-Caveat Lector- >From ArabicNews.CoM Report: Iraqi officers executed; rebellion in al-Rashid camp Iraq, Politics, 12/21/98 A statement by the higher council of the Islamic revolution in Iraq of which the London-based al-Hayat daily had a copy told of the execution of several army officers in the Iraqi army and confrontations that took place on Friday inside al-Rashid camp in Baghdad. The statement accused Ali Hassan al-Majeed, former Iraqi defense minister who was on Wednesday appointed as general commander of the southern district of "giving his orders to execute a group of army officers, including the commander of Contingent 11 which has the city of al-Amara as a headquarters, because he opposed measures aimed at preventing a popular uprising." The statement noted the execution of a group of "officers and assistants of contingent inside the camp without investigation and the execution of five army officers." The statement also noted that armed confrontations took place inside the camp on Friday morning and "special army units broke into the rebellious unit in al-Rashid camp and took five officers who were immediately shot to death inside the camp. Aziz: They killed UNSCOM Iraq, Politics, 12/21/98 The Russian ambassador in Cairo, Vladimir Godiev, announced that Egypt and Russia agreed during consultations that took place between the two countries' foreign ministers in the last few days on ending the Iraqi crisis. They stressed the importance of reconsidering of the work style of UNSCOM, the UN organization in charge of Iraq's disarmament from weapons of mass destruction, and linking the supervision operations in the future with a timetable for lifting the sanctions from Iraq. Godiev called for removing United Nations' chief weapons inspector, Richard Butler and for UNSCOM adjusting its work style to perform its mission without politics. Russia strongly condemned Richard Butler for his most recent report to the UN that the US said was proof of Iraqi non-compliance and the reason for the recent military strikes against Iraq. United Arab Emirates Defense Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al-Maktoum said that Butler's return has become impossible, stating that the missiles launched at Iraq and its people destroyed the Iraqis' trust in UNSCOM, making it impossible for Butler to return to Iraq. But Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz today was plain as he said that the US and the UK "killed UNSCOM" by their strikes putting an end to the fate of this organization. He said they killed 62 Iraqi soldiers and wounded 180 by their "4 days of intensive bombings" with advanced missiles. Aziz said about the future that "we shall never accept any conditions made by Clinton or by Blair, " adding that they acted according to the law of the jungle. Aziz said that the attack reminded him of the statement of Former Secretary of State James Baker who told him in 1991 "we will bring you back to the preindustrial age" referring to the bombing of the Iraqi industrial sites. Aziz said that all the sites struck had been under UNSCOM monitoring and "had been inspected by them hundreds of times." The presence of UNSCOM had been one of the main policy foundations of containing Iraq according to US National Security Advisor Sandy Berger. There is early evidence that the lack of UNSCOM's return will force a reevaluation by the US on how to contain Iraq in light of these new developments. Saddam Hussein praises his people; regional reaction Iraq, Politics, 12/21/98 Iraqi President Saddam Hussein called on the Iraqi people in a speech in which he praised them for confronting the attacks and achieving victory over the country's enemies, describing the British and the Americans as the "enemies of God." A statement released by the Iraqi Army on Sunday said that Iraqi defense forces downed 21 missiles out of 81 dropped by the American and British forces on Saturday night. The statement added that the missiles targeted "residential areas, governmental buildings, intermediate studying institutes, hospitals, factories, refineries and several army military units." According to Iraqi military statements, the number of missiles fired against Iraq increased to 121. The official authorities had not by Sunday night announced the final number of victims of the air strikes, but an unofficial count estimated that 73 people were killed, most of them civilians. The Iraqi people celebrated the halt of the US - British shelling and marched in demonstrations in which they condemned US President Bill Clinton and his recent actions. Baghdad radio began yesterday to broadcast national songs of the victory of Iraq and Iraqi heroism under the leadership of President Saddam Hussein in confronting the US - British attacks. However, Iraqi radio did not announce the halt of US - British raids and continued to broadcast programs for general mobilization to confront these raids. Meanwhile, Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa, said on Sunday that an Arab summit might be held to discuss the current situation in the Arab world. Moussa was quoted by the Kuwaiti News Agency as saying, "There is a wish from all Arab states to meet at the highest levels and at the summit level to review the current situation and solve problems." He described the Arab situation as "dangerous" and said the issues put forward are "dangerous." He urged the Arab states to help each other in days of calamities and said that most Arab states have not accepted the military strikes against Iraq, stressing the need to give priority to the humanitarian situation in Iraq, MAP reported. Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh also supported convening an urgent Arab summit to deal with current developments in light of what is happening to Iraq during and after last week's US - British attacks, the dangerous tensions and disability created by these attacks in the region. He also assured his country's solidarity with Libya and Iraq. Arab League Secretary-General Esmat Abdul Meguid received a written message from Yemeni Foreign Minister Abdul Qader Bajmal urging the AL to convening a summit at AL headquarters under the title "The return of Arab solidarity. Arab states' permanent representatives at the Arab League will convene an unofficial consultative meeting today at the headquarters of the Arab League at the invitation of AL Secretary-General Esmat Abdul Meguid to make consultations over the US - British military actions against Iraq and their consequences on security and stability in Iraq and the interests of the US and Britain in the region. Jordanian Crown Prince Hassan expressed his hope of resuming talks between Baghdad and the international community, while Kuwait and Oman have also expressed their hope to diffuse the tension in the region. Crown Prince Hassan urged yesterday combining all efforts in order to end the Iraqi people's suffering and taking effective practical steps to present humanitarian aid, adding that this is not an alternative to lifting the sanctions from Iraq. In press statements, Crown Prince Hassan emphasized the importance of resuming discussions between Iraq and the international community regarding all topics, pointing to the importance of identifying political goals for the coming stage and to the French initiative that calls for finding a new mechanism to handle the Iraqi crisis. Crown Prince Hassan also called for lifting the sanctions from Iraq. French President Jacques Chirac expressed welcomed for the decision to suspend the US and British military strikes against Iraq. In a speech he delivered on Sunday at Elysee Palace, the French president added that problems are still standing, adding, "We are now in a phase of drawing and implementing a real exit for the Iraqi crisis," saying that France will invest all its efforts to take part in this phase. He said that settling the problem needs a deepened study of relations between Iraq and the UN. Chirac outlined needed steps, starting with improving the living conditions of the Iraqi people who have been sufferings for years. He added that this should be done promptly and very soon and that France has several proposals in this regard that will be submitted in due time to its partners. Second, he called for the use of caution in that the UN will be able to closely monitor Iraqi weapons and prospects for developing them. Chirac added that this matter requires a new organization and a new method, noting that France also has proposals in this area which will be submitted to its partners. Third, Chirac said the question of the oil embargo should be raised, calling it a problem of political sensitivity. The French President added that to achieve progress in such matters, "I in recent days exchanged views with the main sides concerned: the UN secretary general, the US president, the Russian president, the British prime minister and the main officials in the Arab countries." The French President stressed that France is ready to provide all possible and positive contributions to find out the proper outlet for the crisis. Palestinian President Yasser Arafat sent his envoy, Azam El-Ahmed, the official dealing with the issue of coordination with Iraq, to Baghdad carrying a message from Arafat to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. El-Ahmed said he will brief the Iraqi leadership on the communications made by the Palestinian leadership to stop the shelling against Iraq, adding that Arafat received in the last two days two messages from US President Bill Clinton concerning this matter and that that communications of various sorts and channels were made by the Palestinian leadership to not repeat what happened. Meanwhile, a "crisis cell" set up by Morocco's King Hassan II, held last Friday its first meeting on the "suffering of the Iraqi people" and "the situation in the Arab world," following the US-British raids. Chaired by Prime Minister Abderrahmane Youssoufi, the meeting also reviewed the military attacks' effects on the Arab and Islamic worlds and on the Moroccan public opinion. A statement of the prime minister's office said the cell "will be following up closely and continuously the situation," highlighting King Hassan's "concern for the safety of brother peoples, their territorial integrity and attachment to peaceful means as a way to face situations of crisis on the basis of international law." Official of christian foundation stresses dis-information of western media Iraq, Politics, 12/21/98 The Western media have excelled in disinformation while reporting on the US-British raids on Iraq by obliterating the suffering of civil populations, said Jean Marie Benjamin, a priest at a christian humanitarian foundation. The priest who has just returned from Baghdad said he himself saw burnt children in hospitals and other children being operated on without anesthesia. Jean Marie Benjamin regretted that no international TV channel showed these sad images, adding that the so-called "smart bombs" have destroyed houses, hospitals and civilian facilities and killed hundreds of victims, MAP reported. The official of the christian foundation who collaborates with the UNICEF and the Italian TV channel deplored that diseases which had disappeared from the country, are reappearing again. He went on that he would submit to the holy see a report because, he argued, "it is time to give the floor to Iraq and no longer listen to Clinton and Blair." The Pope expressed on Sunday his solidarity with the Iraqi people and deep sorrow for the situation of this population. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ A<>E<>R The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. -Marcel Proust DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! 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