Israel still faces Scud danger, Time magazine reports

Haaertz ^ | Monday, March 31, 2003 | Shlomo Shamir

[Rams82]

NEW YORK - A number of Scuds that could be within striking distance of Israel are still believed to be in western Iraq, Time magazine says in an exclusive report today.

"Washington has pointed to the capture of two airfields in western Iraq as a blow to Saddam's ability to menace Israel with Scud missiles, as he did in the 1991 war," the magazine writes. "But the U.S. has what it considers credible intelligence that some Scuds have eluded detection in western Iraq, within striking distance of Israel."

A senior U.S. intelligence official told Time: "We are not out of the woods yet." He said Saddam may have "a Scud or two that he's saving for the right moment," noting that coalition forces are hunting the western desert for missile launchers.

Meanwhile, Newsweek reports that Iraq recently acquired Kornet anti-tank missiles. The missiles are light to carry and easy to operate, the newsmagazine says.

It quotes senior sources in the Pentagon as saying that Ukrainian arms dealers supplied the Iraqis with some 500 Kornet missiles in January. Certain Syrian generals and perhaps even the Syrian government itself may also have been involved in the deal, Newsweek reports.

This would explain the Iraqis' ability to destroy two sophisticated Abrams MIA tanks that were ambushed on the banks of the Euphrates, the magazine says.

According to a Time public opinion poll, 55 percent of the American public now believes the administration painted too optimistic a picture of what could be expected in the confrontation with Iraq.

[lawdog]

"According to a Time public opinion poll, 55 percent of the American public now believes the administration painted too optimistic a picture of what could be expected in the confrontation with Iraq."

Liberal media "sky is falling" ALERT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!