File: 123096_sep96_decls20_0011.txt
Page: 0011
Total Pages: 12

Subject: COMMANDERS SITREP 78                                            

Unit: VII CORPS   

Parent Organization: ARCENT      

Box  ID: BX000269

Folder Title: DAILY STAFF JOURNALS-6 APR 91-2                                                                 

Document Number:         18

Folder Seq  #:         71



                  UNCLASSIFIED.      C7 F3

           BELIEVE THIS IS AN AREA WE MUST CONTINUE TO MONITOR IN THEATER AS

           HEAT RISES. CORPS CONTINUES TO RECEIVE REPORTS OF IRAQI MILITARY

           UNITS COMMITTING ATROCITIES AGAINST LOCAL POPULATION IN THE LOWER

           EUPHRATES REGION. DETAILS ARE SUBMITTED DAILY IN INTELLIGENCE

           CHANNELS. WILL FURNISH TOTAL PACKAGE OF CURRENT EVIDENCE WITHIN

           NEXT FEW DAYS AND FINAL WHEN WE DEPART IRAQ. THE SAFETY AND WELL
           BEING O@-fRAQIS'IN THE U.S. SECTOR ONCE VII CORPS LEAVES IS OF

           MAJOR CONCERN. FEAR OF REPRISALS RUNS HIGH AMONG IRAQIS.

           BELIEVE WE SHOULD USE EVERY CHANNEL AVAILABLE TO ENCOURAGE

           INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES AND ICRC OR EVEN POSSIBLY THE UN TO ASSIST

           IN THE TRANSITION FROM U.S. OCCUPATION TO IRAQI GOVERNMENT

           CONTROL. CONTINUE TO BELIEVE OUR BEST COURSE FOR THE NEAR TERM

           WOULD BE TO ESTABLISH CIVIL MILITARY GOVERNMENT COMPLETE WITH

           ORDINANCES AND PENAL CODES IF ONLY IN SAFWAN. DISTRIBUTION OF

           FOOD STUFFS TO INCLUDE FOOD AND MEDICINE FOR INFANTS CONTINUES.

           NEED TO KNOW WHEN CIVILIAN RELIEF AGENCIES WILL BE PREPARED TO

           ASSUME OPERATIONS. HAVE A DC CAMP OUTSIDE SAFWAN CONTAINING

           APPROXIMATELY-'        =ANS".-     E---B@@-TO--S-EE--IN - 4ON&-OF-,--

           DOWNHILL TREND IN POPULATION OF CIVIL REFUGEES THROUGHOUT SECTOR,

           INCLUDING SAFWAN. RETURN OF CIVILIANS FROM EPW CAMPS AND

           HOSPITALS THROUGH VII CORPS SECTOR POSES SPECIAL CHALLENGE.  AM

           ALSO PREPARED TO WITHDRAW 2ACR AND IAD FROM IRAQ TO RAA'S AND

           COVER REMAINDER OF SECTOR AS ECONOMY OF FORCE. AS WE APPROACH

           THE REDEPLOYMENT PHASE NEED TO BEGIN GRADUAL DISENGAGEMENT, FIRST

           BY REMOVING CHECKPOINTS ALONG HIGHWAY 8 AS UNITS BEGIN TO

           WITHDRAW FROM IRAQ. CAN BE IN POSITION TO INTERDICT MILITARY



                UNCLASSIFIED

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