US Opens War in Iraq

War on Iraq has begun yesterday. The US launched its military attack on major facilities in Baghdad and a military base near the Iraqi border to Kuwait on 5:30 am yesterday. The attack came 132 days after the United Nations Security Council approved the first resolution on the war against Iraq. US President George W. Bush issued a statement, which was broadcast live at 10:15 pm, Wednesday right after the US forces attacked Iraq and declared a massive and declared a broad and concerted military campaign.

Considering the attack to be in the opening stage, President Bush criticized that Hussein was trying to use civilians as shields by deploying military forces and equipment in populated areas. He went on to say that the US has no ambition in Iraq except to remove a threat and that the US forces would be coming home as soon as their work was done.

Iraqi President Sadam Hussein also said in his address to the nation that the US ignored the international call for peace and embarked on a mean attack. He also urged Iraqi people to firmly resist the invaders. His speech was also broadcast on TV.

The first military attack was launched one and a half hours after the deadline of President Bush`s ultimatum had expired. The US military forces struck at targets near Baghdad, where President Hussein and Iraqi leaders were thought to be, and the long-range artillery and one ground-to-ground missile base located between Basra and the Iraqi border to Kuwait. US missile vessels stationed in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf participated in the attack with 60 missiles fired.

Defiant to the US-led military attack, Iraq fired two missiles into Kuwait where they landed without causing damage

The US Defense Department said that the strike was the preparatory stage for stronger attack, and not `A-Day`, which meant a massive strike, indicating the strike was a limited one to collapse the Iraqi leadership and missile system.

Meanwhile, countries, which have opposed the military attack against Iraq including Russia, Germany and China, issued statements after the attack and expressed regret. They called for immediate halt to war on Iraq. They also demand that the US minimize military action and loss of lives.

The US warned US citizens across the world of potential revenge from Iraq using bio-chemical weapons.

maypole@donga.com ecopark@donga.com