WAR ON IRAK

Spiegel: Rumsfeld berichtet von brennenden Ölquellen

Drei bis vier Ölquellen im Süden des Irak sind nach Angaben von US-Verteidigungsminister Donald Rumsfeld möglicherweise von Saddams Truppen in Brand gesetzt worden. Entsprechende Berichte habe er soeben erhalten, sagte Rumsfeld.

Washington - Laut Rumsfeld gebe es Hinweise, dass die Iraker drei bis vier Ölquellen nahe der Stadt Basra im Süden des Irak in Brand gesetzt hätten. Iraks Ölminister Amir Muhammed dementierte diese Berichte.

CNN: U.S.: Strikes to pave way for full-fledged attack
Seven aircraft performing missions from the USS Abraham Lincoln dropped bombs Thursday over Iraq aimed at targets U.S. officials deem to be a threat, military officials said, adding that attacks would continue throughout the day.
The Red Cross reported that one person was killed and 14 people were injured in the strikes.
• The Turkish parliament voted Thursday to let U.S. warplanes use its airspace to launch strikes against Iraq and to allow the Turkish military to enter northern Iraq
• U.S. military officials confirm there are oil wells burning in southern Iraq near the Kuwaiti border, CNN has learned. Rumsfeld said the Pentagon had reports that Iraqi forces had set "as many as three or four" oil wells ablaze in the southern part of the country in the face of an expected U.S.-led invasion.

Reuters: Baghdat Video