Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 24 Jan 2005 [PDF]
• TASK FORCE OLYMPIA SOLDIER KILLED
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty

• IRAQ / ZARQAWI VOA 24 Jan 2005 -- A suicide bomber from Saudi Arabia, who survived a failed attempt to blow up the Jordanian mission Baghdad in December, alleges that Iraqi police may have captured, and then released, the most wanted terrorist in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, two months ago. Both U.S. and Iraqi officials could not confirm the claims made by the suicide bomber.
• Bomb Detonates Near Iraqi Premier's Offices RFE/RL 24 Jan 2005 -- Ten people were injured in central Baghdad today as a result of a suicide car-bomb attack near the offices of Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.
• Al-Zarqawi Group Claims Credit For Iraq Attack RFE/RL 24 Jan 2005 -- A militant group led by Al-Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has claimed responsibility for a suicide car bombing today, as Iraqi officials announced the capture of two al-Zarqawi lieutenants.
• One Detained Following Explosion MNF-I/MNC-I 24 Jan 2005 -- One suspected insurgent was apprehended following an explosion west of Tikrit at about 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 23.
• Three Soldiers Wounded in Mortar Attack Near Samarra MNF-I/MNC-I 24 Jan 2005 -- Three 1st Infantry Division Soldiers were wounded when anti-Iraqi forces fired mortars into their patrol base near Samarra about 1:15 p.m. on Jan. 23.
• TF Danger, IA Soldiers Detain 18 People in Joint Raid MNF-I/MNC-I 24 Jan 2005 -- Task Force Danger Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Battalion, along with Iraqi Army soldiers and Emergency Services Unit police officers, detained 18 people suspected of anti-Iraqi forces attacks near Kirkuk on Jan. 24.
• 155 mm Round Found in Fallujah MNF-I/MNC-I 24 Jan 2005 -- Iraqi soldiers from three battalions of the 7th Brigade, working with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force near Fallujah completed stability operation patrols and found a 155 mm round on Jan. 23.
• Additional Iraqi Border Patrol Deployed to Al Waleed MNF-I/MNC-I 24 Jan 2005 -- Additional Special Border Force officers deployed to Al Waleed in the Al Anbar province on Jan. 24 for border security and terrorist interdiction.
• Suspects, weapons captured in Babil MNF-I/MNC-I 24 Jan 2005 -- Iraqi police officers in Babil Province completed sweeps and captured suspected terrorists, machine guns and mortar rounds in recent days.
• Readiness Exercise Focuses on Upcoming Elections MNF-I/MNC-I 24 Jan 2005 -- With an eye to the upcoming Iraqi national elections, Joint Coordination Centers in the Salah Ad Din Province, along with the Provincial Joint Coordination Center and other Iraqi entities, participated in a readiness exercise Jan 17 to 19.

Deployments

• NAVELSF Forward BRAVO Members Return Home From Iraq, Kuwait Navy NewsStand 24 Jan 2005 -- Nearly 100 Navy Reservists returned to Naval Station Norfolk Jan. 22, completing a five-month deployment to Iraq and Kuwait.

US Policy

United Nations

Reconstruction Issues

• Iraqi Security Forces Prepare for Elections MNF-I/MNC-I 24 Jan 2005 -- Iraqi Security Forces continue training and operations in preparation for the upcoming elections.
• Iraqi Party Platforms Call for Pluralism, National Unity Washington File 24 Jan 2005 -- National unity, federalism, pluralism, tolerance and democracy are the political language in which Iraqi parties are framing their appeals to voters.
• Iraqi Troops Becoming Better Equipped for Upcoming Elections MNF-I/MNC-I 24 Jan 2005 -- Iraqi Security Forces received a large shipment of equipment in northern Iraq on Jan. 19.
• Iraq: Security Situation Worries Election Officials RFE/RL 24 Jan 2005 -- Iraqi officials are taking steps to enhance security in the country ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for 30 January. The top UN election official in Iraq says ongoing violence in the country is complicating the work of local election officials and could intimidate voters at the polls. Meanwhile, an audio recording has been posted to an Islamist website that purports to be the voice of Jordanian Al-Qaeda ally Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi. The voice in the recording calls on Sunni Muslims to carry out violent attacks in a bid to derail the elections.
• IRAQ / ELECTIONS POL VOA 24 Jan 2005 -- Next Sunday, millions of Iraqi voters are expected to head to the polls to choose a new national assembly, which will name a president and two deputies. In turn, they will decide who will become the next interim prime minister. Three of the leading candidates for the country's most-powerful position are all from the same slate that is expected to dominate the elections.
• NORTHERN IRAQ TIGHTENS PRE-ELECTION SECURITY VOA 24 Jan 2005 -- the final week before Iraq holds parliament elections, January 30, security is extremely tight. No chances are being taken.

Foreign Reactions

• EU Warns Of Sunni Boycott 'Disaster' In Iraq RFE/RL 24 Jan 2005 -- EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana warned today that it would be a "disaster" if Iraq's new parliament had no Sunni representation after the 30 January elections.

News Reports

• Iraqi Media Monitoring UNAMI 24 Jan 2005
• IRAQ / HUMAN RIGHTS VOA 24 Jan 2005 -- A U.S.-based human-rights group says Iraqi security forces are committing systematic torture of people detained for suspected criminal or militant activities.
• Iraq: What Would A Shi'a Win Mean For Mideast? RFE/RL 24 Jan 2005 -- With Iraq's poll on schedule for 30 January and violence continuing in Sunni areas, the Shi'a majority looks poised to win most of the seats in the new National Assembly. But what would this mean for Iraq's neighbor Iran -- which has worked hard for just such a result -- and for the region's Sunni-dominated Arab countries?
• Iraqi Vice President Says Stability Can Only Come From Elections RFE/RL 24 Jan 2005 -- RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq (RFI) interviewed Iraqi Vice President Ibrahim al-Ja'fari on 20 January about the upcoming elections, and the mood of the Iraqi people in a post-Hussein Iraq. (The following is a transcript of the Radio Free Iraq program.)
• RFE/RL Iraq Report, Volume 8, Number 3 24 Jan 2005 -- RFE/RL LAUNCHES SPECIAL IRAQ ELECTION WEB PAGE / BAGHDAD EVENTS PROMOTE GREATER TRIBAL PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONS / IN IRAQ, LOCAL OFFICIALS, CANDIDATES MOST VULNERABLE / IRAQI MEDIA TRY TO FILL CAMPAIGN VACUUM / IRAQI DEFENSE MINISTER CONTINUES ACCUSATIONS AGAINST IRAN, SYRIA / FAYLI KURDS' ELECTION LEADER TALKS TO RFI ABOUT PARTICIPATION IN ELECTIONS / History Of Fayli Kurds