IRAQI COMMANDER MEMOIRS ON MISSILES (6)

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06765416
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: November 20, 2018
• Case Number: F-2018-00293
• Publication Date: November 25, 1998

Approved for Release: 2018/10/09 C06765416
U IN UL/AJ J iritu
(U) IRAQI COMMANDER MEMOIRS ON MISSILES (6)
Identifiers:
Document Number: JN2511082498
Dates:
Date Published: 25-Nov-1998 07:35:00
Date Received: 25-Nov-1998 02:38:32
Coverage:
CIA Country Code: IRQ
Region: MIDDLEEAST
Publisher:
Agency Acronym: RESTON VA
Office Name: FBIS
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(U) SERIAL: JN2511082498
(U) COUNTRY: IRAQ SUBJ: TAKE 1 OF 4--IRAQI COMMANDER MEMOIRS ON MISSILES (6)
(U) SOURCE: AMMAN AL-'ARAB AL-YAWM IN ARABIC 5 NOV 98 P 11 TEXT:
(U) (PART SIX OF BOOK OF MEMOIRS ENTITLED "FORTY-THREE MISSILES ON THE
ZIONIST ENTITY," BY STAFF LIEUTENANT GENERAL HAZIM 'ABD-AL-RAZZZAQ AL-AYYUBI,
COMMANDER OF THE IRAQI SURFACE-TO-SURFACE MISSILE CORPS DURING THE GULF
WAR)
(U) (FBIS TRANSLATED TEXT) CHAPTER 1V: THE BATTLE OF HOPE AND HONOR
(1)(SUBTITLE) 17 JANUARY 1991 (SUBTITLE) IT IS A QUARTER OF AN HOUR AFTER
MIDNIGHT. I LEFT THE CALCULATOR WITH ITS GREEN NUMBERS AND SAT ON A COUCH
TO RECOUP WHAT I MISSED IN THE DAILY PAPERS. AFTER A WHILE, HOWEVER, I COULD
NOT RESIST SLEEP ANY MORE. SO, I DECIDED TO LAY DOWN ON THE COUCH. MY TWO
YOUNG SONS--MUHAMMAD, A FOURTH GRADER; AND AHMAD, WHO WAS STILL AT A
BLOSSOMING AGE IN A KINDERGARTEN--WERE ASLEEP IN THE BEDROOM NEXT TO MY
OFFICE. I FORGOT TO SEND THEM HOME IN THE MIDST OF MY PREOCCUPATION WITH
THE PLANNING AND CALCULATION. THE TIME IS 0230 HOURS. THE CALM IN THE ROOM
WAS SUDDENLY DISTURBED BY THE SOUND OF AIR RAIDS FOLLOWED BY THE SOUND
OF GROUND DEFENSES ENGAGING HOSTILE AIRCRAFT. I JUMPED TO THE TELEPHONE
TO INQUIRE FROM THE AIR DEFENSE COMMAND AND OTHER SOURCES. THEY
CONFIRMED THAT THE ENEMY LAUNCHED A TREACHEROUS ATTACK ON IRAQ. I
IMMEDIATELY ISSUED ORDERS TO FUEL MISSILES, SINCE ANY DELAY WOULD DELAY
THE ENTIRE OPERATION. I ALSO ALERTED THE STRATEGIC BRIGADES AND GOT READY
TO GO DOWN TO THE UNDERGROUND SHELTER, WHICH WE FURNISHED PARTIALLY. I
GATHERED MY PAPERS AND WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE WHEN THE TELEPHONE RANG. I
RUSHED BACK. HELLO? MY WIFE REPLIED RATHER TENSELY: THERE IS WAR. YOU TOOK
THE BOYS AND LEFT ME ALONE WITH THE GIRLS? I TRIED TO BE SARCASTIC TO COOL
HER DOWN: YES, I KNEW THE WAR WILL START TONIGHT. HOW? DIDN'T YOU KNOW
THAT I WAS IN TOUCH WITH BUSH? ALRIGHT SO WHAT MUST I DO? GO DOWN TO THE
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CHEMICAL ROOM--I MEANT THE BASEMENT ROOM. SHE HUNG UP. I KNOW FROM THE
DAYS OF AL-QADISIYAH BATTLE IN THE 1980S THAT MY WIFE WILL DO WHAT IS BEST
FOR HER AND THE KIDS; EITHER GO DOWN TO THE UNDERGROUND SHELTER, OR EVEN
OUT IN THE GARDEN. I HAD NO DOUBT ABOUT HER WISDOM, SINCE NEIGHBORS HAVE
OFTEN COMMENDED HER STRONG WILLPOWER AND HANDLING OF SITUATIONS,
ALTHOUGH SHE NEVER EXPERIENCED WAR BEFORE. I ISSUED ORDERS TO FUEL THE
MISSILES AT 0345 HOURS IN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FIRST PRIORITY, WHICH WAS TO
STRIKE AGAINST MILITARY TARGETS INSIDE THE ZIONIST ENTITY. AT 0350 HOURS,
SOMEONE CALLED ME ON THE PHONE TO SAY THAT ENEMY AIRCRAFT BOMBED ZONE
NO. 4. THIS IS THE FIXED LAUNCHING BASES AREA WEST OF KILOMETER 160 IN THE
WESTERN REGION. THE RAID INJURED SIX MEMBERS OF THE FIRST BATTALION OF THE
COMMANDO BRIGADE BELONGING TO THE 1V ARMY CORPS WHICH WAS IN CHARGE OF
PROTECTING THE AREA. AT 0520 HOURS, THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF FOR
OPERATIONS IN SOUTHERN IRAQ CALLED TO CONVEY THE GREETINGS OF THE ARMY
CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE MISSILE CORPS MEN. IT IS TIME FOR MORNING PRAYER. I DID
NOT HEAR THE CALL FOR PRAYER FROM THE NEAR MOSQUE. THE ENEMIES
APPARENTLY HIT THE POWER STATIONS AND COMMUNICATION CENTERS. BECAUSE
CIVILIAN TELEPHONES WERE SILENCED AND ONLY MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS
REMAINED ACTIVE. I TURNED TO THE QIBLAH TO PERFORM PRAYER. I SOLEMNLY
PRAYED TO GOD TO HELP IRAQ, ITS LEADER, AND PEOPLE TRIUMPH OVER THE FORCES
OF EVIL AND TYRANNY. I PRAYED: 0 GOD, MAKE JUSTICE AND ITS DEFENDERS
TRIUMPH OVER FALSEHOOD AND THOSE BEHIND IT. I CONTINUED FOLLOWING THE
PREPARATION OF THE MISSILES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF'S
ORDER TO DIRECT STRIKE AT ZIONIST ENEMY TARGETS. THE OFFICERS AT THE SITES
SAID ENEMY BOMBING CONTINUED, BUT THEY WERE DETERMINED, GOD WILLING, TO
CARRY OUT THE ORDERS OF PREPARING THE BASES AND THE MISSILES IN PLACES
HIDDEN FROM ENEMY AIRCRAFT. AT 0800 HOURS, THE ENEMY BOMBED THE
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTALION 1039 WHICH WAS LOCATED IN AL-
TAJI CAMP, NORTHERN IRAQ. THE CASUALTIES WERE ONE MARTYR AND TWO
WOUNDED. THIS BATTALION'S ROLE UNDER THE PLAN WAS TO PROTECT AL-HUSAYN
MISSILE SITES UNDER BRIGADE 224. AT 0845 HOURS, THE COMMANDER OF THE
OPERATIONAL MISSILES CONTROL CENTER REPORTED THAT THE THIRD BATTALION OF
BRIGADE 225 WHICH WAS EQUIPPED WITH TACTICAL LUNA MISSILES LEFT ITS
POSITIONS IN KUWAIT TO NEW POSITIONS, WHERE IT CARRIED OUT THREE EFFECTIVE
STRIKES AT US TROOP CONCENTRATIONS IN THE AL-KHAFJI HARBOR. AT 1100 HOURS,
LIEUTENANT COLONEL SHABIB SULAYMAN, THE PRESIDENT'S AIDE-DE-CAMP, ARRIVED
AND HANDED ME AN ENVELOP WHICH I NOTICED CARRIED THE SIGNATURE OF
COLONEL 'ABD HAMID MAHMUD, THE PRESIDENT'S SECRETARY. I ALSO NOTICED THAT
THE TIME OF DISPATCH WAS 1030 HOURS AND THE ENVELOPED WAS STAMPED "VERY
URGENT." (MORE) 5 NOV I READ THE MESSAGE EAGERLY AS IF I EXPECTED IT (b)(3)
FOR YEARS. THE PRESIDENT'S HANDWRITING WAS CLEAR FROM THE BIG LETTERS. MY
EYES RACED THROUGH THE MESSAGE: "IN THE NAME OF GOD THE MERCIFUL, THE
COMPASSIONATE "STAFF BRIGADIER GENERAL HAZIM 'ABD-AL-RAZZAQ "PEACE BE ON
YOU. "BEGIN, WITH GOD'S BLESSING, STRIKING TARGETS INSIDE THE CRIMINAL ZIONIST
ENTITY WITH THE HEAVIEST FIRE POSSIBLE, AND THE NEED TO BE ALERT TO THE
POSSIBILITY OF EXPOSURE. THE STRIKES MUST BE CARRIED OUT WITH "ORDINARY"
CONVENTIONAL AMMUNITION FOR MISSILES. THE FIRING MUST CONTINUE UNTIL
FURTHER NOTICE. (MORE) END OF MESSAGE UNCLASSIFIED
Collection: FB
Creator:
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Agency Acronym: RESTON VA
Office Name: FBIS
Description: (U) None
(b)
Language: eng
Precedence: ROUTINE
Source:
Attributions: SOURCE: AMMAN AL-'ARAB AL-YAWM IN ARABIC 5 NOV 98 P 11
Subject: --
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