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Inspectors revisit site on 30th day in Iraq
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.N. arms inspectors revisited an engineering firm in the Iraqi capital Sunday, the 30th day of weapons inspections in the country, the Iraqi information ministry said. The inspectors visited the central Baghdad offices of the Saad General Co., an engineering design and construction firm owned by the Military Industrial Corp. A U.N. team visited the site two weeks ago. The firm is involved in various projects for chemical and petrochemical production facilities, according to the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission. Inspectors examined archives and current projects and looked into the company's management and personnel. The inspectors also visited the customs directorate in Baghdad. Elsewhere, a team from the International Atomic Energy Agency inspected two sites -- the Eyz Company and the Salam Factory in Baghdad. Eyz produces electronic equipment such as radio communications equipment and telephone switching boards. The Salam Factory produces communications equipment for civilian and military use. U.N. inspectors began their work in Iraq on November 27. The Iraqi government Saturday gave the inspectors a list of more than 500 scientists who have been associated with the country's weapons programs, a spokesman for UNMOVIC announced. The IAEA began interviewing scientists last week. UNMOVIC, which is searching for evidence of chemical or biological weapons or high-powered missiles, has not yet conducted such interviews. A U.N. official said several issues need to be worked out before the interviews can be done, including arrangements for secure facilities. The Bush administration is eager to see the results of the inspections, Secretary of State Colin Powell told NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday. Powell said "we are positioning our military forces for whatever might be required," but in the event of a war Iraq's "oil fields are the property of the Iraqi people." "If a coalition force goes into those oil fields, we want to protect those fields and make sure they're used to benefit the people of Iraq, and not destroyed or damaged by the failing regime on the way out the door," he said. Coalition warplanes enforcing the southern no-fly zone over Iraq bombed two Iraqi military radar sites Sunday near Ad Diwaniyah, 75 miles south of the capital. The strikes occurred at 7:40 a.m. ET, according to a U.S. Central Command statement. The last such strike occurred Friday near Al Kut, about 95 miles southeast of Baghdad. The strike occurred after Iraqi forces moved the sites into the zone, making their presence a threat to coalition forces, according to the statement. U.S. military officials were still assessing the damage Sunday night. Other developments• Coalition planes dropped 120,000 leaflets Saturday over southern Iraq, referring Iraqis to radio frequencies where they could hear anti-Saddam radio broadcasts. The drop was the 11th over southern Iraq in three months. (Full story) • U.S. Army tank and mechanized infantry units have been told they are going to the Persian Gulf, officials said Saturday. Soldiers from some units of the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart and Fort Benning, Georgia, have received their deployment orders, although no departure date has been disclosed. (Full story) • The U.S. Navy has been told to prepare two aircraft carriers for deployment to the Persian Gulf after New Year's Day, naval officials said Friday. A "prepare to deploy" order has been issued for a carrier to move from the East and West coasts. (Full story)
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