Posted on 12/21/2001 7:06:59 PM PST by fiftymegaton
U.S. massing its troops near Iraq 20,000-plus soldiers moved to Kuwait, Qatar as debate brews over war's next stage
Michael Higgins National Post, with files from news services
David Guttenfelder, The Associated Press
Afghans rest at a fallen al-Qaeda base near Tora Bora. The United States is pondering its next target now that Afghanistan has fallen.
More than 20,000 American troops have been moved into Qatar and Kuwait in a possible sign the United States is shifting its focus on terrorism to Iraq.
Also yesterday, the Czech parliament approved a plan to send up to 400 anti-chemical warfare and medical troops to help the United States. It is believed some of the troops could be sent to Kuwait.
Analysts say stationing troops in Kuwait, where similar Czech units fought during the Gulf War, is a signal the campaign is shifting from Afghanistan and might be broadened to include Iraq and its leader Saddam Hussein.
The United States moved the headquarters of its 3rd Army to Qatar two weeks ago and defence analysts have reported large numbers of troops being moved into the region since.
The 3rd Army is the ground component of the U.S. Central Command, which oversees America's military operations in the Middle East and Afghanistan and was in charge of coalition forces during the Gulf War.
The Pentagon has insisted it is merely rotating troops but defence analysts say about 24,000 troops have been moved in with barely a brigade, about 4,000, moving out.
The warning signs prompted Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, to caution that attacking Iraq would only exacerbate tensions in the Middle East.
Mr. Annan said, "It would be unwise to attack Iraq now." He said there is no proof Baghdad was connected to the Sept. 11 attacks.
Iraq has constantly been touted as a possible target because of its harbouring of terrorists as well as its refusal to allow UN inspectors back into the country to check for chemical or nuclear weapons.
Colin Powell, the U.S. Secretary of State, is devising a long-term plan aimed at forcing Iraq to readmit UN weapons inspectors and abide by a set of economic sanctions. Officials say if the Iraqi leader refuses, they do not rule out using military force.
Mr. Annan acknowledged yesterday that Iraq had made no moves to allow UN weapons inspectors back into the country.
Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, yesterday pledged full support for the United States if the next stage of the anti-terrorism campaign involves action against another country.
"We will of course be a very staunch ally of the United States, but whenever I'm asked about these other countries, phase two of this operation will involve other actions against international terrorism, but in respect of each there will be a process of deliberation and consideration before we act," Mr. Blair said. "Because we have shut down the al-Qaeda network in Afghanistan, it doesn't mean it is shut down around the world."
However, Bulent Ecevit, the Turkish Prime Minister, said yesterday his country opposes making Iraq the next target. He said he would raise the issue in a Jan. 16 meeting with George W. Bush, the U.S. President. Turkey has strongly backed the campaign to bring suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda network to justice, but warned Washington against extending the war to its southern neighbour Iraq.
Other possible targets for stage two of the U.S. campaign include Somalia, Yemen and Sudan.
In Brussels, General Richard Myers, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged Somalia is a potential target but indicated action might not necessarily be military.
"There are ... countries that worry us because they actively support and harbour [terrorists]. It's one thing to have a cell in your country, it's another to actively support them," he said.
Donald Rumsfeld, the U.S. Defence Secretary, said on Tuesday Somalia had hosted al-Qaeda leaders in the past. He said Yemen and Sudan were also known to harbour active al-Qaeda cells.
"The only way to deal with a terrorist network that is global is to go after it where it is," said Mr. Rumsfeld. He added the alliance should "prepare now for the next war." Yesterday Mr. Rumsfeld said a senior German official was "flat wrong" when he said the United States had marked war-ravaged Somalia as its next target.
Meanwhile, Abdi Guled Mohamed, the Somali Transport Minister, said yesterday the government wants to be an ally of the United States in the war on terrorism. Somalia is home to the Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya, or "Islamic Union," a fundamentalist group that has been linked to al-Qaeda.
On the other side of the Gulf of Aden, Yemen yesterday sent special army troops led by the son of its president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, to search for Muslim militants linked to bin Laden in what was believed to be a bid to pre-empt any U.S. strike. The action was taken a day after clashes killed at least 18 people from both sides.
FReegards,
David
Someone should tell Kofi that the U.N. is an illegitimate organization and he should sit down and shut up.
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