GULF WATCH: Day 108 : A daily briefing paper on developments in the crisis : Diplomatic Front:
President Bush said the Persian Gulf crisis has provided an opportunity to create a more stable world order. He told Czechoslovaks in Prague that no group of people knows better than they that “the world cannot turn a blind eye to aggression.”
Secretary of State James A. Baker III met in Geneva with representatives of three African members of the U.N. Security Council, seeking support for a resolution authorizing use of force against Iraq if peaceful options fail. Zaire and Ethiopia said they would support the resolution; Ivory Coast declined to comment.
Military Front:
A senior Iraqi general was quoted in a military newspaper as saying that U.S.-led forces would face “surprise elements” that would deter any military offensive against Iraq.
Hostage Front:
British Embassy sources in Baghdad said that about 180 Americans are expected to leave Kuwait today. The hostages were to stop in Baghdad before flying on to London.
U.S. Forces in the Persian Gulf:
* U.S. troops 238,000
* Tanks 1,000+
* Armored fighting vehicles 300+
* Warships 60+
* Aircraft 500+
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