Saddam's Missiles: Better Luck Next Time?

By Dr. REBEOCA GBAIT Sp..rd lo AII

Qaddam Hussein's modified Scud misL)siles hit Israel and Saudi Arabia on the second night of the Gulf war. Six weeks later, when the U.S. laid out the conditions for the ceasefire, a halt to the Scud launches was near the top of the list. Iraq's missile attacks were the most spectacular-and sometimes, the only-military moves made by Saddam. While his air forces fell apart and fled, the ground forces withered under intensive bombing, Saddam was still able to defy the allied determining whether missile proliferation continues. First comes politics. Part of Orc reason that kaq, India, Brazil and other nations have invested in missile programs is to prove their scientific autonomy. Ironically, the defeat of Iraq and the victories of Western nations may be a gnawing reason for forging ahead with independent research and development of missile, chemical and nuclear capabilities.

Next is the inexorable pull of technology. Better missiles, with longer ranges, accurate guidance, more powerfril warheads, might have wreaked havoc with the coalition forces. The technologies that would make the difference are becoming more widely available on the world market.