US may seize Arab airports by force to attack Iraq: report

XINHUA NEWS AGENCY | 8/11/02

[kattracks]

BEIRUT, Aug 12, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Lebanon received a report from diplomatic sources saying that the United States would seize by force several airports in Arab states when it launches a war against Iraq, the An Nahar newspaper reported on Monday.

The report said that US President George W. Bush would unleash the military offensive in January 2003 as he has to wait the outcome of the midterm elections of the Congress in November.

"Bush prefers to have Arab support for his war to remove Iraqi president Saddam Hussein and the US forces would have facilities in several neighboring Arab airports," the report said.

"At any rate," it stressed, "once zero hour comes, Bush will

give the orders to use Arab airports by force for the military

operation against Iraq if the need arises."

Bush argued that without the US interference, the Arab

countries, the Arab League and the UN Security Council would not

have been able to oust the invading Iraqi troops from Kuwait in the

1991 Gulf War. Meanwhile, the report revealed that the Bush administration has allowed Israel to strike back in the upcoming confrontation against Iraq if the Arab country fires Scud missiles at Israel like it did in 1991.

The report suggested that the Arab world should take the US war preparations against Iraq "very seriously" and recommended a diplomatic offensive by Lebanon to consolidate Pan-Arab camp.

Copyright 2002 XINHUA NEWS AGENCY.

[kattracks]

Pure propaganda to rile up the Arab states.

[RightWhale]

This could happen. Airstrips could be seized or built inside Iraq, and also inside other countries. Such airstrips would themselves be vulnerable to nuclear attack, but there is a plan to counter that.

[Dog Gone]

I don't think that the arab states are going to believe this. This is just stupid.

[SunStar]

More like pure propaganda to rile up the Chinese citizenry, IMHO.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

This article smells of horsehockey.

[Psalm 73]

I kinda' like it - take the Saudi airfields (that we built), then follow up with siezure of thier (our) oil fields!!

[cajungirl]

Balderdash!

[Dog Gone]

More like pure propaganda to rile up the Chinese citizenry, IMHO.

I think we'll discover that this was printed in some wacko Lebanese newspaper and Xinhua is merely reporting it.

[Salgak]

I especially like the bit about us "allowing Israel" to defend itself. . . We all know what it means: lob one SCUD with an NBC warehead, or god forbid, whatever tiny nuke Saddam can build, and VOILA! Baghdad goes away in a cluster of mushroom-shaped clouds. As does any major Iraqi facility not in the US-patrolled areas. . .

[jdogbearhunter]

LOL, I needed a good laugh today... Thanks.

[Cachelot]

Hah. The US should seize the Saudis by the throat and shake vigorously, then seize the oilfields and the airbases. Then piece the territory up between Israel and Jordan (bet they would be thrilled to get in charge of Mecca :). Or even put Israel in charge of Mecca, it would be a nice payback for the infestation on the Temple Mount.

[TADSLOS]

More Chinese meddling.

[jdege]

Air strips could be built and siezed inside Iraq - why then bother with siezing them outside Iraq?

[dighton]

What you said.

[stromsfriend]

Do you remember when Xinhua published an article from The Onion about how COngress wanted a new retractable roof Capitol so they could "better compete" with other legislatures?

Oh my god it was funny!

the Chinese love to be a pain in the ass, the arab populations are very very susceptible to propaganda because they are so ill educated on the whole. So, I wouldn't discredit the effect anything has on the arab world.

[Jackie222]

Hah. The US should seize the Saudis by the throat and shake vigorously, then seize the oilfields and the airbases. Then piece the territory up between Israel and Jordan (bet they would be thrilled to get in charge of Mecca :). Or even put Israel in charge of Mecca, it would be a nice payback for the infestation on the Temple Mount.

Good thinking. Have you run this by Rumsfeld? He might like it.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Pure lies. Why make your enemies angry? Saddam's neighbors won't shed a tear when he is dead.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

You've got to be kidding. They published something from the Onion? lol

[RightWhale]

why then bother with siezing them outside Iraq?

Axis of Evil and Axis of Almost-as-Evil countries cannot resist the forces of modern civilization. Iraq is just another on the list. In the nuclear age, having just one base or a group of bases in a small area is asking for disaster.

[11B3]

The report PLA suggested that the Arab world should take the US war preparations against Iraq "very seriously" and recommended a diplomatic counter offensive by from Lebanon to consolidate by a joint Sino-Arab camp force.

The Chinese will do whatever it takes to insure that their flow of oil from the middle east is not interrupted by the US. If this means initiating a full-scale war between the US/Israel and the Arabs, they will. They are forgetting our other friends though - Turkey, Russia, and India. Once China is exposed as the leader of the Axis of Evil, they will truly be the lone turd in the punchbowl. China's days are numbered.