FWD: IRAQ - THE OFFENSIVE HAS ALREADY STARTED

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Can't resist - from the Russian "Pravda":

IRAQ - THE OFFENSIVE HAS ALREADY STARTED

American military forces have landed in Iraq, on the territory of the
northern no-fly zone near the Turkish border. They want to examine
the opportunities for a military campaign, Sankei Shimbun, a Japanese
newspaper has informed with a reference to well-informed sources in
the Pentagon.

The US special elements are to establish contacts with forces in
opposition to Iraq's president, organize the training of soldiers
in Iraq's north and south, make arrangements for the supply of
weapons, etc. The USA considers Iraq's internal opposition to be
the key force in the struggle with Iraqi legal authorities. They
plan to beset Baghdad from the north and south and expect to profit
by subversions inside the country. Iraq is not like Afghanistan.

Reuters informs that in response, Iraqi representatives made an
official statement that the country was "the central victim of
global terrorism" and would fall victim to US-financed terrorist
attacks. The USA has spent millions of dollars on mercenaries
for the organization of diversions and acts of terrorism on Iraq's
territory. In particular, the movement in opposition to Baghdad
called the "Iraqi National Council" is quite a real force already.
According to some sources, it has up to 40,000 soldiers. They are
stationed in the north of the country.

Iraq has sent a report to the UN Security Council informing that
Baghdad has observed the majority of the international conventions
on struggle with terrorism and even plans cooperate in this sphere.
Moreover, Iraq's government has taken special measures for the
struggle against terrorism, as is stipulated by the Security
Council's resolutions.

However, despite the numerous protests sent to the United Nations and
the UN Security Council, the organizations have already lost influence
in the world. The USA is becoming more active in different spheres,
including the information and propaganda front. Information agencies
report that a new department has been created in the Pentagon for
"public opinion forming," especially regarding the Mideast problem.
The department has already developed several suggestions "for the
popularization of the views of the US authorities of world's events"
by undermining the information sources of those governments that are
opposed to the USA.

NATO Secretary General George Robertson may explain US's position on
Iraq as long as he wishes and say that Americans do not plan to start
an "anti-terrorist" operation there, because there is no proof of any
connection between Hussein's regime and Al Qaeda militants. However,
an operation has been already launched.

Sergey Yugov

PRAVDA.Ru
Pravda.RU 19:06 2002-02-20
http://english.pravda.ru/main/2002/02/20/26534.html

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