USA: CIA DIRECTOR CLAIMS SADDAM IS STRENGTHENED BY LAST ATTACK

Описание: (19 Sep 1996) English/Nat

CIA Director John Deutch says that the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has emerged stronger following his latest confrontation with the U-S.

Deutch made his comments to the US Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday.

Saddam Hussein continues to be a threat in the Gulf region.

He's gained, rather than lost strength.

And while arms and trade sanctions have damaged the Iraqi people, they have failed to weaken Saddam Hussein's hold on power.

That is the verdict from CIA Director John Deutch.

Testifying before the US Senate Intelligence Committee, the CIA director said Saddam Hussein has emerged from his latest scrape with the United States in a stronger position.

And that Iraq has retained enough military power to threaten regional neighbours such as Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

SOUNDBITE:
"Let me say that in general that I believe that Saddam Hussein's position has been strengthened in the region recently. Why? First six years of containment and sanctions have failed to dislodge Saddam Hussein from leadership. Secondly, Saddam Hussein still has the possibility of threatening his neighbours - Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. These countries want to see Saddam Hussein overthrown, but they have other interests as well. They want to assure that there will be stability in the region. They want to assure that Iraq's territorial integrity is maintained. And they want to assure that there are better conditions for the Iraqi people."
SUPER CAPTION: CIA Director John Deutch

The CIA Director said Saddam could be expected to take advantage of what appears to be a weakened determination to deter Iraqi aggression among the coalition partners.

SOUNDBITE:
"We should anticipate that Saddam will continue to challenge the coalition. In contrast to the past he has been clever at taking advantage of an opportunity in northern Iraq created by differences among the Kurds and changed Turkish attitudes."
SUPER CAPTION: CIA Director John Deutch

Deutch concluded there would be no improvement in the regional situation until Saddam and his regime were out of power.

SOUNDBITE:
"There will be no stability in the region or improved circumstances for the Iraqi people until Saddam Hussein and his regime is replaced. Third for all of these reasons Iraq will continue to be and has been at the top of our intelligence priorities for both our collection and analytic effort."
SUPER CAPTION: CIA Director John Deutch

The CIA director testified as the first contingent of another 35-hundred U-S soldiers began arriving in Kuwait.

They'll be joining 12-hundred others conducting exercises in the desert.

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