World

Defiance In Baghdad

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

February 11, 1999 / 9:44 AM EST / CBS

Iraq remained defiant on Tuesday after a United States warning not to attack bases in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia used by Western warplanes to launch strikes on Iraqi targets.

"We will tell them [Saudi Arabia and Kuwaiti rulers] and their evil masters, the United States and Britain, that their continuous aggression on Iraq and its airspace will be confronted strongly," said the Iraqi government newspaper al-Jumhouriya.

"It is too late now for the American and British aggressors and their evil supporters, and they will pay a dear price."

The United States had warned Iraq to expect swift action if it carried out threatened attacks against the bases used by Western warplanes patrolling northern and southern no-fly zones in Iraq.

Iraqi anti-aircraft sites in both the northern and southern "no-fly" zones targeted U.S. planes Monday, drawing U.S. fire with a variety of laser-guided bombs and radar-seeking missiles.

Saddam Hussein appears to be banking that one lucky shot will bring down an American jet, reports CBS News National Security Correspondent David Martin. But, as they have every other day, all U.S. aircraft returned safely to their bases in Turkey and the Persian Gulf.

An anti-aircraft artillery site near Mosul, some 250 miles north of Baghdad, fired upon two F-15E's, Lt. Col. Steve Campbell said. In response, one of the planes dropped a 500-pound bomb on the site.

The fighters returned undamaged to their base in Incirlik, southern Turkey, U.S. officials said. The incident occurred about 11:26 a.m. Iraqi time, Campbell said.

About an hour later, another U.S. warplane launched a missile at an Iraqi radar site that had targeted it.

Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz was in Ankara on Monday, trying unsuccessfully to convince the Turkish government not to allow U.S. planes to operate out of the air base at Incirlik. Iraq is now threatening to attack the bases -- in Turkey, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia -- from which American and British planes patrol the no-fly zones.

Iraqi vice president Taha Yassin Ramadan said Iraq would strike the Turkish base at Incirlik if the jets continue to patrol the skies over Iraq. The threat came in an interview with Radio Monte Carlo, monitored in Baghdad.

U.S. officials suspect Iraq is still hiding about a dozen Scud missiles that could reach U.S. bases in Turkey, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. For that reason, all three countries are defended by Patriot missiles that could be aimed to shoot down an incoming Scud.

At this point, attacking one of his neighbors would not make much sense for Hussein, because he has been trying hard to portray himself as the innocent victim of the American bully. But U.S. officials say Iraq does have the capability to launch an attack, so they have to take the threat seriously.

Meanwhile, President Clinton's top foreign policy advisers warned that the United States would react swiftly if the Turkish base ere attacked.

"It would be extraordinarily counterproductive for the Iraqis to take such a measure because we would respond ... strongly and firmly," National Security Adviser Sandy Berger said.

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright added, "We have made very clear that were there any attacks on our forces or on neighboring countries that our response would be swift and sure."

In a clash in Iraq's southern "no-fly" zone Monday, Baghdad said five were killed and 22 were injured when U.S. planes allegedly fired on civilians. The U.S. said the attack was in response to Iraqi "provocation," but there was no immediate confirmation of the civilian casualties.