*EPF305 04/16/2003
DoD Report: Locals Help to Restart Basic Functions as Aid Flows into Iraq
(April 16: Operations in Iraq) (530)

By David Anthony Denny
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- Iraqis are joining in the effort to re-energize the country's daily functions, while humanitarian aid is flowing in, according to a Pentagon spokeswoman.

"[M]ore and more Iraqis are stepping forward to provide useful information and work with coalition forces on restoring police forces, providing electrical power, reopening schools and getting clean water flowing again," Defense Department Spokeswoman Victoria Clarke said at a Pentagon briefing April 16.

"Local councils are forming to help rid cities and towns of regime remnants, and every day civilians are leading our troops to enemy caches of large weapons, ammunition, TNT [dynamite], plastic explosives and homemade bombs," Clarke said. "School, after school, after school is cleared [of] the weapons and ammunitions stored there by Iraqi forces," she added.

Also, humanitarian aid is flowing into Iraq, Clarke said. Australia has plans to spend $60 million on Iraqi aid, she said, while Kuwait flew 24 tons of medical supplies into Baghdad airport April 12-13. Turkey delivered a million liters of water to Kirkuk, she said, and Spain delivered humanitarian aid and military vehicles and troop supplies on the ship Galicia.

Commenting on the April 15 meeting of dozens of free Iraqis near An Nasiriyah, Clarke said it was the beginning of Iraqi efforts "to chart their future course, free from the oppression of the Hussein dictatorship.

"They talked about freedom and self-government in Iraq; they called for a country that respects the rule of law and diversity; they acknowledged that a lot of hard work lies ahead and they called for the next meeting in just 10 days," Clarke said.

As for the U.S. and coalition role in the political process, Clarke said it is simple: "to create the conditions so that the Iraqi people can rebuild their country. Our job is not to pick or choose leaders or factions. That is up to the Iraqi people," she said.

Other points made in the briefing:

-- Clarke had no further information beyond that from the morning Central Command briefing in Qatar on the detention of terrorist Abu Abbas.

-- Major General Stanley McChrystal, who briefed along with Clarke, said military operations in Iraq are moving more toward providing support and stability. However, he said "there are some parts of the country we have not moved into at all."

-- CENTCOM Commander General Tommy Franks has the authority to redeploy forces already in the Iraq theater, and has done so with two aircraft carrier battle groups and strike aircraft, McChrystal said. Particular elements from ground forces, such as water supply and police units, are to be moved into Iraq, he said, but not others.

-- The shooting incidents in Mosul of April 15 and 16 highlight "the incredible complexity of the situation," McChrystal said.

-- Capturing Saddam's leadership people remains a top concern, and she has not heard of large numbers of them getting out of Iraq, Clarke said.

-- At some point, McChrystal expects that some type of joint task force headquarters reporting to General Franks will be set up inside Iraq.

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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