Clinton hands off Iraqi opposition plan to Bush
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Tuesday, January 16, 2001
WASHINGTON Ñ President Bill Clinton has handed his successor a plan
to bolster the Iraqi opposition to Saddam Hussein.
After years of delay, the Clinton administration has approved a plan
that will provide more resources to the Iraqi National Congress. The plan is
meant to reestablish INC presence in Iraq.
Under the plan, submitted to Congress, the INC would distribute food and
other relief supplies in northern and southern Iraq and other areas not
under Saddam's control. The INC would establish relief offices as well as
radio and television stations.
The INC effort would be supported from neighboring Iran, officials said.
The project would include $12 million for humanitarian relief and $6 million
for the propaganda campaign.
So far, the Clinton administration has spent only $2 million of $97
million authorized by Congress in 1998. The White House has refused to
provide military training or weapons to the INC.
The London-based INC views the administration decision as the first step
towards U.S. support for military operations against the Saddam regime. But
the Clinton report leaves that option to the incoming administration of
President-elect George W. Bush.
"Beyond such improvement of the INC's own abilities to protect its
people and others inside Iraq, the administration and Congress will need to
consider what forms of direct protection, if any, the U.S. should provide,"
the report said.
Last week, Bush was briefed at the White House on the Iraq issue. It was
not clear whether Clinton discussed the new aid to the INC, but Bush aides
said the incoming administration welcomes increased support to the
opposition to Saddam.
A key concern is the extent of U.S. support required to protect
renewed INC operations in Iraq. Administration officials said Saddam will
try to stop opposition activities as he did in 1996 when Iraqi troops
overran the north.
Tuesday, January 16, 2001
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