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Politics : Stop the War! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tsigprofit who wrote (11312)	4/9/2003 5:23:21 PM
From: Mike M	Respond to of 21614

usinfo.state.gov More: U.S. Supporting "Back to School" Program for Iraqi Children Amid Scenes of Celebration in Baghdad, White House Urges Caution Youths race tanks on their bikes after the British soldiers secured the town of Medina, Iraq, Tuesday, April 8, 2003. (©AP/WWP) Larger Image As many parts of the world watched images broadcast of American tanks entering Baghdad's city center while Iraqis cheered and threw shoes at a statue of Saddam, the White House cautioned the American people that the war is not yet over. "What you're seeing on TV in Baghdad is only that one section of Baghdad," White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer reminded reporters April 9 in his early morning briefing. "There are many dangerous areas in Baghdad for our armed forces that remain. There are many other cities in Iraq that are dangerous ... our men and women remain in harm's way." complete text Bush, Blair Say Iraq's Future Belongs to Iraqis Themselves Leaders issue joint statement from Northern Ireland Belfast -- The future of Iraq, say President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, belongs to the Iraqi people. The chief executives of the U.S. and British governments released a joint statement April 8 from Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland, where they had been meeting for two days. In it they pledged to liberate Iraq and to facilitate the Iraq people's ability to choose their own government. "We support the aspirations of all of Iraq's people for a united, representative government that upholds human rights and the rule of law as cornerstones of democracy," they said. They added that "As early as possible, we support the formation of an Iraqi Interim Authority, a transitional administration, run by Iraqis, until a permanent government is established by the people of Iraq."

To: tsigprofit who wrote (11312)	4/9/2003 5:24:59 PM
From: Mike M	Respond to of 21614

usinfo.state.gov <<U.S. Says Iraqis Show Systematic Disregard for Laws of War Pentagon briefing on observance of laws on military conduct, prisoners The Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein continues to disobey the laws governing military conduct during wartime and treatment of prisoners, say two senior U.S. government experts on the Geneva Conventions and war crimes issues. Following is the transcript of a Defense Department briefing April 7 by W. Hays Parks, special assistant to the Judge Advocate General for the U.S. Army, and Ambassador Pierre-Richard Prosper, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues at the Department of State: Q: To your knowledge, has Iraq yet allowed the ICRC to meet with any of the coalition POWs? Parks: It has not. And I think as I mentioned in my statement, in the course of the 1991 Gulf War, the Iraqis did not permit the ICRC to see U.S. and coalition prisoners of war in their hands until the war had ended and 24 hours out from the time of repatriation. The ICRC then handled the repatriation of coalition prisoners of war back to their forces and did a superb job. Q: Could the fact that the United Sates launched this invasion without U.N. approval -- could that undercut your legal standing for conducting a war crimes tribunal? Parks: No. And the law of war, all of it, has taken the traditional view that it doesn't make any difference who started the war. What we do is gauge you upon the conduct of your operations on the battlefield itself. You could be totally justified in what you're doing; if your forces violate the law of war, it's still a violation of the law of war. The four 1949 Geneva Conventions specifically state in there that it doesn't make any difference who started the war, who is the party who was first off or what have you; that in any case, the conventions will apply. That's to sort of keep people from saying, "Well, he started it, and therefore, I don't have to follow the law of war." Regardless of who started the conflict, each side has an obligation to follow the law of war. Yes, sir? Q: Do you happen to know what kind of capability U.S. forces in Iraq have for holding POWs? Does each combat unit have a POW capability? Are we anywhere near capacity on that? Parks: Well, let me go back to what we did in the first Gulf War, as it is the best example. We have a particular unit, the 800th MP Brigade, that went in and built two camps, nicknamed Bronx and Brooklyn, that were to hold 50,000 prisoners of war each in record time. And as I said, our capacity went up to 86,000 some-odd. The same capabilities are being used today. As I mentioned, when a soldier captures an Iraqi soldier, he is trained to turn him over to his superiors -- disarm him, turn him over to his superiors, move him back to the initial collection point, which may be at the battalion level. From the battalion level, they could be moved back to the division or corps level, ultimately -- and at the corps level, they will then go through the initial processing. In the old days, this was soldiers with little tags and stubby pencils. Today, it's laptop, which is what we used in the first Gulf War. After that initial processing, they are then moved back to the theater collection point, and that's where the detailed processing goes on. We have that initial processing at corps level, too, because we have a split in the route they will take. Those who are wounded or requiring medical care go one route. Those who are otherwise able- bodied go -- continue on back to the straight prisoner of war camp. Once the theater processing is accomplished, those reports are sent back here to the National Prisoner of War Information Center, which is run under the Army Operations Center. Those lists are all collated, put together and we ensure that we have proper identification, the best information we can get from that. And thereafter, that information is forwarded by the United States government to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Q: Is it safe to assume that whatever judicial process the Iraqis develop here in a post-war situation, that it will have fairly heavy American input? Would you try to use the body of Iraqi law in order to conduct any sort of criminal proceedings? Prosper: Well, the degree of input has yet to be determined, because what we have been doing is working with the opposition group, the exiled community of jurists, and we have been able to reach a basic understanding of what the requirements are and what a specialized approach or chamber could look like. But what has yet to occur is discussions with some of the internal personalities, who may have additional ideas or opinions on the framework. But I think it's safe to say that the -- any process that is created can rely upon the body of international law as well as the body of Iraqi law that exists. So I expect that once we move into the post-conflict setting, a lot of these issues will become clearer, we'll see the degree of U.S. participation or international participation that is necessary. Parks: I understand that Central Command is up now. They have a question, but it's audio only. Q: Gentleman, Paul Martin here, from World News and Features and the Washington Times. I'm interested to know two things. One is the role of the gentleman they now call -- well, Uday -- well, let's go to Uday. Uday Hussein, obviously, was in charge of the occupation of Kuwait last time around, and has been responsible for the irregular forces whose behavior in Basra and others has given rise to suggestions that his troops are behaving in an illegal way. And are you targeting him for war crimes tribunals? And will you be looking back at his record in Kuwait, or just looking at this current war? That's the first question. Secondly, looking at the images we've seen of prisoners being taken there, hoods have been put over their heads when they've been arrested, and they seem to have been disoriented or pushed about a bit in the process of taken away. Is that legal or illegal? Parks: Let me take two parts of that. The first part, we do have a very detailed record of our investigation that was conducted in 1990, '91, of the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, and that certainly is available, should this individual be in our custody or the custody of others at the end of the conflict. Second, on the hooding, it is a standard procedure in most militaries to either blindfold or hood prisoners at the time of capture because every soldier is trained that the best time to attempt escape is at the time of capture. So the idea is, first, not to give them the opportunity to escape, and second, not to have them -- give them the opportunity to collect military intelligence in the event they should escape. Obviously, the hooding is one method for doing that; the other I mentioned is blind-folding. They obviously can still breathe. It's not a matter of trying to abuse them in any way, it's a standard security procedure for most militaries, if not all, upon capture. Ambassador? Prosper: And also, since '91, we have been looking at the actions of the various members of the regime, including Uday. For the past few years, we have done additional work of documenting his role in the abuses that occurred throughout the Gulf War and throughout the term of the regime. We will obviously be looking at any actions that he had during the course of this current conflict. But I think it's safe to say that he is among those, the top tier people that we're most interested in, and seeing accountability for his actions. Moderator: Okay, this will have to be your last question. Q: Are either of you able to speak to this talk about whether or not tear gas, the use of tear gas by U.S. forces would be a violation of any of the laws of war or chemical weapons conventions? Is that -- Parks: I can speak to that. The 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention prohibits the use of riot-control agents as a method of warfare. It's not a precisely defined term. The United States has an executive order that suggests that riot-control agents can be used for defensive purposes to save lives. That's a very long-standing executive order. It gives a few examples in there. One is combat search and rescue. The others are rioting prisoners of war. A third example is, if in fact an enemy placed civilians in front of it, to advance on your lines. There is a very careful process for the decision as to whether or not riot control agents may be used on the battlefield, requiring presidential authorization, which may be delegated to the combatant commander. But it's not something that we do lightly. Moderator: Thank you very much. We appreciate your coming. Q: To your knowledge, has Iraq yet allowed the ICRC to meet with any of the coalition POWs? Parks: It has not. And I think as I mentioned in my statement, in the course of the 1991 Gulf War, the Iraqis did not permit the ICRC to see U.S. and coalition prisoners of war in their hands until the war had ended and 24 hours out from the time of repatriation. The ICRC then handled the repatriation of coalition prisoners of war back to their forces and did a superb job. Q: Could the fact that the United Sates launched this invasion without U.N. approval -- could that undercut your legal standing for conducting a war crimes tribunal? Parks: No. And the law of war, all of it, has taken the traditional view that it doesn't make any difference who started the war. What we do is gauge you upon the conduct of your operations on the battlefield itself. You could be totally justified in what you're doing; if your forces violate the law of war, it's still a violation of the law of war. The four 1949 Geneva Conventions specifically state in there that it doesn't make any difference who started the war, who is the party who was first off or what have you; that in any case, the conventions will apply. That's to sort of keep people from saying, "Well, he started it, and therefore, I don't have to follow the law of war." Regardless of who started the conflict, each side has an obligation to follow the law of war. Yes, sir? Q: Do you happen to know what kind of capability U.S. forces in Iraq have for holding POWs? Does each combat unit have a POW capability? Are we anywhere near capacity on that? Parks: Well, let me go back to what we did in the first Gulf War, as it is the best example. We have a particular unit, the 800th MP Brigade, that went in and built two camps, nicknamed Bronx and Brooklyn, that were to hold 50,000 prisoners of war each in record time. And as I said, our capacity went up to 86,000 some-odd. The same capabilities are being used today. As I mentioned, when a soldier captures an Iraqi soldier, he is trained to turn him over to his superiors -- disarm him, turn him over to his superiors, move him back to the initial collection point, which may be at the battalion level. From the battalion level, they could be moved back to the division or corps level, ultimately -- and at the corps level, they will then go through the initial processing. In the old days, this was soldiers with little tags and stubby pencils. Today, it's laptop, which is what we used in the first Gulf War. After that initial processing, they are then moved back to the theater collection point, and that's where the detailed processing goes on. We have that initial processing at corps level, too, because we have a split in the route they will take. Those who are wounded or requiring medical care go one route. Those who are otherwise able- bodied go -- continue on back to the straight prisoner of war camp. Once the theater processing is accomplished, those reports are sent back here to the National Prisoner of War Information Center, which is run under the Army Operations Center. Those lists are all collated, put together and we ensure that we have proper identification, the best information we can get from that. And thereafter, that information is forwarded by the United States government to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Q: Is it safe to assume that whatever judicial process the Iraqis develop here in a post-war situation, that it will have fairly heavy American input? Would you try to use the body of Iraqi law in order to conduct any sort of criminal proceedings? Prosper: Well, the degree of input has yet to be determined, because what we have been doing is working with the opposition group, the exiled community of jurists, and we have been able to reach a basic understanding of what the requirements are and what a specialized approach or chamber could look like. But what has yet to occur is discussions with some of the internal personalities, who may have additional ideas or opinions on the framework. But I think it's safe to say that the -- any process that is created can rely upon the body of international law as well as the body of Iraqi law that exists. So I expect that once we move into the post-conflict setting, a lot of these issues will become clearer, we'll see the degree of U.S. participation or international participation that is necessary. Parks: I understand that Central Command is up now. They have a question, but it's audio only. Q: Gentleman, Paul Martin here, from World News and Features and the Washington Times. I'm interested to know two things. One is the role of the gentleman they now call -- well, Uday -- well, let's go to Uday. Uday Hussein, obviously, was in charge of the occupation of Kuwait last time around, and has been responsible for the irregular forces whose behavior in Basra and others has given rise to suggestions that his troops are behaving in an illegal way. And are you targeting him for war crimes tribunals? And will you be looking back at his record in Kuwait, or just looking at this current war? That's the first question. Secondly, looking at the images we've seen of prisoners being taken there, hoods have been put over their heads when they've been arrested, and they seem to have been disoriented or pushed about a bit in the process of taken away. Is that legal or illegal? Parks: Let me take two parts of that. The first part, we do have a very detailed record of our investigation that was conducted in 1990, '91, of the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, and that certainly is available, should this individual be in our custody or the custody of others at the end of the conflict. Second, on the hooding, it is a standard procedure in most militaries to either blindfold or hood prisoners at the time of capture because every soldier is trained that the best time to attempt escape is at the time of capture. So the idea is, first, not to give them the opportunity to escape, and second, not to have them -- give them the opportunity to collect military intelligence in the event they should escape. Obviously, the hooding is one method for doing that; the other I mentioned is blind-folding. They obviously can still breathe. It's not a matter of trying to abuse them in any way, it's a standard security procedure for most militaries, if not all, upon capture. Ambassador? Prosper: And also, since '91, we have been looking at the actions of the various members of the regime, including Uday. For the past few years, we have done additional work of documenting his role in the abuses that occurred throughout the Gulf War and throughout the term of the regime. We will obviously be looking at any actions that he had during the course of this current conflict. But I think it's safe to say that he is among those, the top tier people that we're most interested in, and seeing accountability for his actions. Moderator: Okay, this will have to be your last question. Q: Are either of you able to speak to this talk about whether or not tear gas, the use of tear gas by U.S. forces would be a violation of any of the laws of war or chemical weapons conventions? Is that -- Parks: I can speak to that. The 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention prohibits the use of riot-control agents as a method of warfare. It's not a precisely defined term. The United States has an executive order that suggests that riot-control agents can be used for defensive purposes to save lives. That's a very long-standing executive order. It gives a few examples in there. One is combat search and rescue. The others are rioting prisoners of war. A third example is, if in fact an enemy placed civilians in front of it, to advance on your lines. There is a very careful process for the decision as to whether or not riot control agents may be used on the battlefield, requiring presidential authorization, which may be delegated to the combatant commander. But it's not something that we do lightly.

To: tsigprofit who wrote (11312)	4/9/2003 5:26:47 PM
From: Mike M	Respond to of 21614

usinfo.state.gov <<Strugglers Against Oppression Deserve Help, Kirkpatrick Says Addresses U.N. Commission on Human Rights in Geneva Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick, head of the U.S. delegation to the 59th session of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, told delegates April 8 that "all peoples struggling against oppression, no matter where, deserve our help." Addressing the group on the agenda topic "Civil and Political Rights," Kirkpatrick said no one "should be content with a map of the world where bright areas of freedom exist side-by-side with dark areas of despotism." The United States, she said, seeks to help "those living in tyranny's grip attain the political and civil rights that are theirs by right," and to help those living in new or transitional democracies to consolidate their gains. The 59th commission session runs from March 17 to April 25. Following is the text of Kirkpatrick's prepared remarks: U.S. Delegation To the 59th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick, head of the delegation April 8, 2003 Speech under Item 11 of the 59th Session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights: Civil and Political Rights Distinguished Delegates: I am pleased to represent the United States during this session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. We are a country of liberty and a country of hope. We are a country where all sorts of different people, coming from every corner of the world, more than get along: we prosper and thrive together. The secret of our success does not lie in our geographical size, for there are countries that are larger. Nor does the secret lie in the size of our nation's natural resources; for other countries have more wealth beneath the ground than we do. The secret lies, rather, in our commitment to freedom. In every aspect of our national life, we are free to think and believe as our consciences dictate. We are free to voice our opinions without fear of prosecution. Our journalists are free to ask public officials hard questions, to investigate them, and uncover abuse and inefficiency wherever it may be -- without fear of government retaliation. We are free to vote in the people we want to run our government and then free to vote them out. And we do it regularly -- without intimidation, corruption and manipulation. We are free to go to any house of worship we choose -- Catholic, Protestant, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish or any one of the more than 2,000 religious groups of every persuasion that have found a home in America. And we are equally free to go to none at all. The freedom not to believe is as sacred as the freedom to believe. The choice rests with each of us. The range of practices, the cacophony of voices, and the vigor of debates within our society are not a weakness. More than two centuries of experience have shown them to be American strengths. We think they make us wiser, and enrich our society. The United States is not paradise on earth. Our streets are not paved with gold. We harbor no illusion that we are perfect. We have not solved all our problems. But we are a democratic nation and we believe that the only way forward, for us and for almost all peoples everywhere, almost all of the time, lies on freedom's path. Only with freedom can solutions to the multiple problems besetting the world be found. Only with freedom, can men and women develop their talents and find innovative solutions to their problems. Freedom is the indispensable element that enables individuals and societies to become more creative and productive. That is why extending freedom around the world is central to America's mission. President Bush and the American people seek to help those living in tyranny's grip attain the political and civil rights that are theirs by right. President Bush and the American people want to help those living in new or transitional democracies to consolidate their gains and broaden their freedoms. Democracy takes various forms, but in all democracies, those who govern are chosen in periodic, competitive elections which take place in a context of free speech and assembly and in which a large portion of the adult population may vote. Democratic elections provide an opportunity to criticize the government and replace it. Whether a presidential or a parliamentary system, a democracy has an elected representative legislature and a head of state who also reflects public opinion expressed in periodic elections. In a democracy, elections must be held with reliable frequency. There can be no president or prime minister for life -- de facto or de jure. Democracy requires institutions that prevent any one person or group from achieving despotic power. It protects citizen's rights against the tyranny of a minority or a majority. Institutions embodying these ideas and principles have existed for centuries. They provide the most reliable protection against tyrants and tyranny. They protect freedom. But as everyone in the room understands, tyrants and tyrannies of diverse kinds also exist in our world. They have in common an abhorrence of freedom which is the life's blood of democracy. Frequently (though not always) would-be tyrants use force to gain (or try to gain) power. They quite literally declare war on free societies. As everyone knows, on September 11, 2001, a violent group of fanatics and murderers announced its war against the United States with attacks on New York and Washington that killed thousands of American civilians in their workplaces. The declarations of their leader tells us of his determination to destroy us. So we have fought back against those violent fanatics. Together with friends and allies around the world, we have made progress in identifying and dismantling several international networks of these enemies of freedom. In the process we were able to liberate the people of Afghanistan from a vicious tyranny that denied Afghans all the rights about which we have been speaking in this session, including the right to education. Girls could not be educated. It was against the law. Women could not work at the professions for which they had been trained, so the care in hospitals declined. The Taliban not only deprived Afghans of all rights and instituted brutal new forms of punishment for new crimes, they provided protection and a base of operation for training the large, international group of terrorists who attacked New York and Washington, and bragged that they had also been responsible for the deaths of American Rangers in Somalia. So together with the Afghan people, we have deprived them of their camps in Afghanistan and helped the Afghan people -- thousands of whom had been driven from their country -- to establish democratic institutions and a representative government that will respect the rights of all. Now, another "coalition of the willing" is meeting the threat to freedom posed by another implacable foe of freedom; Saddam Hussein. Now we will help the Iraqi people secure their liberation and their rights. We believe -- as the President has said -- that the "Iraqi people are deserving and capable of human liberty." All peoples struggling against oppression, no matter where, deserve our help. None of us here should be content with a map of the world where bright areas of freedom exist side-by-side with dark areas of despotism. Gaining freedom is often a struggle. It sometimes involves danger and it always requires courage and resolve. I believe it is our duty in our deliberations and decision here to ensure that the Commission on Human Rights supports those whose human rights are not yet acknowledged or respected.

To: tsigprofit who wrote (11312)	4/9/2003 5:29:43 PM
From: Mike M	Respond to of 21614

usinfo.state.gov <<USAID Factsheet on Humanitarian Assistance for Iraq Focuses on coordination, logistics, food, water, emergency aid The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) April 3 issued its fourth update on humanitarian assistance in Iraq. Following are excerpts focusing on regions of the country and on coordination, logistics, food security, water, emergency assistance and other topics. Following are abbreviations used in the fact sheet: ANE: Asia and the Near East DAI: Development Alternatives, Incorporated DART: Disaster Assistance Response Team FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization HOC: Humanitarian Operations Center IDP: Internally Displaced Person ICRC: International Committee for the Red Cross IFRC: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies IMC: International Medical Corps IOM: International Organization for Migration MSF: Doctors Without Borders NGO: nongovernmental organization OFDA: Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance OFF: Oil-for-Food Program OTI: Office of Transition Initiatives SARC: Syrian Arab Red Crescent SCF/US: Save the Children/U.S. TCN: third country national UAE: United Arab Emirates UN OCHA: U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs UNICEF: U.N. Children's Fund UNOHCI: U.N. Office for the Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq USAID: U.S. Agency for International Development WFP: World Food Program WHO: World Health Organization Following is the text of the excerpts: Umm Qasr On April 1, nongovernmental organization (NGO) International Medical Corps (IMC) was the first NGO to enter the southern port of Umm Qasr. IMC visited the hospital and plans another visit on April 3, to include a conflict specialist, a physician, and a plastic surgeon who will assess some of the hospital's patients. IMC plans to bring antibiotics, basic drugs, and high-protein biscuits from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to assist malnourished children. IMC will bring more supplies and carry out another assessment of the hospital on April 4 or 5, and may stay for several days. Save the Children (SCF/US) is also poised to enter Iraq from Kuwait in the near future, and plans a security assessment in the coming days. British forces on April 3 indicated that the port of Umm Qasr is now permissive for U. N. operations. According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), "permissive" indicates that Coalition forces are in control of the area, armed opposition is sporadic and directed largely at military or political targets, and the routes have been cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance. British military forces cleared a 200-meter path in the channel of mines and plan to clear a 1,000-meter path to allow large ships to enter the port. According to the U.N. Office for the Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq (UNOHCI), the Kuwaiti Coordination Committee delivered 174,000 litres of water and 17,000 meals to Umm Qasr on April 2. The commodities have not been distributed. Al Basrah On April 2, five UNICEF-contracted trucks departed from Kuwait for Safwan with potable water and emergency health kits. Safwan is located south of Al Basrah. Each of the trucks carries 35,000 litres of water. A UNICEF-sponsored water convoy will also transport potable water to Umm Kail and Az Zubayr. Northern Iraq On April 2, UNOHCI reported that UNICEF sent 3,112 kilograms of high protein biscuits to growth monitoring units in Arbil. UNICEF distributed 23 recreation kits to schools where internally displaced persons (IDPs) have settled in the area in northern Iraq. In addition, UNICEF completed construction of 48 latrines, 32 baths, and one bladder tank in the IDP camp in Soran/Arbil. In Soran, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UN OPS) provided 323 tents for two camps to assist IDPs. At the Ashkawtawan camp, UNICEF and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) are installing water and sanitation facilities and electricity. Current Humanitarian Situation by Sector Coordination New border crossing procedures put into place by the Humanitarian Operations Center (HOC) in Kuwait City and the Kuwaiti Government on April 2 minimized delays at Coalition and Kuwaiti checkpoints for the NGO Doctors without Borders (MSF) and U.S. Government Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) assessment personnel. NGOs are required to have two forms in order to cross into Iraq from Kuwait. One form must be on the NGO's letterhead and submitted to the HOC Movements cell and contain the NGO's purpose for travel, proposed vehicles, personnel information, and the routes to be traveled in Iraq. The second form is a Kuwaiti Government memorandum, which gives the NGO permission to cross the border and must be carried with the team while traveling. The entire process should not exceed 96 hours for requesting and obtaining approval. Food Security The current fighting has raised U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) concerns with the approaching harvest of the winter wheat and barley crop in Iraq, expected to begin in late April. The harvest is estimated to be between 1.5 and 1.7 million metric tons (MT) of grain. FAO reports that the winter harvest, particularly in the northern "bread basket" governorates, accounts for more than half of the country's entire cereal production. FAO reported that farmers need access to fuel, spare parts, and storage, and support to ensure that combine harvesters are working. Planting for the irrigated spring crop of vegetables, maize, and rice is also important, as the vegetable crop is a necessary source of cash and an essential source of vitamins, proteins, and micronutrients missing from the food-aid baskets. Health UNOHCI reported that the World Health Organization (WHO) in Amman has been preparing a list of needed medical supplies for the next three months in Iraq. Internally Displaced The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reported on April 2 that 128 foreign workers and their families fleeing the war in Iraq are located in a 100-tent camp established by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) near the border town of Al-Bukamal. The group of mainly Sudanese nationals includes three people from Chad, one from Egypt, and one Somali and were the first displaced people to arrive in the Red Crescent camp since the current conflict began. An additional group of 40 Sudanese without valid travel papers remain at the Iraq-Syria border, but should arrive at the camp soon. The HOC reported that there are no permanently displaced civilians in southern Iraq. However, daily population movements continue to be reported by the media. Logistics UNOHCI reported on April 2 that humanitarian flights into Kuwait are now exempt of all landing and parking fees. However, fuel and handling fees are to be paid following normal tariffs. Refugees In Jordan, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has referred 70 Somali third country nationals (TCNs) to the U. N. Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for refugee status determination. According to IOM, the TCNs have expressed fear of returning to Somalia. Water The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) received verified reports of serious water shortages in at least four populated areas of Anbar governorate: Heet, Ramadi, Hay Al-Bakr and Fallujah. ICRC has reported severe water shortages in Ninewa, Kerbala, Thi-Quar, and Wassit governorates in the south. On April 2, UNICEF's tankering contractor resumed water deliveries without informing UNICEF or the HOC. UNICEF contacted the HOC after British military police delayed 10 tankers from crossing the border. Five tankers later crossed into Iraq to deliver water to Az Zubayr. ICRC conducted assessments in Ramadi and Fallujah (Anbar governorate) and has reported that all of western Iraq from Heet to Fallujah has been without electricity since March 29. Two major electricity substations were damaged during fighting. However, back-up generators operate most of the water treatment facilities in the governorate, which function between six and nine hours a day at 40 percent capacity. British troops in the southern town of Az Zabayr distributed potable water to residents on April 1 and 2. Approximately 50,000 people live in Az Zabyr. On April 2, British official reported that 112,000 liters (29,590 gallons) of water were distributed from the pipeline near Umm Qasr, 15 miles to the south. U.S. Government Response Pre-Positioning Prior to Coalition military activity in Iraq, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) provided funding to assist U.N. and NGO preparedness activities. In addition, USAID/OFDA has pre-positioned relief commodities in three warehouses in Jordan, Kuwait, and UAE. USAID/FFP has supported WFP's planning and preparation efforts to meet the emergency food needs of vulnerable populations in Iraq. The State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (State/PRM) provided assistance to UNHCR and IOM to pre-position supplies for 600,000 potential Iraqi refugees and IDPs located at Iraq's borders, to establish transit camps for TCNs fleeing Iraq, and to pre-position supplies for the transportation of refugees and other migrants. Emergency Relief USAID/OFDA is supporting NGO emergency assistance activities with quick-impact projects and IDP support. USAID/FFP has provided emergency food commodities through the Emerson Trust to WFP to meet the food needs of vulnerable Iraqis. USAID/FFP has also provided P.L. 480 Title II emergency food assistance to be distributed to food insecure Iraqis and cash to purchase commodities in the region. USAID/OTI has supported IOM and Development Alternatives, Incorporated (DAI) to prepare for the implementation of the Iraq Transition Initiative (ITI), which supports political stabilization and community recovery activities in post-conflict Iraq. On April 3, USAID/OTI signed a one-year cooperative agreement with IOM to continue support for ITI, bringing total assistance to IOM to $1.7 million. State/PRM has contributed assistance for the pre-positioning and emergency response activities of UNHCR, ICRC, IFRC, and IOM. Reconstruction To date, USAID's Bureau for Asia and the Near East (USAID/ANE) has provided assistance for reconstruction activities in Iraq. USAID/ANE has supported UNICEF and WHO for health, education, and water and sanitation needs, and Stevedoring Services of America (SSA) to assess and manage the Umm Qasr port. TOTAL STATE ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ IN FY 2003 $36,630,000 TOTAL STATE/USAID ASSISTANCE TO IRAQ IN FY $533,338,588

To: tsigprofit who wrote (11312)	4/9/2003 5:31:31 PM
From: Mike M	Respond to of 21614

usinfo.state.gov <<U.S. Outlines Humanitarian Assistance for Iraq Aid covers food, health, displaced persons, emergency relief The U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) March 31 issued a fact sheet outlining humanitarian assistance to Iraq. The aid targets food security, internally displaced persons, refugees, health, emergency relief and construction. Note: The following terms are used in the text. ANE: Asia and Near East DAI: Development Alternatives, Incorporated DART: Disaster Assistance Response Team GOI: Government of Iraq EMOP: Regional Emergency Operation HOC: Humanitarian Operations Centers ICRC: International Committee for the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies IDP: Internally Displaced Person IO: International Organization IOM: International Organization of Migration IRC: International Rescue Committee ITI: Iraq Transition Initiative MSF: Medecins Sans Frontieres NGO: Nongovernmental Organization NFI: Non-Food Item OFDA: Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Resistance OFF: Oil-for-Food Program OTI: Office of Transition Initiatives SCF: Save the Children Fun SSA: Stevedoring Services of America UNICEF: U.N. Children's Fund UNHCR: U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Reugees UNOHCI: U.N. Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq UN OPS: U.N. Offices for Project Services UN OCHA: U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs USAID U.S. Agency for International Development WFP: World Food Program WHO: World Health Organization Following is the text of the fact sheet: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Iraq - Humanitarian Assistance Fact Sheet #1, Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 March 31, 2003 Background Humanitarian conditions have deteriorated in Iraq since the 1990 invasion of Kuwait and the subsequent Government of Iraq (GOI) manipulation of international sanctions. In 1996, the GOI accepted the U.N. Oil-for-Food Program (OFF), after which humanitarian conditions improved. Between 1991 and 1996, the U.S. Government provided nearly $794 million in humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northern Iraq. Since 1996, revenues from the U.N. Oil-for-Food (OFF) Program have provided food, medicine, and other civilian goods to assist vulnerable Iraqis. Under OFF, the GOI has ordered and paid for an estimated $8.9 billion in food medicine, and other humanitarian supplies that have not yet been delivered. The World Food Program (WFP) estimates that 16 million Iraqis — approximately 60 percent of the total population — rely solely on food rations distributed through OFF in order to meet household needs. On March 19, 2003, coalition forces began military operations in Iraq. As a result of the conflict, the U.N. Secretary General suspended the OFF food distribution system. On March 28, the U.N. Security Council unanimously passed a resolution that allows the U.N. to administer Iraq's OFF program for 45 days. As the U.N. takes over the OFF program, WFP's first priority is to contact recently active food suppliers able to rapidly provide food, medicine, and other humanitarian supplies. NUMBERS AT A GLANCE SOURCE Internally Displaced in Iraq 250,000-300,000 in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq 22,000 concentrated near Panjwi Refugees from Iraq, old case load refugees: 203,000: Iran 5,100: Saudi Arabia 250,000-300,000: Jordan 40,000: Syria Umm Qasr To date, USAID's interagency Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) has conducted two assessments of Umm Qasr. The DART conducted the first civilian security assessment of Umm Qasr on March 26 and declared the security environment conducive to follow-on DART humanitarian assessments. DART members conducted a second assessment of Umm Qasr on March 27. The team identified large quantities of warehouse space available at the port. The DART confirmed that water and electricity supplies are suspended due to interruptions in the systems at Al Basrah that provide services for Umm Qasr. The team also noted that the Umm Qasr population lacks protein-rich food and is dependant on water distributions. Despite the need for water and food assistance among vulnerable segments of the population, no large-scale humanitarian crisis exists. The British vessel, the Sir Galahad, arrived at Umm Qasr Port on March 28. Relief commodities were off-loaded, warehoused at the port, and will be distributed as needed in and around Umm Qasr. Coalition forces have developed a community-based food distribution system that includes one representative from each of 85 neighborhoods. DART assessments indicate that the main hospital in Umm Qasr contains a functioning generator and medicines for approximately three months. Of the seventy-person pre-conflict nursing staff, forty-five nurses remain. The hospital administrator is a pediatrician, supported by general practitioners. No surgeons are currently on staff. Seven trucks containing Kuwaiti food assistance arrived on March 26 in the port of Umm Qasr to assist vulnerable populations in the port area. Kuwaiti engineers, with British support, completed a 3.5 km extension of the water pipeline from Kuwait on March 31. UNICEF signed a contract with a Kuwaiti firm to lease 43 water tankers and hire drivers. The pipeline simultaneously fills three, 24,000-liter tankers every 45 minutes for transport to populations in need of emergency water. Al Basrah In Al Basrah, Missan, Muthanna, and Thi-Qar, the International Committee for the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (ICRC) reported on March 26 that water shortages and poor water quality are immediate concerns. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a diarrhea outbreak in the city of Al Basrah. According to ICRC on March 26, Iraqi water engineers from the Al Basrah Directorate of Water and ICRC engineers have partially restarted the main water pumping facility for the city of Al Basrah. The engineers started three of six back-up generators at Wafa'Al-Qaed pumping station in order to provide 50 percent of the city's estimated 1.5 million inhabitants with access to drinking water. The pumping station had not been operational since March 21, when the electricity was shut down. United Nations Children's Fund's (UNICEF) water experts have been training local technicians to establish water bladders to provide the emergency distribution of water in the event of a main system failure. Northern Iraq The U.N. Office of the Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq (UNOHCI) reported sharp increases in food prices in the three northern governorates: Arbil, Dahuk, and As Sulaymaniyah. Scarcity resulted in a 300 percent fuel price increase during the week of March 29, which has impacted the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Since the GOI closed and mined major roads, no significant influxes of displaced persons from GOI-controlled areas into Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq have occurred. According to ICRC, the limited number of people moving within Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq are staying with families or friends and returning home periodically as the perceived security situation changes. On March 24, the United Nations Offices for Project Services (UN OPS) completed an assessment of the IDP situation in northern Iraq. According to UN OPS, of the total 300,000 displaced persons, 95 percent originated from Arbil governorate. The assessment noted that the resources of host families are being depleted. The remaining five percent of IDPs are sheltered in schools, tents, plastic sheeting shelters, or trucks. The assessment reconfirmed ICRC reports that a humanitarian crisis does not exist in northern Iraq. UN OPS reports indicate that potable water, access to health services, and cold weather are the primary humanitarian concerns for vulnerable IDPs. According UNOHCI, approximately 22,000 Iraqi Kurds have gathered in the town of Panjwin, near As Sulaymaniyah, of which 21,000 are living with family and friends. The remaining 1,000 people are sheltered in tents or public buildings. The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) confirmed that this population has no immediate plans to enter Iran. The Iranian Government has agreed to accept only those refugees who require immediate medical assistance. According to UNOHCI on March 26, the Pediatrics and Maternity Hospital in Arbil is operational. WHO and local authorities are working to keep hospitals open 24 hours per day in Dahuk. UNICEF is implementing a measles immunization campaign in northern Iraq. An estimated 23,000 pupils at 42 schools in As Sulaymaniyah have been immunized. UNICEF teams visited all the hospitals and health clinics in Dahuk, and have established rapid assessment teams to evaluate displaced populations near Dahuk. UNICEF reported increased rates of diarrhea among children under five in a camp near Mawat, and distributed oral re-hydration salts to the camp. Current Humanitarian Situation by Sector Food Security On March 27, AusAid representatives in Kuwait confirmed that the Australian government will provide the $25 million to WFP for associated distribution costs of the 100,000 MT [metric tons] of donated Australian wheat. The total cost of the contribution is estimated to be $49.5 million. WFP assessments indicate that at the onset of the conflict, households had an average of four to six weeks of food stocks. On March 28, WFP launched an EMOP [regional emergency operation] for 1.6 million metric tons of emergency food resources, of which 50 percent will soon be resourced, primarily by the USG. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) According to the U.N. Flash Appeal for the Humanitarian Requirements of the Iraq Crisis, UNOCHI will be responsible for the overall coordination of assistance to IDPs, with particular focus on protection issues. UN OPS is designated the lead agency for IDP issues in northern Iraq to include the provision of non-food items (NFIs), camp management, registration, provision of emergency shelter, and coordination of overall IDP humanitarian assistance efforts. UN OPS will also work closely with the International Organization of Migration (IOM), the lead agency for IDP issues in central and southern Iraq, to provide NFIs and emergency shelter as needed. In the mid to long-term, UN OPS also plans to facilitate the reintegration of IDP populations and to build host community capacity by assisting communities in resource planning and management, encouraging community participation, and revitalizing local networks that promote self-help projects. The Humanitarian Operations Center (HOC) reported on March 29 that Coalition forces have identified an undetermined number of people outside An Nasiriyah who require assistance. Coalition forces plan to provide 20,000 humanitarian daily rations and 24,000 liters of bottled water to these vulnerable people. Refugees On March 23, a senior official from the Iranian Interior Ministry announced that 24,000 Iranian refugees located in camps in Iraq are free to return to Iran. In addition to stockpiling relief commodities in western Iran, the UNHCR is providing basic camp infrastructure, including water and sanitation, to four campsites identified by the Iranian government. To date, no significant population movements from Iraq to Iran have occurred. According to DART members, 67 third-country nationals entered the IOM transit camp in Jordan on March 28. DART members have also received unconfirmed reports that between 1,000 and 2,000 residents of Al Basrah may be fleeing toward the Iranian border. Health On March 30, ICRC visited three hospitals in Baghdad providing services for war-wounded patients. ICRC continued repair and maintenance efforts on two orphanages and six hospitals. Injured individuals are treated at the Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF)-supported 250-bed al-Kindi General Hospital located in northeast Baghdad. MSF donated surgical equipment, antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and an emergency kit for 150 injured people to the hospital. In order to promptly respond to emergency health needs, ICRC is pre-positioning cholera kits in Kuwait and Amman. WHO has five functional sub-offices located in Kermanshah (Iran), Al Hasakah (Syria), Rewashed (Jordan), Diyarbakir (Turkey), and Silopi (Turkey). The French NGO [non-governmental organization] Premiere Urgence has positioned 60 staff in Baghdad. Staff are working in the Abougreb Hospital and have helped protect 15 of the city's 34 hospitals by positioning sandbags around buildings and taping windows to prevent shattering. ICRC and CARE are providing assistance in the city's other 19 hospitals. The Iraqi Red Crescent Society established 14, 24-hour first aid posts throughout Baghdad. UNICEF is working in Baghdad and in northern Iraq and has contributed 100 first aid kits to the General Federation of Iraqi Women to be distributed at the grass roots level in the capital. On March 26, UNOHCI reported that enough emergency health kits are in the region to assist 1.5 million people in Iraq and 380,000 people in surrounding countries for a three-month period. Supplies to assist an additional 1.6 million people are in the pipeline. Trauma kits that enable 9,600 hospital operations are in the region or could be available immediately. Kits to treat 19,000 cases of cholera are available, and large quantities of oral re-hydration salts are in the region. UNOHCI reports that vaccines, drugs, and other medical supplies are available in Iraq and in neighboring countries. U. S. Government Response On March 25, the President submitted a wartime supplemental request to Congress for $74.7 billion, $2.4 billion of which would be used to create a new, flexible account for immediate humanitarian relief, reconstruction support, and to assist in the development of a free-market democracy in Iraq. The total USG commitment of resources for Iraq emergency relief and reconstruction is approximately $3.5 billion (including funding from the Department of State). USAID/FFP has made more than $360 million in emergency food assistance available to meet the emergency food needs of the Iraqi population. Pre-Positioning Prior to military activity in Iraq, USAID's Office of U. S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) provided nearly $885,000 to Save the Children/U.S. (SCF/US) to the NGO Emergency Preparedness Initiative for Iraq (JNEPI) to facilitate NGO humanitarian assessments in Iraq. USAID/OFDA contributed more than $40,000 to the Cuny Center for contingency planning. USAID/OFDA also contributed $5 million to the World Food Program (WFP) for logistics, telecommunications, air transport services, and pre-positioning of food stocks, $2 million to UNICEF to procure emergency health kits and for water and sanitation, and nutrition activities, and $1.2 million to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) to support information and coordination efforts. USAID/OFDA pre-positioned emergency relief commodities in three warehouses in Jordan, Kuwait, and UAE. The commodities will be made available for use in Iraq as needed and include 26,667 rolls of plastic sheeting, 265,035 wool blankets, 130,700 10-liter and 5-gallon water containers, 85,618 hygiene kits, 87 water tanks, 8 water treatment units, and 97 WHO medical kits. USAID/OFDA has spent more than $5.3 million to acquire warehouse space, equipment for DART personnel, and for transportation costs. To date, USAID/FFP has provided $55 million to WFP to support planning and preparation efforts to meet the emergency food needs of vulnerable populations in Iraq. Emergency Relief USAID has deployed an interagency DART to the region to assess humanitarian needs and coordinate the emergency relief effort. Nearly 60 DART members are located in Kuwait, Turkey, Jordan, Cyprus, and Qatar and are working closely with U.N. agencies, NGOs, and in coordination with U.S. military Civil Affairs personnel at the Humanitarian Operations Centers (HOC) in the region. USAID/OFDA provided support to several NGOs to support quick-impact projects benefiting vulnerable populations in Iraq, including CARE ($4 million), International Rescue Committee (IRC) ($3 million), SCF/US ($4 million), and Mercy Corps ($3 million) On March 30, AirServ International received $2.1 million from USAID/OFDA to provide air logistical support for humanitarian personnel and emergency relief commodities in Iraq. USAID/OFDA also provided $5 million to IOM to support efforts to meet the humanitarian needs of IDPs in southern and central Iraq. IOM received $200,000 and Development Alternatives, Incorporated (DAI) received $473,253 from USAID/OTI to prepare for the implementation of the Iraq Transition Initiative (ITI). ITI will support political stabilization and community recovery activities in post-conflict Iraq by providing immediate, tangible examples of improvement and change. The program will provide small in-kind grants designed to build confidence among Iraq's diverse ethnic groups at the local level, increase citizen participation in decision-making, and rapidly respond to local needs such as small-scale infrastructure repair. State/PRM has provided $21 million to UNHCR, $10 million to ICRC, $3 million to IFRC, and more than $2.6 million to IOM to support U.N. and international organization (IO) preparation efforts and to meet the emergency needs of Iraqis affected by the conflict. Reconstruction On March 29, USAID/ANE provided an initial $8 million to UNICEF to provide basic health, water, and sanitation services in Iraq. The grant is part of USAID's planning for reconstruction in Iraq and will build on UNICEF's substantial on-going programs in the country. USAID/ANE provided $10 million in support to WHO on March 29. WHO will work with the Iraqi Ministry of Health to identify and address the most immediate and short-term health needs of the Iraqi population, while also strengthening health sector policy and systems. Specific activities supported under the grant include monitoring diseases and health status, responding to outbreaks of communicable diseases, rehabilitating health facilities and laboratories, training health staff, and assisting in the management and coordination of donor support and health partners working in Iraq. WHO will use both the Iraq Health Information System and non-traditional information sources such as surveys, rapid assessments, and other studies to identify gaps in the Iraqi health system and prioritize activities. On March 24, USAID/ANE provided $4.8 million to Stevedoring Services of America (SSA) for assessment and management activities at the Umm Qasr port in Iraq. In addition to being a critical component of Iraq's economic infrastructure, the southern seaport is critical to USAID's efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Iraq. SSA will be responsible for the effective operation of the port, allowing food and other humanitarian and reconstruction materials and supplies to be delivered smoothly and efficiently. SSA will provide an initial port assessment, develop improvement plans to overcome port-imposed constraints, and supply technical expertise to ensure an adequate flow of through shipment. In addition, SSA will be responsible for the port pilots who will guide ships up the channel and will manage the access of trucking companies to the port and establish a system of controls to avoid theft and corruption. The marine terminal operating firm will also assist in locating and identifying obstacles that could affect the movement of shipping traffic, in coordination with local and national authorities. Under the terms of the contract SAA will also facilitate cargo-handling services such as warehousing, shipment tracking, refrigerated and other cargo storage and the onward transport of shipments. SSA's services aim to reduce vessel turn-around time and increase vessel productivity. Public Donation Information The most effective way people can assist relief efforts is by making cash donations to humanitarian organizations that are conducting relief operations. A list of humanitarian organizations that are accepting cash donations for their activities in the Gulf can be found in the "How Can I Help" section at [www.usaid.gov/iraq]. USAID encourages cash donations because they: allow aid professionals to procure the exact items needed (often in the affected region); reduce the burden on scarce resources (such as transportation routes, staff time, warehouse space, etc); can be transferred very quickly and without transportation costs; support the economy of the disaster-stricken region; ensure culturally, dietary, and environmentally appropriate assistance. General information on making donations and volunteering can be found at: USAID: www.usaid.gov/iraq, "How Can I Help?" The Center for International Disaster Information: www.cidi.org or 703-276-1914 InterAction: www.interaction.org, "Guide to Appropriate Giving" Information on relief activities of the humanitarian community can be found at www.reliefweb.org.

To: tsigprofit who wrote (11312)	4/9/2003 5:33:16 PM
From: Mike M	Respond to of 21614

usinfo.state.gov <<USAID Notes $105 Million in U.S. Funding for Aid to Iraq U.N. agencies and other groups receive support, agency says The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) March 24 issued a fact sheet noting $105 million in United States' contributions for humanitarian assistance in Iraq. Following is the text of the fact sheet: Fact Sheet For Immediate Release March 24, 2003 U.S. Assistance To The UN And International Organizations For Humanitarian Relief In Iraq The USG [U.S. Government] has contributed over $105 million to the United Nations and other international organizations for pre-positioning and early response, including $60 million to the WFP [World Food Program] for planning and logistical support costs and some food pre-positioning. Additional assistance is in the pipeline for the U.N. and other international organizations. Funding for international organizations includes: $60 million to the World Food Program; $21 million to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees; $10 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross; $8.6 million to the International Organization for Migration; $3 million to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; $2 million to UNICEF [U.N. Children's Fund]; and $1.2 million to the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. On March 20th, the Bush Administration announced the immediate release of 200,000 MT [metric tons] of wheat from the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust, with another 400,000 metric tons to be made available as needed. The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years. For more information on USAID's humanitarian relief efforts in Iraq, please visit www.usaid.gov/iraq/.

To: tsigprofit who wrote (11312)	4/9/2003 5:36:03 PM
From: Mike M	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 21614

story.news.yahoo.com << Middle East - AP Iraqi Kurds Celebrate Saddam's Downfall 12 minutes ago By BRIAN MURPHY, Associated Press Writer IRBIL, Iraq - Iraqi Kurds flooded the streets of northern Iraq (news - web sites) on Wednesday, rejoicing in the downfall of President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) — a leader who had gassed them and executed them by the thousands. AP Photo Reuters Slideshow: Kurds and N. Iraq Kurds Celebrate Near Mosul (AP Video) Latest news: · Family, Friends Remember Journalist Kelly AP - 2 minutes ago · Iraq's U.N. Envoy: 'The Game Is Over' AP - 6 minutes ago · Rumsfeld: Finding POWs Are Top Priority AP - 9 minutes ago Special Coverage "He's gone! He's gone!" chanted a group of boys dancing in stalled traffic. As news spread that U.S. troops had overtaken the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, Kurds left their homes and waded onto streets, waving streamers and the yellow starburst flag of their autonomous region. But fighting in the north was not over, and strategic oil fields near the cities of Mosul and Kirkuk remained under Iraqi control. Backed by U.S. Special Forces and American-led warplanes, Kurdish fighters took a strategic peak near Mosul and were just outside Kirkuk, but it wasn't clear when coalition troops would attack those key areas. That did not stop tens of thousands of Kurds from basking in the moment of Baghdad's fall to coalition troops. In the Kurdish administrative capital of Irbil, joy came in many guises. Car horns blared. Boys waved hand-drawn American flags. Militiamen held their weapons overhead. People burned newspaper photos of Saddam. One car windshield carried a message written in soap: "Bye Bye, Saddam." A cartoon showed Saddam falling into a garbage bin. "There is joy today, but let's not forget we've all shed tears because of Saddam," said actor Uman Chowshin. "We cannot never forget what he's done to us." Saddam's regime has long oppressed the 4 million Kurds living in northern Iraq, despite occasional alliances of convenience between Kurdish leaders and Saddam's regime. In the late 1980s, more than 150,000 Kurds are believed to have been killed by the Iraqi leader's orders. In 1988, in the town of Halabja, a poison chemical attack wiped out an estimated 5,000 residents. In the eastern Kurdish city of Sulaymaniyah, hundreds gathered in a central square and chanted: "George Bush! George Bush!" Special Forces were cheered as they drove past. Some Kurds tried to hug and kiss them. In Irbil, about a dozen boys tried without success to sing "The Star Spangled Banner." Street celebrations erupted a few hours after a significant northern battlefield victory. Special Forces and Kurdish fighters captured an Iraqi radar and communications center perched on a mountain summit 10 miles northeast of Mosul. Coalition aircraft struck the peak — where Iraqis had directed air defense systems — to ease the way for Kurdish ground forces who fought amid limestone crags near a Syrian Orthodox monastery from the 4th century. "From our perspective it was the most important gain and development so far," said Hoshyar Zebari, a leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, one of two Kurdish factions controlling the northern region. "This shows the crumbling of the northern front." At U.S. Central Command headquarters in Qatar, Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks told reporters that special operations troops and Kurdish soldiers seized a small town north of Mosul and captured 200 fighters. He did not name the town or another Iraqi position 20 miles south of Irbil where he said special operations forces and aircraft destroyed tanks and cargo trucks. Kurdish commander Sarbast Barbiri said remnants of the Iraqi Republican Guard and the fedayeen may remain near Mosul, but regular army units had been overrun. Kurdish forces were also within sight of Kirkuk, the center of Iraq's second-largest oil region. Ares Abdullah, a front-line commander of Kurdish forces near Kirkuk, said there were no immediate plans to move into the city. Military progress in the north has been cautiously slow. Turkey has refused to allow a mass deployment of U.S. forces across its border into northern Iraq, forcing American military officials to order some 1,200 soldiers to arrive by parachutes. Those numbers are too small for a full-scale invasion, but Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles have reportedly arrived at a northern air base recently taken by American troops and could provide more aggressive moves against remaining Iraqi defenses. Abu Dhabi TV reported that there were no signs of any Iraqi troops on the outskirts of Mosul on Wednesday, only remnants of military camps that existed as recently as two or three days earlier. Claiming Mosul and Kirkuk would leave just one unfinished military objective in northern Iraq — capturing Saddam's hometown of Tikrit. On Tuesday, U.S.-led forces were "actively engaging" Iraqi forces in Tikrit, according to Lt. Mark Kitchens, a U.S. Central Command spokesman.

To: tsigprofit who wrote (11312)	4/9/2003 5:38:17 PM
From: Mike M	Respond to of 21614

story.news.yahoo.com <<His regime humiliated, Saddam nowhere to be found 38 minutes ago Add Mideast - AFP to My Yahoo! BAGHDAD (AFP) - US troops are being offered flowers in the middle of his capital and a towering statue of him has been smashed to pieces, but Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), the man Washington vowed to bring down, is nowhere to be found. AFP Photo Latest news: · Family, Friends Remember Journalist Kelly AP - 4 minutes ago · Iraq's U.N. Envoy: 'The Game Is Over' AP - 8 minutes ago · Rumsfeld: Finding POWs Are Top Priority AP - 11 minutes ago Special Coverage With the propaganda apparatus that regularly assured Saddam was alive out of operation, rumors of every variety have emerged about his fate: that he is dead, barricaded in an embassy or already safely in a neighboring country. It is a situation the United States has faced before. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Washington declared Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) "wanted dead or alive." But even though US military might have smashed Afghanistan (news - web sites)'s Taliban regime, neither bin Laden nor Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar has been confirmed dead, arguably preventing US forces from declaring full victory. US tanks swept through Baghdad on Wednesday, meeting little resistance and seeing widespread expressions of joy. With help from US marines, a massive bronze statue of Saddam was toppled in a central Baghdad square. Nothing has been heard from Saddam since a US B1 bomber flattened a building he was believed to have entered in the Al-Mansur residential district of the capital on Monday. Witnesses said 14 civilians were killed in the raid. US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said he was unsure whether Saddam survived, but that in any case the Iraqi leader, who turns 66 later this month, was no longer "active." "He's not been around. He's not active. Therefore, he's dead, or he's incapacitated or he's healthy and he's cowering in some tunnel someplace trying to avoid being caught," Rumsfeld said in Washington. Earlier, British media quoted intelligence sources as saying the Iraqi president had likely left just before the attack, maintaining his reputation for secrecy and survival built up over decades. Even some of Saddam's arch-foes believed the president was still alive. "We have no evidence that they have been killed in that attack," said Ahmad Chalabi, referring to Saddam and his sons Uday and Qussay. Chalabi, speaking to CNN from Nasiriyah in southern Iraq (news - web sites), said Qussay was known to have survived. Rumsfeld, without naming Saddam, said senior figures in the regime were headed to Syria, Iraq's long estranged neighbor which had largely mended fences with Baghdad in recent years and has bitterly opposed the war. "Senior regime people are moving out of Iraq into Syria and Syria is continuing to send things into Iraq. We find it notably unhelpful," Rumsfeld said. When times are tough, Saddam has also been known to head to his native Tikrit, 170 kilometers (105 miles) north of Baghdad. A US military spokesman said Wednesday the coalition had mounted "continuing airstrikes" on the Tikrit area. In Beirut, the speaker of the Lebanese parliament, Nabih Berri, said Saddam "could have found refuge" in the Russian embassy in Baghdad. Moscow flatly denied that speculation. "This type of claim absolutely does not and cannot correspond with reality," Russian foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said in a statement. Rumors circulated ahead of the start of the US-led war in Iraq last month that Moscow was helping negotiate a deal with Saddam, offering him exile in Russia if he agreed to step down from power to avert war. Before Iraqi state television went black earlier this week, it had regularly featured footage of Saddam aimed at showing him alive and in control. On Friday, after US forces captured Baghdad's main airport, the TV showed uncharacteristic footage of Saddam on the street, showered with kisses and chants of support. Saddam, security paranoid even in better times, is believed by Western intelligence to use doubles. He also had a bunker designed to withstand a blast like the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, but that palace was raided Monday by US troops. Wherever Saddam is, publicly at least he has always insisted he will die in the land of his birth. "I was born here in Iraq," Saddam told CBS News in an interview aired in late February. "Whoever decides to forsake his nation from whoever requests is not true to the principles. We will die here."