The Atlanta Journal-Constitution March 14, 2004
Iraq: One Year Later
By Wayne Snow
Early on March 20, 2003, U.S. cruise missiles struck a Baghdad palace where Saddam Hussein and his two sons were believed to be -- the opening salvo in a six-week war. A year later Saddam is in custody, his sons are dead and his regime is shattered. But Iraq remains a dangerous place, and nation-building has proved to be a formidable task. In the United States, questions raised by the war and its aftermath will loom large over the 2004 presidential election.
GRAPHIC: Graphic: WHY THE WAR?
"The Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised. ..."
"It has aided, trained and harbored terrorists, including operatives of al-Qaida."
"The danger is clear: Using chemical, biological or, one day, nuclear weapons, obtained with the help of Iraq, the terrorists could fulfill their stated ambitions and kill thousands or hundreds of thousands of innocent people in our country, or any other."
President Bush
Address to nation
March 17, 2003
BATTLE MAP
On March 20, U.S. and British forces launched a combined air and ground attack.
The British concentrated on Basra and the Al Faw Peninsula. U.S. Marines struck out for Baghdad through the towns of Nasiriyah, Samawah, Hillah and Kut.
The U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Stewart, Ga., moved quickly on the Marines' left flank toward Najaf and Karbala. Special forces seized airfields in western Iraq, while U.S. forces and Kurdish militia attacked from the north. British and U.S. air attacks struck targets throughout Iraq.
On April 4, the 3rd Infantry reached Saddam International Airport, while U.S. Marines and the Army's 101st Airborne Division moved into Baghdad a short while later.
On April 9, celebrating Iraqis -- with American help -- pulled down a giant statue of Saddam in central Baghdad, symbolically bringing the war to an end.
On May 1, Bush stood on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and declared major combat operations at an end.
REGIME CHANGE
On Dec. 13, U.S. forces found Saddam Hussein hiding in a hole in Adwar, Iraq. Saddam's two sons, Qusai and Odai, were killed in a gun battleon July 22 in Mosul. In all, 44 or the 52 Most Wanted Iraqis -- depicted on playing cards -- have been killed or taken into custody.
NATION-BUILDING
Since the end of the military campaign, Iraq has been ruled by the U.S.-dominated Coalition Provisional Authority and the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council. Deep political differences remain among the majority Shiite Muslims; the Sunni Muslims, who dominated under Saddam's rule; and the Kurds, who seek autonomy. On March 8, the Governing Council agreed to an interim constitution, paving the way for a transitional government and handover of U.S. power to Iraqis by July 1.
TIMELINE FOR DEMOCRACY
By Jan. 31, 2005: Election of a National Assembly
By Aug. 15, 2005: Constitution to be complete
By Oct. 15, 2005: National referendum on the new constitution
ON THE GROUND
The United States has about 153,000 military personnel in the region, including 120,000 U.S. Army soldiers, with an estimated 425 aircraft. There are also about 26,500 military personnel from more than 30 other nations in the region, including about 11,000 from the United Kingdom. The other largest contingents are from Italy (2,700), Ukraine (2,000), Spain (1,300), Poland (1,300), the Netherlands (1,100) and Australia (1,000).
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
One of President Bush's main reasons for going to war was Iraq's possession of weapons of mass destruction. No such weapons have been found. The failure has led to congressional inquiries and the appointment of a presidential commission on intelligence to assess the discrepancy between what was believed to exist and what has been uncovered in Iraq.
"We have not yet found stocks of weapons. ... We have not yet been able to corroborate the existence of a mobile biological weapons production effort. ... Multiple sources say that Iraq did not have a large, ongoing, centrally controlled chemical warfare program after 1991. ... To date we have not uncovered evidence that Iraq undertook significant post-1998 steps to actually build nuclear weapons or produce fissile material."
David Kay
Former chief U.S. weapons inspector
Oct. 2, 2003
"Year after year, Saddam Hussein has gone to elaborate lengths, spent enormous sums, taken great risks to build and keep weapons of mass destruction. But why? The only possible explanation, the only possible use he could have for those weapons, is to dominate, intimidate or attack."
President Bush
State of the Union address
Jan. 28, 2003
THE HUMAN TOLL
Iraq is still a dangerous place, where insurgents -- often using suicide bombers and other unconventional methods -- target coalition military forces and Iraqis seen to be cooperating with the new order. The attacks have made the task of reconstruction much more difficult.
Military
United States fatalities 556
United Kingdom fatalities 59
Other fatalities 42
Total fatalities 657
Total wounded 3,190
Iraqis
Civilian casualties 8,437-10,282
Combatant casualties 7,600-10,800
Note: Iraqi numbers are approximate. All numbers as of Friday.
Bar chart compares United States fatalities, United Kingdom fatalities, Other fatalities, Total wounded, Civilian casualties and Combatant casualties.
RECONSTRUCTION
Congress has authorized $18.6 billion for reconstruction projects in Iraq. The greatest sums have gone to the Halliburton Co. and its subsidiaries. To date, its contracts for serving U.S. troops in Iraq and Kuwait, rebuilding Iraq's oil industry and other aspects of the reconstruction have totaled more than $3.9 billion. Both the Pentagon and Justice Department have launched criminal investigations of the company, formerly headed by Vice President Dick Cheney.
ELECTRICITY
Power generation at times has exceeded the prewar level of 4,400 megawatts. The target is to hit 6,000 during the summer. Baghdad residents typically have power for about 12 hours per day. Officials estimate it may take about two years to have around-the-clock service.
SEAPORT
The Umm Qasr Seaport reopened in June. With dredging and the removal of old shipwrecks, the port can accommodate larger ships than before the war. The rail system linking the port with other parts of Iraq is still undergoing reconstruction.
EDUCATION
Nearly 2,300 schools have been renovated, but the Iraqi education minister says more money is needed to rehabilitate another 10,500. Teacher-training programs have been implemented and $20 million in grants awarded for partnerships between U.S. and Iraqi universities. The school curriculum is changing to eliminate Baathist Party ideology.
WATER
Iraq's water treatment plants are running at about 65 percent of the prewar level. Baghdad still has not restored sewage treament; 75 percent of the country's wastes flows directly into rivers, officials estimate, leaving waterways dangerously polluted.
HEALTH
Iraq spent about 68 cents per person on health care in 2002; this year it will rise to about $40 per person. Although about 13,000 tons of pharmaceuticals have been delivered since May and about 50 hospitals and clinics have been repaired since the war, health care remains precarious. The Iraqi Health Ministry estimates one in 10 infants will die before their first birthday.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Most Iraqis use cellphones or satellite phones. About 1.2 million had land-line service, but the war destroyed much of the system. In late February, Lucent Technologies and the Iraqi Telephone and Post Co. completed a new system in Baghdad, but a bombing just a few days later knocked parts of it offline.
AIRPORT
Repairs at Baghdad and Basra airports have made both ready for commercial flights. Baghdad International is handling about 30 nonmilitary flights a day.
OIL
Production is 2.3 million to 2.5 million barrels a day, compared with 2.8 million before the war. Oil exports could produce $14 billion for Iraq this year, compared with $5 billion last year, officials say. Because of persistent sabotage along a vital pipeline from Kirkuk to Turkey, the Iraqi Oil Ministry is seeking more secure export routes, including through Kuwait and Iran.
CONTRACTS
Development Alternatives Inc., Md. (Agricultural reconstruction and development) $5 million
BearingPoint Inc., Va. (Economic recovery, reform and sustained growth) $9 million
International Resources Group, D.C. (Personnel support) $7.1 million
Management Systems International, D.C. (Monitoring and evaluation of U.S. programs) $15 million
Stevedoring Services of America, Wash., (Seaport administration) $4.8 million
Creative Associates International, D.C. (Education) $1 million initially, up to $62.6 million over 12 months
Research Triangle Institute, N.C. (Local governance) $7.9 million initially, up to $167.9 million over 12 months
Bechtel, Calif. (Capital construction) $34.6 million initially, up to $680 million over 18 months
Bechtel, Calif. (Infrastructure reconstruction) $1.8 billion
Air Force Contract Augmentation Program, Fla. (Logistical support) $4 million initially, up to $26 million over 12 months
SkyLink Air and Logistic Support, D.C. (Airport administration) $2.5 million
Abt Associates, Mass. (Public health) $10 million initially, up to $43.8 million over 12 months
AECOM, Calif. (Program management office support) $21.6 million
CH2M Hill, Colo., and Parsons Water Infrastructure Inc., Calif. (Office support for public works and water sectors) $28.5 million
Louis Berger Group Inc., D.C., and URS Group Inc., Calif. (Office support for transportation and communications sector) $8.5 million
Louis Berger Group Inc., D.C., and URS Group Inc., Calif. (Office support for security and justice sector) $8.5 million
Louis Berger Group Inc., D.C., and URS Group Inc., Calif. (Office support for buildings, education and health sectors) $10.8 million
Parsons Energy and Chemicals Group, Pa., and Parsons-Brinkerhoff Ltd., United Kingdom (Office support for the electrical services sector) $43.4 million
Foster Wheeler, United Kingdom (Office support for the oil sector) $8.4 million
FluorAMEC L.L.C., S.C. (Design and build power generation plants) $550 million
Washington International Inc./Black & Veatch, Idaho (Design and build drinking water systems) $600 million
Sources: U.S. Agency for International Development, GlobalSecurity.org, Associated Press, KRT, New York Times, Coalition Provisional Authority, U.S. Department of Commerce, Stars and Stripes, Iraq Coalition Casualty Count, Iraq Body Count, Project on Defense Alternatives
/ Text by WAYNE SNOW / Staff
/ Graphics by MICHAEL DABROWA / Staff;
Photo: President Bush addresses the nation from the Cross Hall at the White House Monday evening, March 17, 2003.;
Map: A map of Iraq pinpoints the follwing cities: Baghdad, Nasiriyah, Samawah, Hillah, Kut, Najaf, Karbala, Basra and Al Faw. / MICHAEL DABROWA / Staff;
Map: A map of Iraq pinpoints Baghdad. / MICHAEL DABROWA / Staff;
Graphic: Graphic illustrates with blocks the number of Most Wanted Iraqis captured or killed and those at large. / MICHAEL DABROWA / Staff;
Photo: Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is shown in this U.S. Army photo after he was captured near Tikrit, Iraq, on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2003.;
Photo: Mohammed Bahr Al-Ulloum, president of the Iraqi Governing Council, raises his pen shortly after signing the new Iraqi interim constitution March 8, in Baghdad. The signing came after the council members resolved a political impasse sparked by objections from the country's most powerful cleric. The signing was a key step in U.S. plans to hand over power to the Iraqis.;
Photo: Marines with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines from Camp Pendleton, Calif., react to the threat of a mock roadside bomb during convoy training near Camp Udairi in Kuwait on Wednesday. The Marines are taking control of western Iraq from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division. The area of responsibility includes Fallujah, where anti-American attacks have been most prevalent.
© Copyright 2004, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
