Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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

Current Operations

• Transcript: Lt. Gen. Sanchez Press Briefing on Uday and Qusay Hussein 22 Jul 2003 -- "Today our coalition forces associated with the 101st Airborne Division, Special Forces and Air Force assets conducted an operation against suspected regime members. An Iraqi source informed the 101st Airborne division on today that several suspects, including Qusay and Uday, numbers two and three on the U.S. Central Command's most-wanted list, were hiding in a residence near the northern edge of the city."
• STATEMENT REGARDING OPERATION IN MOSUL, IRAQ CENTCOM 22 Jul 2003 -- On Tuesday, July 22, forces associated with the 101st Airborne Division and Special Operations Forces conducted an operation against suspected regime figures at a residence in Mosul, Iraq. The site is currently being exploited. Four Iraqis were killed in the operation. We have confirmed that two of the dead were Saddam's sons Uday and Qusay.

• BAGHDAD / SADDAM'S SONS VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- The U-S coalition commander in Iraq said Tuesday Saddam Hussein's sons, Uday and Qusai, have been killed.
• IRAQ/SADDAM'S SONS VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- U-S military officials in Baghdad say Saddam Hussein's two fugitive sons, Uday and Qusay, have been killed in a gun battle with U-S soldiers. They were at the top of the U-S government's most-wanted list, just behind their father. The development comes as the Bush administration is being criticized for its handling of the situation in Iraq.
• Saddam Hussein's Sons Killed by Coalition Forces in Northern Iraq VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- The U.S. coalition commander in Iraq said Tuesday Saddam Hussein's sons, Uday and Qusay have been killed.
• PENTAGON/SADDAM SONS VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- The U-S military has confirmed that Saddam Hussein's sons Qusay and Uday have been killed in a fierce gunfight with American forces in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.
• Coalition Kills Saddam's Sons in 'Fierce Gun Battle' AFPS 22 Jul 2003 -- Saddam Hussein's sons Qusay and Uday were killed today in a "fierce gun battle," U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, announced at a news briefing in Baghdad.
• PENTAGON/IRAQ VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- U-S defense officials appear optimistic that Saddam Hussein's sons Qusay and Uday have been killed in a shoot-out with American troops in Iraq.
• IRAQ / ATTACK VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- A U-S soldier is dead and another wounded in the latest attack against coalition forces in Iraq. Iraqi opinions about the attacks vary widely.
• Iraq: U.S. Checking To See If Saddam's Sons Killed In Shootout RFE/L 22 Jul 2003 -- U.S. officials say four Iraqis were killed today during a U.S. raid in northern Iraq on a house where high-ranking members of Saddam Hussein's ousted regime were suspected of staying. U.S. officials say they are investigating whether Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay may have been among the dead.
• US Officials Optimistic Saddam's Sons Killed VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- U.S. officials say there is a good chance Saddam Hussein's sons Qusay and Uday have been killed in a shoot-out with American troops.
• US Troops May Have Killed Uday, Qusay Hussein VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- U.S. officials say there is a good chance American soldiers may have killed Saddam Hussein's sons Qusay and Uday.
• NUMEROUS POTENTIAL SUBVERSIVE ATTACKS DETERRED CENTCOM 22 Jul 2003 -- Coalition forces prevented several potential subversive attacks bringing the country of Iraq closer to a safe and secure environment.
• US Soldier Killed in Iraqi Attack VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- A U.S. soldier is dead and another wounded after coming under attack along a stretch of road northwest of Baghdad.
• COALITION AND IRAQIS TEAM UP FOR HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS CENTCOM 22 Jul 2003 -- Coalition forces and Iraqis have teamed up on a variety of initiatives in areas from higher education to security to improve the quality of life for the people of Iraq.
• ONE SOLDIER KILLED, 1 WOUNDED IN RPG ATTACK CENTCOM 22 Jul 2003 -- One 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment soldier was killed and one was wounded when their vehicle convoy was hit with a rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire in an ambush at approximately 9 a.m. July 22 on the road between Balad and Ar Ramadi.
• Marines battle fuel shortages for Iraqis Marine Corps News 22 Jul 2003-- Long lines of cars and trucks that wrap around An Najaf, Iraq city blocks, frustrated motorists overwhelm local police, so U.S. troops are needed to keep the peace instead of fight terrorism.
• Tri-Component Battalion Makes History in Iraq 101st Airborne Division Release 22 Jul 2003-- As the only tri-component Army unit, the 52nd Engineer Battalion Combat Heavy brought its unique capabilities to the battlefield by supporting base camps in southern Iraq and the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in stabilization operations in Mosul.

Deployments

• Iraq: Prolonged Mission Dampens Morale Of U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division RFE/L 22 Jul 2003 -- U.S. troops in Iraq are suffering from low morale after hearing that their expected return to the United States has been postponed indefinitely.

US Policy

• American Engagement and the War Against Terror by Richard A. Gephardt Remarks As Prepared for Delivery San Francisco Bar Association Tuesday, July 22, 2003 -- America must stand against dictators and those who harbor and support terrorism. That's why I stood with this administration's efforts to dismantle the Taliban in Afghanistan. And that's why I stood with this administration's efforts to disarm Saddam Hussein. I believed then, and I believe now: either Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction or components of weapons of mass destruction.
• Bush Welcomes News of Deaths of Saddam Hussein's Sons / White House offers no guarantees to North Korea, condemns Liberia violence Washington File 22 Jul 2003 -- Saddam Hussein's sons Uday and Qusay were confirmed to be two of the four people killed in a July 22 military battle in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, according to Coalition Ground Forces Commander Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez in Baghdad.
• CONGRESS SADDAM'S SONS VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- U-S lawmakers are hailing word of the deaths of Saddam Hussein's sons. Reaction came swiftly after the U-S military announced that Qusay and Uday were among four people killed when American troops raided a house in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.
• EDITORIAL: STABILIZING IRAQ VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- For the first time in three decades, the people of Iraq have the hope of creating a better future for themselves. A diverse group of twenty-five leaders, including Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds, a Christian, and a Turkmen, has been selected for an Iraqi governing council.
• Senate Majority Leader Frist Sees Progress in Iraq Washington File 22 Jul 2003 -- The United States and its coalition allies are making progress in Iraq, according to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.

United Nations

• Negroponte Asks Nations to Help with Security in Iraq Washington File 22 Jul 2003 -- U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Negroponte has asked nations to help with the security situation in Iraq, citing the two-month-old U.N. Security Council resolution on post-war Iraq as a basis for international participation.
• Iraqi Governing Council Members Address U.N. for First Time Washington File 22 Jul 2003 -- Despite continuing lack of services, hardship and frustration, Iraqis are enjoying the freedoms that have been denied them for decades, a delegation from the Iraqi Governing Council told the U.N. Security Council July 22.
• U-N / IRAQ VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- A delegation representing the new Iraqi Governing Council has called for international support during a special Security Council session on Iraq. Correspondent Jenny Badner reports from the United Nations, where Secretary General Kofi Annan urged the Coalition Authority to set a timetable for the return of sovereignty to the Iraqi people.
• UN envoy, Iraqi delegation call for swift restoration of sovereignty UN News Centre 22 Jul 2003 -- The top United Nations envoy for Iraq and a member of the newly established Iraqi Governing Council both called today for a speedy end to the United States military occupation and the full restoration of the country's sovereignty.
• Annan welcomes Iraqis at Security Council session UN News Centre 22 Jul 2003 -- Welcoming the first Iraqis to address the United Nations Security Council since the fall of Saddam Hussein, Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called Baghdad's new Governing Council "an important step towards the full restoration of Iraqi sovereignty" and laid out five guiding principles for international action.
• Iraqi Governing Council good 'first step,' Security Council members say UN News Centre 22 Jul 2003 -- The United Nations Security Council heard its first full update report on Iraq today since it recognized the United States-run Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), with many members applauding the new Iraqi Governing Council as a step towards the restoration of sovereignty and also stressing a prominent UN role.
• UN: Officials Call For Accelerating Iraqi Self-Government Process RFE/L 22 Jul 2003 -- Top United Nations officials are urging the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq to set up clear guidelines for the restoration of a sovereign government in Iraq. They will address these concerns in reports to the UN Security Council today assessing life in Iraq under the occupying authority. A member of the newly formed Governing Council will also address the Security Council and may seek recognition for the group as Iraq's official UN representative.
• Iraqi Delegation is to Address UN Security Council VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- A delegation from the newly created Iraqi Governing Council is to present itself at the United Nations Tuesday, as the Security Council begins discussing a report from Secretary General Kofi Annan on postwar conditions in Iraq.

Reconstruction Issues

• New Vision for Iraq Prioritizes Security, Economic Revival VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- A delegation representing the new Iraqi Governing Council has called for international support, during a special Security Council session on Iraq. Secretary General Kofi Annan has urged the Coalition Authority to set a timetable for the return of sovereignty to the Iraqi people.
• Bremer to Brief Lawmakers on Progress in Iraq VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- The U.S. civilian administrator in Iraq, Ambassador Paul Bremer, briefs U.S. lawmakers at the Capitol Tuesday about progress toward stabilizing and rebuilding the country. Ambassador Bremer is expected to face tough questioning from Democrats who have made no secret of their concerns about the costs of the occupation in terms of American casualties and the burden on American taxpayers.

Foreign Reactions

• Iraqi Independent Newspaper Closed for 'Inciting People to Murder' VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- The Coalition Provisional Authority has ordered the shutdown of a Baghdad semi-weekly newspaper for publishing what the authority considered an article inciting people to murder. This is the first such move by the coalition since the end of the war.
• Turkey: Foreign Minister Begins Fence-Mending Visit To Washington RFE/L 22 Jul 2003 -- Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul this week is in Washington for a fence-mending mission he hopes will put bilateral ties back on track following strains over the war in Iraq. But Gul's visit is shadowed by a debate over whether Ankara should contribute troops to help the United States consolidate its victory over the regime of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
• Iraq: British Public Concerned By Attacks On Troops, But Against Leaving RFE/L 22 Jul 2003 -- Continued attacks against coalition forces in Iraq have citizens in the U.K. concerned about the fate of the roughly 10,000 British soldiers still based there. Still, many Britons say they want Western troops and civilian administrators to "finish the job" and stay in Iraq until peace is restored and a democratic government is in place. Experts, however, say that support could quickly drain away if attacks on soldiers continue.
• British, Australian PMs Stand By Decision to Go to War With Iraq VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he remains convinced that going to war against Iraq was justified. Mr. Blair is at the center of a political firestorm following allegations his government exaggerated the threat posed by Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction in order to justify the invasion.
• RUSSIA / IRAQ / U-N VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov is calling for a new United Nations Security Council resolution to allow other countries to help the United States bring order and stability to Iraq.
• Blair Denies Leaking Name of Weapons Expert VOA News 22 Jul 2003 -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair says he did not authorize the release of a weapon inspector's name to the media, days before the man's apparent suicide.
• BLAIR/HOWARD/IRAQ VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair says he remains convinced that going to war against Iraq was justified. Mr. Blair is at the center of a political firestorm following allegations his government exaggerated the threat posed by Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction in order to justify the invasion.
• BRITAIN / IRAQ VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- British Prime Minister Tony Blair has defended his decision to go to war in Iraq. He spoke as his defense minister came under scrutiny over his role in a controversy over whether the government exaggerated the threat from Iraq.

News Reports

• BAGHDAD / NEWSPAPER CLOSURE VOA 22 Jul 2003 -- The Coalition Provisional Authority has ordered the shutdown of a Baghdad semi-weekly newspaper for publishing what the Authority considered an article inciting people to murder. This is the first such move by the coalition since the end of the war.
• Britain: BBC's Judgment, Accuracy Being Questioned Amid Kelly Inquiry RFE/L 22 Jul 2003 -- The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) places the highest value on its tradition of independent and unbiased reporting. However, the public broadcaster now finds its judgment and accuracy being called into question for its handling of a story concerning alleged exaggerations of Iraq's weapons threat by the British government. The story was based on anonymous comments made to the BBC by Defense Ministry adviser David Kelly, an expert in biological weapons, who died on 18 July in an apparent suicide.
• Iraq: Human Rights Watch Says Fear Of Assault Keeping Women Indoors RFE/L 22 Jul 2003 -- Human Rights Watch reports that the poor security situation in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities is causing women and girls to severely restrict their movements for fear of rape and abduction. The group recently interviewed some 70 victims of what appears to be an upswing in sexual attacks and kidnappings due to the collapse of the Saddam Hussein-era security forces and their slow reformation under the U.S.-led coalition.