WASHINGTON Ñ The United States has launched a psychological warfare
campaign warning Iraqi forces not to target allied troops and
combat jets. It was the first such effort since 1991.
On Thursday, British and U.S. combat jets dropped 120,000 leaflets that
warned Iraqi anti-aircraft forces against firing toward allied aircraft that
patrol the no-fly zone in northern and southern Iraq. The leaflets, written
in Arabic, threatened immediate retaliation against Iraqi forces who try to
stop patrols of the no-fly zones, Middle East Newsline reported.
In a related development, the Defense Department has launched a program
to train commandos from the U.S. Special Operations Command in foreign
languages. Officials said the program is meant to improve the effectiveness
of special operations.
"The destruction experienced by your colleagues in other air defense
locations is a response to your continuing aggression toward planes of the
coalition forces," the leaflet said. "No tracking or firing on these
aircraft will be tolerated. You could be next."
The allied planes dropping the leaflets were fired upon by Iraqi
surface-to-air batteries. In response, allied aircraft attacked an air
defense operations center in southern Iraq at Tallil.
U.S. officials said they weren't sure if the leaflets would be read.
They said this was the first time since 1991 that
coalition forces had dropped leaflets over Iraq.
"We just want them to get the message, 'Hey, this is why we keep
striking,'" a Pentagon spokesman said.
U.S. officials said the leaflets stemmed from an assessment by London
and Washington that most of the Iraqi military is prepared to flee or
surrender in any war to topple the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
The officials said the psychological campaign has also tracked Iraqi forces
responsible for the deployment of Iraq's nonconventional weapons arsenal.
Other leaflets dropped on Iraqi forces said those who disobey Saddam's
orders would be allowed to remain in their posts. The leaflets also warned
that those who launch Iraqi missiles and WMD would be held accountable.
The Pentagon has awarded a $50 million award to B.I.B. Consultants to
provide foreign language and immersion training in support of special
operations forces around the world. B.I.B. will represent the Berlitz
Language Center, based in Orlando, Fla.
U.S. officials said the work will be primarily performed within the
continental United States but some of the immersion training will take
abroad. They said the contract will be managed from Tampa, Fla.,
headquarters of the U.S. Central Command.
