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Iraq denounces U.S. military build-up

BAGHDAD: A defiant Iraq on Friday denounced a U.S. military build-up in and around the Gulf and dismissed Washington's threats as "the croaks of frogs".

U.S. officials said on Thursday the United States was moving military equipment closer to the Gulf and taking other precautions due to what it described as unusual Iraqi military activity in Baghdad and southern Iraq.

The ruling Baath party newspaper al-Thawra commented: "The commotion of the enemies does not exceed the croaks of frogs which will soon disappear.

"There is nothing new in what is being hatched against Iraq," the newspaper added.

In neighbouring Jordan U.S. troops began exercise Infinite Moonlight with Jordanian forces south of Amman.

The exercise had been previously scheduled but assumed a high profile after Washington pledged to back Jordan if it was threatened by Iraq for giving sanctuary to top-level defectors last week.

According to the Washington Post, U.S. officials want Jordan to cut economic ties with Iraq. Jordan has been Baghdad's lifeline to the outside world since U.N. economic sanctions were imposed after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.-Reuter