Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 22 Nov 2005 [PDF]
• II MEF SOLDIER KILLED BY IED
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
• DoD Identifies Marine Casualty
• DoD Identifies Army Casualties
• DoD Identifies Army Casualty
• TASK FORCE BAGHDAD SOLDIER DIES
• TWO TASK FORCE FREEDOM SOLDIERS KILLED

• Transcript: News Briefing with Lt. Gen. John R. Vines 22 Nov 2005 -- Presenter: Commander, Multinational Corps Iraq and Commanding General of the 18th Airborne Corps, Lt. Gen. John R. Vines
• Insurgents Fire Mortar at US-Iraqi Ceremony in Tikrit VOA 22 Nov 2005 -- A mortar attack in Iraq sent high-level dignitaries running for cover Tuesday as they prepared to watch the U.S. military return control of a massive palace complex in Tikrit to the Iraqi government.
• Defense Department Report, November 22: Iraq Operations Washington File 22 Nov 2005 -- The commander of coalition ground forces in Iraq says a precipitous pullout of the U.S. military there would be destabilizing.
• CENTAF releases airpower summary AFPN 22 Nov 2005 -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.
• Small-Arms Fire Claims Soldiers' Lives; Weapons Caches Found AFPS 22 Nov 2005 -- Two Task Force Freedom soldiers were killed Nov. 19 by small-arms fire while on patrol in Mosul, Iraq, officials said today.
• Terrorists Fire Dud in Attempt to Disrupt Tikrit Ceremony AFPS 22 Nov 2005 -- Terrorists today fired what officials called "unidentified explosive ordnance" at a ceremony where multinational forces were turning over control of the former Saddam Hussein palace complex to Iraqi government officials in Tikrit, Iraq, military officials said.
• Zarqawi Probably Alive, Ground Forces Commander Says AFPS 22 Nov 2005 -- The commander of ground forces in Iraq said today he has "absolutely no reason to believe" that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was among those killed during a Nov. 19 raid in Mosul, Iraq.
• Terrorists attempt to disrupt transfer of authority ceremony MNF-I 22 Nov 2005 -- Terrorists fired unidentified explosive ordnance at a ceremony where Multi-National Forces were turning over control of the former Saddam Hussein Palace Complex to Iraqi government officials in Tikrit Nov. 22.
• Mortar Attack Targets U.S. and Iraqi Officials RFE/RL 22 Nov 2005 -- Insurgents fired a mortar at a ceremony attended by senior Iraqi and U.S. officials near the city of Tikrit today, but they caused no damage or casualties.
• Insurgents Fire Mortar at US-Iraqi Ceremony in Tikrit VOA 22 Nov 2005 -- Senior U.S. and Iraqi officials had a close call Tuesday, when insurgents fired a mortar shell at a ceremony they were attending in northern Iraq.
• Operation Steel Curtain concludes MNF-I 22 Nov 2005 -- Iraqi Army Soldiers and Marines, Soldiers and Sailors with Regimental Combat Team -2 wrapped up Operation Al Hajip Elfulathi (Steel Curtain) today near the Syrian border.

Deployments

US Policy

• General Links Security at Home to U.S. Role in Iraq AFPS 22 Nov 2005 -- The contributions U.S. servicemembers are making in Iraq are helping ensure the peace and security families across the United States will enjoy this Thanksgiving, the commander of coalition operations in Iraq told Pentagon reporters via satellite today.
• Pentagon: Politics Will Not be Factor in Iraq Withdrawal Recommendations VOA 22 Nov 2005 -- Iraqi leaders meeting in Cairo Monday called for a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq, a demand that coincides with similar calls from some members of the U.S. congress.

United Nations

Reconstruction Issues

• Death Penalty Possible in Hussein Trial VOA 22 Nov 2005 -- The trial of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein is scheduled to resume in Baghdad next week (Nov. 28).
• Iraq: Reconciliation Conference Ends With Pledge To Move Forward RFE/RL 22 Nov 2005 -- Iraqi delegates to the three-day Arab League-sponsored meeting on national reconciliation in Cairo vowed on 21 November to undertake a series of trust-building measures ahead of a broader conference slated to be held in Baghdad early next year.
• IRAQ: Political leaders hopeful about reconciliation IRIN 22 Nov 2005 -- With earlier tensions seemingly reduced, participants of a preparatory meeting in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, for an Iraqi reconciliation conference finally reached an agreement on Monday.

Foreign Reactions

• Iraqi FM describes ties with Iran "excellent, constructive" IRNA 22 Nov 2005 -- Visiting Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs Hoshyar Zebari said here Monday, "Iraq enjoys excellent and constructive ties with Iran today."
• Iraq-Iran presidents emphasize expansion of ties IRNA 22 Nov 2005 -- Visiting Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and President Mahmood Ahmadinejad emphasized the two countries' intention to deepen and expand strategic mutual ties.
• Supreme Leader: Iran proud of Iraq's progress, national sovereignty IRNA 22 Nov 2005 -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that Iran is proud of Iraq's progress, security, independence and national strength and there is no limits on development of cooperation with Iraq.
• EC chairman: Iran wishes calm, free, united Iraq IRNA 22 Nov 2005 -- Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said here Tuesday that a calm, free and united Iraq is the call of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
• Iran to export up to 200 megawatts of power to Iraq in a month IRNA 22 Nov 2005 -- Iran's power exports to Iraq will rise to 200 megawatts by next one month from 150 megawatts, said Energy Minister Parviz Fattah here on Tuesday.
• Iran presses President Talabani with case against Saddam IRNA 22 Nov 2005 -- Iran on Tuesday demanded that an Iraqi court trying Saddam Hussein take in an indictment brought by Tehran against the former dictator as President Jalal Talabani spent his second day of a landmark visit to the Islamic Republic.
• President Talabani refutes charges of Iran meddling in Iraq IRNA 22 Nov 2005 -- President Jalal Talabani here Tuesday brushed aside accusations that Iran was interfering in Iraq's domestic affairs.
• Iran Urges Iraq To Set Withdrawal Timetable RFE/RL 22 Nov 2005 -- Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called on visiting Iraqi President Jalal Talabani to prepare a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq.

News Reports

• Waning US Iraq War Support Stirs New Comparisons to Vietnam Conflict VOA 22 Nov 2005 -- The decline in U.S. public support for the war in Iraq has prompted a debate about whether the effort in Iraq is beginning to resemble the Vietnam War quagmire of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
• Iran/Iraq: Bilateral Ties Improving Despite U.S. Worries RFE/RL 22 Nov 2005 -- Iraqi President Jalal Talabani is on a three-day visit to Tehran. He is the first Iraqi president to visit Iran in nearly four decades.