February 2005 - Iraq Special Weapons News

22 February 2005 - Iraq Special Weapons News

OIF/OEF Casualty Update 22 Feb 2005 [PDF]
ONE TASK FORCE FREEDOM SOLDIER KILLED
MARINE KILLED IN AL ANBAR PROVINCE
SOLDIER DIED IN VEHICULAR ACCIDENT
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
Marine Killed in Action; Forces Thwart IED Attack AFPS 22 Feb 2005 -- A U.S. Marine assigned to 1st Marine Expeditionary Force was killed in action while conducting security and stability operations in Iraq's Anbar province on Feb. 21, officials reported today.
VMA-311 Tomcats reach three-month mark with more than 3,000 combat flight hours USMC News 22 Feb 2005 -- Marine Attack Squadron 311 reached its three-month mark Feb. 13 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II.

TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER THE HON JOHN HOWARD MP Prime Minister of Australia 12 Jul 2005 -- Subject: deployment of Australian Task Force to Iraq; Cabinet meeting.
AUSTRALIA IRAQ TROOPS VOA 22 Feb 2005 -- Australia will send 450 extra troops to Iraq, increasing its military contingent in the Persian Gulf by 50 percent. Prime Minister John Howard made the surprise announcement, saying Iraq is now at a "tilting point" following recent elections and that more military forces were needed to help rebuild the country.
3/2 deploys to western Iraq USMC News 22 Feb 2005 -- The Marines of 3rd Battalion, 2d Marine Regiment left for western Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom Feb. 21.

PENTAGON / IRAQ VOA 22 Feb 2005 -- The U.S. Defense Department has denied a report that senior U.S. military officers in Iraq have been negotiating with some insurgency leaders about laying down their arms.
Transctipt: Transcript of Detainee Operations Update Army News Release 24 Feb 2005

Top UN envoy repeats need for all sectors to take part in shaping Iraq's future UN News Centre 22 Feb 2005 -- The top United Nations envoy to Iraq continued consultations with Iraqi leaders across the political spectrum today, pledging the world body's support for broad-based national dialogue to advance the country's political process after last month's landmark elections for a constitution-writing national assembly.

IRAQ / WRAP VOA 22 Feb 2005 -- Iraq's majority Shi'ite coalition picked Ibrahim al-Jaafari, a former physician with close ties to Iran, as their candidate for prime minister Tuesday. Mr. al-Jaafari's selection means it is possible that a Shi'ite will lead Iraq's first democratically elected government in 50 years.
Analysis: Allawi, Al-Ja'fari To Vie For Iraqi Premiership RFE/RL 22 Feb 2005 -- Negotiations between members of the Shi'ite United Iraqi Alliance list concluded on 22 February with alliance members agreeing to nominate Islamic Al-Da'wah leader Ibrahim al-Ja'fari as its candidate for the position of prime minister in the transitional government. Iraqi National Congress head Ahmad Chalabi had challenged al-Ja'fari for the nomination, but dropped out earlier in the day. Al-Ja'fari will now face interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi for the post, the latter having announced on 21 February that his party nominated him for the position.
Iraqi Shi'a Coalition Nominates Al-Ja'fari For Premier RFE/RL 22 Feb 2005 -- The Shi'a alliance that won the parliamentary elections in Iraq has nominated Ibrahim al-Ja'fari for prime minister. mes, U.S. policy.

U.S., E.U. Declare Joint Support for Iraqi Government Washington File 22 Feb 2005 -- The United States and the European Union have declared their joint support for the emerging Iraqi government and have stated their willingness to convene an international conference to coordinate support for Iraq, according to a February 22 joint statement.
Iran has no cooperation with US on Iraq: Asefi IRNA 22 Feb 2005 -- Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi here Tuesday denied any cooperation between Iran and the United States on Iraq.
NATO SUMMIT VOA 22 Feb 2005 -- The NATO alliance says that all of its 26 members are committed to help a NATO training program for senior Iraqi officers, a move that is designed to put an end to the divisions that wracked the alliance over the Iraq War. But some NATO leaders are questioning whether the alliance is the right place to discuss trans-Atlantic differences.
All NATO States Involved In Training Iraqi Military RFE/RL 22 Feb 2005 -- NATO's secretary general says all 26 members of the alliance are now working together to help train Iraq's military.

UK security firms remain immune from prosecution under Iraqi law IRNA 22 Feb 2005 -- Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammall has revealed that UK-based private contractors in Iraq remain immune from prosecution under local law.
Profile: Ibrahim al-Ja'fari RFE/RL 22 Feb 2005 -- Many would say that Ibrahim al-Ja'fari is the logical choice to lead Iraq's transitional stage. Long viewed as a man of principle, he has always stood firm in his call for a democratic and pluralistic Iraq and has never shied away from expressing his opinions on the future of Iraq -- even when those opinions challenged the Iraqi opposition, and, at times, U.S. policy.
Iraqi Media Monitoring UNAMI 22 Feb 2005