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It is in the breaking news sidebar!
Posted on 04/15/2003 11:08:30 AM PDT by kattracks
U.S. Seeks to Shut Down Pipeline to Syria
By MATT KELLEY .c The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Tuesday that U.S. forces have shut down a pipeline used for illegal oil shipments from Iraq to Syria, but he could not assure that oil is not still flowing between those two countries.
During a question-and-answer session with reporters, Rumsfeld denied that coalition forces had destroyed any pipelines. ``We have preserved infrastructure in that country,'' he said.
However, Rumsfeld said, coalition forces are working on securing the particular illegal pipeline. ``I hope they have cut it off,'' he said.
There were allegations that, in violation of U.N. sanctions, Syria has received 150,000 to 200,000 barrels of oil daily through the pipeline, which opened in 2000.
Earlier, President Bush said victory in Iraq was ``certain but it is not complete.'' Rumsfeld said ``only a few'' Iraqi cities remain contested, and troops were now doubling back to deal with remaining Iraqi fighters in smaller cities and towns they had bypassed earlier.
The future U.S. military role in the region was still being considered, Rumsfeld said. Saddam's hometown of Tikrit - the last stronghold - fell on Monday, and war planners are now restructuring and enlarging the American force that will focus more on providing humanitarian aid and looking for weapons of mass destruction.
In a separate appearance, Secretary of State Colin Powell looked ahead to postwar reconstruction.
``As one phase of this operation begins to wind down, another phase begins,'' Powell said.
04/15/03 13:56 EDT
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There was a report to this effect 2 weeks ago. But the press has been ignoring restoration of civil infrastructure and major oil industry and concentrating on how the Americans made 12-year old Mustafa stub his toe.
Lies. Lies. Lies.
The oil is not just flowing, it's gushing. Yes, it's GUSHING throught the pipeline to Syria. So much oil, the Americans could never stop it. They tried, but we put a stop to that. Boy are they sorry.
Much much oil.
US SHUTS DOWN SYRIA. Syria harbors terrorists. Give the troops a rest, then lets rock! Clean the vermin out of the entire Middle East.
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