IRAQI COMMANDER MEMOIRS ON MISSILES (8)

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06765452
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: November 20, 2018
• Case Number: F-2018-00293
• Publication Date: November 26, 1998

(U) IRAQI COMMANDERAp-p-rc7fed -6054-52)
Identifiers:
Document Number: WA2611072698
Dates:
Date Published: 26-Nov-1998 06:24:00
Date Received: 26-Nov-1998 01:28:15
Coverage:
CIA Country Code: IRQ
Region: MIDDLEEAST
Publisher:
Agency Acronym: RESTON VA
Office Name: FBIS
UNCLASSIFIED 1
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Approved for Release: 2018/10/09 C06765452
(b)(3)
(U) SERIAL: WA2611072698
(U) COUNTRY: IRAQ SUBJ: TAKE 4 OF 5--IRAQI COMMANDER MEMOIRS ON MISSILES (8)
(U) REF: JN2611071598 AMMAN AL-'ARAB AL-YAWM IN ARABIC 10 NOV 98 P 12111 BE MORE
CAREFUL.
(U) SOURCE: AMMAN AL-'ARAB AL-YAWM IN ARABIC 10 NOV 98 P 12 TEXT:
(U) WE SEIZED A LAND ROVER WITH WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT IN AL-ANBAR BASE
AFTER WOUNDING ITS DRIVER. THE VEHICLE, WHICH BELONGED TO A BRITISH PATROL,
WAS HANDED TO THE MILITARY INTELLIGENCE DIRECTORATE. (MORE) 10 NOV
RAISED THE RECEIVER TO HEAR THE VOICE OF CHIEF OF STAFF, GENERAL (b)(3)
HUSAYN RASHID, LOUD AND CLEAR FROM THE SOUTH. HOW ARE YOU ABU-
MUHAMMAD? FINE, SIR. MAY GOD GIVE YOU STRENGTH. HOW ABOUT THE MEN? FINE,
SIR, AND THE MORALE IS HIGH. WE WISH YOU WELL. DON'T FORGET THE FAN, HE
REMARKED CRYPTICALLY. YES SIR, HOW COULD I FORGET! STAFF LIEUTENANT
GENERAL SULTAN HASHIM, THE ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR OPERATIONS, THEN TOOK THE
PHONE FROM THE CHIEF OF STAFF AND ASKED ME TO TAKE TO TAKE CARE OF MY MEN
AND BE CAREFUL. HE THEN SAID LAUGHINGLY: AS THE CHIEF OF STAFF SAID, BE LIKE A
FAN. THE MEANING WAS CLEAR TO ME. THEY WERE EMPHASIZING THE NEED TO KEEP
THE LAUNCHERS MOVING FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER FOR PROTECTION. I HAVE
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BEEN FOLLOWING THE SITUATIC,
-/-�pproved for Release: 2018/10/09 C66765452700 HOURS.
BECAUSE THE COMMANDER OF THE FIRST COMMANDO BRIGADE OF THE 1V ARMY
CORPS TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS AIR AND ARTILLERY BOMBING ON THE AREA
BETWEEN THE OLD AL-RUTBAH ROAD AND THE HIGHWAY, ESPECIALLY THE AREA
BEHIND THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWER AT KILOMETER 190 I INQUIRED FROM HIM
ABOUT THE SOURCE OF THE ARTILLERY SHELLING. HE SAID IT CAME FROM THE
SOUTHWEST AND COVERED THE ENTIRE KILOMETER 160 AREA. I TOOK STEPS TO DEAL
WITH THE SITUATION. AT 1150 HOURS, I HELD A MEETING WITH THE COMMANDERS OF
THE BRIGADES, THE COMMANDER OF THE TECHNICAL BATTALION, AND THE
MOVEMENTS OFFICERS. I EXPLAINED THE STEPS FOR THE NEXT MISSILE STRIKE AS
WELL AS THE NECESSARY MEASURES FOR AIR DEFENSE ACCORDING TO THE
POTENTIAL AREAS FOR ACTION. AT 1810, THE HEADQUARTERS OF BRIGADE 224
INFORMED US THAT SIX ENEMY ARMORED CARS WERE ATTACKING THE FIRST
BATTALION OF THE FIRST COMMANDO BRIGADE. I ORDERED THE THIRD BATTALION
PLUS TWO COMPANIES, WHICH WERE SECONDED TO BRIGADE 224, TO IMMEDIATELY
RETURN TO THE FIRST COMMANDO BRIGADE FOR SUPPORT, PROVIDED THAT THEY
WERE FULLY MECHANIZED; MEANING MOTORIZED. I ASSIGNED ADDITIONAL VEHICLES
FOR THE TASK FORCE. I ALSO INFORMED THE GENERAL COMMAND OF THE SITUATION
AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE BY ALERTING NEARBY UNITS TO GIVE SUPPORT TO THE
COMMANDO BRIGADE. AT 1900 HOURS, THE ENEMY ARMORED CARS WITHDREW WHILE
ENEMY AIRCRAFT BEGAN BOMBING. AT 2125 HOURS, THE THIRD BATTERY FIRED A
MISSILE ON TEL AVIV. IT WAS THE NINTH STRIKE ON THE ZIONIST ENTITY. 3 FEBRUARY
1991 (SUBHEAD) AT 0050 HOURS, THE 15TH BATTERY FIRED ONE MISSILE ON HOSTILE
TARGETS IN RIYADH. AT 0237 HOURS, THE FIRST BATTERY FIRED ANOTHER MISSILE ON
TEL AVIV. I AND THE STAFF OFFICERS STAYED AWAKE TONIGHT TO WORK OUT NEXT
WEEK'S PLAN FOR ATTACKING HOSTILE TARGETS IN DHAHRAN, RIYADH, HAIFA, AND
TEL AVIV. WE GAVE A SYMBOL TO EACH TARGET AND WERE VERY PLEASED. BUT THE
COMMUNICATION OFFICER, QAYS HASABALAH AHMAD, SUDDENLY FELL ILL. THE
RESIDENT DOCTOR STAYED WITH HIM. WE, TOO, SAT NEARBY TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL
WAS WELL. THE OFFICER WAS A REAL PROFESSIONAL. IN FACT, THIS GOES FOR ALL
THE OFFICERS AT HEADQUARTERS. THEY WERE A HOMOGENOUS GROUP WHO
COOPERATED WITH ONE ANOTHER IN THE FULFILLMENT OF THEIR DUTIES. THIS
EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT ME COMMAND IS NOT FEAR, BUT BROTHERHOOD, RESPECT,
AND MORAL COMMITMENT. I ISSUED THE PLAN FOR THE COMING WEEK. THEN I
PREPARED A STRIKE CHART FOR THAT WEEK. I KEPT REVISING AND AMENDING THE
CHART SO EVERYONE WOULD KNOW IN ADVANCE WHAT WE PLANNED TO DO AND ACT
ACCORDINGLY. IT IS ONLY FAIR TO SAY THAT SOME COMMANDERS VOLUNTEERED TO
TAKE ON EVEN MORE STRIKES IF THEY FELT THAT THEY WERE IN A BETTER POSITION
TO DO SO ON CERTAIN DAYS. (MORE) 10 N% 5 FEBRUARY 1991 (SUBTITLE) I (b)(3)
LOOKED FOR ANOTHER PLACE FOR MY COMMAND HEADQUARTERS. THE PRESIDENT'S
SECRETARY PROVIDED ME WITH MORE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON 12 TARGETS IN
ISRAEL RECEIVED FROM THE COMMAND OF THE PALESTINIAN FORCE 17. AT 2025
HOURS, THE 17TH BATTERY FIRED ONE MISSILE ON HOSTILE TARGETS IN DHAHRAN. 6
FEBRUARY 1991 (SUBTITLE) AT 1955 HOURS, THE FIFTH BATTERY FIRED ONE MISSILE
FROM AL-QA'IM REGION ON HAIFA. IT WAS THE 11TH STRIKE ON THE ZIONIST ENTITY. 8
FEBRUARY 1991 (SUBTITLE) THE TIME IS 0045 HOURS. WE CONTINUED TO WORK HARD,
WHILE THE ENEMY WAS TRYING TO FIND SOME TRACE OF US IN THE WESTERN
REGION. SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT TWO HOSTILE HELICOPTERS WERE SEARCHING AL-
RUTBAH REGION FOR OUR UNITS. I TOLD MY INTERLOCUTOR: REST ASSURED WE DO
NOT HAVE MISSILE UNITS THERE OTHER THAN THE COMMANDO BRIGADE. MY
INTERLOCUTOR FROM THE MILITARY MOVEMENTS COMMAND SAID: FROM WHICH
DIRECTION ARE YOU FIRING YOUR MISSILES THEN? I SPOKE WITH THE TONE OF A
VICTOR: GOD IS WITH US. THESE MISSILES ARE GOD-SENT WEAPONS. MAY GOD GIVE
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YOU VICTORY AND BLESS YOUFApproved for Release: 2018/10/09 C0676540 AND HANG UP. I
SPENT SOME TIME WITH BRIGADE 223 FOLLOWING THE ORDER TO CARRY OUT THE
10TH STRIKE ON HOSTILE TARGETS IN SAUDI ARABIA. AT 0145 HOURS, THE AL-HUSAYN
MISSILE SHOT UP TO POUND THE WAR MACHINE ASSEMBLED BY THE AGGRESSORS
AGAINST GREAT IRAQ. (MORE) END OF MESSAGE UNCLASSIFIED
- JN2611071598 AMMAN AL-'ARAB AL-YAWM IN ARABIC 10 NOV 98 P 12111 BE MORE
CAREFUL.
Collection: FB
Creator:
Agency Acronym: RESTON VA
Office Name: FBIS
Description: (U) None
Language: eng
Precedence: ROUTINE
Source:
Attributions: SOURCE: AMMAN AL-'ARAB AL-YAWM IN ARABIC 10 NOV 98 P 12
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