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Some countries question U.S. buildup in Gulf
September 13, 1996
Web posted at: 12:15 p.m. EDT (2415 GMT)BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Two days after Iraq fired missiles at U.S. jets, residents in Baghdad Friday were bracing for a possible retaliatory strike.
"I am buying things that I may need if we are attacked again," said resident Rasmia Jaber as she stocked up on goods.
Another resident, Abu Marwan, commented, "We accept Saddam as president regardless of what happened and we will stand by him."
Much of the world remained less than receptive Friday to the U.S. military buildup in the Gulf region.
Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani accused the U.S. of increasing tensions in the region. At the same time, he castigated Iraq for its military actions --- saying it provided an invitation for the U.S. to come to the region.
"There are objectives pursued by the United States by creating such tension and that is to preserve their illegitimate presence in the Persian Gulf and Middle East," he said.
"Of course, Iraq has provided them with this pretext," he added, "by its invasion of Kuwait and its recent invasion of the Kurds."
- But a Kuwaiti newspaper said on Friday its decision to allow U.S. warplanes to use its territory for possible action against Iraq was justified.
"The only language this neighbor (Iraq) understands is power, hence we are obliged to deploy all possible means to deter this regime," al-Watan newspaper said in an editorial.
- South African President Nelson Mandela said the United Nations, not the United States, should reduce the Gulf's tensions. "No country is entitled to assume the role of policeman," he said.
- China opposed the renewed role of the U.S. military and said threats of air attacks would only aggravate the situation.
"The Chinese government is deeply concerned with and disturbed by the worsening of the tense situation in the Gulf," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Shen Guofang said. He added that China was in "strong opposition" to the U.S. policy.
- NATO ally Turkey distanced itself from any role in possible U.S. air strikes. Turkey confirmed that its U.S. ambassador Nuzhet Kandemir had called Washington, telling the U.S. not to pursue military action against Iraq.
- France, meanwhile, urged Iraq not to shoot at allied aircraft patrolling the region.
"As long as Operation Provide Comfort (over northern Iraq) is under way, we call on the Iraqi authorities to avoid any action which could endanger the security of the pilots," French Foreign Ministry spokesman Jacques Rummelhardt said.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
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