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Mix-Ansicht- US Government Starts E-Mail Campaign to Key Iraqis - Popeye, 16.01.2003, 07:51
US Government Starts E-Mail Campaign to Key Iraqis
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US Government Starts E-Mail Campaign to Key Iraqis
The U.S. military has begun an e-mail campaign urging military and civilian leaders in Iraq
to turn away from President Saddam Hussein as the Pentagon builds forces for a
possible invasion of the country, defense officials said on Saturday.
Visitors to the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, confirmed the electronic mail campaign, part of a
psychological war mounted by elite U.S. Special Operations who also have been
broadcasting messages from planes over the past month.
The U.S. government has traditionally used leaflets and radio broadcasts to communicate
with Iraqis, but these e-mails, in Arabic, urge recipients to"protect their families" and turn
over information to U.N. weapons inspectors in Iraq searching for weapons of mass
destruction.
Entitled"Important Information," the messages also urge Iraqis not to follow orders to use
chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, to identify where they are located by signals or
render the weapons ineffective.
Iraq denies that it has any banned weapons programs, but Washington says it does and
that if Iraq continues to deceive, it would be in"material breach" of U.N. Security Council
resolutions and could mean war.
Thousands of additional U.S. troops were ordered to the Gulf on Friday, with the aim of
more than doubling the 60,000 troops already in the region while President Bush decides
whether to order an invasion.
"This is a program we've established," a defense official told Reuters."They need to
realize that if there is military action, their actions have consequences."
AUTHORITIES BLOCK E-MAIL SERVICE
Iraqis began to receive the e-mails last week, visitors there said. The state-controlled
e-mail service is available only to a small number of Iraqis, mainly government officials,
senior public servants, academics and scientists.
Iraqi authorities have blocked the e-mail service access in an apparent attempt to stop
the messages from spreading inside the country, visitors said.
The Internet is available in Iraq but many sites are off limits and all foreign e-mail servers
are blocked.
The e-mails contain messages similar to what has been broadcast over radio, the U.S.
defense officials said.
Warplanes taking part in U.S.-British patrols in recent weeks have dumped hundreds of
thousands of leaflets over Iraq urging citizens to tune into American special forces radio
broadcasts, transmitted from modified C-130"Commando Solo" military cargo planes
and ground stations outside Iraq.
The e-mails, seen by Reuters, contain such messages as:
—"If you provide information on weapons of mass destruction or you take steps to
hamper their use we will do what is necessary to protect you and protect your families.
Failing to do that will lead to grave personal consequences.
—"If you took part in the use of these ugly weapons you'll be regarded as war criminals. If
you can make these weapons ineffective then do it. If you can identify the position of
weapons of mass destruction by light signals, then do it. If all this is not possible, then at
least refuse to take part in any activity or follow orders to use weapons of mass
destruction.
—"Iraqi chemical, biological and nuclear weapons violate Iraq's commitment to
agreements and United Nations (news - web sites) resolutions. Iraq has been isolated
because of this behavior. The United States and its allies want the Iraqi people to be
liberated from Saddam's injustice and for Iraq to become a respected member of the
international community. Iraq's future depends on you."
By Niala Boodhoo. Copyright © 2003 Reuters Limited.
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