U.S. STORM’ RAGES
CENTRAL SAUDI ARABIA (AP) —
le United States and its allies pounded
iqwith two waves of air strikes today in
furious bid to drive Saddam Hussein’s
inies from Kuwait and break his mili-
ny might.
We will not fail,” a somber President
ushtold the nation.
Saddam apparently survived a night of
je that rained down on his capital. As
[e misty, smoke-shrouded day dawned
Baghdad, he spat defiance at the allied
unies in a radio message from an undis-
losed location.
The mother of all battles is under
way!” the Iraqi president proclaimed.
The first strike came before dawn and
a second wave followed about seven
hours later.
Baghad radio later today claimed Iraqi
anti-aircraft units shot down 14 attacking
warplanes, but the report could not be in
dependently confirmed. U.S. officials did
not immediately report any casualties.
The second-wave attack scored direct
hits on the Iraqi Defense Ministry and the
ost office headquarters, the British
roadcasting Corp. reported. U.S. mili
tary officials said the targets were strate
gic sites, but an Iraqi communique said
densely populated residential areas had
been hit.
Japan’s Arabian Oil Co. said Iraqi artil
lery shelled oil installations at thq Saudi
town of Khafji near the Kuwait frontier,
blowing up an oil storage tank. No inju
ries were reported.
A Western diplomat in the gulf state of
Bahrain also said Iraq fired surface-to-
surface missiles toward Saudi Arabia, but
said they were either destroyed in the air
or fell short of their targets.
U.S. television correspondents in
Baghdad said there was little sign of dam
age in some sections of downtown Bagh
dad this morning. There was light traffic,
and even the trash collectors made their
rounds, they said.
Amid reports the raids were successful
and drew little Iraqi resistance, oil prices
fell back'to $25 a barrel in London after
spiking up to $33 shortly after war broke
out. The price of gold plummeted in
London, opening down nearly $20 from
Wednesday’s close, and Tokyo stock
prices surged nearly 4.5 percent.
Bush ordered the release of crude oil
from U.S. strategic petroleum reserves to
See Storm/Page 10
1 lie Battalion
,01.90 No. 74 USPS 045360 14 Paqes
College Station, Texas
Thursday, January 17, 1991
l&M students
Me with Bush
i Iraqi attack
|KATHERINE COFFEY
'IThe Battalion Staff
Several Texas A&M students re-
ied favorably Wednesday night to
Asident Bush’s decision to launch
Itfirst attack on Iraq.
Corps Commander Jonathan
tales, a senior biomedical science
pjor, said 2,000 Corps of Cadets
Itmbers had a “silent chow” at
ijncan Dining Hall to show respect
troops in Saudi Arabia.
’ Whittles said the Corps had two
: nfit commanders sent to Saudi
tabia and numerous other cadets
; :ihe reserves.
‘1 think we should have a sup-
ortive and good attitude about the
We thing and not approach it as a
unbo III,” Whittles said. “This is
mething our generation has never
m before and it takes you back.”
Whitdes said he is pleased with
ash’s policy of setting Tuesday’s
adline and not backing down.
“Pray that the war will be over
^ iiickly,” Whittles said.
April Hoss, whose family and fi-
nceare in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia,
id when she visited her parents
iiring Christmas, they were in high
arits. She said her family believed
eU.S. Armed Forces and Ameri-
inconsulate were protecting them,
ffoss, whose parents ana fiance
orkfor ARAMCO, said her family
its in a camp with about 14,000
mericans.
The consulate is not going to
I tepthem (American civilians) there
the consulate thinks there is dang-
[,"said Hoss, a freshman business
Iministration major.
People who do not know much
hit the Middle East are more
ared, she said.
"Most people think Saudi Arabi
cs are terrorists, but they are not,”
ie said. “Our presence there is
ready appreciated, and I would say
but 98 percent of the Saudi’s sup-
on Americans. You can tell a dif-
trence because people are behind
le troops and wave at them when
ley march by.
“We have soldiers come to our
ouse twice a week, and we also have
one 50 miles past the border to
red the soldiers,” Hoss said. “The
oldiers seemed so positive and said
ley would lay their lives down for
is.
“It is sad some won’t be making it
nek home, but if we were not there,
he is no doubt Saddam would
Cive marched straight into Saudi
tabia,” Hoss said. “The soldiers
lose to go over there. No one
: orced them. We should just support
i diatthey decide.”
Jason Dohnalik, a freshman envi-
onmental design major, said he is
apporting the war, but thinks the
Inited States should have invaded
See Reaction/Page 14
JAY JANNER/The Battalion
April Hoss (left), a sophomore from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, cries
Wednesday night in her room in Mosher Hall as she listens to
news coverage of the U.S. attack in the Middle East. Hoss’ best
friend Stephanie Collins (right) tries to comfort her. Hoss’ fiance
and parents still live in Dhahran, but she said they had called her
to let her know they were all right.
//
Tonight,
the battle
has been
joined "
FREDERICK D. JOE/The Battalion
President Bush delivers his speech Wednesday night.
Editor’s note: The following is
a transcript of the speech Presi
dent Bush made to the American
public Wednesday night.
Just two hours ago, allied am forces
began an attack on military targets in
Iraq and Kuwait. These attacks con
tinue as 1 speak. Ground forces are
not enaged.
This conflict started Aug. 2 when
the dictator of Iraq invaded a small
and helpless neighbor. Kuwait — a
member of the Arab league, a mem
ber of the United Nations —- was
crushed, its people brutalized.
Five months ago, Saddam Hussein
started this cruel war against Kuwait.
Tonight, the battle has been joined.
Taken in accord with United Na
tions resolutions and with the consent
of the United Stales Congress, follows
months of constant and virtually end
less diplomatic activity on the part of
the United Nations, the United States,
and many, many other countries.
Arab leaders sought what became
known as an Arab solution, only to
conclude that Saddam Hussein was
unwilling to leave Kuwait.
Others traveled to Baghdad in a va
riety of efforts to restore peace and
S ’ ice. Our Secretary of State James
er held an historic meeting in Ge-
See Bush/Page 14
Texans pray
for safe return
of loved ones
Associated Press
War broke out in Iraq Wednes
day, and Texans prayed for peace
and the safe return of their loved
ones.
Twyla Beseda, whose son David is
a member of the Air Force stationed
in Saudi Arabia, wept tears of fear
after learning the United Stdtes had
launched an attack on Iraq.
“I am very scared and disap
pointed,” Beseda said, as tears rolled
down her face. “I was so hoping it
would go the other way. I just got
home from work and turned on the
television and heard the news. This
is devastating.”
Beseda, a resident of Whiteface,
said she feared for her son’s life.
“David is stationed at the air base
where the Stealth bombers are lo
cated,” she said. “He loads bombs
onto those planes. I just pray to God
that he is going to be OK.
“It’s such a helpless feeling. I
guess all we can do is pray.”
The attack, promised unless Iraqi
leader Saddam Hussein withdrew
from Kuwait by midnight Jan. 15,
began about 3:50 p.m. CST (12:50
a.m. in Saudi Arabia and Iraq) as the
United States launched air attacks.
“The liberation of Kuwait has be
gun,” President Btish declared in
Washington and the name of the
campaign changed from Operation
Desert Shield to Operation Desert
Storm.
“I’m praying for our pilots,
they’re being shot at,” U.S. Rep.
John Bryant, D-Dallas, said. “I hope
they all make it back. I hope they get
their targets.”
Gov. Ann Richards said, “It is a
very sad time'. My hope is that it will
be completed quickly so that our
men and women can come back
home safely.”
Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock, who was in
combat during the Korean war, said,
“Regardless of one’s feeling before
today about the possibility of war,
there is no question but that we must
now unite behind our troops, pray
for divine guidance and hope this
war is resolved as quickly as possible
with as little loss to human life as
possible.”
In Houston, happy hour custom
ers at a hotel bar were generally un
aware the war had begun Wednes
day evening.
“We were just talking now about
how much time we would give them
— two weeks or two days was what
we were thinking,” said Mark Burliss
of Houston. “I think it’s going to be
over quickly.”
“We should have given (Saddam
Hussein) a way out,” said Tom Ven-
trudo of New York, sitting in the
lobby of the downtown Hyatt Re
gency. “We never gave him a chance
to save face.”
Dale Garretson predicted the con
flict would be “a couple-day air war.”
Vandiver: Allied attacks ‘bleeding the enemy’
By JULIE MYERS
Of The Battalion Staff
Reports of the destruction of the
Iraqi Air Force Wednesday night
during the Desert Storm offensive
might be premature, said the direc
tor of Texas A&M’s Mosher Insti
tute for Defense Studies.
Iraq hides some of its air force in
revetments, sand caves without tops,
that can partially protect planes un
less hit directly, said Dr. Frank E.
Vandiver. Vandiver is a distin
guished University professor, mili
tary historian and former A&M
president.
Two theories predict what under
dogs will do in combat, Vandiver
said.
“Either they launch a daring of
Mosher Institute director predicts outcome
fensive and maximize their equip
ment while they still have it, or they
hunker down and hide and protect
their stuff,” Vandiver said.
Since many Iraqi aircraft cannot
fly effectively at night, Vandiver
said, Hussein might have decided to
ride out an air attack.
Based on observations of network
news reports, Vandiver said allied
missiles were targeting the Iraqi Air
Force on the ground, communica
tions and command centers, and nu
clear and chemical weapons labs or
storage facilities.
Vandiver said the offensive would
trigger the firing of Iraqi Scud mis
siles,; which then could be destroyed
by allied missiles before hitting im
portant cities like Amman, Jordan;
Tel Aviv, Israel; Bahrain; Riyadh or
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Scud missiles can be equipped
with warheads containing either
chemical or biological agents.
Vandiver said two to three hours
are needed to fuel Iraq’s liquid-fuel
missiles.
By eliminating the missiles fueled
and ready to launch, Iraq would be
at a severe disadvantage until re
placement missiles could be re
fueled. By that time, the allies could
have destroyed the missile sites.
The effects of the blockade now
will be felt strongly by Iraq, Van
diver said. They do not have access
to any missiles once their original
supply has run out.
If the Iraqi communications or
command centers have been dis
abled, or if one-half of the Iraqi air
force has been destroyed, the war
will be shortened from months or
weeks to days, Vandiver said.
Vandiver said he thinks those cen
ters have been affected because Scud
missiles reportedly launched by Iraq
during the air strikes came close, but
did not damage Dhahran, Saudi
Arabia.
“Military forces without command
and communication centers are like
ships without rudders,” Vandiver
said.
Because the United Nations dead
line for the withdrawal of Kuwait
had passed, Hussein should have
been better prepared, he said. Van
diver attributes this lack of readiness
to poor morale in the Iraqi forces.
“We are bleeding the enemy,”
Vandiver said.
After the allies bleed the enemy
from the air, ground forces even
tually will have to be used. Vandiver
said there is no way to completely re
move the Iraqi army from Kuwait
without using ground forces.
But, nothing in war is predictable,
Vandiver said.
“War is the most uncertain of all
See Vandiver/Page 10