アメリカと少なくともイギリスが日本時間早朝イラクに対する爆撃を開始し
ました。まもなくクリントン大統領の声明が出ます。
インターネット上ではCNN
http://cnn.com/WORLD/meast/9812/16/iraq.05/index.html
が詳しいですが、いまつながりにくい。
とりあえず以下に国防総省の記者会見の最新のものを関連部分だけ転載しま
す。この時点でイラク攻撃は決まっていたわけです。不倫から目を反らせるた
めにトマホーク、弾劾を避けるために大爆撃と、軍隊の私的利用です。
−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−
= N E W S B R
I E F I N G
=
= OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
= (PUBLIC AFFAIRS)
= WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301
====================================================
DoD News Briefing
Tuesday, December 15, 1998 - 1:40 p.m.
Mr. Kenneth H. Bacon, ASD PA
（中略）
Q:
Iraq. Will the United States be making a decision
about whether to take military
action against Iraq this week
based on the results of
Richard Butler's report to the United
Nations?
A:
Well Richard Butler's report will certainly have an
impact on what our future
strategy is toward Iraq. We have
not ruled in or ruled out
any options at this stage. We're
awaiting Ambassador Butler's
report. I expect that it will be
out this afternoon or this
evening. That's my latest
information. We will
have to evaluate the report and see what
it says.
Q:
We don't have to wait for the report to know that Iraq
's cooperation was less
than full and unconditional. Isn't
Iraq therefore in violation
of the promise it made back on
November 14th when the United
States called off its military
strike?
A:
I think rather than speculate right now we should see
how Ambassador Butler, who's
closest to the situation,
evaluates Iraqi compliance.
Obviously Iraqi compliance
has been less than complete, but we
need to await Ambassador
Butler's assessment of whether he
thinks he can do his job,
and what he thinks the future will
hold. As I say, that
report isn't out yet and it won't be out
for probably several hours.
Q:
If the President were to decide that Iraq's lack of
compliance justified a military
strike, does the President
have the moral authority
to order such a strike given that it
would come at a time when
he's also facing impeachment in the
House of Representatives
and the questions that would raise?
A:
First of all, the first part of your question is
hypothetical. He hasn't
reached any decision yet because he
doesn't have all of the
information he would need to evaluate
Iraqi compliance.
The President is the Commander
in Chief. He was duly elected.
He will have to -- he is
completing a foreign trip in which he
was able to realize or help
realize a considerable achievement
in Palestine, and I think
that he has the full authority given
under the Constitution to
take any action he needs to take in
protection of our national
interest. Whatever he decides that
is.
Q:
Can you give us a rundown of the force levels in the
region?
A:
There are, in total, 24,100 men and women in the
American military there.
There are 22 ships. There are 201
aircraft. And there
are 2,400 Army personnel in the area.
The bulk of those, of course,
are the INTRINSIC ACTION task
force that's in Kuwait.
I think there are about 1200 from the
3rd Armored [Infantry] Division.
Q:
Is that including the 24,000?
A:
They're all included. The 24,400 is the total figure
and I just broke out the
number of people in the Army.
Q:
Is that 24,400 or...
A:
24,100, excuse me. 24,100.
Q:
Tomahawks?
Q:
Does that include the B-52s still in Diego Garcia?
A:
It does, yes. It does include those.
Q:
How many are there?
A:
Well in Diego Garcia right now there are 15 B-52s.
There are the seven that
will come out before Christmas and
the eight that have gone
to replace them. That includes one
training plane.
Somebody asked about the
Tomahawk capable ships. There are
eight ships capable of launching
Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Otto?
（以下略）
−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−
****************************
Masahiko Aoki
青木雅彦
btree@pop11.odn.ne.jp
メールアドレスが変わりました
****************************
3月、4月、5月、6月、7月、8月、9月、10月、11月、12月