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

Current Operations

• Transcript: DoD News Briefing - Secretary Rumsfeld and Gen. Abizaid 21 Aug 2003 -- Participating were Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Gen. John Abizaid, commander, U.S. Central Command
• General Abizaid Says Terrorism Becoming Major Security Threat in Iraq Washington File 21 Aug 2003 -- Terrorism is becoming the principal threat facing coalition forces in Iraq and the Iraqi people, the commander of the U.S. Central Command said August 21.
• Iraqis, International Community Working to Secure Iraq AFPS 21 Aug 2003 -- Securing and rebuilding Iraq "is not an American-only mission by any stretch of the imagination," the American general in charge of coalition forces in the region said in the Pentagon today.
• PENTAGON/CHEMICAL ALI VOA 21 Aug 2003 -- Top Pentagon officials are refusing to give many details of the capture of one of Iraq's most-wanted former regime officials, the man known as "Chemical Ali." But they are hinting he may have been involved in post-war attacks on coalition forces.
• PENTAGON / IRAQ VOA 21 Aug 2003 -- The general in charge of U-S forces in Iraq says terrorism is now the top threat there with an al-Qaida linked group established in Baghdad and foreign fighters crossing over the border from Syria.
• IRAQ / WEAPONS VOA 21 Aug 2003 -- With deadly attacks on coalition forces in Iraq occurring almost daily, the U-S military is eager to get weapons off the streets, and even pays rewards for heavy weapons and useful information about hidden weapon caches.
• CENTCOM Officials Announce Capture of 'Chemical Ali' AFPS 21 Aug 2003 -- Iraq's Gen. Ali Hassan al- Majid, the infamous "Chemical Ali," has been captured and is in the custody of coalition forces, according to a U.S. Central Command news release.
• Rumsfeld: No U.S. Troop Increase Foreseen for Iraq AFPS 21 Aug 2003 -- American military planners believe the current level of U.S. forces in Iraq is sufficient to accomplish the mission, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here Aug. 20.
• Iraq: Speculation Mounts Over UN Blast, But Hard Evidence Is Scarce RFE/RL 21 Aug 2003 -- No one has claimed responsibility for bombing the UN's Baghdad headquarters, and so far no evidence has emerged as to the culprits' identity. But that has not stopped a firestorm of media speculation, with some commentators pinning the blame squarely on Islamic militants but others seeing the hand of Saddam Hussein.
• Iraq: Locals Working With U.S. Forces Being Targeted RFE/RL 21 Aug 2003 -- The U.S. military says Iraqi guerrillas are targeting locals who are working with U.S. troops.
• Iraq: 'Chemical Ali' Captured By U.S. Forces RFE/RL 21 Aug 2003 -- U.S. Central Command today said it has in custody Ali Hassan al-Majid, also known as "Chemical Ali," a cousin of Saddam Hussein and former Iraqi commander.
• WEAPONS, IED CONFISCATED, DESTROYED CENTCOM 21 Aug 2003-- Iraq-Coalition forces continued to confiscate and destroy weapons and improvised explosive devices throughout Iraq on Aug. 20.
• ANOTHER "IRAQI TOP 55" IN COALITION CUSTODY CENTCOM 21 Aug 2003-- GEN Ali Hasan al-Majid "Chemical Ali" has been captured and is in custody of Coalition Forces.
• ONE SOLDIER KILLED, TWO WOUNDED IN AN IED ATTACK CENTCOM 21 Aug 2003-- A 1st Armored Division solider was killed and two were wounded by an improvised explosive device in the Karkah district of Baghdad at 11 p.m. on Aug. 20.
• MEF Cell Sends Everyone's Gear Home Marine Corps News 21 Aug 2003-- The Marines are happy. They are happy because in a few short weeks, their stay in Iraq will be over. They are happy because get to return to their families and relax They are happy because they don?t have to worry about how their combat equipment gets back to Camp Pendleton. The last job belongs to the small detachment of Marines of I Marine Expeditionary Force Surface Cell.

Deployments

US Policy

• U.S., U.N. Determined to Succeed in Iraq Washington File 21 Aug 2003 -- After a private meeting with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan at the United Nations in New York August 21, Secretary of State Colin Powell said that the United States will work with the United Nations on a new resolution to strengthen efforts in Iraq.
• Iraq: Bush Faces Tough Questions After UN Bombing In Baghdad RFE/RL 21 Aug 2003 -- The 19 August bombing of the Baghdad offices of the United Nations were a stark reminder of the difficulties the United States faces in bringing security to Iraq. As attacks against U.S. troops continue amid the threat of further terrorist actions, what can Washington do to stem the rising tide of violence?
• IRAQ WRAP VOA 21 Aug 2003 -- The United States is pushing for a new United Nations resolution that would encourage more nations to send troops to help restore security to Iraq. The decision follows Tuesday's devastating suicide blast at the U-N mission in Baghdad that killed more than 20 people.
• EDITORIAL: IRAQ AND THE WAR ON TERROR VOA 21 Aug 2003 -- It has been just over one-hundred days since major combat operations ended and the Iraqi people were liberated from the brutal regime of Saddam Hussein. But as the August 19th bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad demonstrates, terrorists in Iraq must still be dealt with.

United Nations

• PRESS BRIEFING BY UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COORDINATOR United Nations 21 Aug 2003
• U.N. Security Council Reaffirms Determination in Iraq Washington File 21 Aug 2003 -- The U.N. Security Council, in an August 20 statement, reaffirmed "its determination to assist the Iraqi people to build peace and justice in their county."
• UK Envoy Reports to UNSC on Coalition Washington File 21 Aug 2003 -- "The international community underestimated how much fundamental damage had been caused to the fabric of Iraq and its society" by the regime of Saddam Hussein, UK Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry told the United Nations Security Council August 21.
• Negroponte Reports to U.N. Security Council on Progress in Iraq Washington File 21 Aug 2003 -- Reporting to the U.N. Security Council on the Coalition's progress in Iraq, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Negroponte said August 21 that for the first time in decades, Iraqi resources, including oil revenues, are being spent for the benefit of the Iraqi people.
• IRAQ WRAP UPDATE VOA 21 Aug 2003 -- Talks were held at the United Nations Thursday on a new Security Council resolution that would encourage more nations to send troops to secure Iraq. In the wake of Tuesday's terrorist bombing at the U-N mission in Baghdad, the Bush administration is looking to draft a measure that will convince countries that opposed the war in Iraq, to now send troops to help rebuild the country.
• U-N / IRAQ VOA 21 Aug 2003 -- The United Nations Security Council is working on a possible new resolution to encourage nations to send troops to help secure Iraq. The preliminary discussions on the measure were held today (Thursday), two days after the U-N Baghdad headquarters was attacked by a car-bomb killing at least 22-people and injured many more.
• IRAQ /BOMBING VOA 21 Aug 2003 -- United Nations officials in Baghdad say up to one-third of its staff is being moved out of Iraq. Officials also say the world body will open a new office Saturday to replace the building devastated by a bomb attack. Senior Iraqi police officials Thursday said the casualty toll from Tuesday's attack has risen to 24 people dead and 86 wounded.
• N-Y/SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFING VOA 21 Aug 2003 -- On the heels of the bombing of the U-N compound in Baghdad, ambassadors from the United States and Britain updated the United Nations Security Council on the situation in Iraq.
• U-N / IRAQ VOA 21 Aug 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell says the United States is working on a new U-N resolution that would encourage more U-N member-states to help the U-S-led coalition in Iraq. Mr. Powell met with U-N Secretary General Kofi Annan to discuss the situation in Iraq following Tuesday's deadly terrorist attack at the United Nations' Baghdad headquarters.
• UN: After Blast, Security Council Discussing Possibility Of New Iraq Resolution RFE/RL 21 Aug 2003 -- The United Nations Security Council has reaffirmed its support for UN efforts to rehabilitate Iraq following the terrorist attack on UN headquarters in Baghdad. Members confirmed there are discussions about a possible new resolution on Iraq but it was not immediately clear whether there was consensus for expanding the UN's mandate. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw is to present proposals today to the Council for strengthening the mandate.
• Two thirds of UN staff in Baghdad staying on to continue mission UN News Centre 21 Aug 2003 -- Although some United Nations staff are leaving Iraq for medical treatment or stress counselling following Tuesday's deadly terrorist attack, two thirds of the more than 300 employees are staying in the country, determined to carry on with their work, the acting head of UN operations in Baghdad said today.
• Annan and Powell discuss increased security after Baghdad terrorist bombing UN News Centre 21 Aug 2003 -- Determined to boost the safety of United Nations staff and stay the course in Iraq despite Tuesday's deadly terrorist bombing, Secretary-General Kofi Annan discussed additional security measures today with United States Secretary of State Colin Powell.
• IRAQ: United Nations to stay on despite deadly attack IRIN 21 Aug 2003 -- Declaring “the ache in our souls is almost too much to bear,” Secretary-General Kofi Annan sought today to console the grief of the United Nations family worldwide with a message of sheer determination to carry on undaunted by the deadly terrorist bombing on Tuesday of UN offices in Iraq.

Reconstruction Issues

• IRAQ: Refugee repatriations from Iran suspended due to attack on UN IRIN 21 Aug 2003 -- Moves to repatriate Iraqi refugees from Iran have been suspended following Tuesday's devastating bomb blast at UN headquarters in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, killing at least 20 and wounding scores of others.

Foreign Reactions

• IMF / WORLD BANK / IRAQ VOA 21 Aug 2003 -- The Washington-based World Bank and International Monetary Fund have moved their personnel out of Baghdad following Tuesday's bombing at the United Nations headquarters there.
• Rumsfeld Praises Central American Troop Contributions in Iraq AFPS 21 Aug 2003 -- U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld praised the U.S.-Honduran military partnership here Aug. 20, saying that Honduras, along with two other Central American nations, is sending troops for peacekeeping duty in Iraq.

News Reports

• Identification of Kuwaiti remains in Iraq brings closure to families - Annan UN News Centre 21 Aug 2003 -- The remains of some of the Kuwaitis listed missing for more than 12 years since Iraq's invasion of its southern neighbour have been identified among the bodies found in mass graves, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in his latest report on the repatriation of all Kuwaiti and third-country nationals or their mortal remains.
• Defender of Haitian Boat People Dies in Aug. 19 Baghdad Bombing Washington File 21 Aug 2003 -- Arthur Helton, who began his long career in human rights advocacy by defending Haitian "boat people" seeking to escape their country's desperate political and economic situation, was among the more than 20 victims killed in the August 19 terrorist bombing of United Nations field headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq.