Operation Iraqi Freedom-rundown of events
Matthew Vitart, The Reflector
After five days of fighting in Iraq U.S. officials report everything is going as planned.
“All of the pieces are falling into place,” said Maj. Gen. Stanley McChrystal In a press conference on Monday. “We are on the timeline, if not slightly ahead of the schedule that Gen. (Tommy) Franks has set.”
According to Fox News and CNN on day five of Operation Iraqi Freedom the United State’s 3rd Infantry Division is within 50 miles of Iraq’s capital of Baghdad.
On Monday the Pentagon stated that Iraq was in violation of the Geneva Convention. The Geneva Convention established rules of war.
This statement came after the press reported that Iraqi television aired footage of five American prisoners of war. The Geneva Convention prohibits parading of P.O.Ws.
International Committee of the Red Cross spokeswoman Nada Doumani said the showing of the prisoners on TV violates Article 13 of the Geneva Conventions, which says prisoners should be protected from public curiosity. But she stressed that the priority at the moment is to get access to them.
In response to the airing, U.S. President Bush demanded that the prisoners be treated well. “We expect them to be treated humanely, just like we’ll treat any prisoners of theirs that we capture humanely. If not, the people who mistreat the prisoners will be treated as war criminals.”
Mississippi State University Student Andy Gonzalez said, “The airing of U.S. P.O.Ws shows how unjust they have been and how they (Iraq) manipulate different aspects of the war to their advantage.”
On Monday President Bush placed a price tag on the war. Administration officials told the press that President Bush is asking congress for $75 billion in funding.
Under the request, Israel would receive an extra $1 billion in direct military assistance and $9 billion in loan guarantees. Egypt would get an additional $2 billion in loan guarantees and $300 million in economic grants. Jordan would receive more than $1 billion in additional economic assistance, the officials said
The request also incorporates $3.5 billion in an increase for homeland security.
When asked about the wars $75 billion price-tag, student Adam Parks said “I support whatever it costs to ensure my safety.”
At www.usatoday.com you can find a chronicle of the war along with a map pointing out where key events took place.
Here is a rundown of significant events provided by USA Today beginnning with Day 3 :
Day 3: Saturday 3/22
* Air raids continue in Baghdad
* U.S. missiles target base of Ansar Al-Islam, a Muslim extremist group associated with Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qeada.
* Two British helicopters collide killing all seven passengers.
* Key Southern city of An Nasiriyah fell to U.S. forces opening a major route to Baghdad.
* Coalition forces take control of airfield in Basra.
* Three stray cruise missiles accidentally land in Iran.
* A camp of the 101st Airborne Division was attacked with grenades and small arms fire. Ten were wounded.
* U.S. infantry battled Iraqi troops in the city of As Samawah, 150 miles south of Baghdad.
* Coalition forces battle regime militia in the Shiite Muslim holy city of Najaf, 95 miles south of the capital.
Day 4: Sunday 3/23
* An Iraqi missile shot down a British Royal Air Force Tornado GR4 fighter jet.
* Worst fighting to date takes place when Iraqi soldiers pretend to surrender then killed ten American soldiers and injured 50 others.
* U.S. forces capture Tallil airfield.
* Coalition troops seize control of two bridges over the Euphrates.
* Allied air attacks destroy Republican Guard facilities outside Baghdad
* U.S. troops land in Kurdish controlled northern Iraq.
* Air strikes continue against Islamic terror group in northern Iraq.
* Iraqi television aired footage of five American prisoners captured during an ambush. This is a violation of the Geneva Convention.
Day 5: Monday 3/24
* Iraq claims to have shot down two Apache helicopters and captured two pilots.
* Coalition warplanes bombed a military barracks in northern Iraq.
* U.S. troops report to be 50 miles from Baghdad.