US promise to tighten security; Iraqis call for foreigners to get out
Iraq-USA, Politics, 5/15/2003

Thousands of the Iraqis celebrated the Prophet Muhammad Birth Anniversary (May 15th) in demonstrations calling for the departure of the Anglo- American occupation from the country.

The demonstrations started on Monday from the Mosque of Imam Hanifa al-Nu'man in al-Azameyah quarters in Baghdad and the demonstrators chanted slogans denouncing the American- and British occupation of Iraq.

The demonstrators raised banners calling for having an elected Islamic government for the country. One banner said "no for a government prescribed on the country."

Press sources said yesterday that the chairman of the new American administration in Iraq Paul Bremer is preparing a series of measures relating to security including permitting soldiers to open fire on looters immediately when they are on the spot.

The New York Times quoted officials attending the meeting that Bremer who was explaining his work plan in a meeting with senior members of his administration on Tuesday also wanted to recruit more police officers and banned having members of the Baath Party at higher posts of a certain grade in the governments in the future.

The paper quoted an official who attended the meeting with Bremer saying that "they will start opening fire on certain looters until the message is received. And I think you will see a change in the way of clashes during few days in order to have the situation under control." On the other hand, the US retired Gen. Jay Garner stressed on Tuesday that restoring security in Baghdad is one of the most important priorities to rebuild the country.

Garner said in a recorded presentation to the US congress that the 30 to 40 coming days will be more expectedly a critical period in this process. He added that a military and a civilian team was composed to carry out this task for which day and night efforts will be made. Garner stressed that establishing peace will be of great importance especially in Baghdad which he described as a center of gravity. He concluded that everything is built on security. Garner also talked about the need of training the Iraqi police. He said that between 6,000 to 7,000 of the policemen are involved in a training program.

Meantime, non- governmental organizations stressed that the US "has certain duties according to Geneva Convention, in its being an occupation force and that these duty state to distribute medical and food aid to the citizen existed on the land under its military authority.

The deputy chairman of the International rescue Committee, George Beida, said that the "American troops, who toll 200,000 in Iraq are unable to preserve the order and there is no judicial administration." He called on the US-led forces to "internationalize quickly the peace keeping efforts in order to bring back law and order.

In another development, an official at the US defense department announced on Tuesday evening the detention of Fadel Mahmoud Gharib, the regional official for the Baath Party who was number 28 on the list of the 55 most wanted Iraqi officials chased by the US forces in Iraq.

This American official who asked to be anonymous said that Gharib's detention took place in a certain place in Iraq within the last 24 hours.

In Washington, officials said that the US forces on Tuesday reopened a border crossing between northern Iraq and Syria.

The commander of the air- borne contingent 101 told journalists "we have helped in re-opening the Iraqi borders with Syria for trade," according to UN Security Council resolutions which govern this trade, noting that these UN resolutions ban trading certain items like weapons.

The border crossing is situated in al-Mousil in northern Iraq.

Previous Stories:
  US admits duty as occupation power in Iraq, calls for lifting sanctions   (5/10/2003)
  Washington calls UN to lift sanctions on Iraq, asks for annual authorizations   (5/9/2003)
  Iraq resolution to come soon   (5/8/2003)

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