March 2005 - Iraq Special Weapons News

03 March 2005 - Iraq Special Weapons News

OIF/OEF Casualty Update 03 Mar 2005 [PDF]
TWO TASK FORCE BAGHDAD SOLDIERS DIE
Transcript: DoD News Briefing 03 Mar 2005 -- Lawrence Di Rita, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs
Iraqi, U.S., Scotch Troops Nab Terror Suspects, Weapons AFPS 03 Mar 2005 -- American and Iraqi troops, as well as a detachment of Scottish Guards, nabbed scores of suspected terrorists and weaponry during a series of actions across Iraq March 2 and today, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported.
Police Killed In Baghdad Car Bombings RFE/RL 03 Mar 2005 -- Two car bombs exploded near Iraq's Interior Ministry in Baghdad today, killing at least five policemen.
Major arms cache uncovered by Scots guards in Basra MNF-I/MNC-I 03 Mar 2005 -- A search team from 1st Battalion Scots Guards, has uncovered a significant arms dump hidden in a house in North Basra.
U.S. forces seize several weapons caches MNF-I/MNC-I 03 Mar 2005 -- .S. Marines and soldiers from the 1st Marine Division of the I Marine Expeditionary Force detained 26 insurgents and seized several weapons caches during operations throughout Al Anbar province during the last 24 hours.
Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces detain six MNF-I/MNC-I 03 Mar 2005 -- Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces detained six individuals suspected of terrorist activity in northern Iraq March 2 and 3.

Essex ARG Picks Up 31st MEU for Journey Home Navy NewsStand 03 Mar 2005 -- Ships from USS Essex (LHD 2) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), Essex, USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) and USS Juneau (LPD 10), began the backload of 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) personnel following their five months of combat operations in Iraq, Feb. 27.
181st Support Battalion transfers authority MNF-I/MNC-I 03 Mar 2005 -- 181st Support Battalion, 81st Brigade Combat Team conducted a Transfer of Authority with 29th Support Battalion, 29th Brigade Combat Team on March 2 at Logistics Support Area Anaconda, Balad, Iraq.
81st Brigade Combat Team transfers authority MNF-I/MNC-I 03 Mar 2005 -- The 81st Brigade Combat Team relinquished command of their operations to the 29th Brigade Combat Team on March 3 at Logistics Support Area Anaconda, Balad, Iraq.

FACT SHEET Army News Release 03 Mar 2005 -- The Army is continuing its effort to keep the public informed by releasing 1,199 pages of criminal investigations pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act litigation with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
ARMY UPDATES DETAINEE OPERATIONS DOCUMENTS Army News Release 03 Mar 2005 -- The Army is continuing its effort to keep the public informed by releasing 1,199 pages of criminal investigations pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act litigation with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
US / IRAQI FORCES VOA 03 Mar 2005 -- A U.S. Defense Department spokesman says coalition forces have had significant success fighting the continuing insurgency in Iraq, in part due to increased activity by the country's new armed forces.
US / IRAQ ATTACKS VOA 03 Mar 2005 -- The general who commands all U.S. military operations in the Middle East says the new Iraqi army is responsible for protecting its own facilities, such as police stations and recruiting centers that have frequently been hit by insurgent bombs. An attack on Monday killed 125 people, most of them Iraqi police recruits, the largest single death toll since the fall of Saddam Hussein. The U.S. general says his forces are trying to help with advice and training, but the primary responsibility to protect Iraq's fledgling security forces falls on those forces themselves.

UN: Iraqi, Afghan Ministers Seek Support In Political Struggle Ahead RFE/RL 03 Mar 2005 -- At the last major UN conference reviewing the Beijing action plan on women's rights in 2000, Afghanistan and Iraq were counted among the tragic cases of repressed states. Now, as fledgling democracies, both states have sent large delegations of female officials to the UN conference to gain insight into raising women's status and welfare. Women's affairs ministers from Iraq and Afghanistan told delegates these are times of opportunity for correcting the abuses of the recent past. But they also anticipate struggles ahead.
UN envoy in Iraq continues efforts of forge political participation of all elements UN News Centre 03 Mar 2005 -- Continuing his efforts to ensure that all elements of Iraqi society take part in plotting a new democratic course for the war-torn country after Sunni Arabs largely stayed away from January's elections, particularly in writing a new constitution, the top United Nations envoy there is well into his second month of intensive talks.

Iraq Humanitarian and Reconstruction Assistance Updates USAID 03 Mar 2005 [PDF]
Analysis: Iraqi Groups Discuss Transitional Government RFE/RL 03 Mar 2005 -- Iraqi political groups have held numerous meetings in recent days as they work to negotiate the shape of the transitional administration. There is no word on when the transitional National Assembly -- responsible for naming a presidency council that will in turn appoint a prime minister -- will hold its first session.

POST-ELECTION IRAQ: 'A FRAGILE AND INCIPIENT' DEMOCRACY US Dept. of State IIP, Foreign Media Reaction 03 Mar 2005