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Operations
Deployments
US Policy
United Nations
Foreign Reactions
News Reports

Current Operations

Deployments

• First US fighter jets leave German base for possible war on Iraq KUNA 16 Jan 2003-- U.S. fighter jets took off from the Spangdahlem air base in central Germany Thursday flying to the Middle East region for deployment in preparation for the possible war against Iraq.
• U.S. sends 600 troops and anti-missile systems to Israel KUNA 16 Jan 2003-- The United States has sent Patriot anti-missile systems and 600 troops to Israel to strengthen its ability to defend itself against missile attack, the New York Times reported Thursday. Officially, the American forces have been sent for an exercise that will tests the ability of American and Israeli missile defenses to work together. But the exercise will mean that American forces will work alongside Israeli military and be in position to help defend Israel against attacks by Iraq's Scud missiles if President Bush decides to take military action against Saddam Hussein.
• "HMS Ark Royal" set for Gulf KUNA 16 Jan 2003-- Britain's most powerful warship was sailing from Scotland Thursday having completed its final domestic preparations for a potential war in the Gulf, the British Royal Navy said.

US Policy

• Daily Press Briefing State Department 16 Jan 2003 -- UNSC Res. 1441/U.S. Participation in the Council and Military Action / Cooperation Level of Iraq with UN Inspectors / U.S. Assistance and Intelligence Sharing with UN Inspectors / Russian Critique of the Inspectors / Humanitarian Survey and Licenses from the Dept. of Treasury / UN Humanitarian Action and Mobile Medical Teams / January 27 Deadline and Action / Satisfaction Level of UN Inspectors / Meeting with Al-Bawa / Empty Chemical War Head Containers and Chemical Munitions / President of Egypt's Comments on the "Chance of War" / Iraq's Failure to Satisfy the Inspectors and Failure / Proposed Summit with Arab Neighbors Concerning Iraq / U.S. and Turkish Government and Working Relationship / Prime Minister Gul and the Burden on Iraq / Proposed Exile of Saddam Hussein
• PENTAGON/IRAQ VOA 16 Jan 2003 -- The discovery in Iraq of empty chemical weapon warheads follows a decision by the United States to provide the U-N inspection team with additional detailed intelligence information. But senior U-S defense officials seem to hold out little hope the U-N inspectors will uncover anything startling
• BUSH IRAQ VOA 16 Jan 2003 -- President Bush says "time is running out" for Saddam Hussein to disarm. The President's comments came as U-N weapons inspectors in Iraq say they have found 11 empty chemical warheads
• U.S. presses for limit to inspections KUNA 16 Jan 2003-- In a clear signal that the Bush administration's patience is running out, Washington will press the United Nations Security Council Thursday to discard a timetable for inspections that could stretch into the summer, U.S. diplomats told the USA TODAY Thursday. U.S. diplomats will argue that November's Security Council resolution that sets Jan. 27 as the deadline for the inspectors to report, should replace a 1999 resolution, which instructs inspectors to give the council quarterly updates and offers Iraq a way to escape U.N. economic sanctions if it complies. The move reflects the Bush administration's belief that despite calls by nations such as France and Britain for more time for inspections, a briefing that chief weapons inspector Hans Blix will give the council Jan. 27 should begin a serious consideration by the council of whether Baghdad has disarmed, and if it has not, what should be done about it.
• Bush Repeats "Time Running Out" Warning to Saddam Hussein Washington File 16 Jan 2003-- "Time is running out" for Saddam Hussein to disarm, President Bush said January 16 in a speech in Pennsylvania at about the same time it was reported that U.N. weapons inspectors in Iraq said they had found 11 empty chemical warheads in "excellent condition."
• Saddam Hussein May Decide on Exile, Rumsfeld Says Washington File 16 Jan 2003-- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told CBS News in a January 15 interview that "it would be a very good thing for the world" if Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein were to leave Iraq because the "last thing anyone wants is a war."

United Nations

• IRAQ/WARHEADS VOA 16 Jan 2003 -- U-N weapons inspectors in Iraq say they have have discovered empty chemical warheads in a storage area
• UN / IRAQ VOA 16 Jan 2003 -- U-S officials are pressing the U-N Security Council to keep U-N weapons inspectors on a strict timetable, amid debate over two Security Council resolutions that set out different deadlines for inspectors
• UN inspectors report finding empty chemical warheads in Iraq UN News Centre 16 Jan 2003 -- United Nations inspectors today found empty chemical warheads at a storage area in Iraq, according to a spokesman for the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) in Baghdad
• Top UN inspector meets with European officials, urges 'proactive' cooperation by Iraq UN News Centre 16 Jan 2003 -- After meeting with European officials today in the first of a series of talks before heading to Baghdad, the top United Nations weapons inspector said Iraq must offer more "proactive" cooperation with UN monitors in order to avoid military conflict
• Empty chemical warheads found by inspectors in Iraq - CNN KUNA 16 Jan 2003-- U.N. weapons inspectors Thursday found empty chemical warheads in an Iraqi ammunition storage areas, CNN reported.
• I-A-E-A / IRAQ VOA 16 Jan 2003-- International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei says he will formally ask the United Nations Security Council to extend the mandate of U-N inspectors in Iraq by several months. He says they need the time to complete their search for banned weapons
• E-U / U-N / IRAQ VOA 16 Jan 2003-- Chief U-N weapons inspector Hans Blix says he will tell Iraqi officials Saturday in Baghdad that they must cooperate more closely with his inspectors to avert a war
• IRAQ INSPECT-HOUSES VOA 16 Jan 2003-- On the 48th day of weapons inspections in Iraq, U-N inspectors traveled to a residential neighborhood in Baghdad. The inspectors say they plan to ask the U-N Security Council for more time to finish their search for weapons of mass destruction
• U.N. Inspectors Find 11 Chemical Warheads in Iraq Washington File 16 Jan 2003-- Empty warheads in excellent condition, UNMOVIC says

Foreign Reactions

• BRITAIN / IRAQ VOA 16 Jan 2003-- Britain is reaffirming its preference for a new U-N Security Council resolution to authorize military action if Iraq defies weapons inspections, an idea the Bush administration opposes

News Reports

• IRAQ / OIL VOA 16 Jan 2003 -- A respected oil industry analyst (in Washington) says if there is a war in Iraq oil prices will continue to rise and could even double from their current two year highs. But the analyst believes prices will quickly fall back once the situation in Iraq is resolved
• HOW LIKELY IS WAR IN IRAQ? VOA 16 Jan 2003 -- United Nations weapons inspectors are in Iraq looking for evidence that Saddam Hussein's regime has weapons of mass destruction. Chief U-N weapons inspector Hans Blix says that his team has yet to find anything that would prove Iraq has prohibited weapons, but the inspections are far from complete. President George W. Bush's spokesman, Ari Fleischer, said, "The president has not put any type of artificial timetable on how long he believes is necessary for Saddam Hussein to prove to the world that he is going to comply." At the same time, the United States and its allies are preparing for possible military action against the Saddam Hussein regime. Tens of thousands of U-S troops are on their way to the region and the build-up is expected to peak in the coming weeks. Will there be a second Gulf War?
• IRAQ-PAUL SHERLOCK VOA 16 Jan 2003 -- Since the beginning of the resumption of weapons inspections in Iraq late last year -- the United States has warned of military action if Baghdad fails to comply with U-N resolutions on disarmament. But the aid agency Oxfam fears a possible war against Iraq would be devastating for the country -- where it says the water and sanitation infrastructure is already on the verge of collapse after years of under-funding, and lack of repair and spare parts. Malnutrition is also widespread and life for people on a day-to-day basis is extremely tough.
• IRAQ CONFLICT VOA 16 Jan 2003 -- Several American newspaper suggest the Bush administration is formulating a policy for dealing with the possibility that U-N inspectors in Iraq will not find any prohibited weapons.