LONDON, Mar. 3 (Xinhuanet) -- US B52 bombers have started to arrive
at the British Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Fairford, Gloucestershire, in
the southwest of England, as Anglo-American bombing attacks on Iraq
intensified.
Two or three American bombers have already landed at the base, a
spokesman for the Military of Defense told Xinhua Monday, addingthat the
US deployment would be part of the "possible military action" in the Gulf
region.
"It is not known how long these bombers would stay at Fairford,but it
is confirmed that the aircraft would remain at the base at the moment, and
would not go elsewhere," the spokesman said.
Britain last week allowed the United States to fly the bombers into
the Fairford base as part of Britain's contribution to possible military
action against Iraq, the ministry said.
Up to 13 bombers are expected to arrive at Fairford during the day.
RAF Fairford, a British base used by the US Air Force, was a point of
departure for B52 bombers during the 1991 Gulf war and the 1999 Kosovo
conflict.
The prospect of American bombers coming to Fairford has inspired
weeks of small-scale but vocal protests, led by an anti-war group called
the Gloucestershire Weapons Inspectors.
Several people were arrested last weekend after demonstrators broke
through the perimeter of the base. Enditem
