Russian Military Expert: USA Tests Highly Devastating Weapons in Iraq

The USA is testing in Iraq new samples of exceptionally devastating weapons, a Russian military expert said Monday on the condition of anonymity.

According to him, excessive use of force is a very soft word for characterising the USA's and Britain's activities in Iraq. "Bomb strikes at towns and the countryside can be compared only to the devastating power of weapons of mass destruction," said the expert.

In his opinion, the US blows can hardly be called "pinpoint" or "selective" - the latest bombing of Basrah killed 77 peaceful residents, and in Baghdad, bombs and shells hit an orphanage and the university building. Besides, two American Tomahawk cruise missiles fell down on Turkish territory, this preceded by a "unintentional" strike at Iran.

The expert drew attention to US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's statement that Baghdad is violating international law by an alleged misuse of the civilians as a live shield.

"Rumsfeld has meanwhile ignored," continued the expert, "that the American aviation is violating the same norms by bombing the population in places of permanent residence."