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Operations
Deployments
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Reconstruction Issues
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Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 23 Nov 2005 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty

• Iraqi government takes control of base in Tikrit Army News 23 Nov 2005 -- The Iraqi government took control of Saddam Hussein's palace complex in Tikrit from U.S. coalition forces during a ceremony Nov. 22 which continued despite a dud round fired by terrorists.
• CENTAF releases airpower summary AFPN 23 Nov 2005 -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.
• Detainees released following CRRB review MNF-I 23 Nov 2005 -- Eighty-four detainees will be released from the Theater Internment Facilities Nov. 23 after having their cases reviewed by the Combined Review and Release Board.
• Operation Lion begins in southern Ramadi MNF-I 23 Nov 2005 -- Approximately 200 Iraqi Army Soldiers and 250 Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (2-BCT) attached to the 2nd Marine Division, kicked off Operation Asad (Lions) Nov. 22, in the Tammim area of southern ar Ramadi.
• Iraqi government takes control of coalition base in Tikrit MNF-I 23 Nov 2005 -- The Iraqi government took control of Saddam Hussein's palace complex from U.S. Coalition Forces in a historic ceremony Nov. 22 in Tikrit.
• IED attack leads to capture of nine terrorists MNF-I 23 Nov 2005 -- Nine terrorists were captured after an IED attack against a 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division patrol Tuesday afternoon near Balad.
• Air assault mission takes down terrorist stronghold MNF-I 23 Nov 2005 -- A joint Iraqi and U.S. mission against a terrorist hideout near Bayji uncovered a large amount of money and weapons.
• U.S., Iraqi Forces Launch Offensive In Al-Ramadi RFE/RL 23 Nov 2005 -- The U.S. military says American and Iraqi soldiers have begun a fresh military operation south of the Iraqi city of Al-Ramadi, west of Baghdad, in another effort to uproot the insurgency.
• Iraqi Soldiers Capture Insurgents, Disarm Roadside Bombs AFPS 23 Nov 2005 -- Iraqi army troops from the 3rd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, captured three insurgents Nov. 22 in Baghdad, military officials reported.
• Persistent Presence Creates Secure Environment, Spokesman Says AFPS 23 Nov 2005 -- Operations that have been ongoing in the Iraq's Anbar province since September have had a significant impact nationwide and have limited the ability of terrorists to conduct suicide attacks, a U.S. military spokesman said today in Baghdad.
• Mobile Security Det 31 Works with Iraqi Marines on Oil Terminals Navy NewsStand 23 Nov 2005 -- Mobile Security Detachment (MSD) 31 relieved the Norfolk, Va.,-based MSD 25 on the Al Basra (ABOT) and Khwar Al Amaya (KAAOT) oil terminals in the Persian Gulf in early November, continuing the U.S. and coalition commitment to ensuring security and stability in the region by working with Iraqi marines on the oil terminals.
• Royal Navy Commodore Assumes Command of Task Force 58 Navy NewsStand 23 Nov 2005 -- Royal Navy Commodore Bruce Williams assumed command of Combined Task Force 58, the multinational coalition forces responsible for conducting maritime security operations (MSO) in the Persian Gulf, Nov. 18.
• U.S. raid yields three terror suspects in Risalah MNF-I 23 Nov 2005 -- Task Force Baghdad Soldiers detained three suspected terrorists during an early-morning raid in southern Baghdad Nov. 22.

Deployments

US Policy

• Iraq Debate Normal in Democracy, Giambastiani Says AFPS 23 Nov 2005 -- The debate on troops in Iraq is healthy and part and parcel of being a democracy, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here Nov. 22.
• Pentagon Official Comments on Iraq Troop Levels AFPS 23 Nov 2005 -- Recent news reports that say major U.S. troop reductions in Iraq may occur next year are speculative in nature, a senior Defense Department official said today.
• Rice Sees Iraqi Security Forces Gaining Functional Capabilities Washington File 23 Nov 2005 -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she does not expect Iraq will need coalition forces to maintain their current troop levels for very much longer because the functional capabilities of the Iraqi security forces are increasing.
• US Continues Debate Over Iraq Troop Withdrawal VOA 23 Nov 2005 -- Calls for some kind of timetable for a U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq have set off new debate both in the United States and Iraq
• Review of Contracting Process in Iraq Yields Problems VOA 23 Nov 2005 -- The U.S. District Court in Washington last week issued arrest warrants for two Americans in the first criminal corruption case related to reconstruction in Iraq.

United Nations

Reconstruction Issues

• Iraq: Members Of Patriots Grouping Discuss Party Platform RFE/RL 23 Nov 2005 -- /RL's Radio Free Iraq (RFI) spoke with two regional representatives of the Patriots (Wataniyun) Grouping, Rasim al-Miqdadi and Ban al-Bayati, in Ba'qubah on 17 November about the grouping's view on the parliamentary election.
• Iraq: Kirkuk Official On Election Prospects RFE/RL 23 Nov 2005 -- RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq (RFI) interviewed Kirkuk Deputy Governor for Resettlement and Compensation Hasib Rozhbayani in Kirkuk on 11 November to ask him about his expectations for December's National Assembly elections.
• Iraq: SCIRI Official On Parliamentary Elections RFE/RL 23 Nov 2005 -- RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq (RFI) interviewed Adnan Ibrahim, a member of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq's political bureau, in Karbala on 16 November 2005.
• Iraq: SCIRI Authority On The United Iraqi Alliance And The Elections RFE/RL 23 Nov 2005 -- RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq interviewed Raysan al-Rikabi, head of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq's office in the Dhi Qar Governorate, on 30 October in Al-Nasiriyah about the Shi'ite-led United Iraqi Alliance's position ahead of December's parliamentary elections.
• Iraq: Election Official On Expat Voting Set Up RFE/RL 23 Nov 2005 -- RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq (RFI) interviewed Umar Hasan Allawi, spokesman for the Iraqi Independent Electoral Commission in Damascus, on 16 November about preparations for expatriate voting in the 15 December elections.
• Iraq: Democratic Patriotic Party Official On Arab League Meeting RFE/RL 23 Nov 2005 -- RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq (RFI) broadcast an exclusive interview with Democratic Patriotic Party Secretary-General Nasir al-Chadirchi in Baghdad on 11 November
• Iraq: Kurdistan Coalition Member On The Political Landscape RFE/RL 23 Nov 2005 -- Firyad Rawanduzi, a National Assembly member for the Kurdistan Coalition List, spoke to RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq (RFI) on 7 November in Al-Sulaymaniyah.
• Iraq: Iraqi Front For National Dialogue Official Discusses Party Platform RFE/RL 23 Nov 2005 -- Mish'an al-Sa'id, Diyala governorate regional representative of the Iraqi Front for National Dialogue, was interviewed by RFI correspondent Salim Husayn in Ba'qubah on 7 November.
• Iraq: Politicians On Corrupt Government Officials And Elections RFE/RL 23 Nov 2005 -- RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq (RFI) held interviews with Radi Hamza al-Radi, the head of the Commission on Public Integrity, and parliamentarian Zakiya Isma'il Haqqi on 17 November in Baghdad to ask why current and former officials under investigation for crimes related to their positions in government are being allowed to run in the 15 December parliamentary elections.

Foreign Reactions

• Iraqi PM Criticizes Call for US, British Troop Withdrawal VOA 23 Nov 2005 -- Iraq's Shi'ite prime minister lashed out Wednesday against Sunni Arab assertions that the country's Sunni-led insurgency is legitimate because it is only aimed at ridding the country of foreign occupiers.

• Amid US Troop Debate, Iraq's Neighbors Fear Wave of Terrorism VOA 23 Nov 2005 -- Amid unrelenting violence in Iraq, debate over the future withdrawal of American forces from the country is increasing - among Iraqi political factions as well as in the United States
• Ahmadinejad: No differences between Iran, Iraq IRNA 23 Nov 2005 -- President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad here Wednesday stressed that there were no differences between the governments of Iran and Iraq.
• Merkel rules out German participation in NATO training inside Iraq IRNA 23 Nov 2005 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel stressed Wednesday that her country will not support NATO's training mission of Iraqi security personnel inside Iraq.

News Reports

• Activists Want Release of Memo with Alleged Al-Jazeera Threat VOA 23 Nov 2005 -- A journalist rights group has called for the release of a British memo in which President Bush allegedly suggests bombing the headquarters of Al-Jazeera television.

• Iraqi Authorities: Gunmen Kill Sunni Tribal Chief, 4 Others VOA 23 Nov 2005 -- Authorities in Iraq say unidentified gunmen have killed a Sunni Arab tribal chief, three of his sons and a close relative.

• Commentary: 'These Are Our Hands Stretched Out For You' RFE/RL 23 Nov 2005 -- By Ala al-Baghdadi, deputy chief editor of the weekly "Al-Hawzah" and issued by the Late Imam al-Sadr Bureau.
• Commentary: 'Iraqi Political Forces as Viewed by Voters' RFE/RL 23 Nov 2005 -- By Zafir Shukr. Published in the Iraqi National Congress's (INC) daily "Al-Mu'tamar" on 8 November 2005.
• Commentary: 'Withdrawal Of The National Democratic Party From The Iraqi National Bloc: Reasons, Motives' RFE/RL 23 Nov 2005 -- Published in the National Democratic Party's weekly "Sawt al-Ahali" on 2 November.
• Commentary: 'A Fraternal And Candid Stand With The Al-Sadri Current' RFE/RL 23 Nov 2005 -- By Abd al-Hadi Ahmad. Published in Baghdad's "Ishraqat al-Sadr" on 2 November 2005.

• RFE/RL Iraq Report, Volume 8, Number 39 23 November 2005 -- NOTE TO READERS / IRAQI RECONCILIATION CONFERENCE ENDS WITH PLEDGE TO MOVE FORWARD / MAJOR PARTIES AND CONTENDERS FOR DECEMBER PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS