WASHINGTON — Seeking to lower public expectations, Defense Secretary William S. Cohen warned Saturday that airstrikes against Iraq might reduce Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's arsenal temporarily yet not topple him or force him to allow full access to U.N. weapons inspectors.
As Pentagon planners prepared for what could be the biggest assault since the Persian Gulf War, Cohen cautioned that "we shouldn't overestimate" what military action can accomplish.
"Let's not raise unreasonable expectations," he said.
Cohen made his comments as Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin ordered a top Russian envoy to return to Iraq; Britain called for a new U.N. resolution that condemns Baghdad for breaching the terms of the 1991 Gulf War cease-fire; and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright arrived in Jerusalem from London on a six-day European and Mideast tour to update U.S. allies on Washington's intentions regarding Iraq.
The heightened activity indicates the scramble is now on to determine what course of action--diplomatic or military--will prevail to force Iraqi compliance with U.N. disarmament efforts.
Cohen's statements at a Washington news conference suggest that the administration wants to prepare public opinion for the possibility that even an intensive, days-long air campaign could fall well short of its first goal--forcing a resumption of weapons inspections--and perhaps mark only another stage in the long and sporadically violent U.S.-Iraqi chess game.
Cohen renewed his declarations that any strike would be "substantial" and would have a "significant impact on [Hussein's] ability to do things in the near future, and for some time to come."
But, he said, "I don't want to suggest that a military strike is in any way preferable to having unfettered access by U.N. inspectors" who could closely watch any attempts by Iraq to build U.N.-proscribed chemical or biological arms.
He acknowledged some of the reasons it will be difficult to eliminate Hussein's chemical and biological weapons programs. He said the United States would want to avoid sites that are near concentrations of civilians and would take "great care" to avoid strikes that might release dangerous biological agents or chemicals into the air.
Although Cohen said no final plans had been approved, defense officials have suggested that airstrikes would probably last at least three days.
