US embassy cable - 03STATE72951

Disclaimer: This site has been first put up 15 years ago. Since then I would probably do a couple things differently, but because I've noticed this site had been linked from news outlets, PhD theses and peer rewieved papers and because I really hate the concept of "digital dark age" I've decided to put it back up. There's no chance it can produce any harm now.

TFIZ01 SITUATION REPORT NO. 004 AS OF 0530 EST THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 2003

Identifier: 03STATE72951
Wikileaks: View 03STATE72951 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Secretary of State
Created: 2003-03-20 11:12:00
Classification: SECRET
Tags: PREL PINS AEMR MARR CASC IZ
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
O 201112Z MAR 03
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS IMMEDIATE
SPECIAL EMBASSY PROGRAM IMMEDIATE
SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6843
AMEMBASSY KABUL IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM IMMEDIATE 
AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE IMMEDIATE 
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
USCINCSOC MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
USCINCSO MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE
USCINCJFCOM NORFOLK VA IMMEDIATE
USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE
HQ DA WASHDC//DAPE:PRO// IMMEDIATE
HQ DA WASHDC//DAPE-PRR-C// IMMEDIATE
HQ DA WASHDC//DAPE:MO// IMMEDIATE
HQ DA WASHDC//DAMO-AOC-CAT//PCC// IMMEDIATE
DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1898
DIA WASHINGTON DC//TWC// IMMEDIATE
JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3165
JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3:JOD// IMMEDIATE
JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-1//J-3:JOD// IMMEDIATE
SECDEF WASHDC//USD:SOLIC// IMMEDIATE
XMT AMCONSUL AUCKLAND
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
AMCONSUL STRASBOURG
AMCONSUL JOHANNESBURG
AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI
S E C R E T STATE 072951 
 
INFORM CONSULS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2013 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, AEMR, MARR, CASC, IZ 
SUBJECT: TFIZ01 SITUATION REPORT NO. 004 AS OF 0530 EST 
THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 2003 
 
CLASSIFIED BY R ERDMAN, COORDINATOR.  REASONS 1.5 B AND D. 
 
1. (U) SADDAM APPEARANCE ON IRAQI TV:  APPEARING ON STATE 
TV THREE HOURS AFTER THE START OF MILITARY OPERATIONS, 
SADDAM TERMED THE U.S. STRIKES "SHAMEFUL CRIMES AGAINST 
IRAQ AND HUMANITY" AND CALLED FOR RESISTANCE.  IT WAS NOT 
CLEAR IF THE BROADCAST WAS LIVE. (CNN) 
 
2. (C) REPORTS OF IRAQI MISSILES HITTING KUWAIT: EMBASSY 
KUWAIT REPORTS THAT TWO SCUDS WERE LAUNCHED FROM IRAQ AND 
THAT BOTH WERE SUCCESSFULLY DESTROYED BY PATRIOT MISSILES. 
KUWAITI MINISTER OF DEFENSE SEPARATELY STATED THAT TWO 
IRAQI MISSILES LANDED ON THE KUWAIT-IRAQ BORDER.  KUWAIT TV 
REPORTED THEY WERE NOT CARRYING UNCONVENTIONAL WARHEAD.  IT 
IS NOT CLEAR IF THESE WERE SEPARATE INCIDENTS.  (REUTERS, 
TASK FORCE-EMBASSY KUWAIT TELCON) 
 
3. (C) OPEC WILL MAKE UP ANY OIL SHORTAGE: OPEC PLEDGED TO 
MAKE UP ANY OIL SHORTAGE, USING SPARE OUTPUT CAPACITY TO 
ENSURE SUPPLY CONTINUITY.  INDONESIA'S ENERGY MINISTER SAID 
OPEC WAS READY TO ADD 5-6 MILLION BARRELS PER DAY TO THE 
MARKET IF NEEDED.  MEANWHILE, SOME OIL SHIPPING COMPANIES 
ARE BECOMING RELUCTANT TO ENTER THE GULF.  (REUTERS, TASK 
FORCE-EMBASSY KUWAIT TELCON). 
 
4. (S) GOK APPROVAL OF ENTRY OF FORCES TO KUWAIT: THE GOK 
AUTHORIZED NEW COALITION FORCES TO ENTER KUWAIT WITHOUT A 
SIGNED STATUS OF FORCES AGREEMENT, PROVIDED THEY ARE UNDER 
U.S. COMMAND AND SOFA NEGOTIATIONS ARE ONGOING.  (KUWAIT 
1004) 
 
5. (U) IRAN CLOSES BORDER WITH IRAQ: IRAN CLOSED ITS 
BORDERS WITH IRAQ SHORTLY AFTER THE US STRIKE BEGAN, 
ACCORDING TO IRAN'S DEPUTY INTERIOR MINISTER.  THE OFFICIAL 
STATED THAT ANY IRANIAN ASSISTANCE TO REFUGEES WOULD BE 
CARRIED OUT ON IRAQI SOIL. (IRNA) 
 
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. 
 
 
POWELL 

Latest source of this page is cablebrowser-2, released 2011-10-04