U.N. inspectors Thursday scrutinized more suspected weapons sites in Iraq. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) combed at least six sites Thursday.
Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald M. Rumsfeld met at a desert encampment with the U.S. general who would run a war against Iraq. Earlier, the United States won Qatari approval for major improvements to an air base in this Gulf country.
Rumsfeld met with Gen. Tommy Franks, the Central Command commander who has been in Qatar for a week preparing for and overseeing the conduct of an exercise, called Internal Look, that is testing the new command post's communications links with Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and special operations commanders elsewhere in the Gulf.
Upon his arrival in the Qatari capital Wednesday night, Rumsfeld signed an agreement giving the go-ahead for several construction projects at al-Udeid air base. He said they would improve the quality of life for the 3,300 U.S. troops there and given them more "state-of-the-art capability."
At a news conference following the signing ceremony, Rumsfeld rebutted suggestions that the work at al-Udeid was related to U.S. preparations for war against Iraq.
Rumsfeld said it remained unclear whether war would be necessary and held out the possibility that Saddam Hussein would change his pattern of behavior and decide to cooperate with the United Nations and disarm. "People do unusual things when under duress," he aired.
In Baghdad, the official Al-Thawra daily newspaper said the purpose of U.S. military bases in the Gulf was to redraw the map of the Middle East. "America wants to control the world at any cost," it said. "Its paranoia is driving its fictitious colonialist plans." (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
