Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 18 May 2005 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty

• Soldiers storm terrorist safe house MNF-I/MNC-I 18 May 2005 -- Task Force Baghdad Soldiers stormed through terrorist safe houses in west and north Baghdad May 16, conducting four early morning raids and capturing 10 terror suspects.
• Coalition, Iraq Cooperation Foiling Insurgents AFPS 18 May 2005 -- Progress in capturing suspected terrorists and foiling their operations continues, with Iraqi security forces playing an increasing role and Iraqi citizens coming forward with valuable intelligence, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported today.
• Hard-Working Mechanics Keep Apaches Flying High in Iraq AFPS 18 May 2005 -- Most Americans are familiar with Rosie the Riveter, the World War II-era image of a woman in blue overalls, rolling up her sleeve, flexing her bicep, and exclaiming, "We can do it!"
• Italian patrol finds weapons cache MNF-I/MNC-I 18 May 2005 -- An Italian Joint Task Force patrol discovered a weapons cache in the vicinity of Sooq Ash Shuyookh, Dhi Qar Province May 17.
• 403rd Civil Affairs gunners protect convoys MNF-I/MNC-I 18 May 2005 -- Three HMMWVs cruise slowly down a city street, the turret gunners scanning the area for threats.
• M-1A1 Abrams tank rolls over insurgency in Iraq USMC News 18 May 2005 -- As the Global War on Terrorism progresses, the Marine Corps continues to use an intimidating pieces of machinery on the ground .the M-1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank.
• Operation Matador bulls through insurgency in Western USMC News 18 May 2005 -- Marines, Sailors and Soldiers from Regimental Combat Team-2, 2d Marine Division successfully completed Operation Matador today, concluding a seven-day operation securing objectives in and around the Euphrates River cities of Karabilah, Ramana and Ubaydi, near the Syrian border.
• 3/4 evaluates Iraqi Army performance USMC News 18 May 2005 -- A recent operation conducted by soldiers of the Iraqi Army and Marines of 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, served a dual purpose for the joint force.
• 3/4, Iraqi forces operate side-by-side in Fallujah USMC News 18 May 2005 -- The execution of Operation Block Party II was similar to past operations conducted here, but the planning and deployment of troops was a little different.
• Female gunners protect Iraq convoys Army News 18 May 2005 -- Three Humvees cruised slowly down a Baghdad street, and disinterested neighborhood residents merely glanced at them, until one of the turret gunners abruptly shouted and gestured. Immediately heads snapped around and jaws dropped when the residents heard the sound of female voices and noticed the feminine features of the Soldiers behind the machine guns.

Deployments

• Mobile Security Detachment 25 Deploys Navy NewsStand 18 May 2005 -- Eighty members from Mobile Security Detachment (MSD) 25 boarded a plane May 15 for a six-month deployment to the Middle East.

US Policy

• ARMY UPDATES DETAINEE OPERATIONS INFORMATION Army News Release 18 May 2005 -- The Army continued its effort to keep the public informed concerning detainee operations by releasing documents today pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
• US General Says Syria Should Do More to Help Stop Iraq Terrorism VOA 18 May 2005 -- The American General who commands all U.S. forces in the Middle East says he can not confirm a statement by one of his subordinates that the recent increase in violence in Iraq resulted from a meeting of leading insurgents in Syria. But the general, John Abizaid, says Syria should do more to ensure that insurgents do not use the country as a logistical base.
• Latest Zarqawi Message 'An Outrage,' Myers Says AFPS 18 May 2005 -- The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today called a purported new audio message from fugitive terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi "an outrage."

United Nations

• Iraq: British MP Rebukes U.S. Panel As Oil-for-Food Inquiry Widens RFE/RL 18 May 2005 -- British parliamentarian George Galloway has angrily rejected accusations he helped Saddam Hussein exploit the UN oil-for-food program. Galloway also used his appearance before a U.S. Senate panel investigating abuses of the program to criticize the U.S.-led war in Iraq and the impact on Iraqi civilians of UN sanctions.

Reconstruction Issues

• Iraq's Allawi calls for expansion of ties with Iran IRNA 18 May 2005 -- Head of Iraqi National Accord (INA), Iyad Allawi, here Tuesday called for formulating ties between his country and Iran on the basis of mutual respect.
• Iraqi FM says his country to promote all-out relations with Iran IRNA 18 May 2005 -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said Wednesday that his country is determined to expand all-out relations with neighboring Iran.

Foreign Reactions

• Iran, Iraq FMs hold 1st round of talks IRNA 18 May 2005 -- Foreign ministers of Iran and Iraq discussed bilateral relations during the first round of their talks in Baghdad on Tuesday.
• Kharrazi calls for expansion of all-out cooperation with Iraq IRNA 18 May 2005 -- Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi who is currently on a visit to Iraq said on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to broaden all-out cooperation with Iraq.
• Iran: Foreign Minister Makes Landmark Visit To Baghdad RFE/RL 18 May 2005 -- Iraq has hailed Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi's visit to Baghdad as a new start in mutual relations. Kharrazi's trip yesterday was the highest-level visit by an official from any of Iraq's six neighboring countries since Saddam Hussein's ouster two years ago. Both nations have expressed readiness to improve ties.

News Reports

• Iraqi Media Monitoring UNAMI 18 May 2005
• Iraqi FM: Iran, Iraq to sign permanent peace treaty IRNA 18 May 2005 -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said here Tuesday that the long duration of acrimonious relations between Iraq and Iran is now over and the two nations will sign a peace treaty soon.