U-2 flies in Iraq
American U-2 spy planes repotedly have resumed flights over Iraq earlier today, out of the range of Iraqi anti-aircraft guns. Iraqi officials reportedly said the plane flew too high for Iraqi air defenses to do anything about it.
Iraq did say that it will shoot at the U2 planes if they entered Iraqi air space. That position has not changed, as Iraq stated that the U2 are American planes and are a threat to Iraq's security.
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein said in a statement read on Iraqi TV yesterday that his country has been put in a situation in which it has to choose between a life with dignity and honor, or confrontation of all possibilities."
The Iraqi leader wants the United Nations to set a timetable for lifting economic sanctions against Iraq, imposed 7 years ago after the Gulf war.
A pentagon official last week said that Iraqi fire against the planes would be considered an act of war.
The current crisis began when Iraq said it wanted all American citizens participating in UN weapons inspections out of the country. Since then, Iraq has repeatedly turned away inspection teams that included Americans.
Last month in response to Iraq's refusal to allow US officials on UN weapons inspections, the UN Security Council approved--despite the abstention of France and Russia--new sanctions against Iraq, which called for placing travel restrictions on Iraqi officials who interfere the inspections. The Iraqis responded by calling for Americans to leave the country.
A UN mediation effort failed to change Iraq's position. Arab support for the US position in the conflict has been weak. Some sources have speculated that the Iraqis are testing the strength of the UN Security Council's unity over the sanctions,
Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Aziz is in New York to meet the UN Security Council, and UN Secretary Kofi Annan has expressed optimism that Aziz will have flexibility in negotiating a resolution to this problem.
US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright reportedly expressed concern over the negative effect the lack of progress in Middle East peace will have over US ability to ensure an anti-Iraq coalition.