• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

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

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 28 Jan 2005 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualties
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• THREE TASK FORCE BAGHDAD SOLDIERS KILLED IN IED BLAST
• IED KILLS TASK FORCE BAGHDAD SOLDIER
• TASK FORCE BAGHDAD SOLDIER KILLED IN NORTHERN BAGHDAD
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualties
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty

• Transcript: Special Defense Department Briefing 28 Jan 2005 -- Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih
• Helicopter Goes Down in Southwestern Baghdad MNF-I/MNC-I 29 Jan 2005 -- A Task Force Baghdad helicopter went down in the southwestern portion of the Iraqi capital about 8 p.m. Jan. 28.
• Violence Continues In Iraq As Votes Cast Abroad RFE/RL 28 Jan 2005 -- Expatriate Iraqis around the world journeyed sometimes long distances to cast votes today in Iraq's general elections, two days before the polls are to open in Iraq.
• IRAQ ARRESTS VOA 28 Jan 2005 -- Iraqi officials say they have arrested three top aides to terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Iraq's deputy prime minister says the arrests, during the last several weeks, have hurt the insurgency. But at least six people were killed in attacks on Friday, and the deputy prime minister acknowledges that the insurgency remains a serious threat as Iraqis prepare to go to the polls on Sunday. Speaking from Baghdad to reporters at the Pentagon on Friday he also predicted a larger turnout for the election than many experts have predicted.
• Army Helicopter Crash Reported AFPS 28 Jan 2005 -- A Task Force Baghdad helicopter crashed in the southwestern portion of the Iraqi capital about 8 p.m. local time today.
• Iraqis Taking Lead in Elections; Coalition in Support Role AFPS 28 Jan 2005 -- Iraqis are planning and implementing their own elections Jan. 30, and American and other coalition forces will operate only in support roles, a senior U.S. officer explained Jan. 27.
• Baghdad Car Bombing Kills Several RFE/RL 28 Jan 2005 -- Police say a car bomb exploded in southern Baghdad today, killing four civilians.
• Warriors Take Reins MNF-I/MNC-I 28 Jan 2005 -- The Soldiers of 1st Corps Support Command's force protection company, Task Force Warrior, took over responsibility for the security of LSA Anaconda from the 81st Brigade Combat Team Jan. 5.
• Task Force 1-18, ISF Soldiers Foil Polling Site Attack MNF-I/MNC-I 28 Jan 2005 -- Alpha Company, 1-112 Infantry, a National Guard company based out of the Pittsburgh area, and Soldiers from the 201st Iraqi Army Battalion established a hasty traffic control point Jan. 22 north of Tikrit, in the area called Kadasia, and swiftly apprehended two insurgents.
• First Infantry Division Soldiers Detain Three in Raid MNF-I/MNC-I 28 Jan 2005 -- First Infantry Division Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 4th Cavalry Regiment, detained three individuals during a raid near Tikrit Jan. 27 about 6:30 p.m.
• Troops Discover Explosive Devices in Baghdad MNF-I/MNC-I 28 Jan 2005 -- Task Force Baghdad Soldiers discovered three improvised explosive devices while patrolling the streets of the Iraqi capital last night and in the early morning hours on Jan. 28.
• Excavation Unearths more Explosives south of Baghdad MNF-I/MNC-I 28 Jan 2005 -- Task Force Baghdad Soldiers found another large weapons cache in the north Babil region of Iraq, just south of the Iraqi capital Jan. 27.
• Seven Suspected Insurgents Captured MNF-I/MNC-I 28 Jan 2005 -- Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), and Iraqi Regular Army Soldiers continued operations to ensure security for the elections, detaining seven individuals in northern Iraq on Jan. 27.
• Weapons Cache Discovered MNF-I/MNC-I 28 Jan 2005 -- Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) secured a weapons cache in northern Iraq on Jan. 27.
• Iraqi, Marine Forces Detain 14 south of Baghdad MNF-I/MNC-I 28 Jan 2005 -- Iraqi security forces, backed by elements of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, rounded up 14 suspected insurgents south of Baghdad late on Jan. 27, continuing their pursuit of militants attempting to disrupt Sunday's national election.

Deployments

US Policy

• U.S./IRAQ MILITARY VOA 28 Jan 2005 -- President Bush has told the New York Times that he will withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq if the country's new government asks him to. But the president also said he expects Iraq's new leaders to agree that they need foreign forces to help with security until their own army and police are ready to do the job. U.S. and Iraqi officials say training those forces will be a major focus of U.S. military activity after Sunday's election. The effort is already underway, and is having some success, in spite of some well-publicized problems.
• U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Predicts Big Voter Turnout AFPS 28 Jan 2005 -- The U.S. ambassador to Iraq said he expects millions of Iraqis to go to the polls this weekend during what he called "a major stride toward freedom on the part of the Iraqi people."

United Nations

• Secretary-General calls on people of iraq to exercise their democratic rights in Sunday's election United Nations 28 Jan 2005
• 'Please exercise your democratic rights,' Annan tells Iraqis two days before polls UN News Centre 28 Jan 2005 -- Two days before Iraq holds its first free elections in a generation amid continuing violence and uncertainty, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called on Iraqis to turn out in large numbers, cautioned insurgents against intimidating voters and pledged the world body's continuing help in the future.
• ANNAN/IRAQ VOTE VOA 28 Jan 2005 -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is urging all Iraqis to vote in Sunday's election, calling it a "crucial first step" toward stability.

Reconstruction Issues

• HOUSTON / IRAQIS / ELECTION VOA 28 Jan 2005 -- As Sunday's election approaches in Iraq, there is concern that voter turnout will be limited by violence and insurgent threats against voters. Many thousands of Iraqis living in other countries will also vote, although their turnout may be diminished by the limited number of voting centers available. Many overseas Iraqis are looking to play an important role in developing democracy in their country over the long term.
• Upcoming Elections Represent 'Historic Moment," Iraqi Minister Says AFPS 28 Jan 2005 -- Iraq's Jan. 30 elections mark "the beginning of the end of the miseries and difficulties that the people of Iraq have endured for so many decades," Iraq's interim deputy prime minister told Pentagon reporters today during a videoconference from Baghdad.
• Iraqis in U.S. Cast Votes in Historic Election AFPS 28 Jan 2005 -- Iraqi citizens, many who fled their native country for the United States to escape Saddam Hussein's brutality, came here today to take part in something they never thought they'd live to see: Iraq's first free elections in more than six decades.
• Iraq: Candidates Brave Violence In Hopes Of Shaping Future RFE/RL 28 Jan 2005 -- Hundreds of candidates are competing in Iraq's election of a National Assembly on 30 January. They come from very different backgrounds and are running for a wide variety of reasons. But all of them are braving threats from insurgents against their lives, in hopes of having a role in shaping Iraq's future.
• Democratic Elections Historic, Iraqi Official Says Washington File 28 Jan 2005 -- Iraq's deputy prime minister says elections in Iraq are historic, and thanks Americans for making them possible.
• IRAQI/EXPAT/VOTES VOA 28 Jan 2005 -- The Geneva-based International Organization for Migration says Out-of-Country voting for Iraqi expatriates is now in full swing in most of the 14 countries where registration took place. IOM officials say voters are generally enthusiastic about participating in their country's first democratic election.
• IRAQIS/VOTING -- CAIRO VOA 28 Jan 2005 -- Iraqi expatriates have been encouraged to vote in their country's election. But only 14 countries around the world - including the United States, Canada, Australia, five European countries, and Syria, Turkey, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates - have official registration and polling facilities. Iraqis living in other countries have complained and some have even organized their own, unofficial elections. Hundreds voted in Egypt on Friday in an atmosphere of celebration, although it was unclear whether their votes would ultimately be counted.
• Iran Turnout Key To Expat Vote RFE/RL 28 Jan 2005 -- As expatriate voting for Iraq's national elections began in 14 countries on 28 January, focus shifted to the turnout in Iran, which has the largest Iraqi diaspora.
• IRAQ ELECTIONS / JORDAN VOA 28 Jan 2005 -- Like other Iraqi expatriates around the world, Iraqis living in Jordan have already begun voting in their home country's landmark elections. The balloting got off to a slow start, amid tight security and mixed reviews.
• Leaders Discuss Upcoming Elections MNF-I/MNC-I 28 Jan 2005 -- Leadership from around the Salah Ad Din Province met here Jan. 25 with Maj. Gen. John R.S. Batiste, 1st Infantry Division commander, Brig. Gen. John W. Morgan, 1st ID assistant division commander for Maneuver, and Col. Randal Dragon, 2nd Brigade Combat Team commander, to discuss the upcoming Jan. 30 elections.
• Iraqi Governors Address Election Concerns MNF-I/MNC-I 28 Jan 2005 -- Governors of north-central Iraq provinces and the commander of the 1st Infantry Division expressed their hope about Sunday's national elections during a press conference at Forward Operating Base Danger Jan. 26.
• Iraqi Army, Police Cadet Training Underway at Regular Iraq Army Base MNF-I/MNC-I 28 Jan 2005 -- The new regular Iraqi Army base in south central Iraq graduated its first police cadet training class in November 2004 due to the efforts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, independent contractors and the recruits themselves.
• Iraqi Expatriates Cast First Ballots RFE/RL 28 Jan 2005 -- Iraqi expatriates are voting today in national elections two days before the 30 January poll within Iraq.
• IRAQ: Security forces face biggest test on election day IRIN 28 Jan 2005 -- There’s been a lot of talk about how to make polls safe for voters on election day in Iraq on 30 January, but not a lot has been said about the new Iraqi forces who will be on the front line on the day.
• IRAQ: Focus on election preparations in Fallujah IRIN 28 Jan 2005 -- As expatriate Iraqis cast their votes on Friday, two days ahead of polling in Iraq, many people in and around the city of Fallujah, 60 km from the capital, Baghdad, remain reluctant to give their backing to any candidates.

Foreign Reactions

• Iraq: EU Watching Elections Carefully, Announces New Aid Decision RFE/RL 28 Jan 2005 -- The European Commission said today it will watch "very closely" the outcome of the 30 January elections in Iraq. Officials in Brussels say the EU is particularly concerned about seeing all of Iraq's ethnic and religious minorities represented in the new government. The commission also announced a major new aid decision, earmarking 200 million euros in aid for Iraq in 2005. Officials say they are confident EU member states will approve the decision when their foreign ministers meet in Brussels on 31 January.
• TURKEY / IRAQ VOA 28 Jan 2005 -- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Friday spoke to reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos, saying Turkey is eager to begin negotiations for membership in the European Union. Mr. Erdogan had hopeful words about Sunday's elections in neighboring Iraq.
• AFGHANISTAN/IRAQ ELECTIONS VOA 28 Jan 2005 -- As Iraq prepares to hold national elections, Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai, is urging Iraqis to go out and vote in large numbers, in order to prove they are masters of their own country.

News Reports

• IRAQ/AFTER THE VOTE VOA 28 Jan 2005 -- As Iraqis prepare to head to the polls Sunday, many observers are asking what will happen next. Will Iraqi politicians put aside ethnic and religious differences and work towards a more stable Iraq? Or will the country spiral into further violence and bloodshed?
• RFE/RL Iraq Report, Volume 8, Number 4 28 Jan 2005 -- IN KURDISTAN, THE ELECTION OUTCOME IS ALREADY KNOWN / GETTING OUT THE SUNNI VOTE / KIRKUK: A CITY UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT / AL-HAKIM TELLS RFI SECURITY IS STILL THE GREATEST CHALLENGE / IRAN TURNOUT KEY TO EXPAT VOTE
• IRAQ: Families store food ahead of elections IRIN 28 Jan 2005 -- People in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, are stocking up on food, water and fuel in the run up to election day on Sunday amid fears of widespread violence.