Saudis Reportedly Press U.S. to Oust Iraq Leader

NEW YORK — Saudi Arabia is pressuring the Bush Administration to secretly arm and give intelligence data to Iraqi opposition forces so they can work to overthrow Saddam Hussein, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Another major allied air campaign against Iraq--and possibly sending American ground troops back into the region--would be required to complete Hussein’s ouster, the New York Times said. The United States and its allies defeated Iraq in the Gulf War a year ago.

The Saudis want the United States to give arms and intelligence to Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, Shiite Muslim fighters in the south and Sunni Muslim opposition forces in central Iraq, the newspaper said, quoting U.S. and allied officials it did not name.

The goal would be for the opposition to draw out and divide Hussein’s remaining Republican Guards, the highly trained units protecting his strongholds around Baghdad, then subject them to allied air attacks, the newspaper reported.

Military officials believe that destroying Hussein’s remaining tanks and helicopters would lead to his final defeat, the Times said.

The newspaper said that some of the sources who reported on the Saudi-backed plan did so in the hope that the report would instill confidence in the Iraqi opposition; others hoped that public knowledge of the proposals would spur an outcry or a congressional response.

Hussein’s ability to stay in power despite his defeat in the Gulf War threatens to become a political liability for President Bush as he seeks reelection this year.

The officials who spoke to the Times said no decisions on covert action have been made.