U.S. PLANNED OVERTHROW OF SADDAM

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 20, 1993                   TAG: 9301200243
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A5   EDITION: METRO  
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short
U.S. PLANNED OVERTHROW OF SADDAM
The Bush administration adopted a covert action plan to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from power but was careful not to violate the longstanding ban on attempting to assassinate a foreign leader, presidential national security adviser Brent Scowcroft said Tuesday.
Scowcroft said the removal of Saddam was never "a major objective" of U.S. policy in Iraq, though he added that "we'd love to see him gone, because he's a particularly vicious character."
As Scowcroft portrayed it, administration policy both before and since Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait was centered on balancing the threats posed by Iran and Iraq.
The security adviser said an effort to oust Saddam came "pretty close" last summer, and was foiled because the Iraqi leader "has one of the most efficient security systems in the world." He said emphatically, however, that this was not a U.S. effort.
An official who asked not to be quoted by name said the administration provided assurance to Iraqi plotters that they would receive U.S. support if they succeeded. But he said Washington had not provided military, logistical or financial support to the plot.
Scowcroft gave no details of the plan but did suggest that it involved the Iraqi military.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB