DATE=1/26/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244729
TITLE=IRAQ DEAD CIVILIANS - L  
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON  
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:



INTRO:   U-S OFFICIALS CONFIRM THAT AN AMERICAN MISSILE WENT 
ASTRAY MONDAY AND STRUCK A RESIDENTIAL AREA IN SOUTHERN IRAQ.  
IRAQI OFFICIALS SAY THE WEAPON KILLED ELEVEN CIVILIANS AND 
INJURED DOZENS MORE.  THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE U-S WARPLANES 
WERE ATTACKING IRAQI AIR DEFENSES NEAR BASRA.  V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE
REPORTS, THE STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL OF IRAQI AIR SPACE CONTINUED 
TUESDAY.



TEXT:  PENTAGON SPOKESMAN KEN BACON SAYS THE AMERICAN MISSILE WAS
AIMED AT AN IRAQI AIR DEFENSE SITE, BUT SWEPT PAST ITS INTENDED 
TARGET AND HIT A CIVILIAN AREA.

                        /// BACON ACT ///

 WE HAVE ANALYZED YESTERDAY'S (MONDAY'S) INFORMATION AND FOUND 
THAT AN A-G-M 130 (MISSILE) DID MISS ITS TARGET AND EXPLODE IN A 
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD SEVERAL KILOMETERS AWAY FROM ITS TARGET.

                         /// END ACT ///

MR BACON DENIED IRAQI CLAIMS THAT SEVERAL OTHER WEAPONS HIT 
NON-MILITARY TARGETS AS WELL.  HE SAYS U-S OFFICIALS HAVE NO WAY 
TO CONFIRM IRAQI REPORTS OF ELEVEN DEAD IN THE MISHAP.  MR. BACON
SAID THE U-S GOVERNMENT REGRETS ANY CIVILIAN DEATHS OR INJURIES.

IT IS NOT YET CLEAR WHAT WENT WRONG WITH THE ROCKET-POWERED 
900-KILOGRAM WEAPON, BUT THE A-G-M-130 IS STILL IN USE BY 
AMERICAN FORCES.

MONDAY'S INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE U-S AND IRAQI FORCES STRUGGLED 
TO DOMINATE IRAQI AIRSPACE.  THAT ACTION CONTINUED TUESDAY AS 
IRAQI RADARS TARGETED SEVERAL U-S PLANES AND AMERICAN PILOTS 
DROPPED MISSILES AND BOMBS ON IRAQI AIR DEFENSES.

IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, BAGHDAD'S FORCES HAVE BEEN USING RADARS, 
ANTI AIRCRAFT GUNS AND MISSILES AGAINST U-S AND BRITISH PLANES 
WITH GROWING FREQUENCY AND SOPHISTICATION.

TUESDAY, PRESIDENT CLINTON'S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SAID THE 
PRESIDENT IS GIVING U-S PILOTS PERMISSION TO STRIKE AT THE ENTIRE
IRAQI AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM, NOT JUST THE PARTS THAT ARE TARGETING 
AMERICAN PLANES AT A PARTICULAR TIME.

MR BACON SAYS THE GROWING INTENSITY OF IRAQI ATTACKS ON U-S 
PLANES PROMPTED THE NEW "RULES OF ENGAGEMENT."

                       /// BACON ACT  ///

 WHAT'S CHANGED HERE IS THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE 
IMPOSITION OF THE NO-FLY ZONE, IRAQ IS MOUNTING A VERY 
AGGRESSIVE, DETERMINED, DAY-IN AND DAY-OUT ATTACK AGAINST THGE 
PLANES PATROLLING THE NO-FLY ZONE.  AND WE ARE RESPONDING 
APPROPRIATELY TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF AGGRESSIVENESS FROM SADDAM 
HUSSEIN.

                         /// END ACT ///

WESTERN ALLIES BANNED IRAQI FLIGHTS FROM MUCH OF THE COUNTRY 
AFTER THE 1991 GULF WAR TO PROTECT DISSIDENT POPULATIONS FROM 
IRAQI AIR ATTACKS.  WASHINGTON AND LONDON SAY THEY ARE ENFORCING 
U-N RESOLUTIONS BANNING SUCH ATTACKS. BAGHDAD SAYS THE NO-FLY 
ZONES ARE ILLEGAL VOWS TO RETAKE CONTROL OF ITS SKIES. (SIGNED).

NEB/JR/WDC/PT  

26-Jan-99 5:13 PM EST (2213 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.