Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 05 Apr 2004 [PDF]
• UPDATE ON COALITION CASUALTIES [CJTF-7 News Release] April 5, 2004
• TASK FORCE OLYMPIA SOLDIER KILLED [CJTF-7 News Release] April 5, 2004
• ONE U.S. SOLDIER KILLED IN ATTACK [CJTF-7 News Release] April 5, 2004
• ONE MARINE KILLED IN ACTION [CJTF-7 News Release] April 5, 2004
• Task Force 1st Armored Division Conducts Operations in Sadr City
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualties
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty

• Transcript: U.S. Central Command Background Briefing 05 Apr 2004 -- "We are currently, as I think you know, conducting operations in and around Fallujah. I won't say we've locked the city down, but we've established a cordon around the city to monitor trafficking going in and out, and are beginning to conduct operations to go seek out those that committed which are tragic acts (...) The events of the weekend surrounding Muqtada Sadr are concerning to us. (...) This started in An Najaf with a large demonstration that got out of control. "
• Transcript: Coalition Provisional Authority Briefing 05 Apr 2004 -- "Today the Iraqi police service formally arrested Mustafa al-Yacoubi, this pursuant to a valid arrest warrant issued by an Iraqi judge. Mr. al-Yacoubi was arrested in connection with the brutal murder of Ayatollah As Seyed Ala-Majid al-Khoei, who was repeatedly stabbed and shot to death last April in front of one of the world's holiest shrines. (...) In the Al Anbar province, Iraqi security forces and the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force initiated Operation Vigilant Resolve to confront anti-coalition and anti-Iraqi elements in the Fallujah area. The joint force, currently consisting of over 1,300 personnel from the 1st MEF, Iraqi armed forces and the Iraqi Civil Defense Services, have established a series of traffic control points around the city of Fallujah, along with additional assets to regulate passage and establish a cordon in and out of the city. (...) Over the past 36 hours, there have been a number of demonstrations and incidents throughout the central and southern zones of Iraq, some of which turned violent, as elements of Mahdi Army incited and perpetrated violence against Iraqi citizens, Iraqi security forces and the coalition."
• IRAQ WRAP VOA 05 Apr 2004 -- For the second day, Iraqi demonstrators -- many of them disciples of a Shiite cleric -- have clashed with U-S troops in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities. At least eight American troops and more than 50 Iraqis have been reported killed in the rioting. But the United States says it remains firmly committed to handing over power on June 30th, despite new questions about Iraq's overall stability.
• Warrant Issued for Anti-Coalition Cleric's Arrest AFPS 05 Apr 2004 -- An Iraqi judge has issued a warrant for the arrest of anti-coalition Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr in connection with the death of Ayatollah Sayed al Khoei last year, coalition authorities revealed today.
• IRAQ WRAP VOA 05 Apr 2004 -- For the second day, Iraqi demonstrators - many of them disciples of a Shiite cleric - have clashed with U-S troops in Baghdad and other Iraqi cities. At least eight American troops and more than 50 Iraqis have been reported killed in the on-going rioting. But the United States remains firmly committed to hand over power on June 30th, despite new questions about Iraq's overall stability.
• Iraqis Take Over Government Building In Al-Basrah RFE/RL 05 Apr 2004 -- The British Defense Ministry says a group of Shi'ite Muslims has taken over a government building in the southern Iraqi city of Al-Basrah.
• U.S. Helicopters Fire On Al-Sadr Militia In Baghdad RFE/RL 05 Apr 2004 -- Fresh violence broke out today across Iraq -- in Baghdad, in the British-controlled southern port of Al-Basrah, in the central holy Shi'a city of Karbala, and in Al-Fallujah, west of the capital.
• IRAQ / VIOLENCE VOA 05 Apr 2004 -- Reports from Baghdad say U-S forces have launched a helicopter strike against militiamen who follow a Shiite cleric branded as an outlaw by the U-S administrator in Iraq. Fighting between coalition forces and the Shiite militias has killed nearly 80 people since Sunday.

Deployments

• No 'Plus-Up' Planned for Troop Levels in Iraq AFPS 05 Apr 2004 -- U.S. Central Command officials are studying all aspects of the recent surge of violence in Iraq, and believe they are prepared to counter it. The command has not requested any additional forces for operations in Iraq.

US Policy

• Bush Says Enemies Testing Coalition Resolution AFPS 05 Apr 2004 -- The closer the return of sovereignty comes in Iraq, the more enemies of democracy will challenge the coalition, President Bush said today in Charlotte, N.C.
• Iraq's CPA Reveals Arrest Warrant for Shi'ite Cleric al-Sadr Washington File 05 Apr 2004 -- Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) spokesman Dan Senor publicly revealed April 5 that an Iraqi judge has issued an arrest warrant for Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in connection with the 2003 murder of another cleric at a mosque in Najaf.
• Bremer Won't Tolerate 'Outlaw' Iraqi Cleric RFE/RL 05 Apr 2004 -- Iraq's top U.S. civilian administrator, L. Paul Bremer, today said radical Shi'a cleric Muqtada al-Sadr was an outlaw threatening Iraq's security.

United Nations

• Iraq: UN envoy Brahimi discusses poll, power transfer with Governing Council UN News Centre 04 Apr 2004 -- Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Adviser, Lakhdar Brahimi, held talks with the Iraqi Governing Council in Baghdad today as part of the United Nations mission to help form an administration to take over from the United States-led occupation forces on 1 July and prepare for elections early next year.

Reconstruction Issues

• Section 2207 Report - 05 April 2004 - Section 2207 of the Emergency Appropriations Act for Defense and for the Reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, 2004, (Public Law 108-106)requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)to submit a report to Congress every 90 days that updates the estimates and assumptions for the $18.4 billion appropriated in this Act for Iraq under the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund (IRRF). On January 5,2004, OMB submitted the first financial plan to Congress. This first update to the report required under Section 2207 of Public Law 108-106 highlights the changes from the financial plan laid out in January 2004.
• Iraq: U.S. Civil Administrator Appoints Defense Minister, Intelligence Chief RFE/RL 05 Apr 2004 -- In Baghdad yesterday, the top U.S. civil administrator for Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, announced the creation of three new Iraqi government institutions in an effort to put greater control of security in the hands of Iraqis.

Foreign Reactions

News Reports

• Iraq: Populist Cleric Muqtada al-Sadr Exploits Growing Discontent Among Impoverished Shi'a RFE/RL 05 Apr 2004 -- Deadly clashes in Iraq are focusing attention on the young Shi'a cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The fighting has left at least 90 people dead, including seven U.S. soldiers killed in Al-Sadr City, a poor Baghdad neighborhood that is the cleric's stronghold. Overnight, al-Sadr's supporters took over a government building in Al-Basrah. Who is Muqtada al-Sadr, and how powerful is he?
• IRAQ/ARREST WARRANT VOA 05 Apr 2004 -- An Iraqi judge has issued a warrant for the arrest of radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr in connection with the murder last year of a rival Shiite cleric. The cleric's supporters have been staging violent protests in Shiite areas of Iraq during the past several days, resulting in dozens of deaths.
• IRAQ: Women afraid to seek healthcare in south IRIN 05 Apr 2004 -- One year after the US-led war to topple Iraq's former leader Saddam Hussein, lack of security continues to prevent progress in health care, particularly among women too scared to leave their homes.