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Current Operations

• Transcript: First Marine Expeditionary Force Commander Live Briefing from Iraq 30 May 2003 -- Videoteleconference briefing on the involvement of the First Marine Expeditionary Force in Operation Iraqi Freedom and in post-war stabilization efforts from Baghdad, Iraq. Participating were Bryan Whitman, deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs (media operations), and Lt. Gen. James Conway, commander, First Marine Expeditionary Force.
• Transcript: Briefing on the Iraq Survey Group 30 May 2003 -- Briefing on the Iraq Survey Group. Participating were Stephen A. Cambone, under secretary of defense for intelligence, and Army Maj. Gen. Keith W. Dayton, director for operations, Defense Intelligence Agency.

• New WMD Survey Group to Begin Operation in Iraq Soon Washington File 30 May 2003 -- A senior Defense Intelligence Agency official who will head a new U.S. operation to seek out weapons of mass destruction in Iraq says the effort represents "a significant expansion" of the ongoing work in that area.
• IRAQ / WEAPONS VOA 30 May 2003 -- The U-S forces have not yet found weapons of mass destruction which is sparking controversy. In a magazine interview, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz has played down Iraq's weapons programs as a key justification for going to war. Meanwhile, the Defense Department has formed a new team to hunt for the weapons.
• Iraq Survey Group to Take Over Hunt for Iraqi Weapons AFPS 30 May 2003 -- A significant expansion of effort in the hunt for weapons of mass destruction will begin to take hold in Iraq in coming days, DoD officials said today.
• SOLDIERS KILLED IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT CENTCOM 30 May 2003 -- Two soldiers were killed and seven injured when a light-medium tactical vehicle (LMTV) was involved in a traffic accident between Mosul and Tikrit today.
• IRAQI CHILD STRUCK BY MILITARY TRAILER CENTCOM 30 May 2003 -- Two soldiers driving in a U.S. Army Palatized Load System (PLS)supply vehicle accidentally struck and killed an Iraqi child while traveling south on the Main Supply Route Tampa (Highway 1), 20 miles north of Tallil, at about 11:30 a.m., today.
• Marines Adapt from Combat to Humanitarian Role in Iraq Washington File 30 May 2003 -- The commander of the U.S. Marine Expeditionary Force in Iraq says his forces are focused on the mission of creating "a safe and secure environment" in that country before turning it back to the Iraqis.
• Marine Force Commander Details Progress in Iraq AFPS 30 May 2003 -- The Marines based south of Baghdad made the transition from warfighting to peacekeeping with their usual aplomb, said Marine Lt. Gen. James Conway during a video press conference today from Iraq.
• U-S / IRAQ VOA 30 May 2003 -- The commander of U-S Marines in Iraq says he is surprised that coalition forces have so far failed to find weapons of mass destruction in the country. Lieutenant General James Conway also says he hopes fresh coalition forces can relieve his Marines in the near future.
• COALITION EFFORTS AID IRAQ'S RECOVERY (May 30, 2003) CENTCOM 30 May 2003 -- Coalition Forces continue to assist in developing a safer and more secure environment in Iraq.
• COALITION AND IRAQI POLICE WORK TO MAKE IRAQ SECURE (May 30, 2003) CENTCOM 30 May 2003 -- Coalition Forces continue to aggressively patrol Iraq to eliminate crimes against people and property, rid populated areas of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and stop the black market trade in fuel and other commodities. Coalition Forces also continue to conduct joint security patrols with Iraqi police in their efforts to increase the professionalism of the police force and prepare them for their role in a self-governed Iraq.
• MEF Engineer Group Seabees Helping to Rebuild Iraq Navy Newsstand 30 May 2003-- While many of the U.S. troops in the Middle East are starting to think about going home, the First Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) Engineer Group (MEG) Seabees continue to seek out and complete a multitude of rebuilding projects in Iraq.
• COALITION EFFORTS AID IRAQ'S RECOVERY ARCENT CJTF-7 30 May 2003
• COALITION AND IRAQI POLICE WORK TO MAKE IRAQ SECURE ARCENT CJTF-7 30 May 2003
• IRAQI CHILD STRUCK BY MILITARY TRAILER ARCENT CJTF-7 30 May 2003
• SOLDIER KILLED IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT ARCENT CJTF-7 30 May 2003

Deployments

• Boxer Sailors Enjoy Liberty in UAE Navy Newsstand 30 May 2003-- Sailors aboard USS Boxer (LHD 4) pulled into Jebel Ali for some much needed "R&R" after spending 100 days at sea.

US Policy

• Bush Discusses Iraq, Future U.S.-French Cooperation Washington File 30 May 2003 -- In a May 29 interview with French TV3 at the White House, President Bush said the development of democracy in Iraq is "going to take a while," but that the United States "will be patient."
• "Transition Just Beginning in Iraq," by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld Washington File 30 May 2003 -- "It is now just about seven weeks since the liberation of Iraq. Less than two months ago, Iraqis were living under a brutal regime that murdered people by the tens of thousands and piled their bodies into mass graves."
• EDITORIAL: MOBILE BIO-WEAPONS LABS IN IRAQ VOA 30 May 2003 -- Forces of the U.S.-led coalition have found evidence that the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq was hiding the components of a biological warfare program. In northern Iraq, two truck trailers have been discovered that were equipped to process biological material into agents capable of killing large numbers of people. These are precisely the sort of mobile laboratories that U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell warned the United Nations Security Council about in February.
• EDITORIAL: BREMER ON IRAQI ECONOMY VOA 30 May 2003 -- Now that the Iraqi people are free of the Saddam Hussein tyranny, the United Nations Security Council has lifted economic sanctions on Iraq. This means that Iraqi oil can be exported to finance reconstruction and humanitarian needs, and vital goods and services can be imported into Iraq. As Civil Administrator Paul Bremer said, "Iraq is open for business again."
• Iraq: U.S. Says Tractor-Trailers Prove Hussein Had Weapons Program RFE/L 30 May 2003 -- Did the United States finally find the so-called "smoking gun" in Iraq? The White House says two mobile laboratories found recently provide "proof positive" that Saddam Hussein had illegal weapons programs.
• Rumsfeld Says Coalition Off to 'Reasonable Start' in Iraq AFPS 30 May 2003 -- Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said that coalition forces are off to "a reasonable start" in helping the Iraqi people restore order and restart essential services.
• Rumsfeld Says Weapons Will Be Found RFE/L 30 May 2003 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the United States had "good intelligence" about Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction before the war and says he believes the weapons will still be found.
• EDITORIAL: PRINCIPLES FOR A FREE IRAQ VOA 30 May 2003 -- Freedom-loving countries have a great stake in the successful transition of Iraq to a market-oriented democracy. As U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said, "If Iraq. . .is able to move to the path of representative democracy, the impact in the region and the world could be dramatic."
• POLAND / EUROPE / U-S VOA 30 May 2003 -- President Bush arrives in Poland Friday to thank the country for rallying behind the U-S-led war in Iraq, which was opposed by other major European countries like France and Germany. Mr. Bush's visit will cement Poland's status as an increasingly important friend of the United States.

United Nations

• U-N / IRAQ VOA 30 May 2003 -- The United Nation's High Commissioner for Human Rights, Sergio Vieira de Mello, is about to leave on a four-month assignment to Iraq as special representative of the U-N secretary-general.

Reconstruction Issues

• USAID Hands Over Democracy Projects to Leaders of Iraq City Washington File 30 May 2003 -- The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has handed over to the transitional town council of the port city of Umm Qasr, Iraq, three democracy projects, including one that for the first time provides public access to the Internet, according to a May 30 USAID press release.

Foreign Reactions

• BRITAIN / IRAQ / EUROPEVOA 30 May 2003 -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair says he has ''absolutely no doubt'' that evidence will be found of Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Blair spoke during a visit to Poland.

News Reports

• RFE/RL Iraq Report, Volume 6, Number 24 30 May 2003 -- IRAQIS REVOLT IN NORTHERN IRAQI TOWN AFTER WEAPONS SEARCH / SELF-RULE GIVEN IN KIRKUK... / ...AND TAKEN AWAY IN AL-BASRAH / U.S. FORCES ATTACKED IN AL-FALLUJAH... / ...AS ARAB 'FEDAYEEN' REPORTEDLY THREATEN MORE ATTACKS / GRAND AYATOLLAH ISSUES FATWA BANNING BA'ATH PARTY MURDERS / IRAQI OFFICERS REBELLING AGAINST U.S. DECISION / IRAQI OFFICERS REBELLING AGAINST U.S. DECISION / U.S. ADMINISTRATOR ANNOUNCES ESTABLISHMENT OF TRADE-CREDIT FACILITY / U.S. ADMINISTRATOR ANNOUNCES ESTABLISHMENT OF TRADE-CREDIT FACILITY / FORMER REGIME MEMBERS CAPTURED / BAGHDAD DAILY CONDUCTS PUBLIC OPINION POLL / TRIBAL CHIEFS MEET WITH COALITION REPRESENTATIVES / IRAN REPATRIATING IRAQI REFUGEES / ARCHEOLOGISTS GATHER IN AMMAN TO ADDRESS 'CULTURAL CATASTROPHE' IN IRAQ / AMBASSADOR TO JORDAN RETURNS TO IRAQ / BRAZILIAN APPOINTED UN SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO IRAQ / IAEA SAYS INSPECTORS TO RETURN 'THIS WEEK.' / BRITISH PRIME MINISTER ARRIVES IN IRAQ / CIA REPORT LISTS IRAQI MOBILE PRODUCTION PLANTS / U.S. OFFICIAL DISCUSSES ROLE OF COALITION IN IRAQ / POLAND TO DEPLOY PEACEKEEPERS IN JULY / IRAQI 'ADVISERS' STUCK IN KUWAIT / BRITISH PRIME MINISTER APPOINTS HUMAN RIGHTS ENVOY / CENTCOM'S NEW IRAQ WEAPONS POLICY ACCUSED OF FAVORITISM
• Western Press Review: Bush Heads To Europe And Iraq's Alleged Weapons RFE/L 30 May 2003 -- Several items in the Western dailies today address the persistent failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq to support prewar U.S. and British claims that the regime of Saddam Hussein posed a threat to the region and beyond. As U.S. President George W. Bush's trip to Europe and the Middle East begins tonight in Poland, Washington's relations with its EU allies and Russia are also at issue.
• Baghdad Opens First Internet Center RFE/L 30 May 2003 -- The first Internet center has just opened in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, offering Iraqis the opportunity to send e-mails to friends and relatives around the world and receive information from a wide range of sources -- something that was impossible under the regime of Saddam Hussein.