Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 17 Oct 2005 [PDF]
• MARINE KILLED BY IED IN SAQLAWIYAH
• FIVE SOLDIERS KILLED IN RAMADI
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualty

• Al Qaeda Leader's Letter Questions Zarqawi Tactics AFPS 17 Oct 2005 -- A letter from al Qaeda's second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri, intended for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al Qaeda terrorist leader in Iraq, chided Zarqawi for some of his tactics.
• Marine Dies in Attack; Forces Capture Weapons, Kill Terrorists AFPS 17 Oct 2005 -- A Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), died when his vehicle was attacked with an improvised explosive device in Saqlawiyah, Iraq, on Oct. 15.
• An estimated 70 terrorists killed near Ramadi MNF-I 17 Oct 2005 -- Coalition forces continued counter-terrorism operations in areas of Al Anbar Province Oct. 16, killing an estimated 70 terrorists in separate actions.
• Citizen's tip helps Soldiers find terrorist weapons cache MNF-I 17 Oct 2005 -- Task Force Baghdad Soldiers, acting on a tip from an Iraqi citizen, seized a large weapons cache in west Baghdad Oct. 16.
• Marines destroy terrorist cave complex MNF-I 17 Oct 2005 -- Marines destroyed a terrorist cave complex used as a weapons cache and bomb-making factory early Oct. 17 near Haqlaniyah.
• Troops help protect Iraqi polls Army News 17 Oct 2005 -- Combined forces throughout Iraq stepped up security efforts during the constitutional referendum vote Oct. 15, resulting in few attacks to disrupt the democratic process.
• Mosul is policing its own Army News 17 Oct 2005 -- The Mosul city government and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or USACE, are working together to renovate eight Mosul police stations.

Deployments

US Policy

• Bush Congratulates Iraqis on Successful Election AFPS 17 Oct 2005 -- President Bush congratulated the Iraqi people Oct. 16 for the success of their constitutional referendum Oct. 15.
• Rice Says Iraqi Voters Took "Another Really Important Step Forward" Washington File 17 Oct 2005 -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the Iraqi people have taken "another really important step forward" toward the goal of a stable and democratic Iraq through their participation in a constitutional referendum October 15.
• US Believes Saddam Trial Will Meet International Standards VOA 17 Oct 2005 -- The U.S. State Department says it expects the trial of Saddam Hussein, which opens Wednesday in Baghdad, will meet international standards for fairness.
• U.S. Officials Praise Iraqi Referendum RFE/RL 17 Oct 2005 -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said violence will likely continue in Iraq even if the new constitution is approved, but support for the insurgency will drop as the country moves toward democracy.

United Nations

• Security Council, Annan hail bravery of Iraqis who voted on constitution UN News Centre 17 Oct 2005 -- The United Nations Security Council and Secretary-General Kofi Annan today both praised the bravery of the Iraqi people for voting in Saturday's constitutional referendum and looked forward to national elections slated for December.
• United Nations Security Council Praises Iraqi Voters Washington File 17 Oct 2005 -- Stressing the importance of inclusiveness, reconciliation and national unity, the Security Council October 17 commended Iraqi voters for their participation in the October 15 referendum on a new constitution.
• UN Judge Criticizes Saddam Hussein Trial RFE/RL 17 Oct 2005 -- A senior United Nations judge has added his voice to criticism that the trial of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein will not fulfill the necessary standards of fairness.

Reconstruction Issues

• Iraq: Sunni Arabs Lose Bid To Vote Down Constitution RFE/RL 17 Oct 2005 -- Preliminary results from the 15 October referendum on the Iraqi draft constitution point to a loss by Sunni Arabs who sought to vote down the draft
• Iraq: U.S., Iraqi Officials Confident That Constitution Passed In Referendum RFE/RL 17 Oct 2005 -- The final result from Iraq's constitutional referendum is still days away, but U.S. and Iraqi officials are expressing confidence that the vote count will show the public endorsed the draft document

Foreign Reactions

• Arab League Meets in Baghdad To Foster Iraqi Reconciliation VOA 17 Oct 2005 -- A much-anticipated Arab League-sponsored conference to promote national reconciliation in Iraq opened in Baghdad Monday.
• Iraqis' massive turn-out in referendum shows unity: Mottaki IRNA 17 Oct 2005 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said here Monday the enthusiastic participation of the Iraqi nation in Friday's referendum showed the unity, convergence and firm determination of the nation and political groups to establish a free and independent state.

News Reports

• Analysts: Iraqi Constitution No Guarantee of Peace, Stability VOA 17 Oct 2005 -- Officials in Iraq are continuing to count millions of paper ballots from the referendum on the new Iraqi constitution, with partial results suggesting the document will be approved.