File: 082696_d50028_133.txt
Page: 133
Total Pages: 274

they were declared "essential" in their civilian jobs. (Washington Post, February 6, p. D2.)

Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney confrrrns previous plans to retire the battleships USS
WISCONSIN and USS MISSOURI. He says he would like to keep the battleships, but can't afford it.
(Navy News Service, 122029Z FEB 91)

February 7
Thursday -- Declaring that a ground war with Iraq is now inevitable, the British Commander in the
Persian Gulf says that the allies plan to greatly intensify their already fierce air assault on President
Saddam Hussein's forces in the coming weeks. Although a recent Iraqi defector describes life in Iraq
this week as "bombs, bombs, not a moment without bombs," British Lieutenant General Sir Peter de
la Billiere says the coalition's aerial bombardment to date is minor compared to what they've got
coming. (New York Times. February 8, p. Al.)

French President Mitterand says that a ground war will take place sometime in February. (New York
Times. February 8, p. Al.)

Timing of a ground offensive is expected to be the main subject when Secretary of Defense Cheney
and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Powell meet with Saudi and American leaders in Saudi Arabia
on February 8. (New York Times. February 8, p. Al.)

Battleships USS WISCONSIN and USS MISSOURI join in pounding the Kuwaiti coastline where
) an amphibious landing might take place. (New York Times. February 8. p. Al.)

---U.S. pilots report that the Iraqis have moved some of their command and control apparatus into
schools and were moving anti-aircraft batteries onto residential rooftops to protect them from attack.
(New York Times. February 8, p. A8.)

Allied troops bomb Baghdad for twelve hours. Iraqi officials say that 22 civilians were killed and
many more wounded in the raids. (New York Times. February 8, p. A8.)

Bush Administration announces that it is reviewing future foreign aid to Jordan in light of King
Hussein's speech in which he abandoned Jordan's neutrality in the war and appeared to be closely
aligning his nation with Iraq and Saddam Hussein. Jordan received $ 102 million in fiscal year 1990 and
was allocated $57.2 million in fiscal year 1991 which will not be affected. (New York Times. February
8, p. AlO.)

The U.S. will target Saddam Hussein and his ruling circle for destruction if the Iraqi leader orders
the use of chemical or biological weapons on allied troops, according to Bush administration officials.
(Washington Times, February 8, p. 1.)

Pentagon planners, convinced that the war with Iraq will be over by the summer, abandon all plans
to rotate troops out of the Middle East while fighting is under way. Most planners agree that a year

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