEDNESDAY OF U-N WEAPONS 
INSPECTORS FROM IRAQ.  THEY LEFT THE DAY AFTER THEIR CHIEF, 
RICHARD BUTLER, ISSUED A REPORT SAYING IRAQ HAD BLOCKED 
INSPECTIONS MEANT TO ENSURE IRAQ HAS DISMANTLED ITS WEAPONS OF 
MASS DESTRUCTION.

THE U-S GOVERNMENT SAID LAST MONTH IT MIGHT ATTACK IRAQ WITHOUT 
ADVANCE NOTICE IF BAGHDAD FAILED TO COOPERATE FULLY WITH THE 
INSPECTIONS.  SUCH AN ATTACK WAS NARROWLY AVOIDED ONE-MONTH AGO, 
WHEN IRAQ RESUMED COOPERATION WITH THE INSPECTORS FOLLOWING A 
THREE-MONTH STANDOFF.

                       ///  REST OPT  ///

REACTION ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST WAS ONE OF ANGER, BUT OF LITTLE 
SURPRISE.  MANY PEOPLE SAID THEY EXPECTED MILITARY STRIKES AT 
SOME POINT.  MANY SAID ALTHOUGH THEY DID  NOT  SUPPORT THE IRAQI 
GOVERNMENT, THEY WANT TO SEE AN END TO THE SUFFERING OF THE IRAQI
PEOPLE.

THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN CALLED THE STRIKES UNACCEPTABLE AND SAID 
THEY WOULD WORSEN THE SUFFERING.

LEBANON'S NEW PRIME MINISTER,!SELIM AL-HOSS, CONDEMNED THE 
ATTACKS AND ASKED THAT ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAQ BE LIFTED.

OMAN EXPRESSED EXPRESSED DEEP SORROW OVER WHAT WAS CALLED -- THE 
RENEWED CONFRONTATION WITH IRAQ.

JORDAN, FEARING AN INFLUX OF REFUGEES SUCH AS OCCURRED DURING THE
GULF WAR NEARLY EIGHT YEARS AGO, ANNOUNCED IT WAS CLOSING ITS 
BORDER WITH IRAQ, ALTHOUGH WITNESSES SAID THE BORDER APPEARED TO 
BE OPERATING NORMALLY (THURSDAY).

THE ARAB NEWS MEDIA WAS WIDELY CRITICAL OF THE AIR STRIKES.  
SOME, LIKE "THE GULF TODAY" NEWSPAPER IN THE UNITED ARAB 
EMIRATES, BLAMED MR. BUTLER BY SAYING HE HAD PLUNGED THE REGION 
INTO WHAT IT CALLED -- AN AVOIDABLE CRISIS.

OTHERS, LIKE SAUDI ARABIA'S "AL-RIYADH" NEWSPAPER, SAID THE 
POLICIES OF THE BIG POWERS WERE NOT PURE AND, IN A REFERENCE TO 
ISRAEL'S REPORTED ARSENAL OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, IT SAID
THE POLICIES ARE NOT FAIR.

MANY BLAMED PRESIDENT CLINTON AND THE SCANDAL INVOLVING FORMER 
WHITE HOUSE INTERN MONICA LEWINSKY.  TEHRAN'S "IRAN DAILY" 
NEWSPAPER EDITORIALIZED THAT IF PRESIDENT CLINTON SURVIVES 
IMPEACHMENT, HE WILL REMAIN IN OFFICE, BUT  NOT  IN POWER.  THE 
GULF'S "KHALEEJ TIMES" PUBLISHED A LARGE HEADLINE STATING -- 
MONICAGATE STRIKES AGAIN.   (SIGNED)

NEB/SB/JWH/RAE

17-Dec-98 8:06 AM EST (1306 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.