Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

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

Current Operations

• OIF/OEF Casualty Update 16 Dec 2005 [PDF]

• Transcript: News Briefing with Gen. George Casey 16 Dec 2005 -- Presenter: Army Vice Chief of Staff, Commander, U.S. Forces in Iraq, Gen. George Casey
• Defense Department Report, December 16: Iraq Update Washington File 16 Dec 2005 -- The commander of U.S. ground forces in Iraq says December 15 was a great day there because of the high volume of voters and the low level of violence.
• CENTAF releases daily airpower summary AFPN 16 Dec 2005 -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.
• Coalition forces share small-arms skills AFPN 16 Dec 2005 -- Thirty people from the military security forces of five countries gathered for a coalition weapons training exercise at a desert air base Dec. 15.
• Arrest warrant issued for Iraqi terrorist leader with ties to Zarqawi MNF-I 16 Dec 2005 -- On Dec. 4, The Iraqi Central Investigating Court in Baghdad issued an arrest warrant for Mullah Halgurd Al-Khabir, a "Jihadist" terrorist commander, suspected of leading the insurgency against Coalition and Iraqi forces.

Deployments

US Policy

• Iraq Info Ops Review Yields No Wrongdoing, Casey Says AFPS 16 Dec 2005 -- A preliminary investigation of alleged improprieties conducted by U.S. military information operations activities in Iraq hasn't found any wrongdoing, the top U.S. officer in Iraq said today.
• Rumsfeld: New Iraq Government Will Have Say in Troop Levels AFPS 16 Dec 2005 -- The new year is likely to include troop reductions in Iraq, but exactly how quickly those reductions will occur will be based on recommendations of U.S. commanders there in conjunction with wishes of the new Iraqi government, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today.
• US General Sees Divisions in Iraqi Insurgency, Calls for Broad-Based Government VOA 16 Dec 2005 -- The coalition commander in Iraq says several factors should result in a lesser role for U.S. forces in the country during the coming year, if Iraqi politicians establish a broad-based government and begin to address the people's concerns.
• Bush: Elections Are 'Glorious Day' for Iraq VOA 16 Dec 2005 -- President Bush says Iraq's successful vote for a new national assembly this week was a remarkable moment in the history of freedom.
• US General Praises Syria, Criticizes Iran VOA 16 Dec 2005 -- The coalition commander in Iraq has for the first time had something good to say about Syrian government actions to stop foreign insurgents from getting into Iraq.
• Iraq Concerns Result in Divisive Debate in US House of Representatives VOA 16 Dec 2005 -- Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives have engaged in often angry debate over a Republican resolution congratulating Iraqis on their election, but also rejecting a timetable for a U.S. withdrawal.
• Ambassador Khalilzad, General Casey Applaud Iraqis on Elections Washington File 16 Dec 2005 -- U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad and U.S. General George Casey, the commander of the coalition forces in Iraq, have congratulated the Iraqi people for the success of their legislative elections December 15, which will lead to the formation of a permanent, democratic government.
• Rice Hails Iraq Elections as Extraordinary Victory for Iraqis Washington File 16 Dec 2005 -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Iraq's December 15 legislative elections a historic day and an extraordinary victory for the Iraqi people.
• Polling Center Incident Shows Iraqis' Spirit, Casey Says AFPS 16 Dec 2005 -- The top U.S. military officer in Iraq said today he knew Iraqi officials and security forces had matters well in hand in the days prior to the Dec. 15 election.

United Nations

• Iraq: UN commends countrywide participation in inclusive elections UN News Centre 16 Dec 2005 -- The United Nations today commended the Iraqi people for their active nationwide participation in yesterday's elections, congratulated the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) for the conduct of the poll, and pledged its continued support on the path to peace and democracy in the strife-torn country.

Reconstruction Issues

• Ballot Counting Under Way in Iraq Parliament Vote VOA 16 Dec 2005 -- Iraq's cities were mostly quiet Friday, as security measures remained in place for a final day following Thursday's parliamentary vote.
• Iraqis flock to polls, take part in democracy Army News 16 Dec 2005 -- Millions of Iraqi citizens flocked to the polls Dec. 15 to vote under the new Iraqi Constitution, giving birth to a Middle East democracy.
• Iraq: Fewer Complaints Of Fraud Surface After Latest Vote RFE/RL 16 Dec 2005 -- With polling centers in Iraq now closed, election officials are starting to tally up the results of the 15 December parliamentary elections, a task that could take up to two weeks.
• National Elections Set Milestone for Iraqi Security Forces AFPS 16 Dec 2005 -- The day seemed downright festive: children marched in impromptu parades, men wore suits -- on their day off, no less -- and entire families took long walks from their homes to polling sites.
• Vote Counting Under Way In Iraq RFE/RL 16 Dec 2005 -- The vote counting is under way in Iraq following the election to choose the first full-term Iraqi parliament since the ouster of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship in 2003.
• Iraq's Sunnis Turn Out in Large Numbers, Unlike in January Election VOA 16 Dec 2005 -- After boycotting elections in January, Iraq's Sunni Muslim minority, which once dominated the country under Saddam Hussein, turned out en masse to vote in elections Thursday to choose a new four-year government.
• Experts Concerned About Militant Shi'ite Role in New Iraqi Government VOA 16 Dec 2005 -- With Iraqis electing their first democratic four-year government, attention is shifting to what the country's long-term political landscape might look like. Much attention has been focused on defeating or placating Iraq's mainly Sunni Muslim insurgency.

Foreign Reactions

• Iraq: World Reacts To Iraqi Vote RFE/RL 16 Dec 2005 -- The vote counting is under way in Iraq following the country's 15 December elections to choose the first full-term Iraqi parliament since the ouster of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
• Rafsanjani rejects US allegations on Iran's interference in Iraq IRNA 16 Dec 2005 -- Tehran's Substitute Friday Prayers Leader Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani rejected any allegation by the US administration regarding Iran's interference in Iraq.

News Reports

• Iraqi Forces Reportedly Captured, Released Al-Zarqawi RFE/RL 16 Dec 2005 -- CNN is reporting today that Iraqi security forces apparently captured Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi, the Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq, but released him because they did not know who he was.