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Slow Week in Iraq
State Department weekly summary. Highlights:1. Defeat the Terrorists and Neutralize the Insurgents Coalition and Iraqi forces launched Operation Arrowhead Ripper June 19, a large-scale effort to eliminate al-Qaida in Diyala province. As of June 21, at least 51 al-Qaida operatives have been killed, 20 detained, 7 weapon caches discovered, 21 improvised explosive devices destroyed, and 9 booby-trapped structures destroyed. The newly formed Diyala Operations Center is playing a key role, integrating the activities of the local Iraqi police, the Iraqi Army, and Coalition forces. Approximately 10,000 soldiers, with a full complement of combined arms, are taking part in the operation. 2. Transition Iraq to Security Self-Reliance Iraqi Police from surrounding areas held a recruiting drive in the city of Lutifiyah, south of Baghdad, June 17. The Iraqi-planned recruiting event resulted in a strong turnout with over 100 men applying for Iraqi Police training. 3. Help Iraqis to Forge a National Compact for Democratic Government Iraq's Council of Representatives (CoR) voted to extend its activities through the month of July to finalize draft laws that have yet to be fully debated or voted upon. Iraqi CoR member Wail Abd al-Latif stated that the parliament's decision came after voting over a proposal by the speakership board to finalize approximately 50 draft laws, including the postponement of the constitutional review committee's work and the draft law on oil. 4. Help Iraq Build Government Capacity and Provide Essential Services Up to 24,000 residents of Abu Fillis will receive clean potable water from the completed, U.S.-funded Rural Water Supply Abu Fillis (G5) project, in Ramadi, al-Anbar province. 5. Help Iraq Strengthen Its Economy Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai and three Iraqi ministers signed a deal June 21 to cancel Iraqs approximately $2.85 million in sovereign debt to Chinas government. No details were given on the debt relief and state media reported only that Premier Wen Jiabao told visiting Iraqi President Jalal Talabani that China would help train Iraqi personnel to upgrade Iraqs medical and educational capacities. 6. Help Iraq Strengthen the Rule of Law On June 24,Iraqi Judge Muhammad Oraibi al-Khalifa sentenced Saddam Hussein's cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid and two other former regime officials to death by hanging for their roles in a 1980s campaign that led to the deaths of 180,000 Kurds. Known as Chemical Ali, al-Majid earned his nickname for his alleged use of chemical weapons against the ethnic minority during efforts to crush a rebellion in the north." The court convicted al-Majid of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes for ordering army and security services to use chemical weapons in a large-scale offensive that killed or maimed thousands. 7. International Support for Iraq Gordon Brown assumed leadership of Britain's Labor Party June 24, paving the way for him to take over as prime minister later in the week. Brown did not confirm any plans for additional withdrawals of UK forces, but did commit that Britain would learn lessons that need to be learned from Iraq. 8. Strengthen Public Understanding of Coalition Efforts and Public Isolation of the Insurgents The United Nations Childrens Fund denounced the neglect and abuse of children in a Baghdad orphanage as totally unacceptable June 22 and urged the Iraqi government to carry out a review of all childrens care homes as soon as possible. Posted by: Bobby 2007-06-29 |
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