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| Iraq | |
| US-controlled Iraq opens new rail link with Syria despite sanction campaign | |
| 2003-11-13 | |
The railway linking the Syrian town of Aleppo to Mosul in northern Iraq is scheduled to re-open on November 21, 2003. The plan was approved despite the United States’ presence in the region and Tuesday’s endorsement of the Syria Accountability Act. The train will depart Aleppo Thursday nights and will make five stops during the 11-hour journey to Mosul, reported SANA. The 745-kilometer railway was first restored in 2000 after a decade-long interruption following Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The railway was opened to facilitate the growth of bilateral trade, as well as the use of Syrian and Lebanese ports to import goods from Europe. Despite tense relations between the US and Syria, the CPA applauded the July resumption of railway services between northern Iraq and the state labeled by the US as a supporter of terrorism. Operations were renewed under the administration of the US Army, the official supervisors of Iraq’s northern region.
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| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #8 The American Press is doing a damned lousy job of keeping the American people informed. It seems that rail links to Syria are open, pipelines are pumping oil to Turkey, and the refineries are finally operating in Basra. What other good news are they sitting on and not talking about? Why haven't we heard anything about Umm Qasr? That was the first major area captured: certainly the port there should be open by now. Is it? I haven't heard. There was also a rail line from Umm Qasr to Basra that was supposed to be running, but since the original blurb (while there were still embedded reporters, IIRC), nothing. Zayed gives us glimpses of what's going on in part of Baghdad, but what else is happening? We heard that commercial flights had been started to Basra - are they continuing? The entire US news "industry" has no problem manufacturing anti-American pieces, but where are the accurate, timely, and important discussions of what's actually happening in the country itself? I'm sure it's not just this old intel puke that wants to know, but a large number of Americans and Iraqis that are tired of being in the dark. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-11-13 11:54:46 PM |
| #7 Commerce is important. I would get the Syrian merchants dependent on this trade line. The idea is to export free trade and democracy to the neighborhood. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-11-13 8:51:19 PM |
| #6 Time to break out the Centenials and show the locals a real choo-choo. Besides they can afford the fuel. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2003-11-13 7:49:29 PM |
| #5 Wanna bet on heavy-duty searches just inside the Iraqi border? |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-11-13 4:36:06 PM |
| #4 economic reconstruction in Iraq takes priority over sanctioning Syria. If anyones worried about folks sneaking across the border in rail cars, can I suggest the CPA hire some ex-Southern Pacific or ex-Santa Fe railroad police? |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-11-13 3:20:19 PM |
| #3 Genus: Hobos Fundos |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2003-11-13 1:55:40 PM |
| #2 Rail lines are useful for shipping supplies to an advancing army. Just thought I'd point that out. |
| Posted by: Mike 2003-11-13 1:54:51 PM |
| #1 Jihad Express. One-way tickets, our specialty. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-11-13 1:50:35 PM |