Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 29 Jun 2005 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualties

• Brig. Gen. William H. McCoy, Jr., takes command of Gulf Region Division MNF-I 29 Jun 2005 -- Brig. Gen. William H. McCoy, Jr., took command of the Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers June 29 in a military ceremony at the Palace Chapel Hall. Lt. Gen. Carl A. Strock, Chief of Engineers, and Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, hosted the ceremony.
• Operation Sword update MNF-I 29 Jun 2005 -- Iraq Security Forces and approximately 1,000 Marines, Sailors and Soldiers from Regimental Combat Team-2 , comprised of elements of 2nd Marine Regiment and 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 2nd Marine Division began conducting security operations in the Al Anbar province.
• Task Force Liberty Soldiers seize weapons in north-central Iraq MNF-I 29 Jun 2005 -- Task Force Liberty Soldiers seized a number of weapons during an operation and found a pair of weapons caches in north-central Iraq June 29.

Deployments

US Policy

• Lawmakers Question US Official on Training of Iraqi Forces VOA 29 Jun 2005 -- A U.S. official has faced tough questions from members of Congress about progress in training Iraqi military and police.
• Bush Explains Troop Levels, Rejects Deadline for Iraq Pullout AFPS 29 Jun 2005 -- President Bush said troop levels in Iraq are where military commanders want them and explained why he believes setting a deadline for their withdrawal would be a mistake in a nationally televised June 28 speech at Fort Bragg, N.C.
• President speaks to nation from Fort Bragg Army News 29 Jun 2005 -- Speaking before an enthusiastic crowd of Soldiers from some of America's most elite military units, President Bush reaffirmed the nation's commitment to defeating terrorism and promoting democracy abroad during a nationally televised, primetime address from Fort Bragg, N.C. Tuesday night.
• Bush Urges Patience With Iraq War RFE/RL 29 Jun 2005 -- U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday told soldiers at Fort Bragg in the United States -- and the American people -- that they should not lose faith in the Iraq war, saying it is being fought in their best interests.
• Republicans praise, Democrats criticize, Bush Speech VOA 29 Jun 2005 -- U.S. congressional reaction to President Bush's Tuesday address on Iraq has been divided along party lines.
• President Bush Seeks to Turn US Opinion on Iraq VOA 29 Jun 2005 -- President Bush is urging Americans to be patient and to persevere in Iraq despite opinion polls that suggest public support for the effort there is slipping. Political analysts and historians say turning around public opinion is often difficult.
• Dean: Troops Deserve More Than Bush's 'Discredited' Rhetoric US Newswire 29 Jun 2005 -- Following is a release of the Democratic National Committee
• The American Friends Service Committee Says Bush's Address to the Nation Ignores Iraq War Failures US Newswire 29 Jun 2005 -- The following is a statement by the American Friends Service Committee on Bush's address to the nation

United Nations

• Iraq: UN envoy holds new talks to promote full participation in political transition UN News Centre 29 Jun 2005 -- Continuing his efforts to bring about the inclusion of all sectors of Iraqi society in writing the new constitution, the top United Nations envoy to that country held a series of meetings over the past 24 hours with Sunni and Shiite Arab leaders and government ministers.

Reconstruction Issues

• IRAQ: Doctors' salaries set to improve IRIN 29 Jun 2005 -- The Iraqi Ministry of Health (MoH) announced this week that they are going to respond to a request from doctors to increase their salaries.

Foreign Reactions

• U.S.: Region Reacts To Bush Speech On Iraq RFE/RL 29 Jun 2005 -- In a televised national address yesterday, President George W. Bush said prevailing in the Iraqi conflict is vital to the future security of the United States. Seeking to bolster support for the ongoing war, Bush also compared the Iraqi insurgents to the hijackers who carried out the 11 September 2001 attacks on the United States.

News Reports

• Iraqi Media Monitoring UNAMI 29 Jun 2005
• Iraqi Mediator Says Insurgents Want US Withdrawal Timetable VOA 29 Jun 2005 -- A prominent Sunni politician in Iraq says he has established a new forum for insurgent leaders, who seek to negotiate a peaceful end to the violence and to begin fully participating in Iraq's political process.