Iraq: May 15, 2003

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The US is moving 4,000 military police to Iraq, for use in maintaining order in Baghdad. This city, and Tikrit to the north, are still full of armed Baath party Sunni Moslems. The Sunni Moslems comprise 20 percent of the population and have dominated the Shia Moslems (58 percent), Turks, Christians, etc (4 percent)  and Kurds (18 percent) for centuries. The Sunnis are not going to give up power easily. 

An international force of 1500 troops, from 1,500 soldiers, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Spain, are being sent to southern Iraq. Italy will send 3,000 troops.