U.S. special forces are already paving the way for mass invasion of Iraq

KUWAIT CITY, March 7 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – In a new sign Washington is already operating on the ground to attack and invade Iraq, regardless of any “peace talk”, holes have been made in the fence marking the demilitarized zone (DMZ) on the Iraqi-Kuwaiti border, a UN spokesman in Kuwait said Friday, March 7.

"Gaps have been made in the electronic fence," Daljeet Bagga, spokesman for the UN Iraq-Kuwait Observer Mission (UNIKOM) in Kuwait, told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Insisting the mystery would be handled "at the highest level", he said the electronic fence had been cut in "five or six or seven places. We're trying to ascertain why it was done."

"We are still investigating. We have to know why this is being done and who is doing it."

Bagga said the cuts had been noticed Wednesday, continued Thursday but "it has now stopped. We didn't see anything today."

Bagga said UN officials raised the issue with UNIKOM headquarters in New York and with the Kuwaiti authorities, but not with the U.S. and British forces who have massed in the emirate ready for a possible war with Iraq.

"This will be handled at the highest level," he said. "Nobody is allowed to come into the DMZ.

According to the observers, the gaps in the fence were discovered earlier this month, shortly after plain-clothed U.S. marines were seen driving through the demilitarized zone between Iraq and Kuwait in unmarked vehicles, reported the BBC online news service.

The UN report concludes that the gaps in the electric fence are positioned on what is a likely access for any military advance through the demilitarized zone.

The UN document describes “an unauthorized incursion” into the sensitive demilitarized zone between Iraq and Kuwait earlier this week.

UN observers monitoring the area discovered 15 men wearing civilian clothes and traveling in unmarked cars.

When approached by UN observers, they said they were U.S. marines and had permission from the Kuwaiti authorities to work in the area.

According to the document, all had military haircuts and three were carrying pistols in shoulder holsters.

The UN report says that shortly after the incursion was discovered, three large gaps were found in the electric fence that marks the border between Iraq and Kuwait.

The report says that where the fence had been breached, the cabling had been laid beneath the ground, presumably to preserve the continuity of the electric charge in the fence.

It says all three gaps are identical in size, about 25 meters wide, and positioned on what the UN observer mission in Kuwait judges is a likely access for any military advance through the demilitarized zone.

Also Friday, British daily The Independent reported that American special forces are already paving the way for mass invasion. In the mountain city of Dohuk, some 40 highly trained U.S. special forces are secretly preparing the way for the American armies expected to invade Iraq in the next few weeks.

Australians Urged To Avoid Middle East

And in a separate related development, Australia Friday urged its citizens to avoid Middle Eastern nations which could get caught up in a war on Iraq and said Australians already in those countries should leave for their own safety, reported AFP.

In a series of upgraded travel advisories, the foreign ministry heightened its warnings concerning Qatar - a key base for U.S. forces massing for a possible war - as well as Bahrain, Iran, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

The advisories told Australians to "defer all non-essential travel" to these areas and called on Australians already there to "depart unless they have compelling reasons to stay".

The ministry warned travelers that heightened tensions caused by the Iraqi crisis and seasonal factors meant that many flights from the region were heavily booked and they should make travel plans immediately.