Three Americans killed, explosions in Baghdad; Bremer expects bad days
Iraq-USA, Military, 3/20/2004

US civil administrator of Iraq, Paul Bremer, expected yesterday " very bad days" before handing over the authority to the Iraqis on June 30, announcing simultaneously that one civilian minister will run the new Iraqi defense ministry which will be declared during the few coming weeks.

Bremer said in "you and the official" program broadcast by the Iraqi TV on Thursday evening that "a minister of defense will be appointed in April so as to have a minister and working ministry working before June 30."

Bremer explained that the "Ministry of defense will be like other ministries in the government and the minister will be responsible for policy and for the budget and personnel for this ministry." He continued "as this ministry is new ( the minister) will have a lot to do because he has to form a ministry, employ the personnel and draw policies." Bremer continued, replying to a question on the figure to be selected for the post of the defense minister " We will choose the best people who can be chosen for various posts and there are four or five posts that we will concentrate on," in the ministry of defense.

Bremer said "I expect during the period which precedes authority transfer on June 30 to witness very bad days," noting "the terrorists will continue their attacks or might escalate them. adding that he fears of attacks to take place particularly against the Iraqi Shiite launched by extremists led by presumed member in al-Qaida organization Abu Mus'ab al-Zirqawi.

Meantime, the American occupation forces yesterday announced the death of two of its soldiers in al-Quseibah, al-Anbar governorate on Wednesday during "security and stability" operations. It added that a third soldier died yesterday because of wounds he had on Wednesday when his vehicle fell in the Tigris river near Beji in an accident in which one American soldier was killed immediately.

The American occupation forces also announced that one American helicopter was obliged to land in Amereyat al-Falouja to the west of Baghdad ( for technical reasons).

In Baghdad three successive explosions were heard seemed to be mortars shelling followed by warning whistles at the headquarters of the occupation forces in Baghdad.

Previous Stories:
  Baghdad: the killing of al-Arabeyah photographer by the American bullets   (3/19/2004)
  Washington freezes the assets if families if Saddam regime officials   (3/19/2004)
  Assessment on Baghdad's explosion is still contradictory, two persons killed in a hotel explosion in al-Basra   (3/19/2004)
  Three Americans killed;, Arab member in Karkouk assassinated, Iran denies border clashes with Americans   (3/16/2004)
  Occupation tightens control on Iraqi borders; Four American soldiers killed in two attacks in Baghdad   (3/15/2004)
  Two Iraqis, nine Iraqis were killed in different clashes in Iraq; Governing council: Saddam's trial will be purely Iraqi   (3/11/2004)

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