European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 6, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse Includes Only the 11 kuwaiti owned lankers look on the anal stapes list summer . He said some 52 american owned lanais ii ing foreign hags arc led la their on it evicts even Iti Ounh Hoy play a morn f.itjni1icmt role in supplying Oil to the United Aid Iho Wool Tho by Matte shadowing Tanker nearest camera in the persian butt. App Toto by de Blanche associated Pressi ran and Iraq Aro squaring o l or another bloody a incr of War that makes a mockery of United nations Elfors to end the 7-year-old con lick. Iran is reported to have massed up to 20 divisions As Many As 250,000 Tjien in the soul Hern end of the 730-mile Iron i line Tor a new offensive against Basra Iraq s second Largos i cily the iranians appear to have been mobilizing on a Tirier scale than they have for several years. In recent Days by iranian account 3 million men have staged Mii Ilary Maneu vers around the country and will be sent in batches to the front the iraqis have been reinforcing their elaborate defences in preparation Lor a big iranian push and slopped up their air strikes on Iran s Oil centers and tankers in the persian Gull to disrupt Tehran s economic lifeline. Baghdad s military run Al add Ishiyah daily warned recently thai the iraqi army is ready to carry out he mass extermination of he iranians when they attack. Ii the scale of lighting is anything like that of earlier iranian offensives against the deeply entrenched iraqis the casualties will to High Iran claimed of Hare filled or wounded 56,000 iraqis in the last big push against Basra Early this year the iraqis claimed some 250,000 iranians killed or wounded. Those figures Are undoubtedly exaggerated. Western analysts estimate 25.000 in Sta were Teri or wounded with some 100,000 iranian casualties the carnage since september 1980 has been appalling. Western estimates have put he dead on both sides in the War one of the longest conventional conflicts this Century As High As 1 million and the wounded at 1.7 million Wilh Iran sul Lenng Ihrcke times As much As Iraq by comparison some 2.9 million people were killed in the korean War and 2.4 million n inn Vietnam Condict. The outcome of the fighting in the months ahead could have tar reaching consequences on the strategic Oil Rich Region. Ii the iranians who already hold chunks of iraqi territory won Al hideous Cost make further gains it will heighten Arab pressure on Syria. Tehran s most important Arab ally to distance itself irom Iran deepening its isolation. A significant iranian breakthrough also would sol off alarms in Washington and Moscow at a time when both superpowers Are becoming deeply involved in the Gulf neither wants an iranian Victory that would seriously upset the Region s balance of Power and. Hoy behave accelerate a wave of islamic fundament Lahym that would threaten moderate arabs subvert the soviet Union s swelling moslem population and strengthen anti soviet forces in Afghanistan ran has refused to comply with a july 20 cease lore Resolution by he u n Security Council until Iraq is branded the aggressor sunday decembers 1987 Iraq says it will Aind by inc Resolution in Iran docs but has stepped up its air Olio Sivc against Iran s Villa Oil Industry. Ran has agreed to Send an envoy to now York Lor fresh talks with in Secretary general Javier Perez do Cuellar amid deepening gloom Hal the u n initiative has run out of steam. Perez de Cullar has voiced frustration a the failure of the tortuous negotiations to end Irio Eon Loicl bul says to has not abandoned Hope bul Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini has called Lor Victory As soon As possible parliament speaker Hashemi a Sfanjani has declared that Iran must Lake the War More seriously the Strid ency of the mobilization and president a Khamenei s Call Lor those unable logo id inc Iron to provide Moncial support strengthened reports Hal iranians have been showing less enthusiasm Lor they War than they have in the past there seems Little double there will be an of Louigi a of some kind by the new year said Philip Robb Fis a Middle East specialist Vilh London s Royal Institute Lor International affairs they have to have an offensive simply to maintain choir credibility As a belligerent if they did to there would be serious questions Aboul the need for the War in he Lisl place Robbs said in an interview. Bul he said the mobilization and Maneu vers May Wel have another Lacel boosting National morale and regenerating enthusiasm Lor the War the act that they seem Loba making a big recruitment drive suggests that people Are nol volunteering they Way they once in recent Days. Iran has sent us badly depleted air Force to bomb Mhilary Large is in Southeastern Iraq apparently to soften up iraqi defences around Basra ii to not known How Many of their estimated 60-80 combat planes the iranians committed to these almost daily attacks. But Iho targets and Tehran s willingness to risk its remaining lighter bombers underpinned indications Hal a Southern offensive is looming the scale of the iranian Mobil Ahon indicates Hal Tehran increasingly ices in needs to break the Sla Lemale n Iho land War. The Only Arena of Tho conflict where in has some sort of Edge Iran has a 3-1 manpower advantage but Baghdad has superiority in the air outnumbering Iran s air Force 8-1. And in Armor. Umlor conditions Cloudy skies and Muddy terrain favor the lightly armed iranians by neutralizing Iraq s technological superiority to some a Lent Iran needs to exploit its advantages on the ground to counter the iraqi air Lorca s Blitz Olms Industry and tankers this has by some Western estimates Cut iranian Oil exports from 2 million barrels a Day in August to below 1.4 million barrels ,1 Clay that s below the level economists consider Iran needs to maintain its Revenue to pay Lor rhe War Hal costs both sides Aboul a billion a month the stars and stripes Page 17
