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File: doc53_13.txt
if
r~~~, thLy coki~d do anything t?icy *~jiit ~d ~`: with them. So I just pr,~y t~a they~~1
~~J be `,(`turred afely before long.
Q: The other day on television, the Deputy Soviet ~orei~n Ninister Said, they
were talking again already about re-arming the Iraqis. There's some indication that
the United States, as well, needs to have a certain amount of armament to retain a
balance of Power. Do you feel that your troops are in jeopardy finishing this off,
when already the POliticians are tal~ing about re-arming the Iraqis? How do you feel
about that?
A: I certainly don't want to discuss (inaudible) because that's way Out of my
field. I would tell you that I'm one of the first people that said at the Outset
that it's not in the best interest of peace in this part of the world to destroy
Iraq, and I think the President of the United States has made it very clear from the
outset that our intention is not to destroy Iraq or the Iraqi people. I think
everyone has every right to legitimately defend themselves. But the one thinq that
comes throuqh loud and clear over, and over, and over again to~the people that have
flown Over Iraq, to the pilots that have gone in against their military installa
tions, when you look at the war machine that they faced, that war machine definitely
¶?55 not a defensive war machine, and they demonstrated that more than adequately when
they Overran Kuwait and then cal led it a great military victory.
Q: Before starting the land phase, how much were you concerned by the~fraqi
planes coming back from Iran? And do we know what happened to the Iraqi helicopters?
A: As I said before, we were very concerned about the return of the Iraqi
planes fron Iran, but we were prepared for it We have been completely prepared for
any type of air attack the Iraqis might throw against us, and oh, by the way, we're
still prepared for it. We're not going to let down our guard for one instant, so
long as we know that Capability is there, until we're sure this whole thing is over.
The helicopters are another very interesting story, and we kno; where the
helicopters were -- they traditionally put their helicopters near some of their other
outfits, and we tracked them very carefully. What happened is despite the fact ithat
t~e Iraqis claim that we indiscriminately bombed civilian targets, they took their
helicopters and dispersed them all over the place in civilian residential areas just
as fast as they Possibly could. Quite a few of them were damaged on airfields, those
that we could take on airfields, but the rest of them were dispersed.
Q: you mentioned ~bout the Saudi armed forces. Could you elaUo~ate about
their role on the first day?
A: The Saudi Army, as I said, the first thing they did we had this Marine
attack that was going throu9h here, and of course we were Concerned about the forces
over here again, hittin~ the flanks. That's one of the thin9s you just don't want to
have happen to your advancing forces. So this force over here, the eastern task
force, had to attack up the coast to pin the enemy in this location. The Saudi
forces in this area attaer'.ed through here, again, to pin all the forces in this area
because we didn't Want those forces moving in this direction, and we didn't Want
those forces movin9 in that direction. It's a tough mission because these people
were bein9 required to fiQ~t the kind of fight that the Iraqis Wanted them to fight.
It's a very, very tough mission. I would point Out, it wasn't only the Saudis, it
was the Saudis, the Kuwait Is, t?0e £(~ptians, t)~e Syrians, the Em~ri from United Arab
Et~ira~e~, the Bahrains, the Qataris, ~nd the Omanis, and 1 apologire if I'v~~ leiff
anybody out, but it was a great coalition of people, all of whotn did a fine job.
Q: lo there dnyt~iing left of L?)e SCul) or chemic~1 Capability?
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