Desert Fox: Key Official US and British Statements And
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CSIS__________________________________________ Center for Strategic and International Studies 1800 K Street N.W. Washington, DC 20006 Phone: (202) 775-3270 Fax: (202) 466-4740 Internet: CSIS.ORG Desert Fox: Key Official US and British Statements and Press Conferences Anthony H. Cordesman Co-Director CSIS Middle East Studies Program January 31, 1998 Desert Fox: Official Briefs and Interviews 2/3/99 Page 2 Table of Contents. 27 JANUARY, 1999 U.S. COUNTERS IRAQ’S INCREASED AGGRESSION ............................................................... 4 26 JANUARY, 1999 DOD PRESS BRIEFING - 1:50 P.M. (EST)............................................................................ 5 26 JANUARY, 1999 PENTAGON CONFIRMS STRIKE IN IRAQI NEIGHBORHOOD....................................................11 25 JANUARY, 1999: OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH UPDATE PRESENTER: GENERAL ANTHONY C. ZINNI, CINC, CENTCOM...................................................................................................................................................13 19 JANUARY, 1999 PATRIOTS TO DEPLOY TO TURKEY.....................................................................................19 12 JANUARY, 1999: ZINNI SAYS SADDAM SHAKEN, DESPERATE ......................................................................20 11 JANUARY 1999 U.S. SENDS MORE PLANES TO PERSIAN GULF.....................................................................22 10 JANUARY, 1999: STRIKE FOUR: IRAQ’S AT IT AGAIN.................................................................................24 6JANUARY, 1999: U.S. CONFRONTS FRUSTRATED HUSSEIN ...........................................................................25 8 JANUARY, 1999 - 10:00 A.M. PRESENTER: GENERAL ZINNI ON OPERATION DESERT FOX AND IRAQ.......................................................................................................................................................27 6 JANMUARY, 1999: STRIKES DAMAGED MORE THAN EXPECTED, SHELTON SAYS...........................................37 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE - DAILY PRESS BRIEFING MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 1999 BRIEFER: JAMES P. RUBIN.........................................................................................................................................38 OPERATION DESERT FOX: BATTLE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT: TRANSCRIPT OF BRIEFING GIVEN BY AIR MARSHAL JOHN DAY AND ASSISTANT UNDER SECRETARY (HOME AND OVERSEAS), DR EDGAR BUCKLEY, LONDON, TUESDAY, 22 DECEMBER 1998 ......................................................39 DOD NEWS BRIEFING.....................................................................................................................................42 21 DECEMBER 21, 1998 - 4:15 P.M. (EST) SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WILLIAM S. COHEN [ALSO PARTICIPATING IN THE BRIEFING IS GENERAL HENRY H. SHELTON, U. S. ARMY, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF] ..........................................................................................................................42 DOD NEWS BRIEFING. MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1998 - 2:30 P.M. PRESENTER: SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WILLIAM S. COHEN (GENERAL ANTHONY C. ZINNI, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THIS OVERVIEW OF OPERATION DESERT FOX.).........................................49 DECEMBER 21, 1998 STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ...........................................................................64 BACKGROUND BRIEFING MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1998, 1:30 P.M. SENIOR DEFENSE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL..................................................................................................................................65 21 DEC 1998: ONCE SHOULD BE ENOUGH, SAYS DESERT FOX COMMANDER BY LINDA D. KOZARYN AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE..................................................................................................................................73 SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT INTERVIEW ON NBC’S “MEET THE PRESS” WITH TIM RUSSERT DECEMBER 20, 1998, WASHINGTON, D.C.AS RELEASED BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE .......................................................................................................................................................75 ASSESSMENT OF OPERATION DESERT FOX AND FORWARD STRATEGY PRIME MINISTER, MR TONY BLAIR, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE, LONDON, SUNDAY, 20 DECEMBER 1998 PRIME MINISTER:...................................................................................................................................................79 ‘LAUNCHING A FORWARD STRATEGY OF CONTAINMENT FOR SADDAM’ EDITED TRANSCRIPT OF AN INTERVIEW GIVEN BY THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, MR ROBIN COOK, FOR GMTV, LONDON, SUNDAY, 20 DECEMBER 1998................................................................................................82 DECEMBER 19, 1998 REMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT ON IRAQ THE ROOSEVELT ROOM 6:00 P.M. EST...93 DOD NEWS BRIEFING SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1998 - 2:00 P.M. PRESENTER: SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WILLIAM S. COHEN OPERATION DESERT FOX [ALSO PARTICIPATING IN THE BRIEFING WAS GEN. HUGH SHELTON, CHAIRMAN, JCS; REAR ADMIRAL THOMAS R. WILSON, J-2]...........................................................95 DECEMBER 19, 1998 RADIO ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT TO THE NATION 10:06 A.M. EST THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF THE PRESS SECRETARY. THE OVAL OFFICE 10:06 A.M. EST..............................111 7:00 AM EST DECEMBER 19, 1998 VIDEOTAPED REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO THE ARAB WORLD CABINET ROOM, THE WHITE HOUSE .........................................................................113 STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR TONY BLAIR, DOWNING STREET, LONDON, SATURDAY 19 DECEMBER 1998............................................................................................................115 SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT INTERVIEW ON CNN’S “EARLY EDITION” WASHINGTON, D.C., DECEMBER 18, 1998. AS RELEASED BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE ...............................................................................................................................116 Desert Fox: Official Briefs and Interviews 2/3/99 Page 3 SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT INTERVIEW ON NBC’S “TODAY SHOW” DECEMBER 18, 1998, WASHINGTON, D.C. AS RELEASED BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE ..118 DOD NEWS BRIEFING FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1998 PRESENTER: SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WILLIAM S. COHEN SUBJECT: OPERATION DESERT FOX [ALSO PARTICIPATING IN THE BRIEFING WAS GEN. HUGH SHELTON, U.S. ARMY, CHAIRMAN, JCS; VICE ADM. SCOTT A. FRY, J-3, AND REAR ADM. THOMAS R. WILSON, J-2] ............120 DOD NEWS BRIEFING THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1998 PRESENTER: SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WILLIAM S. COHEN SUBJECT: OPERATION DESERT FOX [ALSO PARTICIPATING IN THE BRIEFING WAS GEN. HUGH SHELTON, U.S. ARMY, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF] .......135 SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT PRESS REMARKS ON MILITARY ATTACK ON IRAQ WASHINGTON, D.C., DECEMBER 17, 1998 AS RELEASED BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPOKESMAN U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE .....................................................................................................................................................145 DOD NEWS BRIEFING WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1998 PRESENTER: SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WILLIAM S. COHEN [ALSO PARTICIPATING IN THE BRIEFING WAS GEN. HENRY H. SHELTON, U.S. ARMY, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF] ...............................................................................................................................151 Desert Fox: Official Briefs and Interviews 2/3/99 Page 4 1-27-99 U.S. Counters Iraq’s Increased Aggression By Linda D. Kozaryn American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON—The United States is meeting Iraq’s increased aggression head-on and will continue to do so as long as it lasts, according to Pentagon spokesman Ken Bacon. “Iraq is mounting a very aggressive, determined, day-in-and-day-out attack against the planes patrolling the no-fly zone,” Bacon said here Jan. 26. The United States is “responding appropriately” to that higher threat level in its continuing effort to enforce the U.N.-mandated no-fly zones, he said. U.S. pilots have “adequate authority” to protect themselves and their missions, Bacon said. President Clinton expanded that authority recently at the request of Marine Gen. Anthony C. Zinni, commander of U.S. Central Command and Operation Southern Watch, he added. Bacon would not detail the rules of engagement, but stressed the United States and its coalition partners firmly intend to enforce the no-fly zones. “We are determined to do so in a way that protects our pilots ... and prevents Saddam Hussein from organizing his troops to attack his neighbors or his own people,” he said. Since the coalition’s Desert Fox bombing operation in late December, Iraq has intensified its defiance of the no-fly zones, declaring them invalid. More than 100 Iraqi planes have violated the zones, and Iraqi forces have attacked coalition planes with anti-aircraft missiles and guns. The United States has responded in kind, striking missile sites and radar systems in both northern and southern Iraq. Along with aircraft incursions, the Iraqis have positioned more anti-aircraft missiles and other air defense assets in the no-fly zones, Bacon said. This violates the 1991 U.N.-Iraq Gulf War cease-fire agreement. He noted U.S. planes previously ignored Iraqi missile sites in the zones because they did not challenge coalition patrols—but now that they do, the United States is striking back. “Our goal is to be able