thedrifter
03-20-03, 10:58 AM
U.S: Strikes pave way for full-fledged attack
Intelligence officials study Saddam tape
Thursday, March 20, 2003 Posted: 11:32 AM EST (1632 GMT)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. and coalition forces followed Thursday's "decapitation attack" aimed at Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his leadership with a series of strikes to pave the way for a full-fledged attack and ground invasion, U.S. officials said.
Seven aircraft performing missions from the USS Abraham Lincoln dropped bombs Thursday over Iraq aimed at targets U.S. officials deem to be a threat, military officials said, adding that attacks would continue throughout the day.
Dubbed Operation Iraqi Freedom, the campaign opened shortly before dawn in Baghdad, with U.S. warships in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf firing about 40 satellite-guided Tomahawk cruise missiles, military officials said. F-117 stealth fighters, which each carry two 2,000-pound "bunker buster" bombs, also were involved in the strikes.
U.S. government officials said a private home outside Baghdad had been targeted after intelligence indicated a fix on the location of top Iraqi leadership -- including Saddam.
Intelligence officials expressed guarded optimism that the attack may have killed several senior Iraqi leaders, but it was not clear if Saddam was among them.
Iraqi television broadcast a taped message from Saddam that denounced the U.S.-led military campaign as "criminal" and said his countrymen would be victorious. He gave Thursday's date, March 20, as evidence his message was recorded after the coalition attack. (Full story, text of address)
U.S. intelligence specialists are examining the tape closely and said they do not know if it was authentic. It has been widely reported that the Iraqi leader has a number of body doubles to stand in for him from time to time at public events.
The White House said Thursday that no one in the U.S. government has drawn any conclusions about the tape.
One U.S. official said: "If Saddam did not die last night, it's got to leave him wondering about the loyalty of some of those around him that we hit the target we did."
The Red Cross reported that one person was killed and 14 people were injured in the strikes.
Iraq responded to the attack by firing at least four missiles into northern Kuwait, two of which were intercepted by U.S. Patriot missiles, U.S. military officials said. (Full story)
U.S. forces sounded numerous alerts in the hours after the strikes, sending troops at several bases scrambling for their chemical protection gear and running for bunkers.
The United States and Great Britain have massed nearly 300,000 troops in the Persian Gulf region. (U.S. and coalition Forces)
President Bush announced the start of the military campaign against Iraq in a televised address Wednesday night from the White House. (White House in war mode, text of address)
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/03/20/sprj.irq.war.main/index.html
Sempers,
Roger
Intelligence officials study Saddam tape
Thursday, March 20, 2003 Posted: 11:32 AM EST (1632 GMT)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. and coalition forces followed Thursday's "decapitation attack" aimed at Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his leadership with a series of strikes to pave the way for a full-fledged attack and ground invasion, U.S. officials said.
Seven aircraft performing missions from the USS Abraham Lincoln dropped bombs Thursday over Iraq aimed at targets U.S. officials deem to be a threat, military officials said, adding that attacks would continue throughout the day.
Dubbed Operation Iraqi Freedom, the campaign opened shortly before dawn in Baghdad, with U.S. warships in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf firing about 40 satellite-guided Tomahawk cruise missiles, military officials said. F-117 stealth fighters, which each carry two 2,000-pound "bunker buster" bombs, also were involved in the strikes.
U.S. government officials said a private home outside Baghdad had been targeted after intelligence indicated a fix on the location of top Iraqi leadership -- including Saddam.
Intelligence officials expressed guarded optimism that the attack may have killed several senior Iraqi leaders, but it was not clear if Saddam was among them.
Iraqi television broadcast a taped message from Saddam that denounced the U.S.-led military campaign as "criminal" and said his countrymen would be victorious. He gave Thursday's date, March 20, as evidence his message was recorded after the coalition attack. (Full story, text of address)
U.S. intelligence specialists are examining the tape closely and said they do not know if it was authentic. It has been widely reported that the Iraqi leader has a number of body doubles to stand in for him from time to time at public events.
The White House said Thursday that no one in the U.S. government has drawn any conclusions about the tape.
One U.S. official said: "If Saddam did not die last night, it's got to leave him wondering about the loyalty of some of those around him that we hit the target we did."
The Red Cross reported that one person was killed and 14 people were injured in the strikes.
Iraq responded to the attack by firing at least four missiles into northern Kuwait, two of which were intercepted by U.S. Patriot missiles, U.S. military officials said. (Full story)
U.S. forces sounded numerous alerts in the hours after the strikes, sending troops at several bases scrambling for their chemical protection gear and running for bunkers.
The United States and Great Britain have massed nearly 300,000 troops in the Persian Gulf region. (U.S. and coalition Forces)
President Bush announced the start of the military campaign against Iraq in a televised address Wednesday night from the White House. (White House in war mode, text of address)
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/03/20/sprj.irq.war.main/index.html
Sempers,
Roger