The American press is reporting that U.S. warplanes
have launched major strikes against several missile
sites in various parts of Iraq.
But what hasn't been mentioned so far is that
virtually all of them were directed at military
targets in and around major Iraqi oil fields.
These "pre-emptive strikes" are done to eliminate any
threats to air support that would be needed to protect
troops on the ground.
This first step in invading Iraq and seizing control
of its oil fields is to destroy all military targets
that protect them.
Despite the charade going on between the imperialist
powers at the United Nations, the invasion of Iraq has
already begun.
Sincerely,
Duane J. Roberts
duaneroberts92804@yahoo.com http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/stories/2003022602431400.htm Wednesday, Feb 26, 2003
The Hindu
U.S. preparing ground to secure oil fields?
By Atul Aneja
MANAMA FEB.25. The U.S. fighter jets today raided
three Iraqi ground to air missile sites near the oil
city of Mosul ahead of a Parliamentary vote that will
make Turkey key staging post for a U.S.-led attack
through northern Iraq.
The air raids launched from Turkish bases are being
interpreted as part of preparations to demolish Iraqi
defences before the U.S.- led coalition launches a
full scale ground attack to seize Iraq's northern oil
fields. Iraqi oil reserves -- the second largest in
the world after Saudi Arabia -- are mainly located in
the north around Mosul and Kirkuk or around Basra in
the country's South.
The U.S. since the last few weeks has also intensified
air attacks around Basra -- a move that could help its
forces to capture Iraq's southern oil fields and
undermine the possibility of Iraq positioning its
surface-to-surface missile launchers in this area.
Analysts point out that there is a general agreement
among the U.S., Turkey and the Iraqi Kurds residing in
northern Iraq, so far, that the U.S. troops should
quickly establish direct military control over Mosul
and Kirkuk soon after the war begins. The
implementation of this plan has acquired some urgency
as there are reports that the Iraqis might blow up the
oil fields in the north and the south soon after the
war begins.
The U.S. has justified the intensification of its air
raids, by pointing out that they are meant to enforce
the no-fly zone provisions of the early nineties in
northern and southern Iraq....