Iraqis Nervous About New Bombings

By WAIEL FALEH Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- Nervous residents in Baghdad wondered Sunday if the government's denunciation of a new U.N. policy toward their nation would prompt another round of U.S. bombings like those that devastated the capital a year ago.

Some said the United States has been looking for an excuse to bomb Iraq. Others said Iraqis are well versed in preparing for the worst.

``We have learned to stock up on food and other needs whenever the situation gets tense between Iraq and America,'' 45-year-old Jalal Abbas said while shopping in a downtown market. ``I cannot hide my fears of an American act of aggression, but what can we do?''

Adding to the tension has been recently deteriorating power and telephone service, a reminder of past government action to dismantle power-generating and communication centers when rhetoric and expectations of an attack would rise. The cause of the utility troubles could not be confirmed.

The resolution approved Friday by the Security Council would return weapons inspectors to Iraq and improve the oil-for-food program. But rather than immediately lifting U.N. sanctions as Iraq has demanded, the resolution offered merely the prospect for renewable suspensions based on an unspecified level of cooperation by Iraq.

Iraq, as expected, said that wasn't acceptable, bucking a U.N. decision for the third time in a month.

Al-Thawra daily, the newspaper of the ruling Baath Party, said in a front-page editorial Sunday that ``if America is tempted to make a new stupid move, as it has done in the past, Iraq will not stand still. It will defend its rights by making the proper decision to face foolish American or non-American moves.''

As the Security Council was finalizing the proposal, it twice voted for short extensions to the oil-for-food program that allows Iraq to sell up to $5.2 billion in oil every six months. Iraq rejected the one- and two-week extensions as impractical, halting its oil exports until a full six-month renewal was approved.

Whether the United States' British and Arab partners from the 1991 Persian Gulf War could stomach another bombing raid on Iraq isn't clear. But in Baghdad, memories of last year's Operation Desert Fox are fresh: Iraqis desperately seeking shelter as U.S. and British planes fired more than 500 cruise missiles during a four-day campaign that began the night of Dec. 16.

Khalil Fahim, 55, said he has learned not to trust American policy-makers. ``They are obsessed with the idea of toppling Saddam Hussein, making us pay the price. ... If they want to help the people of Iraq, they must forget this obsession and leave us alone.''

Mohammed al-Meshhadani, a 48-year-old instructor at Baghdad University, said the United States and Britain ``are seeking excuses to attack Iraq. This is why they issue more and more resolutions that they very well know Iraq will reject.''

Saddam has yet to give his final word on the resolution. That generally takes at least a few days and comes in an announcement following a joint meeting of the ruling party's highest leaders and the Revolutionary Command Council, which is chaired by the president.

On Saturday, Saddam seemed to refer to the resolution but did not mention it directly.

``After this long period with them (Americans) they must have learned some lessons, otherwise they are stupid since the beginning and will continue to be stupid until the end. At the end they must learn a good lesson,'' the state-run news agency quoted him as saying.