Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)


19 February 2004 - Iraq Special Weapons News

Operations
Deployments
US Policy
United Nations
Reconstruction Issues
Foreign Reactions
News Reports

Current Operations

Deployments

US Policy

  • Powell Says U.S. Will Cooperate on Plans for Interim Iraqi Government Washington File 19 Feb 2004 -- The United States will work with the United Nations and Iraqi Governing Council on transferring sovereignty to some interim government in Iraq by the June 30 "timeline" set for Iraqis to assume responsibility for their own affairs, says Secretary of State Colin Powell.
  • Bremer: Those Seeking to Subvert Iraq's Transition Will Not Succeed Washington File 19 Feb 2004 -- The head of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Iraq says that "Iraqi sovereignty is important to people all around the world," and efforts to subvert it will not succeed.
  • Bremer Thanks Departing Troops, Says June 30 Date Should Hold AFPS 19 Feb 2004 -- The civilian administrator of the coalition in Iraq today thanked American soldiers now returning to their home bases for their service in Iraq, and reaffirmed the June 30 target date for the return of sovereignty to the Iraqi people.
  • IRAQ /HANDOVER VOA 19 Feb 2004 -- U-S administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer says changes in the way a transitional authority is chosen could be made, but the June 30th date for the power transfer remains firm.

United Nations

  • Annan Says Direct Elections in Iraq Not Possible Before June 30 Washington File 19 Feb 2004 -- Secretary General Kofi Annan February 19 said direct elections cannot be held in Iraq before the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) transfers sovereignty to Iraqis June 30.
  • Iraq: Interest Mounts At UN Over Political Course RE/RL 19 Feb 2004 -- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan presides over a series of important meetings today that will lead to his recommendation over the form Iraq's political transition should take. Among those meeting Annan is his influential aide Lakhdar Brahimi, who has already signaled that direct elections should not be held ahead of the planned 30 June transfer-of-power date. U.S. officials say they will give strong consideration to Annan's recommendation.
  • Iraq: head of UN election team calls mission successful and promising UN News Centre 19 Feb 2004 -- The head of a United Nations team studying the feasibility of elections in Iraq before the transfer of sovereignty from the United States-led occupation authorities by 30 June today described his mission as successful and promising.
  • U-N-ANNAN/IRAQ VOA 19 Feb 2004 -- U-N Secretary General Kofi Annan has agreed with the United States that elections in Iraq are not feasible before a transitional government is in place. June 30th remains the date when an interim Iraqi government is due to take power.
  • U-N/IRAQ VOA 19 Feb 2004 -- U-N diplomats say Secretary General Kofi Annan will endorse the position that direct elections in Iraq are not feasible before June. Mr. Annan is meeting advisers and interested parties on how best to steer Iraq toward democracy.

Reconstruction Issues

  • Iraq Weekly Update Joint Staff/Coalition Provisional Authority 19 Feb 2004 -- Power / Oil / Education / Health Care / Security / Governance / Economics [PDF 6.52 Mb]
  • AFGHAN-IRAQ-ELECTIONS VOA 19 Feb 2004 -- Afghanistan and Iraq have both been battlegrounds in recent times. Many of the conditions in Afghanistan mirror those of Iraq. But even as the United States wins international support to delay holding elections in Iraq, it is pushing for elections to be held in Afghanistan in 4 months.
  • Consensus emerges that Iraq elections cannot be held before 30 June - Annan UN News Centre 19 Feb 2004 -- Citing an "emerging consensus," United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today said elections cannot be organized in Iraq before the 30 June deadline for a transfer of sovereignty - a date he said should be "respected."
  • IRAQ / ELECTION VOA 19 Feb 2004 -- U-N diplomats say Secretary General Kofi Annan is going to support the view that it is not possible to hold free and fair elections in Iraq before the handover of sovereignty at the end of June. That could cause a public outcry among Iraq's majority Shi'ite Muslims, who have been demanding early elections.

Foreign Reactions

  • BRITAIN / IRAQ VOA 19 Feb 2004 -- Britain has announced its plan to assist the reconstruction of Iraq during the next two years.

News Reports

  • Iraq: Red Cross Wants To Visit Saddam Hussein As U.S. Works Out His Legal Status RE/RL 19 Feb 2004 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross says it is continuing to press Washington for a date to visit Saddam Hussein in detention. The former Iraqi president, held by U.S. forces at an undisclosed location in Iraq, was recently declared by Washington to be a prisoner of war. But his future legal status remains uncertain.
  • Trying Saddam Hussein VOA 19 Feb 2004 -- Shortly after Saddam Hussein's capture in December [12/13/03], the Iraqi Governing Council created a tribunal designed to try him and the key members of his former regime. But human rights advocates say Saddam Hussein's crimes transcend Iraq and warrant an International tribunal. Legal experts continue to debate the best way to try the former Iraqi dictator for crimes he committed over a period of nearly 35 years.