File: 082696_d50028_143.txt
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(Washington Times, February 19, p. 7.)

Inadequate training time is the primary reason for the below-par success of the U.S. Army and
Israeli-manned Patriot missile batteries defending Israel from Iraqi rocket attacks. (Defense News,
February 18, p. 35.)

February 19
-- Tuesday -- President Bush, while not rejecting the Soviet peace plan, says it "falls well short of
what would be required" to stop the war with Iraq. Baghdad does not reply publicly to the plan;
Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz is expected to return to Moscow on Wednesday. Analysts see the plan as
presenting President Bush with a painful choice: pushing for an all~ut military victory over Iraq or
nurturing a diplomatic settlement that might get the Iraqis out of Kuwait but also allow President
Saddam Hussein to save enough political face to preserve his Government. (New York Times,
February 20, p. Al.) -

Ranking officers in the Gulf say they could "start a ground offensive tonight" if President Bush
ordered them to do so. Allies continue blasting targets in Iraq and Iraqi-occupied Kuwait. Fighter-
bombers fly their full quota of 2,800 missions (New York Times, February 20, p. Al.)

--- General H. Norman Schwarzkopf says that Iraq's military machine is on the verge of collapse and
is losing about 100 tanks a day to allied air strikes, an attrition rate he said no army can survive.
(Washington Post, February 20, p. Al.)
)
A senior Iranian official says that Baghdad is ready for unconditional withdrawal from Kuwait. Other
Iranian officials closely involved in regional diplomacy aimed at averting an allied land assault and
building a cease-fire, say Iraq has dropped conditions for leaving Kuwait and could announce a
withdrawal imminently. (New York Times, February 20, p. A12.)

The guided-missile cruiser USS PRINCETON, her steering disabled and superstructure cracked, is
towed to port. The helicopter assault ship USS TRIPOLI remains capable of conducting normal
operations. (New York Times, February 20, p. A13.)

Allied warplanes have dramatically increased their kill rates against dug-in Iraqi tanks and armored
vehicles to more than 100 per day by using refined infrared detection techniques and precision-guided
bombs. Allied planes have confirmed the destruction of 1,400 tanks, or more than 32 % of the Iraqi
inventory, and 1,200 artillery pieces, or 38% of the total. (Washington Post, February 20, p. A8.)

---China's senior leader, Deng Xiaoping, describes the Persian Gulf war not as a just war but as an
example of "big hegemonists beating up small hegemonists". (New York Times, February 20, p. A14.)

Military officials object to legislative proposals to exempt some parents from Persian Gulf duty, but
indicate that the Defense Department's deployment of mothers of newborns is under review.
(Washington Post, February 20, p. A16.)

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