Iraq Notebook
Rationales for war were valid, Powell says

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At a State Department news conference, Powell disagreed with a private think tank report that maintained Iraq had not been an imminent threat to the United States. And the secretary defended the case he made in February before the United Nations for a U.S.-led war to force Saddam from power.

"My presentation made it clear that we had seen some links and connections to terrorist organizations over time," Powell said. "I have not seen smoking-gun, concrete evidence about the connection, but I think the possibility of such connections did exist and it was prudent to consider them at the time that we did."

Three experts at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said in a report yesterday that the Bush administration systematically misrepresented a weapons threat from Iraq, and U.S. strategy should be revised to eliminate the policy of unilateral pre-emptive war.

"It is unlikely that Iraq could have destroyed, hidden or sent out of the country the hundreds of tons of chemical and biological weapons, dozens of Scud missiles and facilities engaged in the ongoing production of chemical and biological weapons that officials claimed were present without the United States detecting some sign of this activity," said the report by Jessica T. Mathews, Joseph Cirincione and George Perkovich.

Powell noted that Saddam obviously had, and used, destructive weapons in the late 1980s, then refused for a decade to assure the world he'd gotten rid of them.

"In terms of intention, he always had it," Powell said. Of Carnegie's finding that Iraq posed no imminent threat, Powell said: "They did not say it wasn't there."

Three hundred GIs launch raid for insurgents in Tikrit

TIKRIT, Iraq — U.S. soldiers late yesterday began one of the biggest raids since the American-led war was launched, arresting 13 Iraqis wanted for bombing or shooting at coalition forces in Saddam Hussein's hometown.

More than 300 soldiers launched a series of raids on 20 houses and three shops across half of this city shortly before midnight yesterday, seeking 18 men and teenagers suspected of attacking U.S. soldiers.

Thirteen Iraqis were taken into custody early today for interrogation.

State legislator returns after a year of Iraq duty

KITTANNING, Pa. — State Sen. John Pippy was elected nearly a year ago but has never cast a Senate vote. But now the Army reservist, who was called to active duty during the election campaign, is back from Iraq.

Pippy, who commands the Army's 322nd Engineer Company, arrived home Wednesday and hopes to be in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's capital, by Jan. 20 after spending a little time with his family.

Legislators in several states were called up by the Reserve last year, forcing many to miss legislative votes. But Pippy's case was unusual because he was activated during a political campaign.

Pippy, who had been in the state House of Representatives, was running for a state Senate seat in a special election when he was called to active duty in February. The seat had been left vacant when fellow Republican Tim Murphy was elected to Congress.

After he was called up, the Army had ruled Pippy could not remain on the ballot, under long-standing regulations aimed at barring soldiers from getting involved in politics.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz issued a waiver to let Pippy stay on the ballot, though he was still prohibited from taking part in the campaign.

Also ...

Jordan said yesterday it would start training dozens of junior Iraqi diplomats soon as the United States prepares to hand over power in Baghdad. ... Iraq will host an international trade fair in Baghdad in March, hoping to attract hundreds of businesses from around the world to draw investment despite a precarious security situation. The Iraqi-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry (I-ACCI) said yesterday it hoped to attract about 250 stands to Destination Baghdad Expo on March 1-4. ... Japanese troops heading for Iraq in coming weeks will be equipped with everything required by a modern army: portable anti-tank rocket launchers, recoilless machine guns, flak jackets and ... hundreds of soccer balls. The balls, emblazoned with Japan's rising sun symbol, are part of a strategy of winning friends in Samawa, where Japan's 600 or so troops will be based.

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