ABU DHABI Ñ Iraqi government offices are besieged by citizens
seeking permission to flee the country.
Gulf sources said thousands are lining up in front of the Interior
Ministry and security agencies for documents required to travel abroad. They
said the perception is growing that a U.S.-led invasion of Baghdad is inevitable.
Internal tensions in the nation are increasing with the arrival of weapons inspectors and a looming Dec. 8 deadline imposed by the United Nations, Middle East Newsline reported. Meanwhile, allied fighter-jets struck a mobile radar system in the southern no-fly zone Saturday.
The regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has been allowing nationals
to leave the country. But authorities have refused to allow Iraqis to leave
with their assets.
The flight of Iraqis is taking place as tensions are reported throughout
Baghdad, caused by the arrival of United Nations weapons inspectors. The UN plans
to resume inspections on Wednesday. By Dec. 8, Iraq must issue a declaration
of any weapons of mass destruction.
Before returning to the U.S. Saturday, President Bush completed a trip to Europe appealing for NATO support for war against Iraq if Baghdad refuses to disarm.
Calling the Iraqi leader an "aggressive dictator," the president told the crowd in Romania, "By his search for terrible weapons, by his ties to terror groups, by his development of prohibited ballistic missiles, the dictator of Iraq threatens the security of every free nation, including the free nations of Europe."
Over the weekend, U.S. and British warplanes attacked Iraqi
anti-aircraft facilities near the Kuwaiti border. An Iraqi military
spokesman said the targets were located in in the province of Misan.
U.S. Central Command, which is responsible for enforcement of the no-fly
zone in southern Iraq said U.S. and British fighter-jets struck a mobile
radar system south of the city of Al Amara on Saturday.
"Today's strike came after Iraq moved the mobile radar into the southern
no-fly zone," Central Command said in a statement. "The radar provides
tracking and guidance for surface-to-air missile systems that can target
coalition aircraft."
