Posted on 04/10/2002 4:07:01 AM PDT by kattracks
WASHINGTON, April 10 (AFP) - The United States is ready to send a team of experts to Iraq to investigate the disappearance of a US pilot at the start of the 1991 Gulf War, The Washington Times said Wednesday quoting unnamed US officials.Details for the investigation, however, have to be worked out, said the officials, adding that in the offer from the Iraqi Foreign Ministry conditions had been placed on the US team.
The offer allowing the US investigation was sent Friday to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva. It reached the US State Department on Monday, the officials said.
The Iraqi government had announced the offer March 24 over its official radio in Baghdad. US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, the following day, expressed skepticism about the offer.
In its conditions to the US investigative mission, Iraq said it must include former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter -- who has been critical of US policy toward Iraq -- and US journalists.
The officials said the United States had agreed to send the investigators but that it was unlikely it would not want Baghdad to dictate who would be part of the team or how the press coverage will be arranged.
"We're going to determine the composition of the investigative team, and we will coordinate with the Red Cross to do appropriate media coverage," one official said.
A Pentagon official said a draft reply to the Iraqi offer was being discussed in the Pentagon and the State Department, adding that it would also likely be discussed in Geneva with the Tripartite Commission made up of representatives from the United States, Iraq and several European nations.
The formal reply will probably be relayed to Iraq through the Red Cross, a State Department official told The Washington Times.
US Navy F-18 pilot Michael Scott Speicher was shot down over Iraq at the start of the 100-hour war to expel Iraqi forces from Kuwait in 1991.
At first he was listed as killed in action, but last year his status was changed to missing in action after US intelligence concluded that he probably survived the crash.
Further intelligence information quoted by The Times in March said a US pilot believe to be Speicher was being held in Iraq.
The pilot's been missing for 12 years. At best, the drama as proposed is just a media coup for Saddam.
IMO, Bush shouldn't be sending Scott Ritter (Iraq's best friend) and members of the Communist News Network to help Saddam improve his global image...unless of course, he's no longer sure about replacing Saddam's regime.
I hope Bush realizes he needs to spend more quality time with Sec. Rumsfeld.
Rummy needs to take George to the woodshed.
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