February 2005 - Iraq Special Weapons News

02 February 2005 - Iraq Special Weapons News

OIF/OEF Casualty Update 02 Feb 2005 [PDF]
DoD Identifies Department of the Army Civilian Casualty
MARINE KILLED IN AL ANBAR PROVINCE
Marines near Najaf ready for return home MNF-I/MNC-I 02 Feb 2005 -- Two days after Iraq's national elections, and with just a few weeks left until they return to the United States, Marines here say they are confident they are leaving the holy city of Najaf in better shape than when they arrived in July.
Multi-National Forces detain four and confiscate weapons MNF-I/MNC-I 02 Feb 2005 -- Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained four individuals in northern Iraq Feb 1.
TF Danger Soldiers find significant weapons cache MNF-I/MNC-I 02 Feb 2005 -- Task Force Danger Soldiers discovered a large weapons cache and detained one Iraqi near Tikrit on Feb. 1.

Secretary of Defense Message to the Armed Forces on the Iraqi Elections AFPS 02 Jan 2005
Secretary Praises 'Breathtaking' Courage of Iraqi People AFPS 02 Feb 2005 -- The Iraqi people showed "breathtaking" individual and collective courage by participating in the country's Jan. 30 election, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here Feb. 1.
President Announces New Focus in Post-Election Iraq AFPS 02 Feb 2005 -- U.S. troops in Iraq will step up their efforts in training Iraqis to provide for their own country's security, President Bush announced here tonight in his State of the Union message.

UN/ANNAN/OIL-FOR-FOOD VOA 02 Feb 2005 -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan says he expects harsh judgments from the Volcker Commission investigating the Iraq oil-for-food program. The commission's initial report will be released later today (Thursday)
Top UN envoy meets with Iraqi Prime Minister to discuss post-election landscape UN News Centre 02 Jan 2005 -- The top United Nations envoy in Iraq met with interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi today to discuss the role the world body will play in supporting the political process following Sunday's polls to elect a national assembly that will write a new democratic constitution for a country that has suffered decades of dictatorship.
Iraq: Ambassador Urges Phaseout Of UN Weapons Mission RFE/RL 02 Feb 2005 -- Iraq's UN ambassador has called for the termination of the UN weapons inspectorate for Iraq and other UN mechanisms tied to the rule of Saddam Hussein. Samir al-Sumaydi'i says Iraq, as it moves to solidify its sovereignty, should have the choice of observing the same weapons conventions as other countries. The decision is up to the UN Security Council, where some members support continuing the UN inspection role in Iraq. A spokesman for the inspection mission indicates there is still unfinished business in Iraq.

IRAQ / SUNNI CLERICS VOA 02 Feb 2005 -- As the vote count from Sunday's historic elections proceeds in Iraq, the highest religious authority for Sunni Arabs in the country has declared that a government emerging from the balloting will lack legitimacy because many Sunnis boycotted the polls. Meanwhile, Iraqi electoral officials are investigating complaints that some Iraqis were prevented from voting on Sunday.
Iraqi President Calls For Reconciliation RFE/RL 02 Feb 2005 -- Iraqi President Ghazi Ajil al-Yawir has urged Sunni Muslims who largely boycotted the 30 January historic vote to return into the political process.
Iraq: Officials On Both Sides Say It's Too Early to Plan Exit Strategy For U.S. Forces RFE/RL 02 Feb 2005 -- Iraqi interim President Ghazi al-Yawar says the departure of U.S.-led multinational forces from Iraq is not likely by the end of this year. But he says a reduction of foreign troop numbers could start by then. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also says that, despite the turnout of millions of voters in 30 January elections, it is still too early to speak about an exit strategy for the more than 170,000 foreign troops in Iraq. Analysts tend to agree.
Iraqi air force receives helicopter MNF-I/MNC-I 02 Feb 2005 -- Iraqi air force officials welcomed the arrival of two UH-1H Huey helicopters Feb. 1 to Taji Air Base.

OIC/IRAQ/ELECTION VOA 02 Feb 2005 -- The head of the world's largest organization of Islamic countries says Sunday's election in Iraq was "not complete," because it did not fully involve that nation's Sunni-Muslim minority. But he had positive words for the election in general.