UNITED STATES preparations for an imminent strike against Iraq intensified yesterday as President Clinton faced increasing criticism from political opponents for his handling of the crisis.
Eight F-117A Stealth bombers left their base in New Mexico last night to fly to the al-Jabir base in Kuwait. This action led the Iraqi deputy Prime Minister, Mr Tariq Aziz, to warn that "we consider this behaviour from the Kuwaiti regime to be a flagrant aggression against the people of Iraq and an act of war against the Iraqi state."
The US Secretary of Defence, Mr William Perry, described this warning as "totally unacceptable" and said that US forces building up in the Gulf would use "robust" action to protect American interests and friends. Mr Aziz later contacted CNN to deny that he intended any threat to Kuwait.
Mr Perry had earlier warned that the response to an unsuccessful attempt by Iraqi missiles to shoot down two US aircraft would be "disproportionate with the provocations which are made against us".
Earlier Iraq said that its air defence units fired three missiles at US and allied aircraft patrolling the no fly zone in the south.
In Washington, former Secretary of State, Mr James Baker, old a congressional hearing that President Clinton's response to the Iraqi incursion into Kurdish territory last week was not strong enough. Republican congressmen expressed reluctance to pass a resolution supporting the President's action in Iraq until they were properly briefed.
The Republican vice presidential candidate, Mr Jack Kemp, old a political rally in Augusta, Georgia, the missile attack on US planes shows "a lot of vacillation and a failure by the President to early define the objectives".
Reuter adds:
Kuwait yesterday rejected Iraq's warning against allowing US warplanes to use its bases for possible military strikes and stressed its right to take security measures.
Thee US aircraft carrier Enterprise began steaming from the Adriatic Sea towards the Gulf yesterday to join another US carrier and prepare for possible air strikes against Iraq, the Pentagon said.
Turkey's ambassador to Washington yesterday warned the US against further military strikes against Iraq and called for a new strategy towards Baghdad.