DATE=1/17/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=POWELL-IRAQ (S-ALTERNATE)

NUMBER=2-271491

BYLINE=DAVID SWAN

DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

//Eds: can be alternate to "Powell-Senate(S)" //

INTRO: Retired General Colin Powell says the new Bush administration, which he will serve as Secretary of State, will try to keep up pressure on Iraq. V-O-A's David Swan reports.

TEXT: Mr. Powell told senators (Wednesday) Mr. Bush hopes to reenergize sanctions on President Saddam Hussein. However, Mr. Powell spoke cautiously about helping the Iraqi opposition, especially at setting up operations inside the country.

// Powell act //

We had a bad experience in Kurdistan, the Kurdish area a few years ago, where we thought we were doing something good and discovered it all got rolled up (wiped out) pretty quickly and we don't want to repeat that mistake.

// end act //

The former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says President Saddam is still dangerous, though weakened in the decade since the Gulf War.

// Powell act //

Mr. Saddam Hussein can put a hat on his head and shoot a rifle in the air at an "Army Day" parade but it is fundamentally a broken, a weak country, one-third the military force it had some ten years ago.

// end act //

The Senate is expected to quickly confirm Mr. Powell to the secretary's post. (Signed)

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