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

Current Operations

• U.S. Troops Initiate Nearly 12,000 Community Projects in Iraq Washington File 14 Nov 2003 -- U.S. military commanders have launched nearly 12,000 Iraqi development projects at a cost of more than $88 million as a part of the Commanders' Emergency Response Program (CERP), which began with the capture of Saddam Hussein's hidden assets.
• Abizaid's Headquarters Staff in Qatar to Be Increased Washington File 14 Nov 2003 -- The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced November 14 that it will send several hundred military staff members to Qatar in the next few weeks.
• Second Night of Iron Hammer Continues Crackdown AFPS 14 Nov 2003 -- Army and Air Force aircraft reportedly pounded insurgent staging and operating facilities and killed seven people preparing an attack on U.S. forces during the second night of Operation Iron Hammer in Iraq.
• IRAQ / FIGHTING VOA 14 Nov 2003 -- The U-S military in Iraq says an Apache attack helicopter in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit killed seven insurgents preparing to fire rockets at an American military base.
• Iraq: U.S. Stepping Up Efforts To Combat Iraqi Guerrilla Fighters RFE/RL 14 Nov 2003 -- The United States is stepping up military efforts to counter increasing attacks on U.S. and allied troops in Iraq. The top U.S. general responsible for Iraq says he will re-establish his regional headquarters in Qatar in order to be closer to operations. At the same time, U.S. troops are experimenting with using air power to destroy buildings in Baghdad used by guerrillas.
• Iraq: U.S. Helicopter Kills Seven Iraqi Fighters RFE/RL 14 Nov 2003 -- The U.S. military today said a U.S. Apache helicopter killed seven Iraqis who were about to launch a rocket attack on a U.S. base.
• IRAQ/SHIITE SUPPORT VOA 14 Nov 2003 -- In Iraq, coalition officials have apologized to the family of a prominent Shiite Muslim community leader in Baghdad, who was shot and killed by an American soldier last Sunday. The man's death has ignited deep anger among many Iraqi Shiite Muslims in the capital, whose support is crucial to coalition efforts to bring stability to Iraq.

Deployments

US Policy

• Bush Pledges "Rational" Speed-up of Iraqi Political Process Washington File 14 Nov 2003 -- President Bush says he instructed Ambassador L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Iraq, to return to Iraq after two days of high level talks in Washington to tell the Iraqi Governing Council that the United States will work with it "to speed up the political process in a rational way.
• Bush, Italian President Affirm Cooperation in Rebuilding Iraq Washington File 14 Nov 2003 -- President Bush welcomed Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi to the White House November 14 and thanked him for "standing up to the terrorists who are trying to create fear and chaos ... [and] for your understanding that a free and peaceful Iraq will help make the entire world more peaceful."
• Powell Cites Need for Balanced Picture of Situation in Iraq Washington File 14 Nov 2003 -- The United States hopes media coverage of Iraq will present both sides of the story, not just the difficult security situation but also the "considerable progress" that has been made during the last six months, Secretary of State Colin Powell said November 13.
• Powell Calls for Quick Handover of Power to Iraqis Washington File 14 Nov 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell said that with the establishment of an Iraqi Governing Council and cabinet positions, there was "no reason" why power should not be handed over to the Iraqi people "as quickly as is possible."
• Feith Says War to Determine the Future of Iraq Continues Washington File 14 Nov 2003 -- "Although the major combat operations that toppled Saddam Hussein's regime were over by May 1, the war to determine the future of Iraq continues," says a top Department of Defense official.
• BUSH IRAQ VOA 14 Nov 2003 -- President Bush says U-S forces will stay in Iraq and Afghanistan until they have found Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.
• Feith Defends U.S. Decision to Take Down Saddam AFPS 14 Nov 2003 -- Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's regime presented a clear and present danger to the United States and to the world and had to be removed, DoD's top policy official told members of a think tank here Nov. 13.
• Wolfowitz Supports Full Equality for Iraqi Women AFPS 14 Nov 2003 -- "One can't separate the rights of women from the rights of all people," Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz told a delegation of Iraqi women visiting the Pentagon today.
• Bremer: 'Future of Hope' in Iraq Includes Justice AFPS 14 Nov 2003 -- Justice is part of the "future of hope" in Iraq, the Coalition Provisional Authority administrator told the Iraqi people in his weekly broadcast address from Baghdad today.
• EDITORIAL: RULE OF LAW IN IRAQ VOA 14 Nov 2003 -- The goal of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq is to return the government of Iraq to the people of Iraq. But first, the coalition must help the Iraqi people bring peace and stability to the country by establishing the rule of law.
• BRITAIN / BUSH VOA 14 Nov 2003 -- President Bush says he is not concerned about mass anti-war protests when he visits Britain next week. He made the remarks to British journalists in interviews at the White House.
• EDITORIAL: POWELL ON IRAQ TERRORISM VOA 14 Nov 2003 -- Securing democracy in Iraq is the work of many countries. Thirty-one nations, in addition to the U.S., have contributed to the coalition's efforts. These men and women are sacrificing for Iraq's future. On November 12th, a truck bomb exploded at a police base in southern Iraq, killing eighteen Italians and more than a dozen Iraqis. At least eighty more were wounded.
• Iraq: Bush Wants Iraqis To Assume More Control RFE/RL 14 Nov 2003 -- U.S. President George W. Bush says his administration is encouraging the Iraqi people to assume more responsibility in governing their country.

United Nations

• Iraq: UN Uncertain About Returning Staff RFE/RL 14 Nov 2003 -- An official in the UN's Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said today the United Nations is still uncertain about when full staff will return to Iraq.
• U-N / IRAQ VOA 14 Nov 2003 -- A senior United Nations official says the organization's foreign staff will not return to Baghdad until the security situation improves. U-N officials are holding a week-long a meeting to discuss the issue.

Reconstruction Issues

• ITALY/IRAQ VOA 14 Nov 2003 -- Twenty Italians wounded in a suicide truck explosion in southern Iraq earlier this week returned to Italy Thursday. The country, which was horrified by the incident in southern Iraq, followed the arrival of its men on state television.
• Iraq: How Will Washington 'Accelerate' Transfer Of Power To Iraqis? RFE/RL 14 Nov 2003 -- The buzzword on Iraq in Washington this week seems to be "accelerate" -- as in accelerating the transfer of power to the Iraqi people. How the U.S.-led coalition will go about doing that remains unclear, but setting up a provisional Iraqi government appears to be a first step.
• Iraq: Residents Of Al-Fallujah Blame U.S. Troops For Growing Violence RFE/RL 14 Nov 2003 -- Al-Fallujah, a Sunni Muslim town some 50 kilometers west of Baghdad, has emerged as one of the main flashpoints of resistance against coalition troops. Almost every day there are attacks against U.S. troops in this city of half a million people. And angry residents say troops have two options if they want the violence to stop: leave, or learn to respect local tribal customs.

Foreign Reactions

• Japanese PM Tells Rumsfeld Iraq Mission 'Important Cause' AFPS 14 Nov 2003 -- Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld today that he agrees that the cause of rebuilding Iraq is important to the international community.
• Germany stresses again demand for speedy Iraqi power transfer IRNA 14 Nov 2003 -- The German government Friday reiterated the need for a speedy transfer of political power to the Iraqi people and a greater United Nations role in Iraq`s post-war reconstruction process.

News Reports

• RFE/RL Iraq Report, Volume 6, Number 47 14 Nov 2003 -- ITALIAN MILITARY POLICE HEADQUARTERS BOMBED IN AL-NASIRIYAH / U.S. DISMAY SURFACES OVER IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL'S PERFORMANCE... / ...AS U.S. ADMINISTRATOR HEADS TO WASHINGTON FOR TALKS ON IRAQI LEADERSHIP / SOME U.S. MILITARY COMMANDERS SAY INSURGENCY PLANNED / GOVERNING COUNCIL HEAD SAYS AL-QAEDA, ANSAR, AND BA'ATHISTS BEHIND ATTACKS / TURKOMAN INTERVIEWED ON CONSTITUTIONAL DRAFTING COMMITTEE / CIVILIAN OFFICERS MOVEMENT ASKS CPA FOR ROLE IN SECURITY / ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT REPORTED AGAINST GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBER / IRAQI OFFICIAL HINTS AT REINSTATING DEATH PENALTY / TOP U.S. COMMANDER IN IRAQ SAYS ATTACKS HAVE DOUBLED IN TWO MONTHS / U.S. FORCES KILL HEAD OF SADR CITY COUNCIL / IRAQI NEWSPAPER SAYS AL-JAZEERA CORRESPONDENT COORDINATING ATTACKS ON COALITION / U.S. AND IRAQI INVESTIGATORS SAY MASS GRAVES CONTAIN 300,000 IRAQIS / KADEK DISBANDS, REORGANIZES / TURKEY OFFICIALLY WITHDRAWS TROOP OFFER / KUWAIT CLOSES NORTHERN ZONE BORDERING IRAQ / LEBANESE CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR COMMENTS ON IRAQI FUNDS / JORDANIAN KING INTERVIEWED ON IRAQ / JORDAN ASKS COALITION FOR INFORMATION ON DETAINEES / IRAN DENIES ANY INVOLVEMENT IN ASSASSINATION OF AL-HAKIM / UN REPORTS IRAQ WILL FACE FUEL SHORTAGE THIS WINTER / UN STAFF GATHERS IN CYPRUS TO REVIEW UN SECURITY IN IRAQ / BRITISH ADMINISTRATORS IN AL-BASRAH REPORTEDLY COMPLAIN ABOUT RESOURCES, ATTENTION / U.S. ESTABLISHES NEW OFFICE TO MANAGE CONTRACTS IN IRAQ / U.S. OFFICIALS INVESTIGATING ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING BIDDING PROCESS OF CONTRACTS / POLISH PREMIER SAYS TROOPS WILL STAY IN IRAQ UNTIL SECURITY RESTORED / POLISH DEFENSE MINISTER SAYS POLAND READY TO HAND OVER COMMAND IN 2004 / SWEDISH MILITARY MAN TO TRAIN U.S. SOLDIERS IN IRAQ / JAPAN POSTPONES TROOP DEPLOYMENT
• IRAQ: NGO suspends operations after Nasiriyah bombing IRIN 14 Nov 2003 -- The UK-based Caritas NGO has temporarily suspended operations in the southern city of Nasiriyah after 13 of its workers were wounded, one of them seriously, in a suicide bomb attack on the Italian police base on Wednesday.