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         Friday--- Tens of thousands of poor Iraqis from Baghdad suburbs are transported to remote areas
      outside Baghdad as Iraq stages a one day mock evacuation drill to show the West that the city' 5
      population could be dispersed if war breaks out in the Persian Gulf. (New York Times, December 22,
      p. 1.)

         Speaaing to American troops in Saudi Arabia, Secretary of De~nse Cheney says that the likelihood
      of talks with Saddam Hussein is dimming and that the U.S. may be closer than ever to war. (New York
      Times, December 22, p. 6.)

~ecember 22
         Saturday ---Western law enforcement and intelligence officials say that Iraq has managed to buy
      much of the hardware and acquire the skill for an assembly line that could produce atomic weapons
      within the decade. (New York Times, December 23, p. 1.)

         Nineteen U.S. sailors die when a ferry carrying them back to the USS SARATOGA from liberty in
      Haifa capsizes and sinks. The accident brings to 70, the total number of U.S. servicemen killed in
      Operation Desert Shield. (New York Times, December 23, p. 1.)

December 23
         Sunday --- The Defense Department has been paying high prices to charter vessels and book space
      aboard regularly scheduled freighters - sometimes twice the standard commercial rate. Currently, the
      Department of Defense is operating 173 vessels for the sealift to Saudi Arabia. (New York Times,
      December 24, p. Al.)

         At the end of a five day visit to Saudi Arabia, Secretaay of Defense Cheney and Department of
      Defense officials traveling with him say they are satisfied that the 300,000 U.S. troops in the Persian
      Gulf are ready to fight, logistical problems have eased and troop morale is better than expected. (New
      York Times, December 24, p. 8.)

         Guard and reserve unit personnel activated to support Operation Desert Shield as of 23 DEC:

                                                                                ::~:::~~~:::~~~~::::::?~:~:~~:.?::~~~~~.~~:~~?~:~~:~:~:.:~::~:~:~ .
             .. . . ..... .. .~4:::;:?:.:?:;;.::::..~:~:::::::\&:.~.~~::.::::::~~  ."`.,.. ..............................................................::::~:::.:::%:??::::::.:.~.
                                                                                  ``.."......`..`..`........`..`.........."....`......`... ..<....<.. ...... ..... .. ..........,`................ 

                                 ~OD Release 30 DEC 90]
December 24
         Monday --- Iraq has recalled its Ambassadors to major European countries, U.S., Japan and
      elsewhere home to Baghdad for urgent consultations this week over the diplomatic crisis in the Persian
      Gulf. (New York Times, December 25, p. Al.)

         Pentagon tells President Bush that the dominant view among U.S. military officials is that U.S.
      troops in Saudi Arabia will not be ready to fight on January 15, 1991. (New York Times, December
      25, p. Al.)


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