Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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

Current Operations

• Bremer Says Iraqi Resistance Not Centrally Directed Washington File 12 June 2003 -- While there continues to be some organized resistance to the presence of U.S. military forces in Iraq, Ambassador Paul Bremer says there is no evidence at the moment of any centralized command and control.
• Two U.S. aircraft down in Iraq Army News Service 12 Jun 2003-- Two U.S. aircraft were downed this morning during a coalition raid of a terrorist training camp in western Iraq.
• PRISONER DIES AFTER ESCAPE ATTEMPT CENTCOM 12 Jun 2003 -- Two prisoners being held by Coalition Forces at the Baghdad International Airport holding area tried to escape early today.
• U.S. F-16 Jet Crashes, Army Helicopter Shot Down in Iraq AFPS 12 Jun 2003 -- A U.S. Air Force F-16CG fighter crashed southwest of Baghdad June 12, while on the same day a U.S. Army Apache AH-64 helicopter apparently was shot down by hostile fire in western Iraq, according to a U.S. Central Command release.
• U.S. Says Apache Helicopter Shot Down RFE/L 12 Jun 2003 -- The United States military says an Apache attack helicopter was "apparently shot down by hostile fire" today in western Iraq, but the two-man crew escaped uninjured.
• US Forces in Iraq Take Aim at Saddam Loyalists VOA 12 Jun 2003 -- An American attack helicopter has been shot down in western Iraq, as U.S. troops continue a mission to destroy groups believed to be organizing attacks on American soldiers.
• U.S. Iraq Operation Snags Pro-Saddam Suspects, Weapons, Ammo AFPS 12 Jun 2003 -- Operation Peninsula Strike, a U.S. military effort to eliminate Saddam-regime loyalists remaining in Iraq, has "bagged" nearly 400 suspects, according to U.S. Central Command press releases.
• IRAQ/MILITARY VOA 12 Jun 2003 -- U-S forces have arrested hundreds of Iraqis in a bid to end guerrilla attacks on U-S troops. The military operation is the biggest in Iraq since the war ended.
• U-S / IRAQ VOA 12 Jun 2003 -- In the past two weeks, at least 10 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq, prompting U-S forces to launch a massive operation to search for militants who have been organizing attacks on coalition troops. U-S officials say the attacks are hampering plans to bring security to Iraq and begin the huge task of re-building the country. Middle East analysts in the United States are divided over whether U-S soldiers should withdraw soon from Iraq, or stay there for years, to make sure a democratic government with no ties to terrorism emerges after the war.
• COALITION EFFORTS AID IRAQ'S RECOVERY (June 12, 2003) CENTCOM 12 Jun 2003 -- Coalition Forces continue to assist in developing a safer and more secure environment in Iraq through the following activities.
• Massive US Military Operation Launched in Attempt to Quell Iraqi Guerilla Attacks VOA 12 Jun 2003 -- U.S. forces have arrested hundreds of Iraqis in a bid to end guerrilla attacks on U.S. troops. The military operation is the biggest in Iraq since the war ended.
• US-Led Operation in Iraq Aims For 'Subersive Elements' VOA 12 Jun 2003 -- U.S.-led forces in Iraq are carrying out a massive operation north of Baghdad to destroy what U.S. Central Command calls "subversive elements" in the country.
• F-16 CRASHES OVER IRAQ; PILOT SUCCESSFULLY RESCUED CENTCOM 12 Jun 2003 -- A U.S. Air Force F-16CG fighter aircraft crashed at approximately 6:30 a.m. local time today southwest of Baghdad.
• APACHE DOWN IN IRAQ CENTCOM 12 Jun 2003 -- One AH-64 Apache was apparently shot down by hostile fire today in Western Iraq.
• COALITION AND IRAQI POLICE WORK TO MAKE IRAQ SECURE (June 12, 2003) CENTCOM 12 Jun 2003 -- Coalition Forces continue to aggressively patrol Iraq to eliminate crimes against people and property, rid populated areas of weapons, ammunition and explosives, and stop the black market trade in fuel and other commodities.

Deployments

US Policy

• CONGRESS/IRAQ VOA 12 Jun 2003 -- The head of the coalition provisional authority in Iraq says there has been an increase in organized resistance by elements of the former Baathist regime. Paul Bremer spoke in a televised briefing for members of Congress.
• CIA Taps David Kay to Advise in Search for Iraq WMD Washington File 12 June 2003 -- Former U.N. Special Commission (UNSCOM) chief nuclear weapons inspector David Kay has been appointed as a special advisor for strategy to assist the United States in searching for Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, according to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

United Nations

Reconstruction Issues

• PENTAGON / IRAQ VOA 12 Jun 2003 -- The top U-S civil administrator in Iraq says uncertainty over the fate of Saddam Hussein is making it more difficult to convince Iraqis to cooperate in the rebuilding of the country.
• Coalition Ready to Shift Focus to Economic Growth in Iraq Washington File 12 June 2003 -- U.S. Presidential Envoy and Administrator of the Coalition Provisional Authority to Iraq, Ambassador L. Paul Bremer told reporters June 12 that Coalition efforts over the past 30 days have achieved the resumption of basic services throughout the country, enabling the Coalition Provisional Authority to focus on restoring economic activity
• Transcript: Briefing on Coalition Post-war Reconstruction and Stabilization Efforts 12 Jun 2003 -- Video-teleconference briefing from Baghdad, Iraq, on the coalition's post-war reconstruction and stabilization efforts. Participating was Ambassador Paul Bremer, director of the Coalition Provisional Authority
• "Time and Patience" Needed in Iraq, Bremer Tells House Committee AFPS 12 Jun 2003 -- Roughly a month into his job as the chief administrator in Iraq, Ambassador Paul Bremer, said today that much work lies ahead and that it will take "time and patience" to rebuild Iraq and restore what he calls a very "sick" economy.
• Security Improving, Economy Worsening in Iraq, Reports US Top Administrator VOA 12 Jun 2003 -- The head of the coalition provisional authority in Iraq said there has been an increase in organized resistance by elements of the former Baathist regime. Paul Bremer spoke in a televised briefing for members of Congress.
• IRAQ: Widespread landmines pose danger to returnees IRIN 12 Jun 2003 -- Twenty-year-old Nafis Tahir will never walk again. He will find it difficult to find a job, and perhaps never marry. Two months ago, however, the picture was very different.

Foreign Reactions

• Spain Pledges Troops to Polish Division AFPS 12 Jun 2003 -- Spain today pledged 1,100 troops to the Polish-led division that will become part of the coalition force in Iraq.

News Reports

• RFE/RL Iraq Report, Volume 6, Number 26 12 Jun 2003 -- IRAQI INTELLIGENCE DOCUMENT INSTRUCTS ON POSTWAR SABOTAGE / FORMER EXILE GROUPS SAY THEY ARE BEING TREATED UNFAIRLY / U.S. TROOPS RAID SCIRI, KDP OFFICES / IRAQI ROYAL RETURNS TO BAGHDAD / IRAQI TRIBAL CHIEF ASSASSINATED IN AL-BASRAH / FORENSIC EXPERTS SAY MASS GRAVE IN IRAQ IS RECENT / IRAQIS BUYING EXECUTION VIDEOS IN EFFORT TO LOCATE MISSING / IRAQI CENTRAL BANK PRINTING NEW BANK NOTES / TURKOMANS UNWITTINGLY TURN OVER RATION CARDS / U.S.-LED ECONOMIC COUNCIL FOR IRAQ HOLDS INAUGURAL MEETING... / ...AS CPA ANNOUNCES $100 MILLION IN RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN IRAQ / U.S. REPORTEDLY ENFORCING NEW BAN ON INCITEMENT IN IRAQ / TASK FORCE IRONHORSE LAUNCHES OPERATION PENINSULA STRIKE IN IRAQ... / ...AS ARAB PRESS REPORTS AREA UNDER SIEGE / U.S. TROOPS REMAIN UNDER ATTACK / U.S. CONTINUES TO ROUND UP REGIME LOYALISTS / EXPLOSIONS ROCK AMMUNITION-SUPPLY DEPOTS IN IRAQ / BAGHDAD NEWSPAPER ACCUSES U.S. SOLDIERS OF RAPE / U.S. SOLDIER WOUNDS IRAQIS IN WEAPONS MISHAP / IRAQI OIL CHIEF FREEZES OIL AGREEMENT WITH JORDAN / MUQTADA AL-SADR IN TEHRAN AS FOLLOWERS RALLY AGAINST BRITISH / BAHRAINI BANKS SAY AGREEMENT NECESSARY ON UNPAID IRAQI DEBT BEFORE NEW INVESTMENT CAN BE MADE / JBA HOSTS IRAQI BUSINESSMEN FOR FOUR-DAY VISIT / EGYPTIAN COMPANIES REPORTEDLY REJECT ISRAELI PARTNERSHIPS / UNMOVIC CHIEF BRIEFS SECURITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR NAMED TO HEAD UN INSPECTIONS TEAM / UN SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE MEETS WITH POLITICAL LEADERS, CPA HEAD / U.K. COMMITTEE ASSAILS BLAIR FOR DOSSIER... / ...AS U.S. PRESIDENT SAYS WEAPONS WILL BE DISCOVERED / U.S. OFFICIALS SAY 'CHEMICAL ALI' MIGHT BE ALIVE
• Videos Giving Iraqis Their First Glimpses Behind The Scenes Of Regime RFE/L 12 Jun 2003 -- Iraqis are beginning to see the hidden side of the regime of ousted leader Saddam Hussein. Videos showing the gruesome execution of Iraqi political prisoners, as well as glimpses into Hussein's personal life, are more popular in Baghdad than any Western "Rambo"-style productions. The video fever in Baghdad illustrates the efforts by ordinary Iraqis to reconstruct what happened in their country during the last 30 years.
• CHALABI/CONGRESS VOA 12 Jun 2003 -- The leader of the Iraqi National Congress, Ahmad Chalabi, says he believes there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and that U-S and coalition forces will be able to find them. Mr. Chalabi was in Washington to meet with members of Congress.