Iraq officially threatens Israel if U.S. attacks

[ Prophezeiungen & Aktuelles Weltgeschehen ]

Geschrieben von Freddie am 09. Dezember 2001 23:42:11:


Iraq officially threatens Israel if U.S. attacks

Tuesday, December 4, 2001


NICOSIA — For the first time, Iraq has specifically threatened Israel with
retaliation for any U.S.-led campaign against the regime of President Saddam
Hussein.

A senior Iraqi diplomat said Saddam has seven million combatants called the
Quds Army. The diplomat said Iraq would "swallow Israel up" if his country is
attacked.

"The Palestinian cause and liberation of Jerusalem as well as campaign against
Israel is a fundamental issue for Iraq, just like many other Islamic states,"
Iraqi charge d'affaires in Teheran Abdul Sattar Izzeddin Rawi said. The warning
came hours after Iraqi President Saddam Hussein convened his defense chiefs on
late Sunday. The Iraqi News Agency said the meeting focused on Iraqi
preparations for any U.S.-led war against Baghdad.

Last week, Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri suggested that Iraq would target
Israel. But Sabri did not mention Israel by name. On Monday, Deputy Prime
Minister Tareq Aziz said Iraq is prepared for a ground war should the United
States attack but did not threaten Israel.

At the same time, Rawi told the official Iranian news agency IRNA that Saddam
has sent three messages to the United States and its European allies. The
messages warned against any attack on Baghdad.

The diplomat said Kurds in northern Iraq would suffer greatly if they cooperate
in any U.S.-led effort to topple Saddam. For a decade, the Kurds have
maintained self-rule in the north.

Rawi warned that the United States would not achieve anything in an attack on
Iraq. He reiterated Iraq's refusal to allow the return of United Nations
weapons inspectors in his country.



Israeli military plans for Iraqi bio-chemical attack -- Syria equips Scuds with
chemical warheads

November 28, 2001

By Abraham Rabinovich
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

JERUSALEM -- The Israeli General Staff met Monday to discuss the possibility of
an Iraqi attack with chemical or biological weapons in retaliation for any U.S.
military attempt to unseat Saddam Hussein. The Israeli military brass are also
concerned about the prospect that such weapons could be delivered by suicide
bombers, according to reports yesterday by state-owned Israel Radio and Yediot
Achronot, the nation's largest-circulation daily. General Staff meetings are
routinely held at armed forces headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Speculation about a U.S. military attack on Iraq rose after President Bush
demanded Monday that Saddam allow U.N. weapons inspectors, who were expelled in
1998, to resume their search for chemical, nuclear and biological weapons of
mass destruction. When asked what he would do if Saddam rejected the demand,
Mr. Bush replied: "He'll find out." Yesterday, the Iraq government said it
would not allow the inspections to resume.

Israeli security sources said yesterday that Saddam is believed likely to
attack Israel with chemical or biological warheads if he feels that he and his
regime are about to go under. His missile capacity is far less than it was
during the Persian Gulf war a decade ago, when he fired 36 missiles with
conventional warheads at Israel. Those missiles caused considerable structural
damage but took only one life. It is, therefore, assumed he will seek a
more "efficient" result next time with unconventional weapons, particularly if
he has nothing to lose.

Iraq is believed to possess only five launchers and some 50 missiles. Israeli
military planners believe that Saddam will attempt to augment that potential by
preparing pilots for suicide attacks against Israel with unconventional
warheads. To meet the missile threat, Israel has in place an anti-missile
system, the Arrow, which it has developed but it has never been tested in
combat. Suicide air attacks would be dealt with by the Israeli air force.

During the Gulf war, the U.S. prevailed on Israel not to attack Iraq in
response to the missile attacks so as not to endanger the American-led
coalition, which included a number of Arab countries. The Israeli press
recently reported that Washington has told Israel that if Saddam attacks, this
time Israel will have a free hand to respond.

Meanwhile, a senior Israeli army officer said Monday that Syria has developed
advanced Scud missiles with a range of 300 miles that can hit almost any part
of Israel and are capable of carrying chemical warheads. Maj. Gen. Moshe
Ya'alon, the deputy chief of staff, said that the Syrians view their missiles
as a deterrent against Israeli attacks on their hinterland.

In an address in Jerusalem, Gen. Ya'alon said that the Palestinians have been
unnerved by Israel's resilience after more than a year of the Palestinian
uprising in which there have been some 9,000 attacks on Israeli targets.
Despite some 200 Israeli dead and 2,000 wounded, he said, morale of the Israeli
public remains high. Palestinian casualties are about five times as high.





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