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Mix-Ansicht- 100 Flugzeuge gegen 'irakische Stellungen' - stocksorcerer, 06.09.2002, 12:06
- Die Times dazu... - stocksorcerer, 06.09.2002, 12:16
Die Times dazu...
-->September 06, 2002
100 British and US jets bomb Iraqi defences
by pa news
Up to 100 British and US jets were involved in the bombing of a military facility southwest of Baghdad after Iraqi forces attacked one of their patrols in the no-fly zone, it emerged today.
The attack came as Tony Blair said that Britain was willing to pay a"blood price" in its special relationship with the US and be there"when the shooting starts".
Coalition aircraft used precision-guided weapons to hit an air defence command and control facility at a military airfield 240 miles west and slightly south of Baghdad, the Iraqi capital, the US Central Command said.
"Coalition strikes in the no-fly zones are executed as a self-defence measure in response to Iraqi hostile threats and acts against coalition forces and their aircraft," the command said in a statement.
The strike was in the southern zone, set up to protect Shia Muslims, and it was the 25th one in the zone this year. In the northern zone, set up to protect Kurds, there have been 10 this year. Both groups were given the protection against Iraqi overflights after unsuccessfully revolting against the regime of President Saddam Hussein.
Most of the aircraft, including tankers and Awacs reconnaissance planes, were acting in a support role for a total of 12 fighter jets believed to be US F-16s and British Tornados, it was reported.
The Ministry of Defence today confirmed that a"large number of planes" took part in the operation.
Last night’s raid was the 35th air strike reported this year by the Anglo-American coalition put together to patrol zones in the north and south of Iraq following the 1991 Gulf War.
Tony Blair, who was today preparing for talks with President Bush on how to deal with the threat of Saddam, said he would never back the US if he thought it was wrong.
But questioned about the historical relationship between London and Washington in a BBC documentary to be screened on Sunday, Mr Blair said military action was sometimes"inevitable".
His remarks - likely to enrage Labour MPs and unions concerned about strikes on Baghdad - will be echoed today by the Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, who will warn that patience with Saddam Hussein is running out.
Mr Straw, in a speech today designed to mark the anniversary of September 11 by warning of the dangers of failed states like Afghanistan, is to stress that military action remains an option.
Speaking at Birmingham University, the Foreign Secretary will say that far from a failed state Iraq is one which is"excessively strong" and centralised.
"In his single-minded pursuit of an arsenal of weapons of mass destruction, Saddam Hussein has undermined global security - and flouted international law - for over a decade.
"Until Saddam cooperates fully with UN weapons inspectors, we have no guarantees that a dictator who has previously shown no restraint in using weapons of mass destruction will not use them again.
"In these circumstances it would be wildly irresponsible to argue that patience with Iraq should be unlimited, or that military action should not be an option."
But, Mr Straw will say, threats to global order should be dealt with"within the existing legal framework".
Mr Blair will meet Mr Bush at Camp David tomorrow amid clear signs that significant military strikes on Baghdad will take place soon. President Bush yesterday said that"history has called us into action" against Iraq.
Mr Blair, in the BBC2 programme Hotline to the President, was asked by presenter Michael Cockerell if he recognised that"one of the elements of the special relationship for the Americans is that Britain is prepared to send troops to commit themselves, to pay a blood price?"
He replied:"Yes. What is important too is that at moments of crisis they (the US) don’t need to know simply that you are giving general expressions of support and sympathy.
"That is easy, frankly. They need to know: ‘Are you prepared to commit, are you prepared to be there when the shooting starts?’."
The tough talking from the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary is likely to cause concern among Labour MPs, Liberal Democrats, the unions and the wider public about British involvement in a war in Iraq.
Although Downing Street insisted that Parliament would be consulted before British troops were committed to another Gulf War, the Government has rejected calls for a recall of Parliament ahead of the Camp David talks tomorrow.
A survey of Labour backbench MPs today suggested an overwhelming majority are unconvinced of the need for military action and want Parliament consulted. Of 100 who agreed to take part in a survey for the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, 88 said there were currently insufficient grounds to declare war on Iraq.
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Also insgesamt 35 Angriffe allein dieses Jahr. Und zu Premier"wuff-wuff" Blair fällt mir auch nichts mehr ein. So ein dummes Arschloch. Blood-Prize? Soll er sich direkt melden bei der nächsten Einheit und sich einen Helnm aufsetzen, dieser Volltrottel. Ich bin ohnehin dafür, dass jeder, der Krieg schreit, sich auch die Schaftstiefel anziehen muß.
Ist doch wahr. Dabei sollte zumindest dieser Penner wissen, wo er da zündelt. Schließlich ist er was näher dran. Die britische Bevölkerung verstehe ich ja überhaupt nicht.
winkääää
stocksorcerer
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