DATE=1/26/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-244719  
TITLE=IRAQ / US POLICY - L
BYLINE=JIM RANDLE
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE UNITED STATES HAS EXPANDED RULES OF ENGAGEMENT FOR 
AMERICAN PILOTS ENFORCING THE NO-FLY ZONES OVER IRAQ.  NATIONAL 
SECURITY ADVISOR SANDY BERGER SAYS THE PRESIDENT MADE THE CHANGE 
TO GIVE PILOTS GREATER LATITUDE TO ATTACK IRAQI AIR DEFENSES.  
U-S OFFICIALS SAY IRAQ IS CHALLENGING WESTERN PLANES MORE AND 
MORE OFTEN.  V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS.

TEXT: MR. BERGER SAYS U-S PILOTS MAY NOW ATTACK ANY PART OF THE 
IRAQI AIR DEFENSE NETWORK -- NOT JUST THE PARTS THREATENING 
SPECIFIC U-S PLANES.

HE SAYS THE UNITED STATES IS RESPONDING TO "CONCERTED ATTACKS" BY
SADDAM HUSSEIN'S FORCES.

IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, BAGHDAD'S FORCES HAVE BEEN USING RADARS, 
ANTI AIRCRAFT GUNS AND MISSILES WITH GROWING FREQUENCY AND 
SOPHISTICATION AGAINST BRITISH AND U-S AIRCRAFT.  DEFENSE 
DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS SAY SINCE DECEMBER, 20 SURFACE-TO-AIR 
MISSILES HAVE BEEN FIRED AT U-S WARPLANES.

WHEN THE STRUGGLE FOR CONTROL OF IRAQI AIRSPACE FIRST INTENSIFIED
A FEW WEEKS AGO, U-S PILOTS WERE SHOOTING AT THE SPECIFIC RADAR 
OR MISSILE SYSTEM THAT WAS TARGETING THEM.

THE POLICY CHANGE BECAME EVIDENT IN RECENT DAYS, AS U-S PLANES 
FIRED ON A WIDER VARIETY OF IRAQI TARGETS.  GENERAL ANTHONY 
ZINNI, COMMANDER OF U-S FORCES IN THE PERSIAN GULF, SAYS THE 
ENTIRE IRAQI AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM IS A THREAT TO U-S PLANES, SO THE
ENTIRE SYSTEM IS NOW A TARGET.

                        /// ZINNI ACT ///

         THIS HAS BEEN A CLEAR INDICATION THAT THIS IS 
         ORCHESTRATED AND OBVIOUSLY IS PART OF THE DECLARED 
         OBJECTIVE BY THE IRAQ IN LEADERS TO VIOLATE THE NO-FLY 
         ZONE SANCTIONS AND TO SHOOT DOWN OUR PLANE THAT ARE 
         PATROLLING THESE ZONES. WE RESPONDED WITHIN OUR RULES OF
         ENGAGEMENT BY DEFENDING OURSELVES AND ATTACKING THIS AIR
         DEFENSE SYSTEM.

                         /// END ACT ///

TUESDAY, U-S WARPLANES WERE AGAIN TARGETED BY IRAQI RADAR NEAR 
THE NORTHERN CITY OF MOSUL.  THEY RESPONDED WITH MISSILES AND 
PRECISION GUIDED BOMBS.  NO WORD YET ON DAMAGE TO IRAQI TARGETS. 

MONDAY, A SIMILAR MISSILE STRIKE APPEARS TO HAVE KILLED ELEVEN 
CIVILIANS NEAR THE SOUTHERN CITY OF BASRA.  IRAQI PRESIDENT 
SADDAM HUSSEIN IS VOWING TO AVENGE THE DEATHS.  

GENERAL ZINNI SAYS CIVILIANS WERE NOT  DELIBERATELY TARGETED.

                        /// ZINNI ACT ///

         WE DEEPLY REGRET ANY CIVILIAN CASUALTIES, REGARDLESS OF 
         WHAT THE CAUSE MAY BE, BUT THESE EXCHANGES HAVE BEEN 
         INITIATED BY SADDAM HUSSEIN.  THIS HAS BEEN A DELIBERATE
         ONSET OF REPEATED ATTACKS AGAINST OUR FORCES.

                         /// 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 
AND WILL STEP UP RESISTANCE TO THE FLIGHT BAN. (SIGNED).

NEB/JR/LTD/JO

26-Jan-99 3:24 PM EST (2024 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.