A year after the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime, women in Iraq face many problems -- from violence and economic hardship to day-to-day privations like a continued lack of water and electricity. Activists, however, say a lack of security remains the main problem.
Deminers say they have cleared 1 million mines and pieces of unexploded ordnance in northern Iraq since the toppling of Saddam Hussein a year ago. That is noteworthy progress toward removing a menace that today kills or injures at least 20 people a month in the area. But it also is a measure of how much still remains to be done.
Security remains a chief concern in Iraq With less than 100 days to go before Iraqis are to assume power from the U.S.-led coalition, the UN faces the challenge of forging a political consensus on a transitional government. A key Shi'a leader's rejection of the interim constitution poses difficulties for the UN electoral mission, poised to return power to the country. The UN Security Council will adopt a statement later today supporting the UN mission, and making no mention of the interim constitution.
Copenhagen, 24 March 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari today urged coalition forces not to withdraw troops from Iraq.
A major U.S. proposal to foster democracy in the Mideast, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan has run aground amid angry criticism from key Arab rulers and doubts in Europe. Now, Washington is reported to be revising its approach in hopes of still finding a way to unveil some version of its Greater Middle East Initiative at the G-8 summit in June.
Prague, 20 March 2004 (RFE/RL) -- Protests against the war in Iraq have been held around the world to mark one year since the U.S.-led invasion.
Kuwait City, 20 March 2004 (RFE/RL) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell today said that Washington will assist a fraud inquiry into allegations that the deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein diverted money from the UN-sponsored oil-for-food program.
United Nations, 19 March 2004 (RFE/RL) -- A top UN official says there is great support in Iraq for the United Nations to help set up an interim government and prepare for elections.
Prague, 19 March 2004 (RFE/RL) -- On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the start of the Iraq war (20 March), much of the press devotes considerable attention to assessing what has been achieved since the U.S.-led ouster of Saddam Hussein. The anniversary is somewhat eclipsed, however, by a surge of new violence in Kosovo. Three Albanian teenagers drowned this week in the UN protectorate when they were allegedly chased into a river by Serbian youths. The drownings precipitated an angry reaction from Albanians and sparked retaliatory violence aimed at the Serbian community, which left 20 dead and destroyed dozens of homes.
Baghdad, 19 March 2004 (RFE/RL) -- U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell began a surprise visit to Baghdad today on the eve of the anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion that toppled President Saddam Hussein.
One year ago, Iraq was on the brink of war, still under the grip of Saddam Hussein's Ba'athist regime. Dissent was not tolerated, and even the slightest mumble of discontent could lead to arrest, torture, and even worse. News of the outside world was controlled by state-run media, save for a few illegal satellite dishes.
Officials from Iraq's Governing Council say they have sent the United Nations a letter asking for help in guiding Iraq's transitional political process. But it is not clear how much support for a UN role there is from influential Shi'a leader Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Meanwhile, continuing security problems, punctuated by another terrorist bombing, are likely to prevent any major UN efforts in Iraq in the near future.
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