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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 1991)
I Today, possibility ot early morning fog, otherwise partly cloudy. Northwest winds be coming west 10-15 mph with temperatures warming to near 40. Partly cloudy tonight with lows 20-25. Friday, partly cloudy and warmer with tem peratures 45-50. U.S. storms Iraq CENTRAL SAUDI ARABIA (AP) - U.S. led forces launched a second wave of air at tacks on Iraq Thursday morning from air bases around Manama, Bahrain, a Western military officer announced. The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said jets from the U.S. Air Force and the British Royal Air Force left air bases “around the region” after m idnight Wednesday EST. He provided no further details. It is about 600 miles from the bases to Baghdad—a flight of about 90 minutes for fighter jets. In Baghdad, CNN said bombing had re sumed in daylight near Baghdad about six hours after the first pre-dawn attack on the city. Wednesday, the United States and its allies hurled a mighty air armada against Iraq to crush the Arab nation’s military power and drive it from conquered Kuwait. “The liberation of Kuwait has begun,” Presi dent Bush declared in Washington. Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, in a speech broadcast by Iraq state radio, retorted that Bush was a “hypocritical criminal” and vowed to crush “the satanic intentions of the White House.” Wave after wave of warplanes, in hundreds of sorties, streaked north from Saudi Arabian bases to punish Iraq for its five-month defiance of the rest of the world. In Baghdad, reporters said bomb explosions shook the ground of the Iraqi capital. An oil refinery 10 miles away was in flames, and flashes of light brightened the night sky, appar ent anti-aircraft fire, they said. “Operation Desert Shield” became “Opera tion Desert Storm” around 12:50 a.m. (4:50 p.m. EST) Wednesday as F-15E fighter-bomb ers took off from the largest U.S. air base in central Saudi Arabia and streaked north. “This is history in the making,” said Col. Ray Davies, the base’s chief maintenance offi cer. The offensive included U.S.-allied forces and was aimed at Iraqi troops in both Iraq and Kuwait, U.S. officials said. British Tornado Fighter-bombers and 150 Saudi Arabian F-15s and Tornados joined the air assault, a Saudi spokesman said. In Washington, U.S. defense officials said First reports indicated initial Iraqi resistance was limited. Early reports on U.S. casualties were “very, very encouraging,” said Defense Secretary Dick Cheney. Bush, on U.S. national television, said no ground assault was launched immediately against the dug-in Iraqi army in Kuwait. There was no immediate word on damage and casualties in Iraq and Kuwait. Nor was there any immediate sign of an Iraqi missile attack on Israel, as Baghdad had threatened. An Israeli military official said the allied war planes had struck Scud missile launch sites in western Iraq. The furious early-morning assault was the climax to a crisis that built over more than five months, as Saddam, whose forces stormed See DESERT STORM on 6 Operation Desert Storm Complete coverage of the U.S. air attack on Iraq, including re ports on the mas sive raid and pho tos and articles on reaction from Uni versity of Nebraska Lincoln Arab students, UNL profes sors and protesters. Pages 7,8,17 and \8. INSIDE Opinion 4 Sports 19 Diversions 9 Classified 22 Families react to gulf war By Lisa Donovan Senior Rep-irter “My oldest daughter Tina said, ‘I wonder where we’re going to be when the war starts?”’ Glenda Tichota said. “I guess we don’t have to wonder now.” When Operation Desert Shield turned into Operation Desert Storm on Wednesday, Tichota was fixing dinner for her family — except Gary, whose reserve unit, the 1012th Gen eral Supply Company, is stationed in the Saudi Arabian desert. Gary, a Fremont native, was a sophomore at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln before his reserve unit was called up in October. Tichota said a neighbor called and told her around 6 p.m. that the U.S. Air Force had hit Iraq. Although she had anticipated war, she said it was difficult to be ready for something like this. Donna Millie, whose son John Villwok is in the same unit as Ti chota, said she was talking to her father when suddenly he interrupted their conversation. “He said, ‘Just a minute, just a minute — the war started,” Millie said. Villwok, also of Fremont, was a UNL sophomore when he was called up. Like Tichota, Millie said she an ticipated war, but it was difficult to stomach White House Press Secre tary Marlin Fitzwater’s words Wednes day night: “The liberation of Kuwait has begun.” “It just made me sick,” Millie said, “total terror. You’re not there, but you’re a part of it.” Probably the worst part for Millie is not knowing about her son’s wel fare, she said. “I’m worried . . . and there’s no place to call and find out” if her son is OK, Millie said. “My son’s there, and I don’t know if he’s alive,” she said. So Millie said she’ll just wait, like she has been since her son joined Operation Desert Shield. Tichota said she would wait up all See PARENT on 8 Students watch and react to news of Operation Desert storm on Wednesday in the Nebraska Student Union. UNL students scared, surprised, somber By Becki Roberts, Adeana Leftin and Stacey McKenzie Staff Reporters _ _ Voices of media broadcasters echoed through the rooms of an otherwise silent UNL campus as news of a U.S. attack on Iraq reached students. Halls emptied as students gath ered around televisions in Univer sity of Nebraska-Lincoln buildings, greek houses and residence halls, anxious to hear the news. About 50 people gathered around a television in the Nebraska Union responded with fear and surprise. ‘‘I just feel like I want to cry — it’s just scary,” said Emily De Mars, a junior advertising major. ‘‘I think it’s just weird that people our age are over there,” she said. “It makes it feci closer to home.” Freshman Patrick Adams agreed. “It’s really scary,” he said. “They could all be gone tomorrow if things went badly. That’s why I’m here — to watch as much as possible.” Some members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity said they were greatly concerned about fraternity brothers, relati ves and friends who are either involved in military ac tion or could be. “You didn’t hear a word” from those watching President Bush’s televised speech, house director Erika White said. “In the four years I’ve been here, this is the quietest I’ve ever heard the house,” she said. See REACTION on 8