posted on December 4, 2002 02:39:05 PM new
Senior Iraqi official: "We Did Not Hesitate to Use WMD in the Past and Will Not Stand Idly by This Time Either"
.......In the first statement of its kind, a senior Iraqi official confirmed that his
country is not ruling out the possibility of using weapons of mass destruction to
defend the regime. His statements were published in a lead article in today's
London-based Arabic-language daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi, which is known to
support Saddam Hussein. (1) The article's title stated that Iraqi sources do not
rule out the possibility of using chemical weapons to defend the regime. The
following are excerpts from the article:
"A senior Iraqi official who refused to reveal his name said that the Iraqi
regime would defend its existence and its reputation. The Iraqi official said
unequivocally: 'When the regime was under intense attack in Al-Fau and began
to be under threat, it did not hesitate to use all the weapons of mass destruction
in its possession. Similarly, when the people of Halabja, or some of them,
became guides for the Iranian forces that tried to breach the northeast [front],
the regime did not hesitate to use chemical weapons.' Therefore, 'do not expect
us to stand idly by in the face of any aggression that seeks to destroy and
banish us not only from the regime but also from life.'"
A top party official from Iraq in Amman, Jordan told the newspaper: "The
Iraqi regime has drawn up emergency plans to confront any American
aggression." He said that the plans were based on the following elements:
"First, deployment of the Republican Guard forces at the periphery of the cities,
primarily Baghdad, to resist any American ground offensive that seeks to take
them. The mission of the Republican [Guard] forces will also be to resist any
attempt at internal Iraqi rebellion, such as the one that followed the American
offensive in January 1991 in the South and the North."
"Second, deployment of special forces that will include the 'elite of the elite' – in
his words – inside the capital Baghdad, so that they can participate in street
combat if the American forces or their allies enter. Then, will begin fierce
resistance operations, such as those carried out in occupied Palestine."
"Third, deployment of groups of 'Saddam's Fedayeen' within the capital and in
other cities, to control the internal situation and participate in the resistance
operations."
The party official further stated: "The collapse of the Iraqi forces in 1991 and
their refraining from resisting as much as was necessary will not recur this time,
because Iraq and its 'loyal sons' are defending themselves and their personal and
national 'honor'… We will make you proud this time, and prove to you that the
Iraqis are men."
What makes them think their elite Republican Guard will fight any better, if it comes to that, this time, than it did the last time.
