Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 08 Dec 2004 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

• Armored Humvees, Tactics Address IED Threats AFPS 08 Dec 2004 -- American industry is cranking out armored Humvees as fast as it can, but other initiatives already have saved lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, Defense Department officials said here today.
• Soldiers Rebuilding Sadr City, One Day at a Time AFPS 08 Dec 2004 -- Every day since Muqtada al-Sadr's militia turned in its weapons in October, hostile activity has decreased in Sadr City, allowing Task Force Lancer soldiers to help rebuild the city.
• Violence Continues Amid Foreign Dignitaries' Iraq Visits RFE/RL 08 Dec 2004 -- Violent attacks on Iraqi and international targets continued in Iraq today as two senior foreign dignitaries made stops in the country.
• 11th MEU holds down Fallujah rear UMSC News 08 Dec 2004 -- While several 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit units joined the 15,000 servicemember sweep of Fallujah last month, Marines and sailors of the MEU were also committed to ensuring the security and stability of the assault's back door here.
• Seabees, Marines repair second runway at Al Asad UMSC News 08 Dec 2004 -- Looking as rugged and dusty as their heavy equipment, some "can do" Sailors from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 23 recently completed repairs to a second 13,000 foot runway here.
• TF Lancer rebuilding Sadr City Army News 08 Dec 2004 -- Every day since the Madhi Militia turned in their weapons in October, there have been dramatic decreases of hostile activity in Sadr City, allowing the Soldiers of Task Force Lancer to help re-build the neighborhood.

Deployments

• US / IRAQ ELECTIONS VOA 08 Dec 2004 -- Officials in Iraq's interim government say elections scheduled for next January must not be delayed, despite the continuing violence in some parts of the country. Other Iraqi specialists say the bloodshed in predominantly Sunni areas of Iraq will make it difficult to hold normal elections in places that have been frequent combat zones.

US Policy

• Transcript: DoD News Briefing 08 Dec 2004 -- Mr. Lawrence Di Rita, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs
• Transcript: Secretary Rumsfeld Town Hall Meeting in Kuwait 08 Dec 2004 -- Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld
• Rumsfeld Handles Tough Questions at Town Hall Meeting AFPS 08 Dec 2004 -- Some soldiers headed for duty in Iraq took the secretary of defense at his word in Kuwait today when he encouraged them to ask him tough questions at a town-hall meeting.

• U.S. Seeks "Helpful Role" in Elections from Iraq's Neighbors Washington File 08 Dec 2004 -- Iran must play a "constructive and helpful" role in upcoming Iraqi elections and adhere to its recent commitment to Iraqi stability and tightened border control between the two countries, says White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan.
• Powell Urges Unswerving Focus on January 2005 Election in Iraq Washington File 08 Dec 2004 -- Iraqi election officials are determined to go forward with parliamentary elections on January 30, 2005, and a significant part of the country is calm enough that people will be able to vote without undue interference, according to Secretary of State Colin Powell.
• U.S. / SYRIA / IRAN VOA 08 Dec 2004 -- The United States Wednesday expressed renewed concerns about Syrian and Iranian involvement in Iraq, accusing Iran in particular of what it calls "interference" in the Iraqi electoral process. Both interim Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawar and Jordan's King Abdullah have expressed apprehension this week about Iran's intentions in Iraq.
• U.S. Urges Iran Not To Interfere In Iraq Vote RFE/RL 08 Dec 2004 -- White House spokesman Scott McClellan was asked about fears raised by King Abdullah of Jordan, in an interview with "The Washington Post," that Iran may send thousands of its own people to Iraq to vote in hopes of creating a neighboring Islamic republic there.
• MAY ARTICLE 32 HEARING CONCLUDES, DECISION PENDING CENTCOM 08 Dec 2004 -- the Pre-trial Article 32 hearing for Spc Brent W. May, one final witness for the prosecution was questioned and then closing statements were made by both the defense and prosecution here today.
• Statement from Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld 08 Dec 2004 -- "The meeting today with His Excellency Prime Minister Sabah and Minister of Defense Shaykh Jabir Mubarak provided an occasion for us to discuss our strong continuing relationship, and I want to thank the government and the people of Kuwait for their support.

United Nations

Reconstruction Issues

• IRAQ / ELECTIONS VOA 08 Dec 2004 -- The interim Prime Minister of Iraq, Iyad Allawi, is suggesting that national elections in January could be staggered over a period of 15-to-20 days, to provide better security. With polling on different dates in different provinces, Mr. Allawi believes greater security can be provided, and more voters will go to the polls. And when Iraqis get the chance to the polls for their first free elections, they will find a large array of choices.
• IRAQ: Interview with Secretary-General of Ministry of Defence IRIN 08 Dec 2004 -- The Secretary-General of Iraq's Ministry of Defence (MoD), Bruska Noori Shaways, has a huge task - how to get the largest number of Iraqi forces trained in the shortest amount of time.
• IRAQ: Demand for more housing in Khanaqin IRIN 08 Dec 2004 -- When Ali Kudaday Kani goes to bed at night he must dream of tape measures. The headman of Melekshah, on the outskirts of the northeastern Iraqi town of Khanaqin, he is responsible for measuring out 200 metre sq parcels of land and handing them over to newly arrived internally displaced families to build on.

Foreign Reactions

• Dignitaries' Visits Met With Violence In Iraq RFE/RL 08 Dec 2004 -- Violent attacks on Iraqi and international targets continued in Iraq today as three senior foreign dignitaries made stops in the country.
• Jordan's King Says Iran Trying To Interfere In Iraq RFE/RL 08 Dec 2004 -- King Abdullah of Jordan says in an interview published today that Iran is trying to influence the Iraqi elections set for 30 January by sending thousands of Iranians into Iraq to vote and pouring in large amounts of money.
• British Defense Secretary Arrives In Iraq RFE/RL 08 Dec 2004 -- British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon arrived in the southern Iraqi city of Al-Basrah today for talks with Iraqi military and British officials.

News Reports

• Iraqi Media Monitoring UNAMI 08 Dec 2004
• IRAQ: Iraqi Red Crescent seeks permission to return to Fallujah IRIN 08 Dec 2004 -- A woman sat on top of three thin mattresses in front of an Iraqi Red Crescent Society (IRCS) building in the capital, Baghdad, trying to protect them from the rain.