The Iraq War 2003
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NYT: Iraq Hid and Destroyed WMD; Sent WMD to Syria; helped Al-Qaeda

[Mewnews, April 21] Iraq hid and destroyed weapons of mass destruction in the final days before the Bush ultimatum expired, has been sending such weapons to Syria since 1990, and has been working with Al-Qaeda,  according to an article in today's New York Times. The report cited findings of an American weapons search team, the Mobile Exploitation Team Alpha, or MET Alpha. This team found a scientist who made these claims. The scientist led them to several caches of precursors of forbidden weapons.

Officials said the scientist claimed that several months before the outbreak of the war he watched Iraqis bury chemical precursors and other sensitive material to conceal and preserve them for future use. The officials said the scientist showed them documents, samples, and other evidence of the program that he claimed to have stolen to prove that the program existed. The unnamed scientist also claimed Iraq had been cooperating with Al-Qaida and sending WMD to Syria, but it is not clear how he knew this information. The Iraqi weapons program is highly compartmented, so that the scientist knew only about the particular chemical weapons project that he was working on.

The team has been uncovering materials pointed out by the scientist since last Thursday, but the report was not allowed to be released until today (Sunday). The report explains that the work of finding possible WMD is proceeding slowly due to lack of resources and the large amount of terrain that must be covered. The scientist had sent a letter offering to uncover the sites, but the letter remained unprocessed due to work load. The team discovered some suspicious containers by accident, and then the letter of the scientist came to their attention. The identity of the scientist and details of the finds are being concealed for his protection.

Jay Garner Arrives to Supervise Reconstruction

[Mewnews, April 21] Retired US General Jay Garner arrived today in Baghdad to begin supervision of reconstruction efforts in Iraq. Garner told Iraqis that the task was immense and would require a long time. Iraqis are skeptical about US efforts and complain that the reconstruction administration is offering tiny salaries of $20 a month that would not be sufficient for subsistence.

Anti-American Demonstrations in Baghdad

[Mewnews, April 18] Thousands of demonstrators chanted anti-American slogans and called on the US to end the occupation of Iraq today after Friday prayers. The protesters were led by a respected and well-known Sunni Muslim scholar, Ahmed al-Kubaisi. Kubaisi's sermon  denounced the American-led invasion, whose purpose, he said, was to defend Israel.

There was a tense confrontation earlier when an American patrol that had come to distribute humanitarian aid stumbled into a crowd kneeling outside a mosque. The worshippers surged forward angrily, but the US commander  withdrew his troops and defused the situation.

Earlier reports had indicated that in the absence of organized US relief efforts, religious groups were organizing work and policing to prevent looting. Some believe that they will create an independent religious based administration that will be the basis for an Islamic republic, rather than a US-imposed democracy.

FBI and others looking for WMD

[Mewnews, April 18] FBI agents  are reviewing the piles of documents recovered by U.S. troops in Iraq, looking for possible leads in the campaign against international terrorism and the hunt for weapons of mass destruction, Mueller said.

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld expressed doubts that any would be found until Iraqis provide information. "I think what will happen is we'll discover people who will tell us where to go find it," Rumsfeld said. "It is not like a treasure hunt where you just run around looking everywhere, hoping you find something."

U.S. intelligence officials believe some senior members of Saddam Hussein's regime who may know about weapons programs have sought refuge in Syria. A State Department official indicated Thursday that Syria may be prepared to hand over some of those leaders.

As many as 1,000 people are believed to be involved in the U.S.-led effort to find illegal weapons, and thus corroborate pre-war allegations made repeatedly by the Bush administration. U.S. troops have found suspicious chemicals and facilities at several sites, but tests on the materials have proved negative or inconclusive. Failure to find any evidence of Weapons of Mass Destruction or nuclear weapons development could prove very embarrassing to the Bush administration and to British PM Tony Blair.

Hans Blix, head of UNMOVIC, the U.N. weapons inspection team for Iraq, urged the U.S.-led coalition to allow his team back into the country to increase the credibility of any weapons discoveries.

Chalabi will not be part of Interim Government

[Mewnews, April 21] Ahmad Chalabi announced that he would not be part of the interim government, but it seems he might run for leadership of Iraq in a permanent government. Chalabi later said that he believes Iraq should have a liberal constitution. Islamic parties can be part of Iraqi politics, but should not try to force their agenda on the rest of the nation according to him. Chalabi also said that the Ba'ath party continues to function as an underground in Iraq, and has made plans to disrupt the occupation and reconstruction. The INC leader said that their influence must be eliminated.

Conference of Iraq's neighbors against US Interim Government

[Mewnews, April 19]  The conference of Iraq's neighbors hosted by Saudi Arabia, declared that it would be opposed to allowing a US controlled interim government to use Iraqi oil for reconstructions, and would be opposed to lifting sanctions until Iraqis elect their own government. This would effectively sabotage US efforts at reconstructing Iraq.  The conference included US allies such as Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia as well as Syria. Some of these countries, especially Kuwait, had been quite anxious for the US to eliminate the Iraqi regime.

USA to seek Bases in Iraq

[Mewnews, April 20] The United States is planning a long-term military relationship with the emerging government of Iraq. American military officials, spoke of maintaining perhaps four bases in Iraq that could be used in the future: one at the international airport just outside Baghdad; another at Tallil, near Nasiriya in the south; the third at an isolated airstrip called H-1 in the western desert, along the old oil pipeline that runs to Jordan; and the last at the Bashur air field in the Kurdish north. The US  is ausing these bases now. But as the invasion force withdraws in the months ahead, Pentagon officials expect to retain access to the bases in the event of some future crisis.

"There will be some kind of a long-term defense relationship with a new Iraq, similar to Afghanistan," an  administration official said. "The scope of that has yet to be defined — whether it will be full-up operational bases, smaller forward operating bases or just plain access."

The Pentagon is withdrawing, or planning to withdraw, forces from Turkey, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Arab states hurry to ease American concerns

[Mewnews, April 19]  Middle East countries, fearing their own political futures, are taking steps to ensure the United States does not perceive them as assisting Iraq.

Arab states want to ensure they won't be hosting US troops

Syrian Arab Airlines, the country’s national carrier, will turn away Iraqi passengers who do not carry valid visas on flights to Damascus, reported Egyptian airport authorities on Friday.

Egyptair is also not allowing Iraqis on flights before receiving a green light from the country of their destination.

Lebanese authorities have asked Cairo airport officials to apply such measures on Iraqi passengers bound for Beirut, said Egyptian authorities.

The decisions came after the United States turned up the heat on Syria, accusing it of providing a safe have for members of the deposed Iraqi regime. Damascus has repeatedly denied the charges, but US Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld said Sunday that Syria was "getting the message."

A source close to Beirut’s foreign ministry said that Washington has asked Lebanon to deny asylum to fleeing Iraqi leaders, warning a refusal would be tantamount to a hostile action.

US ambassador Vincent Battle put the request to Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri on Tuesday, a few hours before Hariri said his government was resigning, and advised the foreign ministry a short time later, said the source, who requested anonymity.

On Thursday, Hariri formed a new government, the most pro-Syrian in more than a decade.

A diplomatic source said aircraft from the US 6th Fleet would survey Lebanon's and Syria's Mediterranean coasts to check for suspect movements.
 

US Flying in Funds, Reconstruction Beginning

[Mewnews, April 17] The US government is flying in millions of dollars in cash to pay Iraqi civil servants who will be participating in the reconstruction of Iraq. The funds are taken from Iraqi assets frozen in the USA. US Marines  removed piles of banknotes from a Baghdad bank safe for safekeeping. Thieves had blown a small hole in the safe and used a child to hand out notes to them. The marines used C-4 explosive to blow the safe open and then hauled the money off for safeguarding.

The US has also taken the first steps at restoring order and beginning reconstruction, hiring civil servants and starting to restore the most urgent services such as hospitals. In the absence of any government services, religious groups had begun to take over civil services, providing employment and food through Islamic organizations. Some were quite open in their claim that this network would be the beginning of an Islamic Republic, to be established in opposition to US plans.

Germans Offered to Spy for Iraq

[mewnews, April 21] Germany's intelligence services attempted to build closer links to Saddam's secret service during the build-up to war last year.

Documents from the Iraqi intelligence HQ in Baghdad show that an agent named as Johannes William Hoffner, and described as a "new German representative in Iraq" who had entered the country under diplomatic cover, attended a meeting with Lt Gen Taher Jalil Haboosh, the director of Iraq's intelligence service.

During the meeting, on January 29, 2002, Lt Gen Haboosh says that the Iraqis are anxious to have a relationship with Germany's intelligence agency "under diplomatic cover", adding that he hopes to develop that relationship through Mr Hoffner.

The German replies: "My organization wants to develop its relationship with your organization."

During the meeting, Lt Gen Haboosh told the German agent that Iraq has "big problems" with Britain and the United States, but he adds  that Iraq has no problems with Germany and suggests that Germany will be rewarded with lucrative contracts if it offers international support to Iraq. "When the American conspiracy is finished, we will make a calculation for each state that helps Iraq in its crisis."

Last night, a spokesman for the German government said it was "well known" that it had been offered lucrative contracts by Baghdad providing it maintained an anti-Iraq war stance. "Iraq made these kinds of promises before the war and praised Germany for its position," he said.

 Earlier, U.S. Special Forces captured Barzan Ibrahim Hasan, a half-brother of Saddam Hussein and a major catch, the U.S. Central Command reported on Thursday. Hasan was a presidential adviser to Saddam and had "extensive knowledge of the regime's workings," said Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks at the daily Central Command briefing. Hasan is one of three half-brothers of Saddam and the second to be captured. The first was Watban Ibrahim Hasan, who once served as Iraq's interior minister, captured last Sunday. Watban Hasan was the five of spades in the deck of playing cards the U.S. military issued to troops with pictures of wanted Iraqi officials. Barzan was the five of clubs.
See also - Family Enterprise

FBI Director Robert Mueller said experts from his agency have been deployed in Iraq to help find the antiquities. The British Museum is sending experts to help repair some of the damage, and authorities hope to prevent export of stolen antiquities from Iraq.  

Anti War Front Collapses - Greedy For Spoils

[Mewnews, April 15] The three major powers that tried to protect the regime of Saddam Hussein are now busily trying to reverse gears and get a role in the reconstruction of Iraq, from which they hope to profit, while mending fences with a triumphant United States.  France, Germany and Russia are each jostling to get a place at the table and to mend relations with the USA, though there are no signs that President Putin will retract his statement that the US action was illegal.

All three have sounded conciliatory in the past week, while saying they want to see the United Nations play the lead role in post-war reconstruction.  Though the U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure last week to bar French, Russian and German companies from winning business in Iraq, the measure did not become law.

France led the drive to prevent a war and threatened to use its veto at the U.N. Security Council to block any resolution authorizing military action against Iraq. However, Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin recently warned against a "victor's spoils" attitude in Iraq. "The idea that Iraq can be a sort of Eldorado, a cake that states can carve up, seems to me contrary to good sense," he said. After the first Gulf War, France and Russia in particular, eagerly replaced the United States and Britain in petroleum development contracts awarded by the Iraqi state petroleum monopoly.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, once a strong opponent of the war, has undergone a remarkable metamorphosis. "It's always good for mankind when a dictator is removed," said Schroeder, at a meeting with Blair in Hanover. "No matter what the differences of opinions were before, it goes without saying healthy transatlantic relations are necessary and we'll work toward that aim in the future."

Bush administration officials said the president will attend a G8 summit of industrialized nations in Evian, France on June 1. However, officials have made clear  that Bush is unlikely to reach out to mend diplomatic ties with the anti-war coalition.

Thus, opponents of the U.S.-led war in Iraq may well take a back seat when a new Iraqi government hands out business such as valuable oil contracts, and may be left out of the discussion in future international crises.

Schroeder seems mainly interested in repairing tattered relations with the United States. He has ignored calls in Germany to get business deals in Iraq.  "I think the discussion about who gets which orders is a bit strange," he said. "That will be up to a democratically elected Iraqi government. To talk about that now is a bit macabre."

However, Gernot Erler, a member of Schroeder's Social Democratic party said, : "If we pay for reconstruction, German companies must get business deals."

Defense Minister Peter Struck agreed, saying: "It would be absurd to demand Europe help finance reconstruction, then insist that certain European countries are not given contracts."

Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said Germany should play a role because unlike Russia and France, "We don't have any direct economic interests. We can act in a more balancing way."

It was evident at a summit of France, Germany and Russia held in St Petersburg that the anti-war alliance had fallen apart, especially for Germany, which is unwilling to sacrifice friendship with the US. The Russian government is likely to be embarrassed for some time over revelations of the extent of is espionage cooperation with Saddam Husssein. The French are rumored to have invested heavily in Iraqi programs, weapons development.