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

Current Operations

• Transcript: Brig. Gen. Dempsey Briefs on 1st Armored Division Operations in Iraq 20 Nov 2003 -- "Today we have U.S. Brigadier General (promotable) Martin Dempsey. Most of you probably already know General Dempsey. He's the commander of the 1st Armored Division, which is in -- in which the area of operation and responsibility for the city of Baghdad falls. He has graciously agreed to be here today to provide some insight into recent offensive operations that have been conducted this week in and around Baghdad. So he'll be first providing some prepared comments."
• U.S. General Says Intelligence is Key to Baghdad Military Operations Washington File 20 Nov 2003 -- The commander of the U.S. First Armored Division in Iraq says that the primary enemy in Baghdad continues to be former regime loyalists and that ongoing fighting in the capital is focused on routing them out of specific neighborhoods.
• 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION CONTINUES TO UNCOVER CACHES CENTCOM Release 20 Nov 2003-- 82nd Airborne Division, also know as Task Force "All American," conducted missions over the past 24-hours focused on defeating former regime loyalists, criminals, and terrorists and assisting to re-establish a safe and secure environment.
• 82 AD CAPTURES SEVEN ANTI-COALITION CELL OPERATIVES CENTCOM Release 20 Nov 2003-- Soldiers from 1st Battalion 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment captured an anti-coalition cell leader and six others in a cordon and search yesterday in Fallujah.
• Enemy Attacks Drop 70 Percent Since Iron Hammer's Start AFPS 20 Nov 2003 -- Enemy attacks against the coalition in and around Baghdad have dropped by 70 percent since Operation Iron Hammer began Nov. 12, the commander of the 1st Armored Division said today.
• New Protection Ahead in Helmets, Body Armor AFPS 20 Nov 2003 -- New, reinforced helmets and body armor being fielded to the military today represent just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what's on the drawing board for protecting warfighters of the future.
• Iraq: U.S. Forces Intensify Air Campaign Against Insurgents RFE/RL 20 Nov 2003 -- U.S. warplanes are dropping increasingly heavy bombs on suspected guerrilla targets in Iraq as anti-insurgency operations pick up strength. Recent sorties saw fighter jets striking near Kirkuk and Ba'qubah, a restive town north of Baghdad.
• IRAQ / VIOLENCE VOA 20 Nov 2003 -- In Iraq, at least four people have been killed and several others wounded in an apparent suicide bombing at the offices of a leading Kurdish party in the northern city of Kirkuk. Correspondent Alisha Ryu in Baghdad reports the bombing is just one of several attacks carried out across Iraq in the past 24 hours.
• Iraq: Blast Reported At Kurdish Party Office In Kirkuk RFE/RL 20 Nov 2003 -- There has been an explosion outside the offices of a leading Kurdish party in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, injuring several people.

Deployments

US Policy

• Bush, Blair Declare Their Resolve on Iraq Washington File 20 Nov 2003 -- President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair issued a joint declaration November 20 reaffirming "the resolve of our two countries, with many friends and allies, to complete the process of bringing freedom, security, and peace to Iraq" and promising that "our partnership with the Iraqi people is for the long-term."
• EDITORIAL: IRAQ'S NEW CONSTITUTION VOA 20 Nov 2003 -- The U.S.-led coalition went to Iraq to rid the world of Saddam Hussein's cruel and evil regime and to restore Iraq's government and resources to the Iraqi people. This has been accomplished. Gone are Saddam Hussein's torture chambers. Gone are his mass killings. Gone is his threat to the world.

United Nations

• U.N. Transfers Oil-for-Food Program to CPA, Iraqi Officials Nov 22 Washington File 20 Nov 2003 -- The United Nations transfers administration of the Iraqi Oil-for-Food Program to the Coalition Provisional Authority and Iraqi officials November 22.
• UN mulling form of support for Iraq, Secretary-General says UN News Centre 20 Nov 2003 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said today he has received a letter from Iraq's Governing Council suggesting new political arrangements and asking for UN support.
• UN/OIL FOR FOOD VOA 20 Nov 2003 -- United Nations closes down its Iraq Oil for Food program today (Friday) and hands over its assets to the U-S led Coalition in Baghdad. Secretary-General Kofi Annan gave the program a glowing final report card.

Reconstruction Issues

• Private-Sector Contractors Provide Surprising Military Heft in Iraq Washington File 20 Nov 2003 -- World War II GIs had food slopped into their mess tins by Army cooks with wicked grins and stained tee shirts. Now in Iraq, their grandsons and granddaughters -- it's a modern Army after all -- eat well-balanced and even tasty meals in comfortable mess halls, all provided by civilians working for private firms like Kellogg Brown and Root/Halliburton.
• Women Must Be Involved in Iraq's Reconstruction, World Bank Says Washington File 20 Nov 2003 -- World Bank officials and a group of 18 Iraqi women met in Washington the week of November 10-14 to discuss the role of women in Iraqi development, and to initiate a number of steps to advance that role.
• Iraq: Transfer Of Sovereignty Raises Questions, Hopes Among Officials RFE/RL 20 Nov 2003 -- The Iraqi Governing Council recently announced plans for the U.S.-led administration in Iraq to hand over power to a provisional government by the end of June. While many of the specifics of the transfer remain to be worked out, Iraqi officials say they hope the final result will be the most democratic government in the Arab world.
• Iraq: Survey Shows Reconstruction Efforts Making Progress RFE/RL 20 Nov 2003 -- As the U.S. plans to speed up the handover of power to a sovereign government in Iraq, it also is stepping up the pace of reconstruction efforts designed to boost the country's economy and social stability. A recent review of those reconstruction efforts shows progress being made in several key areas, including the formation of Iraqi security forces and the provision of essential services.
• TURKEY: Progress made on return of Kurdish refugees in Iraq IRIN 20 Nov 2003 -- As a result of talks between senior US, Turkish, Iraqi and UN officials in the Turkish capital, Ankara, Turkish Kurds living in northern Iraq could soon be moving back to the homes they fled almost 10 years ago
• IRAQ: Focus on Oil-for-Food handover IRIN 20 Nov 2003 -- After months of negotiations, the World Food Programme (WFP) is set to hand over nearly 900 United Nations Oil-For-Food contracts covering food, transport and handling equipment to the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) running Iraq, and the Iraqi trade ministry.
• IRAQ: First returnees arrive from Iran IRIN 20 Nov 2003 -- The first group of assisted Iraqi refugees arrived home from Iran late on Wednesday. They were driven into southern Iraq with the help of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and NGOs.

Foreign Reactions

• U.S./U.K.: Protests Seek To Underscore Popular Opposition To Iraq War RFE/RL 20 Nov 2003 -- Anti-war protesters are rallying in central London today on the occasion of U.S. President George W. Bush's state visit to Britain.
• BRITAIN / BUSH PROTEST VOA 20 Nov 2003 -- Anti-war protesters in London have staged a big demonstration against President Bush, who is on a state visit to Britain. Police say about 70-thousand marchers filled the streets, while protest organizers put the figure at 200-thousand.

News Reports

• RFE/RL Iraq Report, Volume 6, Number 48 20 Nov 2003 -- AL-HAKIM DISCUSSES SECURITY SITUATION IN IRAQ, BADR BRIGADES / IRAQI TRADE MINISTER SAYS RATION CARDS WILL BE ISSUED IN 2004 / REPORT CONTENDS THAT KURDS FACE JOB LOSSES AS UN HANDS OVER NORTHERN IRAQ PROGRAMS / CENTCOM REPORTS PROGRESS IN REINING IN MILITANTS / COALITION FORCES CLOSE JULY 14TH BRIDGE / CPA, IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL AGREE ON POLITICAL PROCESS / COALITION INTENSIFIES SEARCH FOR AL-DURI / BRITISH SPOKESMAN IN AL-BASRAH NOTES SECURITY SITUATION / ITALIAN DIPLOMAT RESIGNS FROM CPA / CIA UNABLE TO DETERMINE AUTHENTICITY OF PURPORTED HUSSEIN TAPE / CENTCOM CHIEF SAYS THERE IS A 'SENSE OF URGENCY' IN IRAQ / GOVERNING COUNCIL DELEGATION VISITS IRAN / ...AND TURKEY / TURKEY ASKS U.S. TO LIFT CONDITION ON $8.5 BILLION LOAN / QATAR AND IRAQ DISCUSS POSSIBLE OIL INVESTMENT / FIBER OPTIC CABLE CONNECTS JORDAN TO IRAQ / OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAM ENDS / U.S. AND U.K. PLAN NEW IRAQ RESOLUTION AT SECURITY COUNCIL / EU 'SATISFIED' WITH U.S.-IRAQI PLANS FOR TRANSFER OF POWER... / ...BUT FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER STILL OBJECTS / RUSSIA CRITICIZES U.S. PLAN FOR IRAQ / AUSTRALIA EXTENDS TROOP DEPLOYMENT, U.K. SAYS IT MAY SEND MORE TROOPS, JAPAN DELAYS