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

Current Operations

• COALITION AND IRAQI POLICE WORK TO MAKE IRAQ SECURE (May 16, 2003) CENTCOM 16 May 2003 -- Coalition Forces continue to aggressively patrol to make Iraq safer for all Iraqis by eliminating smuggling and trade in weapons and explosives.
• COALITION AND IRAQI POLICE WORK TO MAKE IRAQ SECURE CENTCOM 16 May 2003 -- Coalition Forces continue to aggressively patrol to make Iraq safer for all Iraqis by eliminating smuggling and trade in weapons and explosives.
• V CORPS UNITS CONDUCT AT TUWAITHA SITE ASSESSMENT CENTCOM 16 May 2003 -- Elements from the U.S. Army's V Corps will soon begin a detailed assessment of the former Iraqi nuclear facility At Tuwaitha.
• Iraq: U.S. To Address Order And Security RFE/L 16 May 2003 -- U.S. officials say they are focusing more on restoring order and security in Iraq.
• Day 1 of Operation Iraqi Freedom - Marines prepare for combat missions Marine Corps News 16 May 2003-- * Editor's note - This is a recap of March 20, the first day of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
• 18th Military Police Brigade helps Iraqis restore law and order USAREUR Release 16 May 2003-- The first efforts to restore law and order to post-regime Iraq began May 9 when Iraqi police and U.S. military police soldiers under the command of V Corps' 18th Military Police Brigade conducted joint patrols in the war-torn streets here.
• V CORPS ENGINEERS MAKE A PLACE TO KICK BACK IN IRAQ V Corps News Release 16 May 2003-- There's nothing like kicking back with a cold one and a few friends after a hard day's work, but in a desert combat zone, cold ones and down time are few and far between.
• V CORPS ENGINEERS HELP IRAQIS REBUILD BAGHDAD AIRPORT V Corps News Release 16 May 2003-- With major combat in Iraq over, the fight to get the Iraqi people back on their feet has just begun, and V Corps units are leading the way.
• 'Guardians of the sky' arrive home from Operation Iraqi Freedom Marine Corps News 16 May 2003-- Tears of joy rolled from the faces of families and friends, who waited with open arms for their Marines, as Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 returned home on Tuesday from Kuwait.
• Hawks return home after Operation Iraqi Freedom Marine Corps News 16 May 2003-- More than 150 Marines and Sailors of Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533 returned home, May 10,after participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
• Coalition Forces Provide Security and Stability ARCENT CJTF-7 16 May 2003
• Coalition Efforts Aid Iraq's Recovery ARCENT CJTF-7 17 May 2003

Deployments

US Policy

• POWELL / EUROPE VOA 16 May 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell says he hopes the United Nations Security Council will soon lift sanctions against Iraq. His remarks followed Germany's pledge to work for a U-N resolution on the matter that will satisfy other council members. Mr. Powell went to the German capital to help patch up U-S-German relations, soured by Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's fierce opposition to the U-S-led war in Iraq.
• Transcript: Powell on German TV Discusses Bilateral Relations, Iraq Washington File 16 May 2003 -- In an interview on ZDF Morgenmagazin May 16 in Berlin, Secretary of State Colin Powell said he hopes the United States and Germany can begin to bridge the differences that emerged as a result of their debate over what to do in Iraq.

United Nations

• Iraq: senior UN relief official discusses lack of security with US authorities UN News Centre 16 May 2003 -- The United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator flew into Iraq today and asked the United States authorities to address the lack of security, which has been seriously impeding UN abilities to deliver badly needed humanitarian aid.
• UN officials focus on problem of Iraqi refugees, both internal and external UN News Centre 16 May 2003 -- United Nations officials turned their attention to the problem of Iraqi refugees today, calling for the return of or compensation for up to 1 million people displaced internally by Saddam Hussein, and preparing for the repatriation of up to 500,000 exiles from outside the country.
• IRAQ / U-N VOA 16 May 2003 -- The United Nations' emergency relief coordinator says the lack of law and order in Iraq is hampering efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to the country. The official, Kenzo Oshima, spoke at a Baghdad news conference Friday
• Security Council Meets On Iraq Sanctions RFE/L 16 May 2003 -- The United Nations Security Council is expected to hold discussions in the coming hours on a U.S.-proposed draft resolution that would lift the 13-year-old UN sanctions against Iraq.

Reconstruction Issues

• Iraq: Disappointing Some Iraqis, U.S. Says It Won't Shoot Looters RFE/L 16 May 2003 -- Despite a visible U.S. military presence in Baghdad, the city remains unsafe, particularly at night. Looters remain the primary cause of the unease, and many city residents have armed themselves in order to defend their family and property. Iraqis say Americans are to blame for the poor security situation because they are doing too little to enforce law and order. Some go so far as to say the U.S. troops should shoot looters on sight -- something the Americans now say they won't do.
• Bremer Pledges to Work for Representative Iraqi Government Washington File 16 May 2003 -- Ambassador Paul Bremer, recently named by President Bush as the chief American civilian in Iraq, says the United States and its coalition partners will work to "provide the conditions for Iraqis to govern themselves."
• NY / IRAQ / LAW VOA 16 May 2003 -- A group of expatriate Iraqi lawyers and judges is calling for a quick end to the chaos in Iraq and the re-establishment of the rule of law. The lawyers say Iraqis are capable of creating and running their own criminal justice system.
• Iraq: What Does The Future Hold For Women? RFE/L 16 May 2003 -- Very few women are seen on the streets of Iraq these days. Many believe this is due to the pervasive lack of security, and that once order is restored to the country, women will return to regular life. But the future role of women in a new, democratic Iraq remains unclear.
• U.S. Investigators Pursue Recovery of Iraqi Antiquities Washington File 16 May 2003 -- A U.S. military officer heading a team investigating the looting of Iraqi antiquities says "every time we recover a single piece --- it's an absolute joy."
• IRAQ ANTIQUITIES PROBE VOA 16 May 2003 -- U-S investigators say the looting of Iraqi antiquities after the recent war was not nearly as extensive as originally feared. Nevertheless, they note that tracking items that are still missing will probably take a long time.

Foreign Reactions

• U.S., Germany Will Work to Lift U.N. Sanctions on Iraq Washington File 16 May 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell has welcomed German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's willingness to work with Washington to end United Nations sanctions against Iraq, telling reporters in Berlin, "I was pleased at the Chancellor's commitment to move as quickly as we can to lift sanctions entirely so that we can begin to have the flow of oil, which will generate revenue that will benefit the Iraqi people."
• Transcript: Powell, Fischer Optimistic About New UN Iraq Resolution Washington File 16 May 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell and German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer expressed optimism following their meeting in Berlin May 16 about a new UN resolution on Iraq that will lift the UN sanctions imposed on the regime of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
• U.S.: France Complaints Cast Doubts On U.S.-French Rapprochement RFE/L 16 May 2003 -- Whither French-American relations? Many expected the long-time allies to patch up their ties once the firestorm over Iraq subsided. But a new letter from Paris accusing Washington of a smear campaign against France suggests Franco-American relations may not improve quickly.
• U.S.: France Complains News Reports Hurt Its Image RFE/L 16 May 2003 -- In an unusual move, the French government has accused the U.S. administration of trying to tarnish the reputation of France. The accusation -- denied by U.S. officials -- says that French opposition to the war on Iraq is the reason for this alleged smear campaign.
• Germany: Schroeder And Powell Meet To Discuss Iraq War, Frosty Relations RFE/L 16 May 2003 -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder met briefly in Berlin today to discuss their differences over the Iraq war and the prospects for future cooperation. It was Schroeder's first meeting with a high-level member of the U.S. administration since Germany opposed the war against Iraq.
• Iraq: Schroeder, Powell Call For Lifting UN Sanctions RFE/L 16 May 2003 -- German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell today agreed that sanctions against Iraq should be lifted "as soon as possible."

News Reports

• RFE/RL Iraq Report, Volume 6, Number 22 16 May 2003 -- NEW SECURITY MEASURES IN IRAQ MEAN LOOTERS MAY BE SHOT / REPORTS CONTINUE OF ROBBERY AND DISORDER IN BAGHDAD / IRAQI COURTS RESUME WORK / THOUSANDS OF BODIES UNCOVERED IN MASS GRAVE IN IRAQ / SIX IRAQI CHILDREN DIE WHILE PLAYING WITH BOMB / CHOLERA CONFIRMED IN SOUTHERN CITY OF AL-BASRAH / U.S. RAIDS VILLAGE, DETAINS 200 / MORE REGIME MEMBERS IN CUSTODY / BA'ATH PARTY BANNED / U.S. FORCES STORM ISLAMIC PARTY OF IRAQ HEADQUARTERS / COALITION CONTINUES TO DISARM IRAQI-BASED MKO / MOBILE LAB FOUND? / COALITION RELEASES BAGHDAD'S SELF-STYLED MAYOR / EXILED SCIRI LEADER RETURNS TO IRAQ / INFORMAL COUNCIL INCHES TOWARD INTERIM GOVERNMENT / INC HEAD TALKS ABOUT POST-HUSSEIN IRAQ / IRAQI OPPOSITION FIGURE EXPRESSES DOUBT OVER INTERIM ADMINISTRATION / PACHACHI DISCUSSES LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, POSTWAR PLANNING / SCIRI ISSUES MEMO ON CHOOSING INTERIM NATIONAL COUNCIL / KURDISTAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEBATES ROLE OF PEACE MONITORING FORCE / SYRIAN-IRAQI BORDER CROSSING REOPENED / JORDAN SENDS PUBLIC WORKS TEAM TO ASSESS IRAQI BRIDGES / U.A.E. RED CRESCENT COMPLETES WATER PURIFICATION PROJECTS IN SOUTH... / ...AS DRINKING WATER FROM IRAN ARRIVES IN AL-BASRAH / REPORT ALLEGES THAT IRAQI AGENTS INFILTRATED AL-JAZEERA / MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD CALLS FOR JIHAD IN IRAQ / U.S. PUSHING FOR QUICK IRAQ RESOLUTION IN SECURITY COUNCIL... / ...AS DISCUSSIONS AMONG COUNCIL MEMBERS CONTINUE / U.S. SHAKES UP IRAQ ADMINISTRATION / BRITISH HAND OVER IRAQI PORT TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES / BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY SAYS PROGRESS SLOW / FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER COMMENTS ON REBUILDING EFFORT / U.S. TREASURY OFFICIAL TESTIFIES ON RECOVERY OF IRAQI FUNDS / COALITION RELEASES 7,000 IRAQI PRISONERS
• BABYLON POST-SADDAM VOA 16 May 2003 -- In Iraq, U-S Marines are now camped out alongside the ancient ruins of Babylon, and most of the sightseers these days are American soldiers.
• Text: Iraqi Local Authorities and Coalition Endorse Customs Agreement Washington File 16 May 2003 -- A trade accord governing the reopening of the border crossing here after two months has been signed by Mosul interim government officials, local tribal officials and endorsed by Coalition leadership was signed May 7.
• IRAQ: Iranians in the south become IDPs IRIN 16 May 2003 -- "They sent us away, the people there. They said to us we had to go to our homes in Iran. We would have been killed," said Saleheh Batah, an Iranian woman who has been living in Iraq with her family for years.