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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Well...it is beginning to look hopelessly like a
fait accompli... </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Bryan</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>---------------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/273538.html">http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/273538.html</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>U.S. orders diplomats out of Israel, Kuwait,
Syria</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><BR>By Amos Harel, Haaretz Military Correspondent,
Haaretz Service and Agencies</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The U.S. State Department said on Sunday it had
ordered nonessential U.S. diplomats and embassy dependents out of Kuwait, Israel
and Syria and urged U.S. citizens to leave because of the threat of war with
Iraq. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The steps, which mirrored U.S. precautions before
the 1991 Gulf War, were announced after U.S. President George W. Bush said there
was only one more day to find a diplomatic end to the Iraq crisis before
Washington moves to a war footing..... </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<DIV><BR>IDF to decide Monday evening whether to issue civil defense orders. The
defense establishment will decide Monday evening whether to issue civil defense
instructions to the public in advance of the expected American attack on Iraq.
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The defense establishment will be responding to U.S. President George
Bush's announcement Sunday that Monday would be the last day for diplomatic
efforts to peacefully disarm Saddam Hussein. America and Britain are expected to
issue a statement on their next moves after their 24-hour ultimatum expires, and
the defense establishment will make its decisions based on the content of this
statement. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The situation assessment prepared by the defense establishment Sunday night
includes two alternative scenarios: In one, the U.S. succeeds in mustering a
"moral majority" in the UN Security Council for its decision to attack Iraq,
even though any such resolution would presumably be vetoed. In such a case, the
U.S. is expected to spend another few days finalizing its preparations and begin
the attack next week. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In the second scenario, the U.S. fails to muster UN Security Council
support for its position. In such a case, Israel believes that the U.S. will
attack almost immediately, perhaps as soon as Wednesday or Thursday. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>There is also a third alternative, though this is considered much less
likely: France and Germany could persuade the U.S. to extend its ultimatum.
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Given this uncertainty, the defense establishment decided that there is no
reason for Israel to take immediate action. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Defense sources said Sunday that they see no need to issue civil defense
instructions immediately, because "the media is operating efficiently. People
are aware of the situation and many continue to come to the gas mask
distribution centers and to purchase materials for sealing rooms. In any case,
the more time passes, the more people obtain the necessary equipment. Therefore,
the level of panic is less this time."...</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>Sharon: U.S. making 'major effort' to prevent attack on Israel
<BR>Despite there being only a small chance that Baghdad will target Israel in
response to any assault on Iraq, great steps have been taken, both by Israel and
by the United States, to protect the country from attack, Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon said Sunday. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"Israel will know how to protect itself. We are not alone on this front,
the Americans... are making a major effort to prevent the possibility of an
attack on Israel, but if Israel is hit, we will know how to defend ourselves,"
Sharon said during a tour of the separation fence with his ministers. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"There is not a country in the Western world... that has made the efforts
we have," he said. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"I think that there is a strong possibility that [Israel] will not be hit,"
the prime minister said, adding that Israel was not involved and had no
intention of becoming involved in the Iraq crisis. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"We have taken every necessary step should the situation does not turn out
as expected and there is an attempt to hit Israel." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon said last week that spy satellites had not
picked up any sign of Scud missiles in western Iraq - the only area in the
country from which Scuds can reach Israel - and that the probability of a
missile strike appeared slim. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>In 1991, Iraq fired 39 Scud missiles at Israel, causing heavy damage but
few casualties. At the time, the United States pressed Israel not to retaliate,
fearing that could pull apart the coalition it set up to fight Baghdad, which
included many Arab states hostile to Israel. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>But Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said Saturday that Israel would retaliate
for any attack on its territory. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"In the event that Israel will be attacked, it will retaliate. There are
also plans ready for such an incident," Mofaz said. When asked if that meant a
possible offensive beyond firing Arrow anti-missile missiles at the Scuds, Mofaz
said, "This includes offensive acts. Unequivocally yes." He did not
elaborate.<BR> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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