USA halts attack on Iraq

WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (AP,UNI) — The USA and UK today ended air strikes on Iraq after four nights of bombing but Baghdad remained defiant on the UN weapons inspection issue that had sparked off the crisis.

Iraqi Vice-President Taha Yassin Ramadan told a press conference in Baghdad last night Iraq would sever all ties with the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM).

US President, Mr Bill Clinton, has halted air strikes against Iraq after a fourth day of attacks , saying American and British forces had inflicted 'significant damage.'

Mr Clinton said the US mission had been accomplished.

Mr Clinton said yesterday that the USA would maintain a strong military presence in the Gulf and "we will remain ready to use it" if the Iraqi President, Mr Saddam Hussein, tries to rebuild his weapons of mass destruction, strikes at his neighbours, challenges allied aircraft or moves against Kurdish rebels.

Just hours before Mr Clinton spoke, Baghdad vowed it would refuse all cooperation with UN weapons inspectors. Mr Clinton said if the inspectors were not allowed to do their work, "we will use force if necessary’’ to force Mr Saddam to open suspected weapons sites.

The President announced the end of Operation Desert Fox after meeting with his top national security advisers. It ended at the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramzan.

Mr Clinton said the goal was to degrade Mr Saddam’s military base and his capacity to attack his neighbours. He said it would take time for a detailed assessment but that based on early reports, "I am confident we have achieved our mission".

"We have inflicted significant damage on Saddam’s weapons of mass destruction programmes, on the command structures that direct and protect that capability and on his military and security infrastructure.’’

Mr Clinton called for a new government in Iraq. "So long as Saddam remains in power, he will remain a threat to his people, his region and the world. With our allies we must pursue a strategy to contain him and to constrain his weapons of mass destruction programme.’’

Mr Clinton made his decision several hours after the House of Representatives voted to impeach him. His decision to attack Iraq this week had been roundly criticised by Republicans, who put off their impeachment vote by one day while the air strikes were under way.

Earlier, the Defence Secretary, Mr William Cohen, told newsmen that the air strikes had inflicted 'significant damage' on Iraq’s military systems. He said US analysts believe the assault had set back Iraq’s ballistic missile programme by 'a year or more.'

'We have diminished his ability to threaten his neighbours,' Mr Cohen said. He acknowledged, however, that it is possible Mr Saddam eventually will be able to rebuild at least some of the bombed facilities. He said reports suggesting only modest success through Friday were misleading because bomb damaged classified as "moderate’’ is more than adequate.

Gen Henry Shelton, Chairman of the joint Chiefs of Staff, said about 90 targets had been struck in Iraq so far, and that some targets had been hit more than once.

The Pentagon displayed videos of navy laser-guided missiles striking two Iraqi installations, and reconnaissance photos of several other facilities.

Of 20 command-and-control facilities targeted, two sustained light damage, eight had moderate to severe damage and seven were destroyed, military officials said. Assessments were incomplete on the three others. Bombs also targeted 18 facilities used to provide security for Mr Saddam’s outlawed weapons, and 11 of them sustained moderate to severe damage. Five were lightly damaged and two were destroyed, officials said.

LONDON: The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, has said that the USA and Britain had ended air strikes against Iraqi targets. All military objectives for the four-day operation had been achieved, Mr Blair said.

"Tonight, I can only tell you that our objectives have been achieved. We set out to diminish and degrade Saddam’s military capability, and we have done so,’’ Mr Blair said in a short statement outside 10 Downing Street, on Saturday.

Mr Blair, speaking at the same time as US President Bill Clinton was addressing the American people, said that "real" damage had also been done to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s Republican Guard, Iraq’s best trained troops.

BAGHDAD: (Reuters): Iraqis left bomb shelters on Sunday morning, expressing joy and relief that a US and British air campaign was over. However, there was no immediate reaction from officials.

"Thank God, it’s all over," a woman said as she prepared to leave a shelter packed with men, women and children in central Baghdad.

There was no immediate reaction from officials to the news, which reached Baghdad around 2 a.m (430 a.m IST).

"This has been achieved through our steadfastness," a beaming Ahmed Ali said when he was told that the attacks were over. "Come on, let us leave here and go back home," he told his wife, who began to gather their belongings at the bunker.

Iraq declares victory

DUBAI, Dec 20 (PTI) — Iraq today proclaimed victory after the US-led forces halted a 72-hour-long aerial bombing campaign against it even as the UK outlined a strategy of containment to keep a defiant Saddam Hussein 'in his cage'.

"The USA was forced to call off Operation Desert Fox because it failed to achieve its objective," Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Arab and international relations Khaled Shihab Al-Duri declared.

The USA and the UK last night announced the end of their four nights of military operation against Iraq, launched for punishing Baghdad for not complying with the UN arms inspectors.

However, US President Bill Clinton vowed to strike Iraq again if it refused to allow the UN arms inspectors to resume their work and declared their mission a success.

"We have inflicted significant damage on (Iraq’s) weapons of mass destruction programmes, on the command structures that direct and protect that capability, and on his (Saddam’s) military and security infrastructures," said Mr Clinton who is battling for his political survival after the impeachment vote.

In London, British premier Tony Blair, announcing plans to contain Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, said "the allies are ready to strike again it needed".