DATE=9/12/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S/IRAQ (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-266413
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=



INTRO:  U-S Defense Department officials say they have 
stepped up their surveillance of Iraqi military 
activities.  From the Pentagon, V-O-A Correspondent 
Alex Belida explains why.


TEXT:  Pentagon spokesman Kenneth Bacon says U-S 
forces in the Gulf region have  not  seen any unusual 
Iraqi troop buildups or maneuvers.

But Mr. Bacon tells reporters there is genuine reason 
for concern and that is why surveillance activities 
have been increased.

            //BACON ACTUALITY //

      August, September and October tend to be the 
      times when Saddam Hussein historically has 
      either decided to attack his neighbors or attack 
      his own people.


            // END ACTUALITY //

While the number of patrols and other monitoring 
activities have been increased, Mr. Bacon says there 
has been no increase in the overall number of U-S 
forces in the Gulf.  Defense Department officials say 
there are currently some 20 thousand Americans in the 
region, mainly Air Force and Navy personnel.

Mr. Bacon says Iraq's armed forces have been severely 
degraded since the 1991 Gulf war. 

Still, the spokesman sidesteps a question about 
whether Iraq poses any kind of a real military threat 
- saying only that the main challenge Saddam Hussein 
would face in waging war against his neighbors is the 
continued presence of U-S and other allied forces in 
the area.  (Signed)

NEB/BEL/PT



12-Sep-2000 16:42 PM EDT (12-Sep-2000 2042 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.