Dubai: Iraq's post-war administrator, retired American General Jay Garner, arrived
in Baghdad on April 21 amidst reports that US was planning to establish four long-
term military bases in that country as part of redeployment of forces which could
transform its capability to wield power in the Middle East.
Garner's arrival coincided with reports that two more top aides of Saddam Hussein,
including his son-in-law, have been captured while a key Iraqi Opposition leader
Ahmad Chalabi claimed that the ousted Iraqi dictator was alive and in Iraq while his
son Qusay has been seen in Baghdad.
Soon after landing at Baghdad's airport on his first visit to the Iraqi capital, 64-
year-old Garner said that his priority was to restore basic services like water and
electricity in Baghdad where residents have become increasingly restless because of
disruption of the services after the invasion.
He refused to fix a deadline for restoration of these services. "I wouldn't put 90
days as a mark on the wall. We will be here as long as it takes. We will leave
fairly rapidly."
With situation returning to normal in Baghdad after days of looting, Marines have
withdrawn and left the US Army in control of the capital where a curfew between
23:00 to 06:00 hours has been imposed.
According to 'Daily Telegraph', the US was planning to set up four long-term
military bases in Iraq and has identified Baghdad International Airport, Tallil in
Southern Iraq, the H-1 airstrip in the West and Bashur airfield in Kurdistan as
potential bases.
PTI
