US Representatives Request Confidential Report Regarding Iraq - 2003-10-10

Six months after American soldiers deposed former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and took control of Baghdad, a new wave of attacks left 16 dead on Thursday. The attacks included a suicide bombing in Baghdad, occurring before the announcement of the arrest of a leader of a movement apparently responsible for several attacks on coalition forces. In another event, President Bush once again defended his decision to invade Iraq and depose Saddam Hussein, stating that he had no intention of leaving the security of the American people in the hands of a madman. Thirty-one members of the US House of Representatives have firmly requested that the government release a confidential report on the situation in Iraq. This confidential report is said to contain severe flaws and shortcomings in the management of affairs in Iraq post-war. Representative Robert Wexler from Florida stated that he and 30 other Democratic colleagues have requested the confidential report in a letter addressed to General Richard Myers. Mr. Wexler indicated that this report, prepared for the US Department of Defense last month, concludes that the US plans for managing post-war Iraq are incomplete, rushed, and inadequate. Mr. Wexler noted that General Myers had promised to provide the report titled 'Operation Iraqi Freedom and Lessons Learned' to the representatives last month. He also mentioned that the release of this report in the future would hold little value, as Congress members are currently busy reviewing the government's request for an additional $87 billion for US expenditures in Iraq and Afghanistan.