Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=3/21/2003

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=IRAQ / OIL (L)

NUMBER=2-301073

BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON

DATELINE=AS-SAYLIYAH, QATAR

CONTENT=

INTRO: Allied forces in Qatar say British troops have established a beachhead in southern Iraq, where they have taken control of oil production facilities on the Faw Peninsula. V-O-A's Roger Wilkison reports coalition spokesmen say U-S and British troops are advancing on the southern Iraqi cities of Basra and Umm al-Qasr.

TEXT: A British spokesman at the coalition's main forward command post at As-Sayliyah, outside the Qatari capital of Doha, says British marines have secured important Iraqi oil installations on the Faw Peninsula.

Lieutenant Colonel Ronnie McCourt told V-O-A News that, as a result of the seizure, Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein will be unable to dump oil in the Gulf and create an ecological disaster, as he did in 1991.

/// McCOURT ACT ///

The oil infrastructure has not been damaged, and, thus, any attempt by Saddam to release oil to create an environmental disaster has been avoided.

/// END ACT ///

British Defense Minister Geoff Hoon says Iraqi troops set fire to about 30, out of hundreds of oil wells in southern Iraq.

Meanwhile, coalition spokesmen said a joint expeditionary force made up of U-S Marines and British troops is advancing toward the key cities of Basra and Umm al-Qasr. One official says the Marines ran into mortar fire as they took control of the main highway leading to Basra, Iraq's second biggest city.

One U-S Marine died from his wounds during the advance on the Rumeila oil field.

He was the first man to die in combat during the present hostilities. A helicopter crash earlier killed at least 12 British and American troops. But officials believe that was an accident. (Signed)

NEB/RW/KL/KBK