IRAQ: THE HEAD OF COALITION FORCES IN IRAQ HAS SAID US LED FORCES WILL REMAIN IN THE COUNTRY 'AS LONG AS IT TAKES'

Record ID: 647551

  • Title: IRAQ: THE HEAD OF COALITION FORCES IN IRAQ HAS SAID US LED FORCES WILL REMAIN IN THE COUNTRY 'AS LONG AS IT TAKES'
  • Date: 3rd July 2003
  • Summary: (EU) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JULY 3, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV OF PRESS CONFERENCE 0.03 2. SV SV JOURNALIST AT CONFERENCE 0.08 3. MCU (English) HEAD OF COALITION FORCES IN IRAQ, LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ SAYING: "The bottom line is that there is still a war going on in this country. But there is no crisis. There is no wavering of our commitment and most importantly there is no turning back. Saddam's regime is gone and we will be here as long as it takes to accomplish our mission of bringing security and stability to Iraq." 0.31 4. SV JOURNALISTS AT CONFERENCE 0.34 5. MCU (English) SANCHEZ SAYING: "We operate according to our rules of engagement which attempt to minimise any collateral casualties that may occur. You will find multiple instances where my soldiers have got killed. They did not shoot. Their partners didn't shoot because the assassins went back into a crowd." 0.51 6. SV JOURNALISTS AT CONFERENCE 0.56 7. MCU (English) SANCHEZ SAYING: "We believe that there maybe local co-ordination ongoing. We do not see regional or national co-ordination out there and the element that we believe are operating out there are subversive Saddam Fedayeen and we also Wahabin (Islamic militant group) and criminals." 1.16 8. SLV/LV OF CONFERENCE (2 SHOTS) 1.28 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 18th July 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVAC6F1KHFO4S15EB40JGNV0LJVV
  • Story Text: The head of Coalition Forces in Iraq has said US led
    forces will remain the country for 'as long as it takes' while
    the United States had offered $25 million for information
    leading to the capture of ousted Iraqi president Saddam
    Hussein or confirmation of his death.



    Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, head of Coalition Forces in
    Iraq said that the war has not ended in Iraq as the United
    States offered $25 million for any information that leads to
    the capture of ousted Iraqi president Saddam Hussein or
    confirmation of his death.

    "The bottom line is that there is still a war going on in
    this country. But there is no crisis. There is no wavering of
    our commitment and most importantly there is no turning back.

    Saddam's regime is gone and we will be here as long as it
    takes to accomplish our mission of bringing security and
    stability to Iraq", Sanchez told reporters on Thursday (July
    3) in Baghdad.

    Earlier, resistance fighters wounded eight U.S. soldiers
    in three attacks on occupation forces in Iraq, a day after
    President George W. Bush said there were enough troops in Iraq
    to deal with the guerrillas.

    Two Iraqis were killed and 12 wounded as a result of the
    increasingly bold attacks on U.S. forces.

    At least 23 U.S. troops have died from hostile fire in
    Iraq since Bush declared major combat over on May 1. U.S.

    officials blame former intelligence officers and Iraqi army
    elements loyal to ousted President Saddam Hussein.

    "We believe that there maybe local co-ordination ongoing.

    We do not see regional or national co-ordination out there and
    the element that we believe are operating out there are
    subversive Saddam Fedayeen and we also Wahabin (Islamic
    militant group) and criminals", added Sanchez.

    The hit-and-run attacks, which typically involve grenades
    launched on U.S. convoys, have grown more frequent in recent
    weeks, but Bush said the roughly 150,000 troops in Iraq were
    adequately prepared.



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