Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 08 Aug 2005 [PDF]
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualties
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty

• Defense Department Report, August 8: Iraq Update Washington File 08 Aug 2005 -- Efforts by Iraqi and coalition forces to increase the pressure on indigenous and foreign forces that have been working to disrupt lives and livelihoods in Iraq are having a positive effect, according to U.S. military sources.
• Combined Coalition, Iraqi Operations Disrupt Terrorists AFPS 08 Aug 2005 -- Multinational Corps Iraq operations continue to place pressure on terrorist operations in Iraq, with coalition and Iraqi security forces conducting more than 182 combined and independent offensive operations throughout the country since late July.
• Security forces Airmen keep contraband off Kirkuk AFPN 08 Aug 2005 -- During the lunch-hour rush at a dining facility in Mosul, Iraq, a suicide bomber managed to penetrate base security and kill 22 Americans Dec. 21, 2004. Since then, American bases in Iraq have successfully increased security measures.
• 'Black Ravens' Patrol the Skies Over Iraq Navy NewsStand 08 Aug 2005 -- Four officers from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 had the distinction of being the first air crew from the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) Strike Group to fly over Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
• Coalition Forces transfer authority to Iraqi army in Diyala Army News 08 Aug 2005 -- A July 31 ceremony marked the transfer of authority for one fifth of the Diyala province to the Iraqi army.
• Humvees now rolling from new refurb site Army News 08 Aug 2005 -- An Aug. 1 ceremony officially started operations for a new Humvee refurbishment and up-armor facility near Kuwait.
• Coalition and Iraqi security forces combined operations disrupt terrorists MNF-I 08 Aug 2005 -- Multi-National Corps - Iraq operations continue to place pressure on terrorist operations in Iraq with Coalition and Iraqi security forces conducting more than 182 combined and independent offensive operations throughout the country since late July.

Deployments

• IRAQ / IRAQI FORCES VOA 08 Aug 2005 -- Coalition officials in Iraq are meeting with senior Iraqi leaders to work on defining what conditions will allow withdrawal of about 138-thousand American troops and other foreign troops from the country

US Policy

• U.S. Envoy Outlines Iraq's Compact with America Washington File 08 Aug 2005 -- This op-ed by Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, appeared August 7 in the Wall Street Journal and is in the public domain.
• U.S. Ambassador Urges Iraq to Respect Equal Rights in Constitution Washington File 08 Aug 2005 -- As Iraqi leaders entered the final week of discussions before the August 15 deadline to complete the drafting of Iraq's new constitution, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad urged the constitutional committee to forge a document that guarantees equal rights and opportunities to all Iraqi citizens and ensures that no community is oppressed, marginalized or excluded.

United Nations

• PRESS CONFERENCE BY CHEF DE CABINET ON OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAMME INVESTIGATION United Nations 08 Aug 2005
• UN Report Charges Oil-for-Food Official with Corruption VOA 08 Aug 2005 -- The former head of the U.N. oil for food program for Iraq has been accused of taking bribes while administering the multi-billion dollar program
• UN: Panel Accuses Sevan, Yakovlev Of Corruption In Oil-For-Food Program RFE/RL 08 Aug 2005 -- An investigative panel is urging criminal prosecutions against two former UN officials it accuses of abusing the oil-for-food program in Iraq.
• Iraq: UN Chief Seeks Mission Extension, Amid Corruption Allegations Against Former Oil-For-Food Head RFE/RL 08 Aug 2005 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan asked the UN Security Council on 5 August to extend the mission of the United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq until August 2006
• Former Oil-for-Food Officials Accused of Taking Bribes Washington File 08 Aug 2005 -- The Independent Inquiry Committee into the U.N. Oil-for-Food program has accused Benon Sevan, former head of the program, of taking nearly $150,000 in bribes related to Iraqi oil sales and recommended that U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan lift his diplomatic immunity.
• Former Oil-For-Food Head Resigns As Report Due RFE/RL 08 Aug 2005 -- The former head of the UN oil-for-food program with Iraq has resigned from the United Nations, hours before he is expected to be accused of getting kickbacks from the $67 billion operation.

Reconstruction Issues

• Sandstorm Halts Second Meeting to Break Deadlock on Iraqi Constitution VOA 08 Aug 2005 -- A sandstorm blanketing the Iraqi capital has forced Iraqi leaders to postpone a second day of meetings to discuss the draft constitution
• Iraqi Politicians Race To Complete Constitution RFE/RL 08 Aug 2005 -- Senior Iraqi politicians are today racing against time to agree the draft of a new constitution to present to parliament by 15 August.
• IRAQ: US $20 billion needed for electricity projects in next five years. IRIN 08 Aug 2005 -- Iraq has been in intensive discussions with major Western donors to accelerate disbursement of billions of dollars of pledges for electricity projects, designated as priority needs to speed up reconstruction, the country's electricity minister said.

Foreign Reactions

News Reports

• Hussein's Family Sacks Foreign Defense Team RFE/RL 08 Aug 2005 -- The family of ousted Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein said today it has sacked all members of his foreign defense team, and from now on would deal only with his Iraqi lawyer.
• Iran/Iraq: Renewed Speculation About Tehran And Instability In Iraq RFE/RL 08 Aug 2005 -- "[O]ne of the biggest one-week death tolls for U.S. forces in Iraq and a continuing surge in killings of Iraqi forces and civilians showed that the insurgency is increasing its lethality and expanding its scope," "The Washington Post" reported on 7 August, citing U.S. and Iraqi officials and casualty counts.