Posted on 03/27/2003 10:42:33 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
BAGHDAD, March 27 (AFP) - The Iraqi regime is sending trucks on a dangerous mission to the provinces to provide food supplies, including fine flour to make sweets for beleaguered residents, a government minister said Thursday.
"We will continue to work even amid the American bombings, under shelling... the convoys are going to the provinces without any kind of military protection, " Minister of Trade Mohamad Mehdi Saleh told reporters.
The convoys have a hard road ahead, braving US-led bombings on hazardous highways amid advancing ground troops from the south toward Baghdad, the stronghold of President Saddam Hussein.
Intense battles were raging in and around most cities in the south and the north as well as in Baghdad's suburbs, the site of huge military camps relentlessly pounded by US and British coalition raids in their bid to oust Saddam.
Saleh said a convoy of trucks loaded with food supplies was dispatched Wednesday to Nasiriya where battles were ongoing and another had arrived at 10: 00 am (0700 GMT) on Thursday in the southern city of Basra which is partly besieged by British troops.
British forces were trying to take control of Basra, the country's second city and main maritime gateway, after Iraqi tanks made a surprise breakout of the embattled port late Wednesday and pushed toward British positions.
Saleh was speaking to reporters while standing on the side of the main highway in Baghdad where a long line of 20 yellow large trucks had been parked, ready to head to Basra.
He said about 20 trucks of similar supplies will be sent every day to the Basra region and an average of 10 truckloads will fan out to various other smaller provinces.
Highways have become treacherous with steady bombardment from the air, the ground and the sea by the US and British forces as well as fierce resistance by Iraqi troops.
The minister invited "anyone who wishes to go with the trucks all the way to Basra to verify this."
"Each one of the trucks contains 35 tonnes of wheat, flour, milk and other basic and necessary products," said Saleh.
"Food rations have been distributed to the Iraqi people to last for the next six months, so this is just an additional supply, a gesture to show that we are there with them, that we are in daily contact," said Saleh.
Most homes in Iraq have stockpiled essential food, medicines and fuel, and dug wells to be operated manually in case electricity cuts lead to prolonged water shortages.
The government has also distributed food rations for six months in advance to the entire population, the vast majority of whom have grown dangerously reliant on such handouts.
Saleh denounced the delivery of coalition food rations in the south by an aid agency from Kuwait. Iraq had invaded its neighbor in 1990 before it was freed from occupation by a US-led military offensive about six months later.
"The Iraqi people do not need any help from Kuwait or any other country... no Iraqi mouth would be sullied by what the Kuwaiti traitors are offering," he charged.
Saleh said the truckloads included large quantities of fine wheat flour that is only produced in Baghdad, and which was meant for bakeries in provinces to make sweets and pastries.
"Even at this time, people need baklava, cakes and pastries," Saleh announced before adding with a broad smile: "The enemy will be defeated."
The "Iraqi Ministry of Information" is just killin' me!
... and a partridge in a pear treeeeee.
Another name for this fine wheat flour is ANTHRAX. Can you use the same techniques to manufacture fine Anthrax powder?
SWEETS?!?!?! Are they Gay? this has got to be chembio crap!
Let them eat cake!
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