Bush Declares War on Iraq as Baghdad is Attacked

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, March 20, 2003

Bush Declares War on Iraq as Baghdad is Attacked

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

US President George W.Bush announced Wednesday night that he has ordered military strikes against Iraq but the war is still in early stages, and buildings of the Iraqi leadership were attacked in the US air raids on the capital of Baghdad Thursday morning local time.

"At this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq," Bush said in a nationally-televised address.

"On my orders, coalition forces have begun striking selected targets of military importance to undermine (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war," he said.

Bush said that these strikes "are opening stages of what will be a broad and concerted campaign."

He vowed that the US-led forces would fight until victory, noting that the war in Iraq could be longer and more difficult than some people have predicted.

Bush was speaking two hours and 15 minutes after his 48-hour ultimatum for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his sons to leave their country or face a war expired.

The White House confirmed after the raids began that the United States had launched a military action to disarm Iraq.

"The opening stages of the disarmament of the Iraqi regime have begun," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters minutes after air raid sirens were heard over Baghdad.

US warplanes raided Baghdad about one and a half hours after the expiration of the deadline set by US President George W. Bush for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to leave the country or face war.

Big explosion were heard, the sky was lit up by flares and sirens were heard throughout the city, home for some 5 million people.

The first round of air raids started at 0530 a.m. (0230 GMT) Thursday and lasted for about 20 minutes. Tracer fire and a large ball of smoke was seen in the south of the city. After a brief interval, US warplanes resumed air attacks.

Buildings of the Iraqi leadership were attacked in the three rounds of US air raids on Baghdad, leaving several casualties, but it remained unknown that any top Iraqi officials were among the injured.

Iraqi anti-aircraft forces hit back at the US warplanes, witnesses said.

Electricity was still working in the city center but state radio ceased broadcasting after the blasts.

The war was declared after the US, Britain and Spain failed to win support of majority in the UN Security Council for their draft resolution that would have authorized a war on Iraq.

Three permanent members of the Security Council, namely China, France and Russia, opposed the US-led military attack on Iraq and insist that inspections should continue.

More than 250,000 US troops in and around the Gulf region, joined by tens of thousands of British troops, are launching military strikes on Iraq.

The United States started the war on Iraq in its first preemptive strike in the US history

Iraqi anti-aircraft forces swiftly hit back at the US warplanes.

Local reports said the US-led combat troops in the Gulf, numbering about 150,000, took up battle positions overnight as the deadline for Saddam Hussein to quit approached.

On Wednesday night, US aircraft attacked Iraqi surface-to-surface missile and artillery installations in the western and southern Iraq, but the Pentagon insisted this was still in support of the no-fly zones and was not the start of the war proper.

A US air force colonel briefing reporters at the Pentagon said that the opening hours of the war would be devastating and that he did not believe the potential adversary had any idea what was coming.

Earlier, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan warned the United States and Britain that "under international law, the responsibility for protecting civilians in conflict falls on the belligerents."

Questions?Comments? Click here

Bush Declares War Has Begun on Iraq

US AIRCRAFT START ATTACK ON IRAQ

>> Full Coverage

The US Must Not Put Pressure On the UN ( 3 Messages)

Saddam Vows to Globalize War if Attacked ( 5 Messages)

China's Z11 Helicopters Get Green Light for Civilian Use ( 5 Messages)

New Premier Comes from Grass Roots ( 2 Messages)

China Hopes War can be Avoided: FM ( 3 Messages)