Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 26, 1991 TAG: 9102260467
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Long
"He is trying to claim victory in the midst of a rout," said Bush, effectively dismissing calls for a cease-fire. He said coalition military forces are ahead of their attack schedule and that the liberation of Kuwait was near.
The president said Saddam's retreat is an effort "to save the remnants of power and control in the Middle East by every means possible." Bush vowed that tactic will fail.
At a U.S. military briefing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Marine Brig. Gen. Richard Neal said, "The Iraqi army is in full retreat." He described the Iraqi forces as "collapsing across the front."
"We have seen no indication they are laying down their weapons," said Neal. "Quite the opposite, we are engaged with them; we are in pursuit of them; they're stopping and fighting. We are overwhelming them and defeating them in place."
Bush said Iraqi forces can end the fighting if they "lay down their arms." He said there will be no attacks on unarmed soldiers in retreat - but "we have no choice but to consider retreating combat units as a threat, and will respond accordingly."
He demanded full observance of all U.N. Security Council resolutions on Kuwait.
Bush said Saddam has not renounced his claim to Kuwait, and has not accepted U.N. resolutions demanding not only unconditional withdrawal but also the restoration of the Kuwaiti government and reparations for war damage.
"Saddam's most recent speech is an outrage," Bush said. "He is not withdrawing. His defeated forces are retreating. He is trying to claim victory in the midst of a rout, and he is not voluntarily giving up Kuwait."
Bush spoke as a Pentagon official disclosed that massive coalition forces had engaged key units of Iraq's Republican Guard and met "sporadic" fighting. He said the coalition troops were poised to cut off any attempted retreat to Baghdad.
"The liberation of Kuwait is close at hand," Bush said, praising "the magnificent, heroic performance of our armed forces."
The president said the Iraqi leader is "trying to save the remnants of power and control in the Middle East by every means possible," and vowed that tactic will fail.
"Saddam is not interested in peace, but only to regroup and fight another day," Bush said.
"The coalition will therefore continue to prosecute the war with undiminished intensity," Bush said.
With that statement, the president personally repeated, and toughened, the position his spokesman already had announced.
Lt. Col. Steve Roy, a Pentagon spokesman, spelled out coalition guidelines for dealing with retreating Iraqi forces:
"We can pursue the enemy, fight toward the ground objective, engage the enemy at every opportunity, take prisoners, destroy the enemies' personnel, equipment, vehicles, lines of communication, bridges, supply depots and continue to encircle the enemy to obtain his destruction or surrender or both."
Said Roy: "By laying down their weapons we mean all fighting gear from pistols and knives on up to air defenses and tanks. The soldiers can keep their personal survival gear such as gas masks, chemical weapons protection, knapsacks and canteens, but that's it."
Military reports today indicated that coalition forces were moving quickly throughout the battlefields of Iraq and Kuwait. Reports from Kuwait City were of retreating Iraqi troops.
White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said Bush called the White House Situation Room at 5:20 a.m. and learned of today's radio speech by Saddam. He reviewed a text of the address and then met with key advisers.
Among other things, Saddam said: "Dear brothers, I applaud your victory . . . you have faced 30 countries and the evil they brought here. Good will triumph over evil. Brave Iraqis, you have won, you are victorious."
The Iraqi president said a "complete withdrawal" from Kuwait would be accomplished today. The speech followed a Monday night announcement, also on Baghdad radio, that Iraq would withdraw.
"His speech changes nothing," said Fitzwater in a breakfast-hour reaction to Saddam's broadcast. "It does not annul the annexation of Kuwait or meet any of the coalition's other terms.
"It's not to be over until all 12 U.N. resolutions are met and it is clear Iraq cannot inflict harm on anyone beyond its borders," Sen. John Warner, R-Va., told ABC today.
"The end for Saddam Hussein's aggression is very close," Sen. Al Gore, D-Tenn., said. While not calling for the removal of Saddam, Gore said, "I trust he will not stay in power."
The Soviet Union said today that it believes Saddam's broadcast announcement should satisfy "all interested parties" in the Gulf War. It urged the United Nations to call an immediate cease-fire.
Monday night's White House statement marked the first time the United States has demanded a personal announcement from Saddam. Previously, it has said something authoritative must be presented at the United Nations.
Fitzwater said Saddam must personally "accept explicitly all relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions," especially those renouncing his declared annexation of Kuwait and calling for war compensation to Kuwait and others.
The apparent Iraqi request for respite from the allies' swift and broad attack came as U.S. military officials were counting the dead and wounded from a Scud missile strike on a U.S. Army barracks in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. Fitzwater said the deaths "offer silent testimony to the intentions of Saddam Hussein."
"There's no way you're going to have him get out of Kuwait and have a cease-fire if he's still shooting [Scuds] at Israel and Saudi Arabia," added Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
by CNB