- Moscow - The Russian armed forces have obtained information
that the United States and its allies have already decided to launch military
action in Iraq from mid-February, the news agency Interfax said on Wednesday.
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- The agency's specialist military news wire AVN, quoting
an unnamed high-ranking source in the Russian general staff, said US-led
operations would be launched once an attacking force had been assembled
in the Gulf. The source did not indicate by what means the Russian military
had obtained such information.
-
- "According to the information we have, the operation
is planned for the second half of February. The decision to launch it has
been taken but not yet been made public," the source told the agency,
which has generally authoritative contacts in the Russian military and
political establishment.
-
- The source said the United States and its allies had
amassed about 100 000 soldiers and officers in the region but were awaiting
for a strength of 150&bnsp;000 before launching an attack.
-
- "The military operation against Iraq will be conducted
by a combination of means - strikes will be from the air, land and sea.
The war will be short, lasting about one month," the source said.
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- http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=24&art_id=qw1043226721518B262&set_id=1
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