Show A6 — The Herald Journal Logan Utah Saturday April 19 2003 t D America of war I 4 I 1 V In brief Political clout helps Bechtel Corp land reconstruction bid SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — It’s not just a history of building landmarks like the Hoover Dam that helped Bechtel Cap win the first major Iraq reconstruction contract The company is as as Washington insiders come : Bechtel not only has close ties with elder Republican statesmen its executives also enjoy direct links to the Bush administration which has critics crying cronyism Some worry Bechtel’s cachet was as technical successful bid as to its important advantage over any competitors The initial $346 million contract announced Thursday by the US Agency for International Development could spiral far beyond its projected $680 million price tag Other companies invited to submit bids were Parsons Corp Fluor Corp Louis Berger Group Inc and Washington Group International Inc A subsidiary of Halliburton Co which wax formerly run by Vice President Dick Cheney was invited to bid but removed itself amid favoritism charges ‘ At least two current Bechtel executives have ties to the Bush administration A senior vice president Jack Sheehan sits on the Defense Policy Board formed to advise Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld who himself once lobbied for a Bechtel project Sheehan a retired Marine Corps general manages Bechtel’s petroleum and chemical operations And President Bush appointed Bechtel’s chairman Riley Bechtel in February to the Export Council which advises the president on international trade matters inside-the-Beltw- ay 900 Iraqi prisoners found to be civilians freed Pentagon says WASHINGTON (AP) — Coalition forces sorting through thousands of Iraqi war prisoners have released nearly 900 after determining they were civilians who had nothing to do with the fighting Other prisoners particularly high-rankimilitary or government officials in Saddam Hussein’s toppled regime are being questioned as part of the search for former top Iraqi leaders mid weapons of mass destruction The United States is holding 6850 prisoners at a large facility in the southern port city of Umm Qasr Pentagon spokesman Maj Ted Wadsworth said Friday A total of 887 prisoners that had been held in a British camp and in an American camp in Umm Qasr have been released the hujk in the last two weeks Wadsworth said “We stated from the beginning that we don’t want to hold anybody any longer than absolutely necessary" said Maj Ted Wadsworth a Pentagon spokesman “The process of sorting people to determine their status has begun” Those released were determined to be noncombatants he said meaning they did not engage in hostile acts during the war and were not part of a military force The US has taken control of both POW camps in Umm Qasr Wadsworth said Other US military units are holding prisoners at various places around Iraq ng Remains of missing pilot recovered US toll now 128 ff F-1- 5E i WASHINGTON (AP) — Remains of an Air Force pilot who had been missing since his fighter jet went down in Iraq on April 7 have been recovered and identified the Pentagon said Friday The search for the plane’s weapons system officer is continuing it said The pilot was identified as Capt Eric B Das 30 of Amarillo Texas His status was changed from missing to killed in action The Pentagon provided no details on when or how his remains were recovered It said the whereabouts of the other crew member whose name has not been released publicly is still unknown It was unclear Friday whether only one set of remains was found at the crash site or whether additional remains were found but had not yet been positively identified The fighter jet was reported to have been shot down near Tikrit although the Pentagon has never publicly confirmed that Das' parents Bruce and Rosie Das issued a statement saying their son was killed on Sunday evening April 6 which was early Monday morning in Iraq They said he was on a bombing mission in an F- -l 5E Strike Eagle over northern Iraq when the plane went down under undetermined circumstances F-1- Pbli finds concern over US peacekeeping mission on the rise WASHINGTON ( AP) — A new poll shows Americans are becoming concerned about becoming embtpiled in a potentially difficult peacekeeping mission in Iraq An ABC NewsWashington Post poll released Thursday reported 73 percent of those polled are concerned the US will get “bogged down in a long and costly” mission to maintain peace in Iraq That number was up from 62 percent after the fall or 65 perof Baghdad just over a week ago Nearly two-thirwas doing enough to restore civil order cent said the U-Nearly 9 in 1 0 Americans favored using diplomatic or eco-nomic pressure to resolve issues with Syria and North Korea Still just over a third said they would support going to war to remove either country's government Nearly 80 percent saw North Korea as a threat Syria 65 percent President Bush’s job approvalraling was high at 74 percent A growing number of people — 58 percent — thought the 'war in Iraq would reduce the risk of terrorism at home in the long run That number was up 10 percent from just days before fighting began AP photos A D US soldier mans a tank position check point in front of a war-to- street in central Baghdad on Friday m reaps Mil (US to By David Espo AP Special Correspondent Iraqis exercised new freedoms and jockeyed for power in a new era Friday marching in Baghdad to demand the quick withdrawal of the same American troops and tanks that toppled Saddam Hussein “No to America no to Saddam our revolution is Islamic" chanted the demonstrators who spilled into the streets after prayers at one Sunni Muslim mosque At the same time there were fresh reminders of the old regime and the airing of a new videotape rekindled debate about Saddam’s fate Australian officials disclosed the discovery of dozens of Iraqi warplanes hidden at a vast airbase west of the capital and American troops took custody of another leading figure from Saddam’s inner circle Abu Dhabi television aired the videotape said to show Saddam in Baghdad on April 9 the day the city fell to American forces and his regime collapsed By contrast a longtime Iraqi official said he believed Saddam had perished in an American bombing on April 7 “He must have been killed or everything would not have collapsed so quickly” said Sami Sadoun who was most recently Iraq’s ambassador to He spoke in an interview with The Associated Press Power remained shut off for most residents in Baghdad a city of 5 million “Without power there is no peace” said Haifa Aziz manager of a power substation Still there were signs of progress in a city struggling to emerge from war “We haven’t had enemy contact in four days” said Staff Sgt John Jamison a Marine spokesman in the capital And officials reported that a small number of antiquities looted from the National Museum had been returned 1300-year-o- ld sits inside Sheik Ahmed Ot$jg Mosque during Friday prayers in Baghdad 41$ cleric called for coalition troops to leave the country before Iraqis force them to do so Abu-Hani- fa Jabar Hilil Iraq’s antiquities chief said the items returned included pottery and metal pieces “It was their conscience that made them bring that stuff back” he said Thousands marched through the city’s downtown urged on at Holy Day prayers by an imam recently returned to Iraq after years in exile Some protesters carried banners that said “Leave our country We want peace” and many raised their right fists and chanted “America is God’s enemy” d Inside the mosque Sheik Ahmed said “We will not accept a government that will oppress us There must be an elected govern- Serbia-Montene-g- ro 1300-year-ol- ment” Desiv® In another Baghdad neighborhood opposition leader Ahmad Chalabi and followers of his Iraqi National Congress established makeshift headquarters in two social clubs Armored US vehicles and elements of the new Free Iraqi forces provided security In his first public appearance in Baghdad Chalabi said anew that he is not a candidate to become Iraq’s new leader He said he expects an interim Iraqi authority to take over most government functions from die US military in “a matter of weeks rather than months” He said he envisions “first reconstruction of basic services" under the control of Jay Gamer the retired American general poised to run a military administration Once that is done Chalabi said the US military will search for weapons of mass destruction dismantle the old regime’s “apparatus of terror” and disarm its army But representatives of other groups jockeying for power in postwar Iraq were unimpressed Mahmoud Osman a Kurdish leader living in London said Chalabi looked like “an American propagandist” Hamid a British representative for the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq said Chalabi might be “gambling on running for office" despite his claims to the contrary Two more regime figures are in US custody Emad Husayn Abdullah a scientist accused of being involved in Iraq’s development of the nerve agent VX turned himself said a US official speaking on condition of anonymity Brooks also announced that forces had the captured Samir Abd Baath Party Regional Command Chairman for east Baghdad the four of clubs on the Pentagon’s deck of cards showing al-A- ni al-A- Addressing some of his remarks to Americans he added “You are masters today But I warn you against thinking of staying Get out before we force you most-want- ed Iraqis out” Brakes Tune-Up-s Alternators Cooling Syttom Oil Service Transmissions S sponsored by Logan Oty Environmental Division I State Safety Inspection ds 3131 N Main Logan Timing Beks ' Spring Cleanup This year's Spring cleanup is for Green Waste materials ONLY pickup of your Green Waste materials will include limbs branches shrubs and bagged material such as grass leaves hay & straw and garden waste Please be aware that green waste contaminated with garbage will not be picked up with Spring cleanup and ajl branches must be smaller than 6 ft in length and 1 foot in diameter ’ t This service will end April 30 We are now doing pickup for the South West residents of Logan and will then move to the North West residents We would also like to remind the residents of Smithfeild Hyde fade North Logan River Heights and Providence to sign up for weekly curbside pickup of your Green Waste materials for only $400 per month For questions about curbside Green Waste or for your Spring Cleanup schedule please contact us 716-975- 3 wwwcvdeanteamorg MMstpumps Electrical PraUsms 787-004- Stale Inspections s1 S 0 Fuel Injection |