In Damascus, F.M.s of GCC nations, Egypt and Syria reach agreement on new postwar defense arrangements in Gulf built around Egyptian and Syrian forces [MEM 3/5; WP, WT, MEM 3/6; NYT, LAT, WT 3/7;...
Rebelling Iraqis have emptied prisons and executed loyalists to Saddam Hussein in fundamentalist uprising that has spread anarchy across southern Iraq in the last 4 days, according to refugees....
In radio address, Saddam Hussein makes public his commitment to withdraw from Kuwait. Pres. Bush says promise is inadequate, presses for virtual surrender, and orders allied forces to continue...
Iraqi occupation authorities order 6,500 American and British citizens in Kuwait to assemble at 2 hotels in Kuwait City [NYT, WP 8/17].
Pentagon announces U.S. naval forces will begin "...
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In Damascus, F.M.s of GCC nations, Egypt and Syria reach agreement on new postwar defense arrangements in Gulf built around Egyptian and Syrian forces [MEM 3/5; WP, WT, MEM 3/6; NYT, LAT, WT 3/7; DDS 3/5 in FBIS 3/6; DDS 3/6 in FBIS 3/7; MET 3/19].
Republican Guard tank and infantry brigades loyal to Saddam Hussein attack rebel positions in Basra; opposition leaders say at least 6 Iraqi cities are still controlled by rebels; thousands of refugees flee the violence; Bush admin. says it has no intention of getting involved in the rebellion [LAT, WP, WT 3/6; IRNA, AFP 3/5 in FBIS 3/5].
U.S. and Kuwaiti experts say it may take almost 2 years to extinguish about 550 Kuwaiti oil wells that have been set ablaze, and at least 5 years before the country's oil export facilities are fully restored [LAT, NYT, WP 3/6; CSM 3/7].
Iraq hands over what it calls its last POWs, releasing 35 allies, including 15 Americans, to the Red Cross; up to 26 journalists are still missing in southern Iraq [MEM 3/5; NYT, LAT, WP, WT, CSM 3/6; BADS 3/5 in FBIS 3/5; MET 3/19].
Pentagon updates U.S. casualty toll in Gulf war to 115 dead and 330 wounded. Tens of thousands of Iraqis are believed to have been killed [LAT 3/6].
Pentagon also says that tens of thousands of U.S. troops will have to stay in Gulf region for several months [NYT 3/6].
France begins withdrawing its forces from region; pullout expected to take until September [MEM 3/5].
In letter from F.M. Aziz to Sec.-Gen. Perez de Cuellar, Iraq renounces its annexation of Kuwait and promises to return hundreds of millions of dollars worth of looted property [LAT, NYT 3/6; INA 3/5 in FBIS 3/6; MET 3/19].
Food, water, and electricity remain scarce in Kuwait City, but 2,700-man allied task force is hoping to alleviate worst of problems within days [LAT, WT 3/6].
Kuwaiti gov't places Kuwait City under 10 P.M. to 4 A.M. curfew [AFP, KUNA 3/5 in FBIS 3/6; MET 3/19].
House Appropriations Committee votes to give Israel $650 million to cover costs associated with Gulf war, and approves $42.6-billion down payment of Operation Desert Storm [NYT, LAT, WP, WT, MEM 3/6].
Doctors in Kuwait City say that in the last 5 days they have treated scores of Palestinians who had been severely beaten and in some cases shot. U.S. military reports that 7 Kuwaiti soldiers manning checkpoints have been shot to death by people in passing vehicles [NYT 3/6].
Amnesty International warns of the risk of reprisal killings against Palestinians and other Arabs, urges that Red Cross be given access to all detainees in Kuwait [MEM 3/5; FJ 3/1].
In 1st postwar policy statement, King Fahd predicts Saddam Hussein will meet an ominous end as "all tyrants" in the Arab world have before him [NYT, MEM 3/6].
Israeli Immigration Min. Yitzhak Peretz expresses concern over small number of recent Soviet Jewish immigrants who, dissatisfied with high standard of living and limited employment opportunities, are emigrating to Canada, Australia, and Germany [WT 3/6].
Rebelling Iraqis have emptied prisons and executed loyalists to Saddam Hussein in fundamentalist uprising that has spread anarchy across southern Iraq in the last 4 days, according to refugees. Seven cities are reportedly in opposition hands [NYT, LAT, WP, CSM 3/5; AFP 3/4 in FBIS 3/5].
Kuwait's Crown Prince returns to Kuwait City amid celebratory gunfire; Kuwaitis who remained in their country during occupation say they expect significant democratic reforms when all rulers have returned [MEM 3/4; LAT, NYT, WP 3/5; CSM 3/6].
In interview with Guardian in London, Yasir Arafat says he is worried that Kuwaiti military will kill Palestinians in Kuwait; military in Kuwait City is reportedly detaining over 10,000 Iraqis and Palestinians [WT 3/5].
Pres. Bush says Iraq has turned over information about location of minefields in Kuwait; Bush adds disengagement is proceeding quickly and that Iraqis are cooperating [LAT 3/5].
White House says it is "collecting evidence" on war crimes, but that it will be up to "countries in the region" to initiate any trial of Iraqi officials [LAT 3/5].
At Vatican summit, Pope John Paul II tells church leaders from countries most directly involved in Gulf war that lasting Middle East peace depends on resolution of all of the region's problems [MEM 3/4; LAT 3/5].
As Sec. Baker's visit to Israel approaches, Israeli Construction and Housing Ministry announces that 1,000 additional housing units will be built in Golan Heights [JDS 3/4 in FBIS 3/4].
Palestinian family files suit against Jewish seminary over rights to house in Old City's Muslim quarter; theology student was found murdered in basement of house last week [NYT 3/5].
UNRWA claims that Israeli soldiers in Gaza Strip had beaten 2 of its members in 2d such incident in 10 days [NYT, MEM 3/5].
EC foreign ministers elect to give inexpensive loans totalling $210 million to Israel, along with $36 million in interest subsidies. Palestinians in o.t. are to receive from EC $80 million in grants [MEM 3/51.
In radio address, Saddam Hussein makes public his commitment to withdraw from Kuwait. Pres. Bush says promise is inadequate, presses for virtual surrender, and orders allied forces to continue attacks [BADS 2/26 in FBIS 2/26; MEM 2/26; NYT, LAT, WP, WT 2/27; MET 3/12].
Allied forces enter Kuwait City, as Iraqi troops are reported in headlong retreat across Kuwait; fighting continues at Kuwait City airport; U.S. troops reach Euphrates River in Iraq, cutting off escape routes for Republican Guards; other allied forces are closing off additional escape routes for Iraqi troops; 25 to 30 mile long column of Iraqi tanks, personnel carriers, and trucks heading north on road to Basra is repeatedly attacked by U.S. warplanes [MENA 2/26 in FBIS 2/27; NYT, LAT, WP, WT, CSM 2/27].
SCUD missile lands in uninhabited area of Qatar, another is destroyed over Bahrain [MEM 2/26].
Emir of Kuwait declares martial law, says it will last for 3 months, in 1st step toward reestablishing his rule [NYT, WP, WT 2/27; MET 3/12].
U.S. command revises death toll in 2/25 SCUD attack on barracks, saying missile killed 28 U.S. soldiers and wounded more than 100 [NYT, WP 2/27; MET 3/12].
Military law specialists say "rules of war" clearly permit allies to attack retreating Iraqis until they law down their arms; claim definite distinction between retreat and surrender [NYT, WP 2/27].
Egypt, Kuwait, Soviet Union, and European members of coalition say Saddam Hussein must accept all 12 UN Sec. Council resolutions before war can end [KUNA 2/26 in FBIS 2/27; NYT, WP 2/27]; PLO calls on UN Sec. Council to bring about immediate ceasefire [TDS 2/27 in FBIS 2/27; AVP 2/27 in FBIS 2/28].
Allies effectively stop counting Iraqi POWs because so many have been taken since ground war began. Officials stop count at 26,000 but estimates are up to more than 30,000 [LAT, WP 2/27].
P.M. Shamir vows to resist concessions in postwar Middle East peace effort [IDF 2/26 in FBIS 2/27; MEM 2/26; WP, WT 2/27].
Yasir Arafat meets in Algiers with Pres. Benjedid; Arafat says U.S. aims to destroy Iraq [AGS, AFP 2/26, APS 2/27 in FBIS 2/27; APS 2/27 in FBIS 3/1].
European Community announces it is freezing contacts with PLO in light of Arafat's pro-Iraqi stand. EC statement says, however, that the decision "in no way calls into question the role of the PLO or the rights of the Palestinian people" [MEM 2/26].
Jordanian Cabinet issues statement accusing allies of exceeding UN mandate [MEM 2/27].
Iraqi occupation authorities order 6,500 American and British citizens in Kuwait to assemble at 2 hotels in Kuwait City [NYT, WP 8/17].
Pentagon announces U.S. naval forces will begin "intercepting" commercial shipping to or from Iraq and Kuwait to enforce UN sanctions [WP 8/17].
King Hussein of Jordan meets with Pres. Bush in Kennebunkport, Maine to discuss Gulf crisis [MEM 8/16; ADS 8/17 in FBIS 8/17; NYT, WP 8/17].
"Troika" foreign ministers from Italy, Luxembourg, and Ireland arrive in Amman and meet with Crown Prince Hasan to discuss crisis [ADS 8/16 in FBIS 8/17].
2d contingent of Egyptian military forces leaves Cairo for Saudi Arabia [MENA 8/16 in FBIS 8/16].
Special UNLU "Leaflet No. 1-the U.S. Invasion of Arab Lands" is distributed; it expresses unequivocal support for Iraq and attacks Pres. Mubarak [YA 8/17 in FBIS 8/17].
Hundreds of Palestinians hold pro-Iraq demonstration in Nablus; police disperse crowd with tear gas and rubber bullets [MEM 8/16; JDS 8/16 in FBIS 8/17]; fearing political repercussions, PLO leadership is seen as trying to distance itself from Iraq, but has been unable to ignore growing grassroots support of Palestinians for Saddam Hussein [WP 8/17].
Contradicting earlier Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood statement, group's leader Muhammad Hamid Abunnasar issues communique denouncing Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and calling for return of Kuwait's "legitimate gov't." [MEM 8/17].