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Operations
Deployments
US Policy
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News Reports

Current Operations

• COALITION FORCES TARGET IRAQI SURFACE-TO-SURFACE MISSILE SYSTEM 12 Feb 2003 -- In response to Iraqi threats to Coalition forces monitoring compliance of United Nations Security Council Resolutions, Operation SOUTHERN WATCH Coalition aircraft used precision-guided weapons today to target elements of Iraqi military surface-to-surface missile systems in southern Iraq.
• COALITION FORCES DROP LEAFLETS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN IRAQ 12 Feb 2003 -- Coalition aircraft dropped informational leaflets over central and southern Iraq today. Coalition forces dropped leaflets at approximately 3:25 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. EST at several locations near Al Hillah, Al Qasim, Madhatiyah, Al Hashimiyah, all approximately 65 miles south of Baghdad. Other leaflet drops also occurred over Safwan, Al Basrah and Az Zubayr, all approximately 245 southeast of Baghdad. The Coalition dropped a total of 480,000 leaflets over the locations.

Deployments

• Reservists in Long Island Activated USMC News 12 Feb 2003 -- Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, a group of Marines here in support of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa are helping to keep the skies over Djibouti safe and sound.
• 1st FSSG Marines continue camp construction in desert USMC News 12 Feb 2003 -- Marines with the 1st Force Service Support Group were treated to a surprise after a long and tiresome cross-Atlantic flight, as they stepped off the bus and onto the friendly confines of Camp Iwo Jima, located in Tactical Assembly Area Coyote.
• Deployment of 22nd MEU Delayed to Support Efforts in Persian Gulf USMC News 12 Feb 2003 -- The next deployment of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) has, in military parlance, 'shifted to the right.' This change was precipitated by the build-up of U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf now poised for possible military action against Iraq.
• Florida Air National Guard units active in war on terror AFPN 12 Feb 2003 -- In a back hallway of the 290th Joint Communications Support Squadron hangs a map with a pin in every country where a unit airman has served. The average American probably could not find most of these countries on a map before Sept. 11, 2001. Now countries with names like Afghanistan, Djibouti and Pakistan are the norm.
• Army National Guard augments AMC security forces AMCNS 12 Feb 2003 -- Beginning this week, Army National Guard soldiers will augment security forces at Air Mobility Command bases nationwide.
• Marine Corps Commandant Hagee Visits Seabees in Southwest Asia Navy NewStand 12 Feb 2003 -- Making his first trip outside the United States since becoming Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Michael Hagee recently visited with Seabees from two naval construction battalions training in the Arabian Gulf region.
• CNO Praises USS Milius for Optimal Manning Success Navy NewStand 12 Feb 2003 -- During a recent visit to the Central Command area of operations, Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Vern Clark praised USS Milius (DDG 69) for its success in implementing the optimal manning program.
• More Fort Riley Soldiers Prepare to Deploy Fort Riley PAO 12 Feb 2003 -- Approximately 1,300 Fort Riley soldiers with the 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division and 937th Engineer Group received orders this week to prepare to deploy in support of Central Command operations.
• A Record-Setting Beginning, in Kuwait USMC News 12 Feb 2003 -- Marines are still doing what Marines have always done: the impossible. While Marines are ready to follow whatever is required to support "Operation Enduring Freedom," the history books already have a new chapter completed; with the words "Bigger," "Faster," and "Amazing."

US Policy

• White House Daily Briefing White House 12 Feb 2003
• Powell Says the Debate over Iraq Has Reached a Critical Moment Washington File 12 Feb 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell told a congressional committee February 12 that the impasse over Iraq has reached a decisive moment.
• Powell Says Relevance of U.N. at Stake Over Iraqi Disarmament Washington File 12 Feb 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell said the world is approaching a "moment of truth" on the question of the relevance of the United Nations Security Council, as its members confront Iraq's failure to comply with the council's will over the past 12 years.
• White House Compares Iraqi Non-Compliance Tactics to Those of 1996 Washington File 12 Feb 2003 -- The White House issued a timeline February 12 comparing the current crisis between Iraq and the United Nations Security Council with the previous 1996-1998 attempt by the United Nations Special Commission on Munitions (UNSCOM) to conduct a program of "intrusive inspections" in the country.
• Talks Under Way on New U.N. Resolution on Iraq Washington File 12 Feb 2003 -- Diplomatic conversations are under way concerning the language of a follow-up to United Nations Security Council resolution 1441 on Iraq, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer confirmed February 12.
• Key Lawmaker Hopes U.N. Will Enforce Iraqi Disarmament Washington File 12 Feb 2003 -- House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde says there is great peril in the world today, but there is also a great opportunity to recast the politics of the turbulent Middle East.
• Powell-U-N VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell will join in a crucial meeting of the U-N Security Council Friday at which chief U-N weapons inspector Hans Blix will give an updated report on Iraqi compliance with disarmament demands.
• Transcript: DoD News Briefing - Secretary Rumsfeld And U.K. Secretary Hoon 12 Feb 2003 -- Shortly after the terrorist attack on September 11th, President Bush addressed the Congress with Prime Minister Blair in attendance. And at that time the president said America has no truer friend than Great Britain. And Great Britain has, indeed, proven itself to be a true and steadfast friend time and time again.
• 'No One Wants War,' But It May Be Necessary, Powell Says AFPS 12 Feb 2003 -- "No one wants war," U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said today, "but sometimes it's necessary when you need it to maintain international order."
• POWELL / IRAQ VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell told Congressmen Wednesday he still holds out hope that reluctant U-S allies at the United Nations will support authorizing military action to disarm Iraq. But Mr. Powell said the United States "will not shrink" from the prospect of leading a coalition outside the U-N framework if necessary. Mr. Powell plans to be present Friday when the Security Council hears a report from U-N weapons inspectors.
• EDITORIAL: RUMSFELD ON PREPARING FOR WAR VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- As U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said at the Munich Conference on European Security Policy, if war with Iraq becomes necessary, the United States will not wage it alone. The leaders of Britain, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Spain recently issued a statement declaring that "the Iraqi regime and its weapons of mass destruction represent a clear threat to world security." These countries pledged that they would "remain united in insisting that [the Iraqi] regime be disarmed."
• EDITORIAL: IRAQ'S WEAPONS VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- There can be no doubt that the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein has biological and chemical weapons and the capability to produce more. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell presented the evidence on February 5th to the United Nations Security Council.
• BUSH / IRAQ VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- The White House says the international community cannot "afford to be in denial" about the seriousness of what the the White House says is Iraqi support for terrorists. U-S officials say an audio tape released Tuesday shows the cooperation between Iraq and al-Qaida terrorists.
• Anti-Corruption Is Topic of Discussion for "Free Iraqis" Washington File 12 Feb 2003 -- The State Department has invited 15 "Free Iraqis" to Washington February 14-15 to discuss anti-corruption efforts in the public and private sectors, according to a February 12 press notice.
• Text: "Free Iraqis" to Discuss Local Government Washington File 12 Feb 2003 -- The State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs will host 15 "Free Iraqis" February 12-13 to discuss local government issues in Iraq, according to a February 12 press notice.
• Senators Welcome Support on Iraq from 18 European Countries Washington File 12 Feb 2003 -- Republican senators John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, together with Democratic senators Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Evan Bayh of Indiana, are co-sponsoring a "Sense of the Congress" resolution praising 18 European countries for expressing their support for the effort to disarm Iraq.

United Nations

• UN / IRAQ / BLIX VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- Chief U-N weapons inspector Hans Blix briefed commissioners from UNMOVIC, the mission to disarm Iraq today [WEDNESDAY] on his recent trip to Baghdad. The United Nations that the meeting comes one day after the chief inspector convened experts to discuss possible Iraqi violations of missile range limits.
• Security Council to hold open meeting on Iraq Friday, with follow-up on 18th UN News Centre 12 Feb 2003 -- The United Nations Security Council decided today that an upcoming briefing on Iraq by the UN's top weapons inspectors will be open to non-Council members.
• Blix meets UNMOVIC's Commissioners ahead of Security Council briefing UN News Centre 12 Feb 2003 -- Ahead of his briefing the Security Council on Friday, a top UN weapons inspector, Hans Blix, met in New York today with the College of Commissioners of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC).
• UN inspectors continue efforts to interview Iraqi scientists UN News Centre 12 Feb 2003 -- United Nations weapons monitors in Iraq today continued their efforts to hold private interviews with the country's scientists and biological experts.
• IRAQ INSPECTORS VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- For the first time since returning to Iraq, U-N chemical weapons inspectors went to a facility to begin the destruction of banned artillery shells and a supply of deadly chemicals, leftover from previous inspections about four-years ago.
• U-N / IRAQ VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- Germany says it supports a preliminary French proposal to increase the number of weapons inspectors in Iraq. The plan is now proving to be another source of disagreement in the U-N Security Council, already divided over the next step to disarm Iraq.
• U-N / IRAQ VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- Germany says it supports a preliminary French proposal to increase the number of weapons inspectors in Iraq. The plan is now proving to be another source of disagreement in the U-N Security Council, already divided over the next step to disarm Iraq.
• POWELL / U-N VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- U-S Secretary of State Colin Powell will join in a crucial meeting of the U-N Security Council Friday at which chief U-N weapons inspector Hans Blix will give an updated report on Iraqi compliance with disarmament demands.
• UNMOVIC IAEA Press Statement on Inspection Activities in Iraq UNMOVIC/IAEA 12 February 2003
• Tracking Inspections in Iraq RFE/L 12 Feb 2003

Foreign Reactions

• BURWELL-NATO VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- The apparent split within the ranks of NATO, as well as division between the U.S. and its usual allies, are complicating the effort to rid Iraq of dangerous weapons.
• GERMANY / IRAQ / NATO VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has defended his government's opposition to a war with Iraq. Mr. Schroeder also says a NATO alliance dispute over protecting Turkey will not be resolved before a U-N Security Council meeting Friday.
• Rumsfeld, U.K. Defense Minister See Broad Coalition on Iraq Washington File 12 Feb 2003 -- Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said February 12 during a joint press briefing with British Defense Minister Geoffrey Hoon that the United States expects broad military support from other countries "in the event a decision is made" to use force to disarm Iraq.
• Britain's Hoon Explains U.K. Support to America on Iraq AFPS 12 Feb 2003 -- A senior official from America's staunchest ally joined Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld at the Pentagon podium today and explained why the United Kingdom is so firmly behind the U.S. position on Iraq.
• NATO / IRAQ VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- NATO ambassadors have failed once again to resolve a standoff over a proposal that would see the alliance begin planning for Turkey's defense in the event of a war in Iraq. Belgium and Germany continue to insist that no such move should be undertaken until diplomatic efforts to solve the Iraq crisis are exhausted.
• NATO / U-S / TURKEY VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- NATO ambassadors are consulting their governments after the alliance's secretary-general proposed a compromise to break a deadlock over plans to defend Turkey in the event of a war in Iraq. The United States is warning that the alliance is risking its credibility if it does not back an ally.
• NATO /IRAQ VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- NATO ambassadors are consulting with their capitals about a compromise proposal aimed at ending a deadlock over planning for Turkey's defense in case of a war in Iraq. The impasse has sparked one of the most serious crises in the alliance's 54-year history.
• PHILIPPINES IRAQ VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- The Philippine foreign secretary has asked Baghdad to recall an Iraqi diplomat suspected of having ties to a Muslim terrorist group in the Philippines.
• EU /NATO IRAQ VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- The security chief of the European Union is playing down the disagreement in NATO over military support for Turkey.

News Reports

• Brookings Scholar Says Franco-German Iraq Position "Nonsensical" Washington File 12 Feb 2003 -- Brookings scholar and author Kenneth Pollack says the positions taken by France and Germany both in the U.N. Security Council and in NATO are "essentially nonsensical," and may adversely impact both organizations.
• IRAQ WRAP VOA 12 Feb 2003 -- Top U-S officials spent Wednesday trying to bolster the case that the danger posed by Iraq has been made more urgent by a new message -- believed to be from terror master Osama bin Laden urging Muslims to fight the United States if it attacks Iraq. The Bush Administration is still working to convince reluctant some European allies that the threat posed by Saddam Hussein's alleged weapons and ties to terrorists can not be contained and that the only option left may be military force.