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| Iraq |
| U.S. moves on major chemical facility in western Iraq |
| 2003-04-10 |
| E.F.L. U.S. forces are advancing on the western Iraq city of Al Qaim where a major chemical weapons facility remains under the control of the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Western intelligence sources said the facility, located near the Jordanian and Syrian borders, is believed to be the largest production facility of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The facility was reconstructed after the 1991 Gulf war. Until today, the U.S.-led coalition has avoided capturing Al Qaim. The sources said Al Qaim remains protected by a large Iraqi Republican Guard and regular army force. The sources said regime officials heading for Syria probably have passed through the city. "In the west, special operations continued against regime forces in the town of Al Qaim," Maj. Gen. Eugene Renuart, director of operations at U.S. Central Command, said today. "And this is an area that is strategically located on the route that joins Syria and Iraq, and it also is an area that is potentially for use by the launch — for the launching of ballistic missiles." South of Al Qaim, U.S. special operations forces entered the strategic town of Al Rutbah near the Jordanian border. Al Rutbah is the gateway of the flow of people and material from Jordan to Baghdad. Earlier, U.S. Special Operations Forces took up positions near Al Qaim. I guess we don't control as much of the west as I thought. Let's get on this right away. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #1 IIUC we took the "scud box" early, then proceeded east towards baghdad. Al Qaim is on the Syrian border on the upper Euphrates, (ancient Palmyra?) really Northwest Iraq - its NE of the SCUD box, SW of Mosul. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-04-10 15:42:09 |