File: 082696_d50028_131.txt
Page: 131
Total Pages: 274

"imminent". Signs include ground preparations for chemical weapons use at several storage facilities
throughout Iraq and in Kuwait. (Washington Times, February 5, p. 8.)

An editorial in the Boston Globe calls for reinstitution of the draft. (Boston Globe, February 4, p.
10.)

Iraq again denies report that its air force commander and officer in charge of anti-aircraft defense
have been executed. (Wire News Report, February 5)

February 5
Tuesday --- At a White House news conference, President Bush says that he is sending Secretary
of Defense Cheney and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Powell to Saudi Arabia to assess whether
a ground offensive against Iraq's army would be necessary. Saying that he was skeptical that air power
alone would drive Iraq from Kuwait, President Bush is careful to say that he has made no final decision
about a ground war. (New York Times, February 6, p. Al.)

--- Pentagon officials say that despite three weeks of heavy bombing, the combat effectiveness of Iraq's
military has not been substantially weakened. Tank and artillery losses are in the low hundreds while
nearly six months of supplies have been salted away in small depots that cannot be targeted by allied
bombers. (New York Times, February 6, p. Al.)

Iraq announces the suspension of all fuel sales, bringing further deprivation to the wintry land where
) food, water, electricity and gasoline are all in short supply due to allied bombing. No rationale was
given for the suspension that will be in effect until further notice. (New York Times February 6, p.
All.)

---Iraqi warplanes continue to be sent into Iran with more than 110 reported to be on the ground. In
addition, more than 800 Iraqi soldiers are now prisoners of the allies. (New York Times. February 6,
p. A8.)

An amphibious assault force including 17,000 Marines on board 40 ships moves up the Persian Gulf
as allied air power shifts its focus to front-line Iraqi units dug in along the Kuwait-Saudi border.
(Washington Times, February 7, p. 1.)

(February W6ednesday --- Secretary of Defense Cheney and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Powell brief

members of Congress in a closed-door session about the progress of the Persian Gulf war and leave
congressmen with the impression that the air campaign is going quite well and that a ground offensive
is not imminent. (Washington Post, February 7, p. Al.)

After weeks of playing down the casualties and the human cost of the war, Iraq paints its 21-day toll
in harsh terms of civilian destruction and accuses President Bush and the U.S. led coalition of
attempting to "expel Iraq from the 20th century." Iraq also announces that it is severing diplomatic

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