Attack on Israel Not Possible, Iraqi Says
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PARIS — Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tarik Aziz said Thursday that Baghdad lacks the means to attack Israel in the event of a U.S.-led war on his country.
Asked whether Iraq would turn on Israel if the U.S. attacked, Aziz told television station France 2 from Rome: “We had the [means] in 1991, we don’t have them today.”
In the 1991 Persian Gulf War, the 39 Scud missiles Iraq fired at Israel caused one death and serious damage. And Israel remains concerned that it could happen again.
On Thursday, Israel called up some air defense reservists to train and prepare for the possibility of an Iraqi missile attack and urged citizens to stockpile food and water. Defense officials played down the significance of the moves.
Aziz is in Rome to meet Pope John Paul II and try to drum up support for Iraq.
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