Johnny-B-Goode writes "Matthew Clark reports - Baghdad is attempting to block e-mails sent by the US military that urge key Iraqis to turn over weapons information and to defy orders.

As the military build-up continues in the Middle East, Pentagon officials say that an e-mail campaign, which calls on military and civilian leaders to defy President Saddam Hussein, has begun. Another aspect of the psychological campaign run by the US forces involves broadcasting messages from airplanes. Both moves are in addition to traditional US tactics, which include the use of air-dropped leaflets and radio broadcasts.



Pentagon officials said over the weekend that the e-mails, which are written in Arabic and come with the subject line Important Information, urge key recipients to turn over information to UN weapons inspectors in Iraq who are searching for weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Other aspects of the mails call on Iraqi officials not to follow President Hussein's orders in the event that he orders chemical, biological or nuclear weapon strikes.


If you provide information on weapons of mass destruction or you take steps to hamper their use we will do what is necessary to protect you and protect your families. Failing to do that will lead to grave personal consequences, one of the e-mails says, according to a Reuters report.


If you took part in the use of these ugly weapons you'll be regarded as war criminals. If you can make these weapons ineffective then do it. If you can identify the position of weapons of mass destruction by light signals, then do it. If all this is not possible, then at least refuse to take part in any activity or follow orders to use weapons of mass destruction, it was written in the same mail. Iraq's future depends on you.


US Department of Defense officials said that the e-mail messages are similar to radio broadcasts and leaflet communications.


The move comes in the wake of Baghdad's continual denials that it possesses or is developing weapons of mass destruction. The US, meanwhile, has said that if the Middle Eastern nation is found to be in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, it could mean war. Last week thousands of additional US troops were ordered to the Persian Gulf, and it is expected that there will be as many as 120,000 US troops poised for an invasion within weeks.


Reports say that Iraq, for its part, has initiated efforts to try to block the incoming e-mail messages. Most media outlets in the country are controlled by the state, and e-mail is available almost exclusively to government officials, senior public servants, academics and scientists. In Iraq, the Internet is available, although access to many Western Web sites and foreign mail servers is forbidden.
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