See Rick McDowell's Reminder of Iraqi Victims and more on Iraq peace delegations

 

BAGHDAD BRIEFING NOTES -- 4/14/03

Five members of the Iraq Peace Team (a project of Voices in the Wilderness) based in Baghdad returned via taxi to Amman last night. They briefed us this morning. IPT members reported the following:

Baghdad

Conditions in Baghdad remain volatile. The team was struck by the devastation in and around Baghdad. Burned-out tanks and civilian vehicles punctuate the streets. Dead bodies remain on the streets. Many streets are impassable due to debris, bomb damage, military roadblocks and checkpoints. On highways leading out of Baghdad the US military (presumably) have placed series of dirt piles Æ especially at approaches to overpasses -- to force traffic to move at a crawl. Some neighborhoods have set up their own road blocks and checkpoints for security and to prevent looting. Bridges and overpasses are damaged, while others controlled by the US military Æ which forces traffic to detour around them.

Many civilians openly bear arms and some shops are being guarded. Few taxis are on the road. Gasoline is available at $1 per gallon. Iraqi dinar is trading at 3,200 - $1. Some banks have been looted and rumor has it that a new currency, without the face of Saddam, will be issued shortly. Over 95% of businesses at street level remain shuttered.

US troops standby watching the looting. An IPT member accompanied ISRA and Life for Relief and Development to their warehouse. It was untouched by looting and still had guards posted. A US military presence of 20 vehicles and armor was stationed close by. When asked if troops could keep an eye on the warehouse of medical and other goods, a soldier said this was not the militaryÍs role.

Team members saw hospitals burying the dead in the hospital compounds.

Contrary to some media reports, team members have not seen many ñcelebratingî Iraqis. They quoted an Iraqi: ñlittle people looting is a small thing, Bush is the big looter coming for the oil.î If looting is decreasing, it may be because there is now little left to loot.

Communications are out in much of the city. Electricity is out in much of the city and sporatic in others. Potable water is unavailable in much of Baghdad.

US military presence

With the US Marines stationed around the hotel complex where IPT and international media are housed, IPT was able to have numerous conversations with soldiers. One officer confessed that in the heat of battle he had to make hasty decisions which led to the deaths of civilians. He and a number of civilians expressed ambivalence about the US occupation and their role. Many soldiers said they were touched by Iraqi expressions of appreciation for their presence.

Iraqi nationals, in US uniforms with the insignia FIF (Force in Freedom), have been seen at the Palestine Hotel. The military conducts daily press briefings at the Palestine. Military control access to areas of the city with limited freedom of travel for journalists. Military control access to information.

Hotel complex Æ IPT & media

US military has secured the immediate hotel complex area with many armored vehicles. Barbed wire roadblocks, limiting access, have been established around the hotel area with guards posted at hotels. US military have commandeered rooms at the Palestine Hotel. Team members felt less secure with the military presence, fearing it can draw fire. This past Saturday team members witnessed dozens of marines mobilizing in response to incoming fire (probably from across the Tigris). Lots of outgoing gunfire.

Hotels are without electricity or telephone service. Generators are in limited use. Shortage of hotel rooms while prices are extremely high. Water and food is in short supply.

Baghdad Æ Amman Road

Leaving Baghdad yesterday was no simple matter. The teamÍs taxi driver spent nearly an hour trying to find an open route out of town. Eventually he found a backstreet route around US roadblocks.

At the Jordan border (which entailed a three-hour wait) IPT met an AP reporter who had also just come from Baghdad. He was traveling alone with a driver; their vehicle was stopped at one of the dirt road barriers near Baghdad by masked armed men. They took a gold chain, his suitcase and $500 in cash. Clearly, itÍs much better to travel in convoy rather than alone.

Hope this adds to your base of information.

In Peace,

Rick McDowell & Mary Trotochaud
Interim Quaker International Affairs Reps

Rick and Mary are former members of Traprock's Core Group. Rick has accompanied 15 delegations to Iraq, including an international delegation of Nobel Peace Laureates.
Mary is a member of the national advisory board of School of the Americas Watch (SOA Watch)

 

Page created April 14, 2003 by Charlie Jenks