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Big US strike against Iraq still possible without Saudi support
WASHINGTON. Feb 4: Saudi Arabia's reluctance to allow US use of its air bases for attacks on Iraq does not shut the door on President Bill Clinton's options. Ttie United States could still deliver a powerful blow using warplanes from aircraft carriers and bases elsewhere in the Persian Gulf, reports AP.
Saudi Arabia Is the most important American ally in the Gulf, and US Air Force planes and support systems based there would be especially useful — but not vital — In any air campaign against Iraq that lasted more than a few days.
US government officials said Tuesday they still expect to gain a Saudi go-ahead and they trumpeted the expressions of support Secretary of State Madeleine Albright won from Kuwait. Bahrain and Egypt.
The Saudis told Albright on
Monday they favour using "all diplomatic means" to resolve the standoff over UN inspections of Iraq's weapons programme. They withheld permission to use their bases to launch attacks.
US officials said a firm Saudi "no" would complicate the war planning.
"Would it be a show stopper? No. Would it be a challenge? Clearly." said one senior defense official Tuesday, briefing reporters on condition ot anonymity.
When Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990, the Saudis initially were reluctant to invite in American forces, but they relented when it looked as though the Iraqi Army might make a Kb for Saudi oilfields. During ensuing war, allied air and land forces used Saudi Arabia
as their main base.
Most of the American aircraft that Clinton might call on to deliver bombs and missiles at Iraqi targets this time, such as suspected biological weapons sites or underground command centres, are based outside Saudi Arabia.
Of the roughly 100 American aircraft at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, nearly half are support planes such as KC-10 and KC-135 tankers for refueling, RC-135 and EF-111 planes lor radar Jamming and electronic eavesdropping. EC-3 AWACs for airborne command and control and U-2 spy planes.
The Air Force fleet in Saudi Arabia includes about 30 F-15C aircraft designed for air-to-air combat but not for ground attack, and a similar number of F-16 fighters which likely
would be among those used to attack ground targets.
The F-117 stealth fighter-bombers armed with precision-guided bombs are based in neighboring Kuwait. So are A-10 ground-attack aircraft and F-16 fighters.
On the Gulf Island of Bahrain are B-l bombers and F-16 and F-15 fighters. The US Navy 5th Fleet also maintains its forward headquarters in Bahrain. The fleet Includes destroyers. frigates and at least one submarine.
The Navy also has two aircraft carriers in the Gulf and another en route; each has about 50 combat planes alxiard.
Also within range of Iraq are eight B-52 bombers on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia.
The Saudis' reluctance appears to stem from two concerns
of the ruling family.
First, they see little to gain from overtly Joining hands with America in a repeat of past small-scale US attacks on Iraq. In the Saudi view, these "pinpricks” only emboldened Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who the Saudis consider a menace.
Second, the Saudi rulers have to worry about anti-Western dissident forces within their own borders. Twice in recent years the US military in Saudi Arabia has been hit by terrorists, Including the June 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers that killed 19 US airmen and injured hundreds.
James Baker III. who was secretary of state when the Bush administration launched the 1991 Gulf War strikes, said he doubts the Saudis are at odds
with the Clinton administration's threat to use military force If diplomacy falls.
"I feel reasonably sure that any difference, if there is a difference. revolves around the question of how substantial and forceful a militafy response would be." Baker said in an interview.
"The one thing the Saudis do not want is another pinprick, a symbolic Tomahawk lobbed into downtown Baghdad."
Baker alluded to post-Gulf War US attacks on Iraq, including a June 1993 attack with ship-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles on the headquarters building of Iraqi intelligence in Baghdad, and the September 1996 cruise missile attack on an air base and other targets In southern Iraq.