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M2 PRESSWIRE-14 August 2003-US DOD: News transcript. Page 1 of 2.(C)1994-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

RDATE:08132003

DoD News Briefing. Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Lawrence Di Rita. Participating was Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Lawrence Di Rita and Director for Operations, the Joint Staff, Air Force Lt. Gen. Norton A. Schwartz.

Di Rita: Good afternoon. I don't have anything as an opening statement. I would just like to join those who have already offered their condolences with respect to some U.S./coalition military forces who have been killed and wounded in Iraq over the past several days. It's a situation where the security circumstances are uneven; we know that. But in certain areas of Iraq, it remains quite dangerous for our forces.

They're doing very good work across a broad front. But of course we mourn the loss of those who have given their lives for this cause.

I don't have a prepared statement, and I'd just like to ask General Schwartz, who's been kind enough, again, to offer some insights into some other military activities in Iraq and elsewhere, to come down today and maybe take some of your questions. And with that, I'll ask General Schwartz to take over.

Schwartz: Thank you, Mr. DiRita.

I too would like to add my condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones.

While we are making great strides in Iraq, we will continue to see our enemies attempt to disrupt the coalition support that we are providing to the American people. We remain steadfast in our commitment to the freedom of the American -- of the Iraqi people.

Operations throughout Iraq continue to focus on capture of hostile forces, providing a secure environment for the Iraqi people, and providing essential services necessary for their quality of life.

And in Liberia, Joint Task Force Liberia planners are meeting with the Nigerian force commander and have met today to work out details on how to facilitate the ECOMIL (Economic Community military) force movement to certain key locations in Monrovia. Joint Task Force Liberia is in place to assist ECOMIL forces to achieve a stable environment, so that humanitarian assistance can be provided to the people of Liberia, and also to facilitate the transition to a U.N.-led international peacekeeping operation.

With that, ladies and gentlemen, I'll be happy to take your questions.

Di Rita: Sir?

Q: Larry, have you got anything firm on the Marine -- small Marine teams that will be sent in, in the coming days -- engineers, communicators, perhaps medical people? Can you give us anything firm?

Schwartz: We have a liaison element currently on the ground at the airport with the ECOMIL command echelon.

Q: That's the previous one?

Schwartz: That's the previous one that you were aware of. And that we anticipate that the LURD (Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy) forces will withdraw from the port area in Bushrod Island, based on negotiations between the ECOMIL force commander and the LURD leadership. And on that basis, if the ECOMIL force commander elects to move some...