Combat Phase Is Over, Say Powell As Final Push Begins

Independent (UK) ^ | 4-14-2003 | Terry Kirby

[blam]

Combat phase is over, says Powell as final push begins

By Terry Kirby
14 April 2003

A week, to paraphrase the old adage about politics, is a long time in war. Or at least the kind of war we experience now. Last Sunday, the Iraqi regime was largely intact, its apparatchiks still maintaining the war was theirs for the winning. Outside Baghdad, the Americans drew close to a final confrontation with the Republican Guard and the British advanced into Basra. The conflict was still in the balance: protracted street fighting, a siege of Baghdad or a chemical-weapons attack by a desperate Saddam Hussein were all real possibilities.

As the war approaches its fifth week, the picture is very different. "The combat period is over," declared the United States Secretary of State, Colin Powell, yesterday. So on Day 25, amid many signs the conflict was winding down, it appeared to be more a matter of tidying up the loose ends. But some of these are extremely large and problematic ones.

Potentially, one of the biggest is the town of Tikrit, the only main urban centre not in coalition hands, the symbolic home of Saddam Hussein and many of his cronies and surely the place that, if he is still alive and plans a final redoubt, a Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods), this would be it. Numbers of Republican Guard and Special Republican Guard troops were said to have retreated to the city and Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, a Saddam aide, is believed to have moved missiles to the Tikrit area.

Yesterday morning, US troops from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, a fast-moving unit with 300 armoured vehicles, began their advance towards Tikrit, 100 miles north of Baghdad, which has been virtually cut off for the past week. The signs were that resistance was minimal and by lunchtime they were inside the city, although Brigadier General Vincent Brooks, the US Central Command vice-chief of operations in Qatar, was not yet prepared to say the city had fallen. He said: "We are having successes inside that area and we are getting assistance from the local population. We have not seen much resistance." Later, there were reports of heavy fighting on Tikrit's southern outskirts, although this may turn out to be the kind of tough but limited defence experienced by the Allies elsewhere.

There were signs yesterday that efforts were being made to deal with the potentially bigger problem of looting and anarchy in cities that have been "liberated". China and Russia warned the Allies that the situation had to be brought under control ­ the latter particularly referring to the pillaging of the National Museum ­ while the International Committee of the Red Cross said the Allied forces had to face their responsibilities and provide sufficient aid and essential services for the civilian population.

In Basra, where British troops have been criticised for apparently being unable or unwilling to stop general lawlessness, two advisers from the Ministry of Defence police arrived. They will be on hand as British troops go out on patrol with members of the Iraqi police who volunteered to return to their old jobs to help quell the disorder. The first group of about 100 out of a total of 300 local recruits were inducted yesterday ­ some wearing their old green Saddam-era uniforms but many others, perhaps wisely, avoiding such symbols of the previous regime. If the patrols work, they will be extended throughout British-controlled areas in the south.

The position in Basra did seem to be improving slightly: the looting appeared to be on the wane, traffic lights and street lights are working again and people are returning to the markets. Geoff Hoon, the Secretary of State for Defence, conceded yesterday that the Basra aftermath had produced "some awful images", but also told a Sunday newspaper that "perfectly decent" people who worked for the regime, including members of the Baath party, should be encouraged to help to rebuildthe country. A number of them were possibly among the large crush of people outside the British military base in Basra applying for jobs as plumbers and electricians; at one point the crowds became so agitated that soldiers had to push them back.

Echoing Mr Hoon's theme, US troops in Baghdad had urged police and public sector workers to return to their jobs. John Jameson, a spokesman for the US Marines, told the BBC: "We are asking people to come here, people who have a knowledge of electrical power, plumbing, how the water purification plants work, anyone who had a knowledge of the basic infrastructure of this city, to help us get that working again and get that back on line." The only catch was that they would work without pay. But by lunchtime yesterday, more than 100 such people and about 20 former army and police officers had responded to the appeal; joint patrols similar to those in Basra are planned. Baghdad remains a dangerous place: 310 "explosive vests" used by suicide bombers were found yesterday, and US troops were involved in a firefight near the hotel were many journalists are based.

Ahmed Chalabi, a leader of the London-based Iraqi National Congress, who many believe is the US choice to lead the country, said he was heading for Baghdad to help restore order. In an interview he called for the "de-Baathification" of Iraq by the removal of all the signs of the former ruling party and said the opposition must be fully included in all talks on Iraq's future. He said that he was not a candidate for political position: "It's not about me, this is about liberation, this is about freedom, this is about development of democracy." Many might have felt that he was protesting a little too much.

In the northern city of Mosul, taken by Kurdish fighters on Saturday, the wave of looting that followed was reported to have abated and order was being restored as American soldiers patrolled the streets.

The US also stepped up its visible presence in Kirkuk, the symbolic northern city also captured by the Kurds last week, much to the concern of Turkey. American tanks and armoured vehicles were much in evidence on the streets amid reports that some Arab families who had lived there for many years, were being evicted by returning Kurdish refugees. At least eight people died in a gun battle between Iraqi Kurds and Arab tribesmen south of Kirkuk. Kurd fighters were said to have been trying to steal from local people.

America knows stability has to be maintained in the north ­ its Nato ally Turkey has troops massed on the border and is anxious over resurgent Kurdish nationalism. The US also said the giant Kirkuk oilfield could soon resume production.

In a different sign of the kind of uncontrollable forces unleashed by "liberation", armed men surrounded the house of the Shia Muslim cleric Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani in the city of Najaf, giving him 48 hours to leave the country or face attack. Ayatollah Sistani was said not to be in the house.

The armed men were said to be a competing faction of the Shias, a branch of Islam suppressed under the regime. Ayatollah Sistani is an ally of the senior cleric Abdul Majid al-Khoei, who was murdered in Najaf last Thursday, only days after returning to his home from Britain. American troops are said to have entered the city to try and restore order.

Such scenarios can breed the kind of factionalism, ethnic cleansing and hatred that may lead to civil wars similar to those that ravaged the Balkans during the break-up of Yugoslavia. Amnesty International warned that while there was a need to investigate abuses during the Saddam era, action was required now to ensure that conditions did not further deteriorate and threaten human rights of the newly liberated people.

Amid all this, the US Commander, General Tommy Franks, stressed at his daily briefing in Doha that the war was not over and that troops expected to continue to encounter resistance. Four American soldiers were wounded when they came under sniper and rocket-propelled grenade fire as they were clearing rockets and mortar shells at Mahmudiyah, 25 miles south of central Baghdad.

Despite this, many of yesterday's events had a distinct "mopping-up" flavour. The Americans announced that seven troops previously held by the Iraqis had been rescued at Samarra, north of Baghdad, during the advance on Tikrit, although the circumstances of their release remained unclear. Five of the soldiers are the survivors of the ambush of the 507th Maintenance Company, who were paraded on Iraqi television during the early stage of the war. Two others were captured when their helicopter was shot down.

The Americans captured Watban Ibrahim al-Tikriti, Saddam Hussein's half-brother and No 51 on the "most wanted" list of the dictator's allies issued to US forces last week. He was said to have been detained in a joint US-Kurdish operation near Mosul.

And there were signs of a general calming of tensions and of a reduction in the military forces across the region. Israel lowered its state of alert, saying that its citizens need no longer carry gas masks and maintain sealed rooms in their homes, while in Britain the Foreign Office said it was no longer advising against travel to Israel, (apart from the West Bank and Gaza) Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Syria.

After Britain announced on Friday that some of its forces were returning home, America said yesterday that the B-2 stealth bombers on the island of Diego Garcia would be returning home and that it was considering withdrawing some other jets and aircraft carriers.

But all this means pressure will now return on the Allies if evidence of weapons of mass destruction is not discovered. Although a number of suspected sites have been found, including what appeared to be a mobile laboratory, nothing has been confirmed. US Marines said yesterday they had discovered more than 200 artillery shells carrying a substance that tested positive as a chemical agent; but such battlefield tests have to be checked in laboratories.

That it why the Americans will be relieved at the surrender on Saturday of Lieutenant-General Amer Hammoudi al-Saadi, formerly the regime's link man with the United Nations weapons inspectors. He should be able to provide vital information, but even as he surrendered he insisted the regime possessed no such weapons.

General Powell made the position clear. "The combat period is over and we can now turn our attention to finding weapons of mass destruction. There's strong evidence and no question about the fact there are weapons of mass destruction. We will find weapons of mass destruction." General Powell differed from Mr Hoon in appearing reluctant to accept independent oversight of the verification process.

In another interview, General Franks was certain that weapons would be found. He said about 300 suspect sites existed and 10 to 15 were being sampled at any one time. He said: "I am absolutely confident there are weapons of mass destruction inside this country." Such words may backfire.

Amid the signs of an end phase to the conflict, the US ominously repeated its warnings to Syria. Britain and France both responded by sending ministers to Damascus.

Donald Rumsfeld, the US Defence Secretary, upped the ante when he told an American interviewer that Syrian nationals had been actively involved in fighting against US forces, including many in Baghdad. "There are a number of non-Iraqis who are in the country, particularly in Baghdad we find ... A lot from Syria, most from Syria it appears," he said. "A lot got killed last night." He went on: "The [Syrian] government is making a lot of bad mistakes, a lot of bad judgements in my view."

Earlier, General Powell accused Syria of harbouring regime leaders fleeing Iraq. "Syria has been a concern for a long period of time. Al-Tikriti was reportedly heading for Syria when he was detained ... We think it would be very unwise ... if suddenly Syria became a haven for all these people who should be brought to justice who are trying to get out of Baghdad." President George Bush added: "Syria just needs to co-operate with us." The threat was clear: the Road to Tikrit could so easily lead on to Damascus.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

General Powell accused Syria of harbouring regime leaders fleeing Iraq.

Have we heard from Condi Rice yet?

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[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

"The combat period is over," declared the United States Secretary of State, Colin Powell, yesterday.

Colon forget to tell that to the Marines involved in the firefight today in Baghdad.

"Powell," Schwarzkopf told his staff one day, "is a political genius. But he lacks the stomach for war."
The Generals' War, pg. 327.