in the New Worker...
The United States, backed by its main NATO allies, has launched a bombing campaign against Iraq. As we go to press unconfirmed reports of the first land clashes are coming in and preparations for a naval attack are building.
The air offensive, which began on January 17 with waves of fighter-bomber aircraft and Cruise missiles, is continuing night and day against the Arab country which dared defy imperialism.
The capital, Baghdad, is being pounded around the clock and US, British, French and Italian airforce units are carrying out continuous raids against Iraq with the support of puppet Saudi and Kuwaiti units.
Iraq’s air defences appear to have survived the onslaught more or less intact, a result of careful and painstaking defensive preparations.
US military spokespersons have admitted that many of the Iraqi “bases” they have obliterated could be cardboard dummies. The US commander in chief has admitted that the western forces have lost 15 warplanes so far.
In Baghdad captured pilots from the US, Britain and Italy have appeared on television. One Iraqi diplomat commented that if the NATO allies had only lost the number of planes acknowledged at the time, these men could not possibly be prisoners of war. Iraq claims to have brought down a number of cruise missiles.
Iraq has responded to the attacks by firing rockets art targets in Israel. Iraqi missiles have hit Tel Aviv and Haifa, one narrowly missing the Defence Minister.
Israel has admitted last Tuesday night’s bombardment killed three women and injured many.
An attack on a US airbase Dhahran, in Saudi Arabia was countered by US missile defences.The Saudi oil refinery at Khafji has been knocked out by Iraqi artillery.
Huge demonstrations in support of Iraq are taking place throughout the Arab world.
