Posted on 05/11/2003 1:40:08 PM PDT by prairiebreeze
The United States declared Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s Baath Party dead, dispatching the war's commander Gen. Tommy Franks to tell Iraqis that the instrument of their deposed dictator's power was dissolved and promising to purge its influence from the country it dominated for 35 years.
_ The U.S. administration in Iraq saw the beginning of a shakeup in staff, with its new chief, L. Paul Bremer, meeting in Qatar with the man he will replace, retired general Jay Garner. Barbara Bodine, coordinator for central Iraq, including Baghdad, within the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance, left her post. Her replacement and the reasons for her leaving was not announced.
_ Weapons of mass destruction may still be in the hands of Iraqi special units and could be used against coalition forces, said Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. U.S. authorities are interrogating Iraqi prisoners to find out whether banned weapons may still be in the hands of Iraqi Special Republican Guard units that eluded capture when Saddam Hussein's regime collapsed, he said.
_ A day after returning to his country after more than 20 years in exile in Iran, the leader of Iraq's largest Shiite Muslim group, Ayatollah Mohammad Baqir al-Hakim, denounced the U.S.-led occupation forces and demanded they pull out and allow the Iraqi people to establish their own government.
_ A food-ration system showcased by Saddam Hussein's government as an example of efficiency and social equality will be revived for a massive food-aid distribution program led by the United Nations (news - web sites), a top official said Sunday. James T. Morris, head of the U.N. World Food Program, said the six-month, $1.85 billion program would involve the distribution of 2.8 million tons of food.
_ Iraqi oil experts, reassessing damage to their industry from postwar looting, have scaled back projections by one-third and expect to produce only 1 million barrels a day in June, the acting oil minister said.
_ An Iranian opposition group based in Iraq, the Mujahedeen Khalq, began turning in its weapons under a U.S. surrender agreement reached after American forces ordered it to lay down arms or face attack.
_ Refugees and other foreigners in Iraq — mostly Palestinians — have been fleeing to Jordan because of intimidation and attacks, the U.S.-based Human Rights Watch group said in a report released.
_ A larger-than-life statue of Saddam Hussein on a horse and a family photo album of former Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz are among items recently confiscated by Jordanian customs officers searching travelers from Iraq. Officers at al-Karamah border post are finding and seizing archaeological treasures, artwork and manuscripts, Mahmoud Qteishat, director-general of Jordan's Customs Department, said.
I'm certain we will all view the Palestinian outrage and demonstrations about this on TV soon. (/sarc)
Prairie
The terrorist enemy is now -- predominantly -- Islam, and Islam will remain the enemy so long as Ayatollahs "rule" in any political way.
Anything other than a secular state will be an enemy to secular states such as the United States of America.
ROTFLMAO! A Twilight Zone Moment!!
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