Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)


10 September 2004 - Iraq Special Weapons News

Operations
Deployments
US Policy
United Nations
Reconstruction Issues
Foreign Reactions
News Reports

Current Operations

Deployments

  • 'Greyhawks' return home after trial by fire USMC News 10 Sep 2004 -- Lt. Col. David W. Coffman, commanding officer of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 161, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and squadron Sgt. Maj. Charles L. Booker, cased their squadron colors and the Stars and Stripes at their headquarters building here Sept. 2.

US Policy

  • Department of Defense Statement on Seymour Hersh Book 10 Sep 2004 -- Based on media inquiries, it appears that Mr. Seymor Hersh's upcoming book apparently contains many of the numerous unsubstantiated allegations and inaccuracies which he has made in the past based upon unnamed sources.
  • RUMSFELD/IRAQ VOA 10 Sep 2004 -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has delivered a strong warning to insurgents in Iraq, putting them on notice that areas of the country under their control will be retaken by force if necessary. In a speech to coincide with the third anniversary of the September 11th attacks, he again voiced strong resolve to stay the course in Iraq, while acknowledging he has no idea how long American troops will have to remain there.

United Nations

Reconstruction Issues

  • IRAQ/PIPELINE SECURITY VOA 10 Sep 2004 -- Continuing attacks on oil-production facilities and pipelines in Iraq remain a threat to that nation's reconstruction effort. Since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled the government of Saddam Hussein over a year ago, there have been more than 150 attacks on Iraq's pipelines alone. Security analysts see protection of the oil infrastructure as a key part of rebuilding the country.
  • Iraq: Many Officials Optimistic About Success Of Census RFE/RL 10 Sep 2004 -- The Iraqi interim government is preparing for a census due to start on 12 October. The census is an important move ahead of next year's general elections. In January, Iraqis will elect a National Assembly charged with drafting a new constitution. They will also elect local administrations for the country's 18 provinces, and in northern Iraq voters will cast ballots for Kurdistan's regional assembly. With so many elections in the near future, the census will be a crucial indicator of how many Iraqis will have the right to vote. But the population count presents a major challenge for the fledgling Iraqi government. Violence continues to rock many parts of the country; militias control a number of towns; security is poor virtually everywhere. Some observers are skeptical the census will succeed. But the government has expressed optimism the count will go off as planned.

Foreign Reactions

  • ITALY/IRAQ VOA 10 Sep 2004 -- Iraq's interim president held talks with the Italian prime minister in Rome Friday, as Italy is working on several fronts to try to secure the release of two Italian aid workers taken hostage in Baghdad. Demonstrations to call for their release are being held all over Italy.
  • Australia Rejects Terrorist Demands On Iraq RFE/RL 10 Sep 2004 -- Prime Minister John Howard says Australia will not be cowed into pulling its troops out of Iraq in the wake of the terrorist bombing that targeted the Australian Embassy in Indonesia.

News Reports

  • U.S.: Military Families Grieve The Fallen As Casualty Toll Tops 1,000 In Iraq War RFE/RL 10 Sep 2004 -- As U.S. military casualties in Iraq passed the 1,000 mark this week, some families of soldiers are speaking out against a war they believe is not worth dying for. Yet it remains unclear whether the grim milestone or the family protests will have an impact on U.S. public opinion ahead of November's presidential election.
  • Iraqi President's Rome Visit Overshadowed By Kidnapping RFE/RL 10 Sep 2004 -- Iraq's interim President Ghazi Ajil al-Yawir arrived in Rome today for talks with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as Rome is trying to secure the release of two Italian female aid workers being held in Iraq.
  • RFE/RL Iraq Report, Volume 7, Number 33 10 Sep 2004 -- SHI'ITE SEMINARY CONDEMNS AL-SADR'S MAKESHIFT COURT / MILITANTS KIDNAP TWO ITALIAN AID WORKERS IN IRAQ / MILITANT GROUP DEMANDS $5 MILLION RANSOM FOR FRENCH HOSTAGES / HEAD OF IRAQI WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL DISMISSED / CHALABI ACCUSES U.S. OF PLANNING HIS POLITICAL ASSASSINATION / SCIRI, AL-DA'WAH IN TALKS FOR POLITICAL ALLIANCE / U.S., IRAQI OFFICIALS SAY FORMER VICE PRESIDENT NOT CAPTURED / BAGHDAD GOVERNOR ESCAPES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT / VIOLENT CLASHES ERUPT BETWEEN MILITIAMEN AND U.S. FORCES IN BAGHDAD / INTERIM GOVERNMENT EXTENDS BAN ON AL-JAZEERA / IRAQI FORCES DETAIN 500 SUSPECTS IN AL-LATIFIYAH RAID / MILITANT GROUP THREATENS JORDAN AND TURKEY / PUK HEAD OFFERS PROTECTION FOR TURKISH TRUCK DRIVERS / KUWAITI GOVERNMENT DONATES $60 MILLION TO REBUILD AL-NAJAF / AL-YAWIR SAYS JOINING GCC NOT ON IRAQ'S AGENDA / AL-SADR'S IRANIAN CONNECTION COMES UNDER QUESTION / FOREIGN MINISTER CALLS FOR UN'S RETURN TO IRAQ / RUSSIA REITERATES CALL FOR INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON IRAQ / ARMENIAN TROOPS JOIN POLISH CONTINGENT IN IRAQ / JAPAN OFFERS $5.55 MILLION IN GRANTS TO AL-MUTHANNA PROVINCE




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