THE MILITARY CAMPAIGN

April 21, 2003, 4:15pm EDT
Four Top Iraqi Leaders Captured
U.S. forces captured Mohammed Hamza al-Zubeidi, a former Iraqi deputy prime minister and military commander, and three other key members of Saddam's toppled regime in the past three days.

Update: U.S. Captures Senior Baath Party Official

April 18, 2003, 9:45am EDT
U.S. Captures Senior Baath Party Official
U.S. forces took custody of another of their "most wanted" from the former Iraqi regime Thursday, a Baath leader whom Central Command officials hope will help them further dismantle what remains of Saddam's regime.

RealAudio: General Vincent Brooks announces the capture at Friday's CentCom briefing

April 17, 2003, 9:35pm EDT
Secretary Powell on the War and Its Aftermath
Secretary of State Colin Powell says the circumstances surrounding the U.S. dispute with Syria are different from those that led to war against Saddam Hussein.

In an interview with Jim Lehrer, Powell said that while the Bush administration considers Syria "one of the states that do sponsor terrorism," the U.S. has "ways to deal with a country such as Syria that don't involve ... pulling out an invasion plan."

The secretary also discusses upcoming meetings with Chinese and North Korean officials and the continuing hunt for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

April 17, 2003, 8:30pm EDT
Inside Baghdad: The Iraqi Regime's Final Days
RealAudio: New York Times reporter John Burns on his harrowing experiences in Baghdad during the final days of Saddam Hussein's regime and the current state of the Iraqi capital.

April 17, 2003, 8:30am EDT
Coalition Captures Saddam's Half-Brother
U.S. special forces soldiers captured Barzan Ibrahim Hasan al-Tikriti, Saddam Hussein's half-brother and key adviser, in a nighttime raid early Thursday local time in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

The special forces captured Barzan, the five of clubs in the deck of playing cards of most wanted Iraqi leaders, with no casualties after being tipped off by Iraqi sources.

RealAudio: Thursday's Central Command briefing

April 17, 2003, 12:10pm EDT
Three More Iraqis Killed in Mosul Clashes
Facing continued anti-American anger, U.S. Marines again clashed with local Iraqis in Mosul Wednesday, resulting in at least three more Iraqis killed and several wounded by U.S. forces.

April 16, 2003, 9:10am EDT
Clash in Mosul Leaves at Least Seven Iraqis Dead
A violent clash between thousands of Iraqis and U.S. Marines and Special Forces left at least seven Iraqis dead and some 16 wounded in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, Central Command reported Wednesday.

RealAudio: Wednesday's Central Command briefing

April 16, 2003, 10:10am EDT
Palestinian Terrorist Captured in Baghdad
U.S. forces captured the leader of a Palestinian terror group accused of masterminding the 1985 hijacking of the Italian Achille Lauro cruise ship, during which an American was murdered.

April 14, 2003, 7:50pm EDT
"Major" Combat Operations Over in Iraq
With the capture of Saddam Hussein's hometown and center of power, Tikrit, American military officials said Monday that the large-scale combat in Iraq had come to an end.

RealAudio: Monday's Defense Department briefing

April 14, 2003, 3:20pm EDT
U.S. Forces Push Into Central Tikrit
U.S. ground forces swarmed the city of Tikrit Monday, backed by warplanes and attack helicopters as they worked to rout resistance in Saddam Hussein's ancestral home, believed to be the last major stronghold of regime supporters.

Text: Monday's Central Command briefing
RealAudio: Military analysts assess the drive for Tikrit.
Update: Coalition Enters Tikrit, Meets Scattered Resistance

April 14, 2003, 11:35am EDT
Coalition Troops, Iraqi Police Patrol Baghdad
As looting begins to slow, Iraqi police and U.S. troops jointly patrolled Baghdad to put an end to the civil disorder that has enveloped the city since the end of Saddam’s leadership.

April 13, 2003, 1:25pm EDT
Seven American POWs Found Near Tikrit
United States Marines found seven soldiers captured as prisoners of war alive and safe on the road between Baghdad and Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, U.S. Central Command said Sunday.

The soldiers include Apache helicopter pilots and Army Chief Warrant Officers David Williams and Ronald Young Jr. (pictured left), as well as Sgt. James Riley, Spc. Shoshana Johnson, Pfc. Patrick Miller, Spc. Joseph Hudson, and Spc. Edgar Hernandez of the 507th Maintenance Company, Central Command said in a statement.

RealAudio: President Bush remarks on the rescue, calls for cooperation from Syria.

April 13, 2003, 10:45pm EDT
Coalition Enters Tikrit, Meets Scattered Resistance
U.S. forces have met some resistance from Iraqi fighters as they push into Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, the last major city not yet controlled by the coalition.

RealAudio: Military analysts assess the drive for Tikrit.

April 12, 2003, 1:01pm EDT
Looting Continues in Baghdad, Iraqis Demand More Security
The Iraqi National Museum became the latest target of looting in Baghdad on Saturday, with treasures dating back thousands of years ending up in the hands of crowds of looters, museum officials said.

Text: Saturday's Central Command briefing
Analysis: The work of restoring order in Iraq.

April 12, 2003, 3:44pm EDT
Evidence Suggests High Threat of Suicide Attacks
U.S. Marines discovered a stockpile of explosive-packed vests in a Baghdad elementary school Thursday, indicating the risk of suicide attacks in the Iraqi capital remains high.

April 12, 2003, 12:25pm EDT
Battle For Tikrit Awaits U.S. Forces
The U.S. military cautioned Saturday that taking Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit will not necessarily end the war in Iraq, but according to an article in The Washington Post, the lack of Iraqi defensive preparations in the city may make that effort easier than previously thought.

April 12, 2003, 11:26am EDT
U.S. Strengthens Hold on N. Iraq in Bid to Calm Turkey
Easing Turkey's fears that Kurds would retain control of Northern Iraq, the U.S. military worked to strengthen its hold on Mosul and Kirkuk Saturday as Kurdish fighters said they would withdraw the remainder of their forces in Kirkuk by the day's end.

April 11, 2003, 9:22pm EDT
Securing the Peace
Margaret Warner and military experts discuss criticism of the coalition's plan to secure the peace and the steps needed to restore order to the region.

April 11, 2003, 3:22pm EDT
Mosul Falls Amid Mass Iraqi Surrender
The northern city of Mosul fell to coalition and Kurdish forces apparently without a fight early Friday following the surrender of an entire corps of the Iraqi military.

As residents poured into the streets, many of Mosul's schools and government offices were either stripped of furniture and other resources or set ablaze, press reports said.

Friday's Briefings: Defense Dept. | CentCom (In RealAudio)
Update: U.S. Kurdish Forces Move Into Mosul

April 11, 2003, 9:32am EDT
Marines Open Fire on Car Carrying Civilians
Following a suicide bombing Thursday in which five servicemen were wounded, two civilians were killed and nine were wounded when Marines opened fire on a car that failed to stop at a checkpoint Friday.

Update: Four Marines Wounded in Suicide Attack

April 10, 2003, 9:20pm EDT
U.S., Kurdish Forces Move into Mosul
With signs of large-scale Iraqi surrenders in the region, U.S. special forces troops and Kurdish soldiers entered Iraq's third largest city Thursday, according to American Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

April 10, 2003, 8:26pm EDT
Looting, Clashes Mark Uneasy Day in Baghdad
As battles continue to flare in Baghdad's outskirts and looters run amok for a second day, U.S. forces in Iraq are faced with the feat of attempting to create order. John Daniszewski of the Los Angeles Times provides an update on the situation in Baghdad.

Update: Marines Battle Pro-Saddam Forces in Baghdad

April 10, 2003, 5:50pm EDT
Four Marines Wounded in Baghdad Suicide Attack
A suicide bomber seriously wounded four U.S. Marines at a military checkpoint in central Baghdad on Thursday night, according to military officials and journalists in the Iraqi capital.

April 10, 2003, 4:26pm EDT
Shiite Muslim Leader Assassinated in Najaf
A prominent exiled Shiite Muslim leader who had just returned to Iraq was reportedly hacked to death by a mob while meeting Thursday with other clerics at a Najaf mosque.

April 10, 2003, 5:48pm EDT
U.S. Forces Focus On Northern Iraq, Help Secure Kirkuk
Kurdish soldiers and American forces met with little resistance from Saddam Hussein loyalists as they poured into Iraq's northern oil city Kirkuk Thursday. The Turkish government expressed concern that the city not come under permanent Kurdish control and said it would send observers to the area.

RealAudio: Thursday's Pentagon Briefing
RealAudio: Thursday's CentCom Briefing

April 9, 2003, 10:15pm EDT
Coalition Says Iraqi Regime Has Lost Control of Baghdad
Saddam Hussein's government appeared to lose control of Baghdad on Wednesday, as celebrations and looting spread across parts of the city with no apparent sign of regime officials.

Update: Iraq's U.N. ambassador says the "game is over," but coalition officials say the fight in Iraq goes on.
RealAudio: Wednesday's Pentagon Briefing
RealAudio: Vice President Dick Cheney on the War
RealAudio: Wednesday's Central Command Briefing

April 9, 2003, 9:45pm EDT
After Saddam, An Uncertain Future
Los Angeles Times reporter John Daniszewski on the jubilation and fear in Baghdad as Iraqis marked the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime.

April 8, 2003, 10:41pm EDT
Airmen Missing After F-15 Goes Down
Two U.S. airmen were listed as missing in action after their F-15E warplane went down in Iraq Sunday, U.S. Central Command said in a statement Tuesday.

April 8, 2003, 9:15pm EDT
U.S. Bombing Devastates Iraqi "Leadership Target"
U.S. Forces dropped four 2,000-pound bombs on a building where high-ranking members of the Iraqi leadership were said to be meeting.

Update: The bombing and its aftermath
RealAudio: Tuesday's Central Command Briefing

April 8, 2003, 2:35pm EDT
U.S. Tightens Grip on Baghdad, Hits Ministries
U.S. forces in the center of Baghdad repelled an Iraqi counterattack Tuesday after dawn local time before moving out to expand the areas under its control.

April 8, 2003, 8:46am EDT
U.S. Bombing Devastates Iraqi "Leadership Target"
U.S. forces targeted the Iraqi leadership Monday, dropping four 2,000-pound bombs on a building where high-ranking members of the regime were meeting. Reports indicated President Saddam Hussein and his sons may have been there, but officials said it would take time to confirm who was killed or injured.

RealAudio: Tuesday's Central Command Briefing

April 8, 2003, 8:45am EDT
Ground Attack Fighter Shot Down Near Baghdad
An A-10 "Warthog" low-flying fighter jet was apparently shot down by Iraqi surface-to-air fire and crashed near the airport southwest of Baghdad early Tuesday local time. The pilot reportedly ejected safely and was retrieved by coalition forces.

April 7, 2003, 9:00pm EDT
Assessing the War's Progress
In the wake of British troops entering the heart of the southern Iraqi city of Basra and U.S. troops seizing key sites in Baghdad, military experts assess the progress of the war in Iraq on day 20 of the campaign.

April 7, 2003, 6:00pm EDT
Inside Baghdad
Jon Lee Anderson of The New Yorker magazine reports on the situation inside the capital.

April 7, 2003, 4:00pm EDT
Initial Tests Indicate Chemical Weapons in Iraq
Coalition forces may have found a chemical weapons cache at an Iraqi training facility, but further tests are needed to conclusively determine whether the materials are banned weapons of mass destruction.

April 7, 2003, 1:46pm EDT
British Troops Enter Heart of Southern City of Basra
Nearly 700 British and U.S. soldiers on Monday walked into the center of Basra, receiving a warm response from its residents, after securing most of Iraq's second largest city.

April 7, 2003, 12:46pm EDT
U.S. Forces Launch Large-Scale Armored Raid on Baghdad
More than 100 armored personnel carriers and tanks entered central Baghdad after dawn Monday local time, seizing key sites in the heart of the Iraqi capital. By nightfall, some three battalions of U.S. troops remained in the center of the city.

April 7, 2003, 11:50am EDT
Rocket Attack Hits Assault HQ, at Least Four Killed
A rocket attack on a brigade communications headquarters orchestrating Monday's assault on central Baghdad killed two American soldiers and two journalists, according to witnesses. Military officials at the scene said 15 others were wounded or are missing.

April 7, 2003, 9:45am EDT
"Chemical Ali" Likely Dead, British Say
British Defense Secretary Geoffrey Hoon said on Monday there were strong indications that Ali Hassan al-Majid, a top Iraqi general known as "Chemical Ali," was killed by an air raid on his home in Basra.

April 6, 2003, 9:01pm EDT
British Forces Take Parts of Basra
Coalition forces mounted a multiple-pronged thrust into Basra Sunday, an operation British officials say allowed their troops to secure large portions of Iraq's second-largest city.

April 6, 2003, 8:45pm EDT
U.S. Forces Surround Baghdad
U.S. troops completely surrounded Baghdad and continued to make forays into the city center Sunday as artillery batteries and coalition bombers pounded Iraqi forces.

RealAudio: The LA Times' John Daniszewski reports from the Iraqi capital.

April 6, 2003, 3:36pm EDT
"Friendly Fire" Hits U.S.-Kurdish Forces
A U.S. warplane bombed a convoy of American special forces and Kurdish fighters Northern Iraq in a "friendly fire" incident on Sunday that killed several soldiers.

April 5, 2003, 9:30pm EST
U.S. Forces Enter Baghdad, Probe Defenses
Explosions continued to rattle Baghdad early Sunday local time, hours after U.S. forces swept through the center of the Iraqi capital. Three military analysts examine what troops' entry into Baghdad means for the larger operation in Iraq.

Update: Coalition Troops Plow Into Iraqi Capital
Saturday's Briefings: CentCom (In RealAudio)

April 5, 2003, 12:10pm EST
Fighting Continues in Central City of Karbala
U.S. troops faced fierce street-to-street fighting in the central Iraqi city of Karbala Saturday as they tried to secure the rear flank of forces advancing on Baghdad.

April 5, 2003, 11:10am EST
Coalition Identifies U.S. Soldiers Killed in Nasiriya
American officials announced that nine of the bodies discovered during the operation to rescue Pfc. Jessica Lynch in Nasiriya were those of U.S. soldiers killed in fighting near the southern Iraqi city.

April 5, 2003, 8:10am EST
Two Marines Killed in Helicopter Crash
As fighting continued throughout central Iraq, two U.S. Marines were killed in a helicopter gunship crash Saturday, U.S. Central Command reported.

April 4, 2003, 9:35pm EST
Coalition Secures Airport, Forces Poise on Baghdad's Edge
U.S. military officials said coalition forces had seized control of Baghdad's main airport Friday, a key development in the campaign to topple Saddam Hussein's regime. Mark Shields and David Brooks reflect on the war's progress.

RealAudio: Former military officials analyze coalition strategy
Update: Coalition Secures Airport, Prepares For Baghdad
Friday's Briefings: Defense Dept. | CentCom (In RealAudio)

April 4, 2003, 9:20pm EST
Smoke, Power Outages Darken Baghdad
John Daniszewski of The Los Angeles Times reports on the state of life in Baghdad, saying officials have begun to ration running water and that few civilians are venturing out on the streets.

April 4, 2003, 2:05pm EST
Saddam Urges Iraqis to Repel Coalition Forces
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein delivered an unannounced speech on Iraqi television Friday that analysts say provides the most compelling evidence yet that the leader may still be alive.

April 4, 2003, 9:50 am EST
U.S. Troops Discover "Suspicious" Weapons Sites
U.S. troops uncovered two sites near Baghdad containing unidentified liquid and white powder, an officer told reporters Friday, however, an official in Washington said initial testing suggested explosive materials rather than chemical weapons.

April 4, 2003, 9:53am EST
Car Bomb Kills Five at Checkpoint Near Baghdad
A civilian vehicle exploded at a special operations military checkpoint in Iraq late Thursday, killing three coalition soldiers, a pregnant Iraqi woman and the driver of the vehicle in what appeared to be another suicide bombing aimed at U.S.-led forces.

April 3, 2003, 9:40pm EST
U.S. Forces Press Towards Baghdad
Coalition forces continued their thrust toward the Iraqi capital, reportedly taking control of Saddam Hussein International Airport 10 miles from downtown Baghdad. The fighting came only hours after the power went out in to the city of five million. Military experts assess the coming battle for Baghdad.

Update: U.S. Forces Take Baghdad Airport, City Power Out
RealAudio: Thursday's Pentagon briefing
RealAudio: Thursday's CentCom briefing

April 3, 2003, 9:40am EST
Rapid Coalition Movement Towards Baghdad
U.S. troops surrounded Saddam International airport about six miles from Baghdad Thursday and were massing at the "gateways" of the city, according to U.S. military officials and reporters traveling with coalition forces.

April 3, 2003, 10:00am EST
Black Hawk Helicopter Crashes
U.S. military officials confirmed that a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed early Thursday near the central city of Karbala, but was probably not hit by enemy fire. Initial reports from the Pentagon said as many as seven soldiers died and four were injured.

April 3, 2003, 10:15am EST
U.S. Investigating Crash of Fighter Jet
The U.S. military is investigating the possibility that an American Patriot missile hit a U.S. Navy F/A-18 fighter jet over Iraq, U.S. defense officials said Thursday.

April 3, 2003, 8:00pm EST
Rescue Mission
U.S. special operations forces rescued prisoner of war Jessica Lynch from a hospital in Nasiriyah yesterday. Ray Suarez reports with more on the mission.

April 2, 2003, 10:45pm EST
Coalition Troops Cross "Red Line" Surrounding Baghdad
U.S. troops entered the "red zone" within 20 miles of Baghdad, advancing past the city of Karbala and completing key crossings of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Military experts assess the strategies and pitfalls in a final push toward Baghdad.

Update: U.S. Troops Can See Baghdad Skyline
RealAudio: Wednesday's CentCom briefing from Qatar

April 2, 2003, 8:00pm EST
Rescue Mission
U.S. special operations forces rescued prisoner of war Jessica Lynch from a hospital in Nasiriyah yesterday. Ray Suarez reports with more on the mission.

April 2, 2003, 9:05pm EST
U.S. Accuses Iraq of Using Mosque as Military BaseU.S. forces in the central city of Najaf have reportedly come under Iraqi fire from the Ali Mosque, one of the most sacred Shiite Muslim sites in the world.

April 2, 2003, 7:05pm EST
U.S. Keeps Supply Lines Running
Despite early reports of limited food and gasoline for forward units, coalition logistics teams are continuing to pour supplies into Iraq. Tom Bearden reports on the complicated and critical task of getting those supplies deep into enemy territory.

April 2, 2003, 9:05am EST
Coalition Rescues U.S. POW
Coalition troops free a U.S. prisoner of war, identified as 19-year-old Pfc. Jessica Lynch, one of the soldiers missing since a March 23 ambush near Nasiriya.

April 1, 2003, 5:28pm EST
Rules of Engagement
Jim Lehrer discusses the latest military moves in Iraq with retired Colonel W. Patrick Lang, a Middle East analyst for the Defense Intelligence Agency during the Gulf War, retired Marine Corps Colonel Gary Anderson, an urban combat operations specialist, and Eliot Cohen, Professor of Strategic Studies at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University and a member of the Defense Policy Board.

April 1, 2003, 12:52pm EST
Iraqi Minister Delivers Defiant Message From Saddam
In a statement read on Iraqi state television, president Saddam Hussein called on the Iraqi people to commit themselves to a holy war against U.S. and British forces seeking his ouster.

Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf (pictured left) delivered the proclamation in a short address at 8 p.m. local time (noon EST). The statement accused the coalition forces of waging a war against Islam in addition to Saddam's regime.

April 1, 2003, 11:45am EST
Coalition Checkpoint Rules Remain Despite Accidents
Officials at U.S. Central Command said checkpoint procedures will not change despite incidents at military checkpoints that resulted in the deaths of at least seven women and children.

RealAudio: Tuesday's CentCom briefing

March 31, 2003, 9:35pm EST
Gen. Peter Pace on the War's Progress
Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discusses an incident near Najaf in which at least seven Iraqi civilians were killed at a U.S. military checkpoint. Pace also assesses the state of coalition strategy and alleges Iraq has committed numerous war crimes.

March 31, 2003, 11:44am EST
Intense Battles Near Baghdad
Coalition forces made new moves toward Baghdad Monday delivering an intense barrage of artillery fire and heavy bombings on the city's outskirts while U.S. ground troops engaged in several battles, including a fierce contest for Hindiyah, a town some 50 miles from the Iraqi capital.

March 31, 2003, 5:00pm EST
War Plans
Margaret Warner discusses the civilian and military roles in war planning with retired Army General George Joulwan, who was Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces from 1993 to 1997; Richard Kohn, professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and retired Air Force Colonel Samuel Gardiner, who teaches and writes about military planning.

March 30, 2003, 9:35pm EST
Air Strikes in Baghdad, Northern Iraq Continue
Round-the-clock air raids continued to pound the outskirts of Baghdad Sunday as part of an ongoing campaign to break up elite Iraqi Republican Guard units preparing to battle coalition forces for control the capital.

Baghdad Dispatch: New York Times reporter John Burns outlines the latest developments from the Iraqi capital.

March 30, 2003, 9:15pm EST
U.S. Forces Encircle Central Iraqi City of Najaf
The American 101st Airborne Division encircled the Shiite holy city of Najaf on Sunday, seizing a critical airfield and preparing for a possible incursion into the city to hunt for guerrilla fighters who have already attacked supply convoys and at least one military checkpoint.

March 30, 2003, 1:22pm EST
Rumsfeld, Myers Defend War Plans
Top U.S. defense officials defended their strategy to end Saddam Hussein's regime on the Sunday morning news programs.

RealAudio: Military experts assess the conflict between civilian and military leaders
Text: General Tommy Franks' CENTCOM Briefing

March 30, 2003, 6:15pm EST
U.S. Marine Helicopter Crashes, Killing Three
A Marine UH-1 Huey helicopter crashed Sunday, killing three Marines and injuring a fourth, according to a spokesman at U.S. Central Command in Doha, Qatar.

March 29, 2003, 5:02pm EST
Suicide Bombing Kills Four U.S. Troops, Iraq Warns of More Attacks
After a car bomb exploded Saturday at a U.S. military checkpoint near the central Iraqi city of Najaf killing four American soldiers, the Iraqi vice president said that coalition forces could expect more suicide attacks.

RealAudio: Saturday's Pentagon Briefing

March 29, 2003, 5:00pm EST
Iraq, Coalition Debate Cause of Civilian Casualties
Coalition warplanes on Saturday pounded Baghdad with one of their fiercest air assaults yet. The bombing came as Iraqi and coalition officials blamed one another for scores of reported civilian casualties.

March 29, 2003, 9:27am EST
Coalition Bombs Baath Party HQ in Basra, Kills 200
As British forces continued to tighten their grip on the southern city of Basra, U.S. aircraft and cruise missiles attack the headquarters of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party in the city, reportedly killing some 200 militia leaders that were meeting there.

March 28, 2003, 5:27pm EST
Military Leaders Assess Unexpected Resistance, Length of War
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. William S. Wallace, the officer charged with running the ground war in Iraq, told the Washington Post that the tactics and intensity of Iraqi opposition had increased the likelihood that the war would last longer than many planners had assumed.

RealAudio: Friday's Pentagon Briefing
Analysis: As coalition forces prepare to take on Baghdad, three military experts assess the state of the war thus far and what may happen in the days ahead.

March 28, 2003, 1:25pm EST
Clashes Reported Near Central Iraqi City Of Najaf
Coalition troops advancing toward Baghdad battled against Iraqi forces early Friday local time near the central town of Najaf, some 100 miles south of the Iraqi capital.

March 28, 2003, 10:30am EST
Kurds Seize Northern Iraqi Positions
Hundreds of Kurdish fighters on Friday seized military positions on the northern border apparently abandoned by Iraqi government forces.

March 28, 2003, 9:27am EST
Baghdad Hammered By Massive Explosions
Smoke continued to billow out of Baghdad Friday after U.S.-led forces unleashed the heaviest bombardment of the Iraqi capital in days, using B-52 bombers to drop two 4,700-pound, satellite-guided "bunker-busting" bombs on communications targets.

RealAudio: Central Command briefing

March 28, 2003, 8:40am EST
Iraqis Fired On Fleeing Basra Residents, British Say
Iraqi forces in Basra fired mortars and machine guns Friday on a "couple of thousand" Iraqi civilians trying to leave the besieged city, British military officials said.

March 27, 2003, 8:50pm EST
Prospects for the Battle for Baghdad
As heavy bombing continues to pound Baghdad, New York Times reporter John Burns reports on the situation inside the city and the defiant speech given by the Iraqi defense minister.

Analysis: Military experts assess how coalition troops are progressing and what they may face if the war moves to the streets of Baghdad.

March 27, 2003, 4:40pm EST
Iraq Plans Intense Defense of Baghdad
With bombs falling on the southern outskirts of Baghdad, Iraq's defense minister said Thursday he expects U.S. forces to encircle the capital in as soon as five days and that Saddam Hussein's forces were readying for fierce street battles.

RealAudio: Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks briefs reporters at U.S. Central Command.
Update: Paratroops drop into northern Iraq
Analysis: Military experts assess whether the coalition has the firepower on the ground to take Baghdad.

March 27, 2003, 12:30pm EST
President: War Will Go On "However Long It Takes"
President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair told reporters Thursday said the war in Iraq will continue until coalition troops are successful in deposing Saddam Hussein and ridding Iraq of its alleged weapons of mass destruction.

Text | RealAudio: President Bush and Prime Minister Blair

March 27, 2003, 11:39am EST
British Attack Iraqi Tanks Near Basra
British forces on Thursday destroyed a column of Iraqi tanks trying to break out of the besieged southern city of Basra, coalition officials said.

March 26, 2003, 10:11pm EST
U.S. Paratroopers Aid in Effort to Establish Northern Front
An estimated 1,000 U.S. Army paratroopers landed in Kurdish controlled northern Iraq Wednesday as U.S. efforts continued to open a second, limited northern front against President Saddam Hussein's forces.

Analysis: Military experts assess whether the coalition has the firepower on the ground to take Baghdad.

March 26, 2003, 11:05pm EST
U.S. General Accuses Iraqis of Executing POW's
One of the U.S. military's top generals accused Iraqi forces of a series of violations of the rules of war, including the execution of prisoners of war, the use of civilian "human shields", and the falsifying of surrenders to ambush coalition troops.

March 26, 2003, 4:01pm EST
U.S. Denies Role in Baghdad Market Bombing, Civilian Deaths
U.S. Defense Department officials on Wednesday said coalition forces did not target a Baghdad neighborhood where explosions reportedly killed at least 14 people and wounded some 30 others.

RealAudio: Defense Department spokeswoman Victoria Clarke and Maj. Gen. Stanley McChrystal brief reporters.
RealAudio: Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks briefs reporters at Central Command

March 26, 2003, 2:25pm EST
Second U.S. Soldier Dies From Camp Grenade Attack
A second U.S. serviceman died of wounds from a grenade attack believed to have been carried out by a disgruntled Army sergeant.

March 26, 2003, 10:57am EST
Coalition Forces Bomb Northern Iraq Cities
Warplanes pounded Iraqi positions in the north of the country on Wednesday as U.S. efforts to open a second, limited front against President Saddam Hussein's forces gained momentum.

March 26, 2003, 9:40am EST
British Officials Report Signs of Uprising in Basra
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday he believed there had been a limited uprising in Basra, backing up claims made by his country's military officers on the outskirts of the southern Iraqi city.

March 25, 2003, 10:40pm EST
Heavy Iraqi Casualties Outside Najaf
In what may be the largest clash yet in the Iraq war, a ground battle between Iraqi forces and the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment east of the city of Najaf left up to 300 Iraqi combatants dead, according to defense officials.

March 25, 2003, 10:040pm EST
Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage
As coalition troops move within 50 miles of Baghdad, Jim Lehrer discusses the difficulties of wartime diplomacy and the need for humanitarian aid with Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage.

March 25, 2003, 3:01pm EST
Coalition Forces Move Within 50 Miles of Baghdad
Waves of heavy air strikes hammered areas around Baghdad Tuesday, while coalition ground forces fought a blinding sandstorm as they advanced to within 50 miles of the Iraqi capital.

RealAudio: Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and Gen. Myers
RealAudio: Air Force Maj. Gen. Gene Renuart briefs reporters at Central Command

March 25, 2003, 10:19am EST
Coalition Forces Secure Umm Qasr
British and U.S. commanders said on Tuesday they had crushed resistance by Iraqi fighters in the key southern port town of Umm Qasr, opening it up to receive the humanitarian aid that the coalition is under international pressure to provide.

March 25, 2003, 10:07am EST
British Troops to Fight Iraqi Militia in Basra
British forces have decided they will move against Iraqi tanks and fighters that have prevented them from entering the southern Iraqi city of Basra.

March 25, 2003, 8:55am EST
Coalition Forces Push Through Nasiriya
U.S. Marines used Cobra attack helicopters to help force their way across the Euphrates River on Tuesday after a fierce street battle in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriya that opened up a new line of advance northward toward Baghdad.

March 24, 2003, 10:55pm EST
Coalition Forces Move to Within 50 Miles of Baghdad
In a prelude of what may be some of the most intense fighting on the five-day-old Iraq war, coalition aircraft struck Republican Guard positions defending Baghdad Monday. The strikes came as ground forces moved to within 50 miles of the Iraqi capital.

Analysis: Military experts on the coalition war plan thus far

March 24, 2003, 10:49pm EST
Iraq Broadcasts Images of Captured Pilots
With Iraq now holding seven American prisoners of war, U.S. and international groups demand the Saddam Hussein government act "humanely" and abide by the Geneva Convention.

Update: Downed Apache Crew Captured by Iraqis

March 24, 2003, 7:05pm EST
Times Reporters in the Field
RealAudio: John Burns, in Baghdad, on the appearance of Deputy PM Tariq Aziz.

RealAudio: Dexter Filkins reports on the situation in the city of Nasiriya, where fighting continued for a third day.

March 24, 2003, 12:01pm EST
Battle Rages at Nasiriya River Crossings
U.S. Marines continued to fight a pitched battle at several bridges over the Euphrates River at the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriya, a region central to opening a route north to Baghdad.

RealAudio: Gen. Franks briefs reporters at Central Command

March 24, 2003, 11:43am EST
U.S. Apache Helicopter Down in Iraq, Crew Missing
U.S. Gen. Tommy Franks said Monday that two men were missing after their Apache helicopter went down south of Baghdad and that their fates were "uncertain."

March 24, 2003, 9:05am EST
Saddam Pledges Victory in TV Address
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein attempted to rally his troops in speech televised Monday morning, vowing that coalition forces, which he called the "enemies of God," would soon be defeated.

March 23, 2003, 4:10pm EST
Fierce Fighting, U.S. Casualties Near Southern Town of Nasiriya
In fighting characterized by the U.S. military as the "sharpest engagement" of the war in Iraq thus far, U.S. Marines clashed with a group of Iraqi forces and a U.S. Army supply convoy was ambushed by a group of "irregular" Iraqi militia outside of the southern town of Nasiriya Sunday.

RealAudio: Central Command's Sunday Briefing

March 23, 2003, 4:40pm EST
Iraq Broadcasts Images of Five U.S. Prisoners of War
Iraqi forces captured a group of U.S. soldiers attached to a maintenance unit and may have killed some of them before televising interrogations of the others on Sunday. At least five captured U.S. soldiers were shown on Iraqi television and the Arab television network Al Jazeera, answering questions from their captors.

March 23, 2003, 12:15pm EST
Grenade Attack on 101st Division in Kuwait Kills One
A soldier from the U.S. 101st Airborne Division in Kuwait allegedly attacked a command center tent Saturday, throwing two grenades and firing his weapon at fellow soldiers. The assault killed one American and wounded 15.

March 23, 2003, 9:50am EST
British Fighter Downed by American Patriot Missile
A U.S. Patriot missile battery accidentally shot down a British warplane as it attempted to return to its base in Kuwait Sunday, coalition officials said. The Royal Air Force Tornado, returning from a raid in Iraq, was reportedly hit close to the Kuwaiti border.

March 22, 2003, 11:30pm EST
Grenade Attack Wounds Members of 101st Airborne
Troops in a U.S. 101st Airborne Division camp in Kuwait were attacked with grenades early Sunday local time, with 13 soldiers sustaining injuries. An American soldier has been detained as a suspect.

March 22, 2003, 10:55pm EST
Coalition Troops Continue Push Into Iraq
U.S.-led coalition troops battled Iraqi forces near the southern city of Basra and rolled within 150 miles of Baghdad as air strikes on the Iraqi capital continued at dawn Sunday.

Margaret Warner discusses the troop movements and war strategy with three former military officials.

March 22, 2003, 6:35pm EST
Coalition Air Strikes Continue on Baghdad
Several explosions were heard in Baghdad as night fell on Iraq's capital city Saturday after a series of U.S.-led air raids pounded the outskirts of the city throughout the day.

RealAudio: New York Times reporter John Burns describes the scene in Baghdad.

March 22, 2003, 1:15pm EST
Second Helicopter Accident Kills Seven Coalition Troops
Two British helicopters collided and crashed over the Persian Gulf on Friday, killing seven crewmembers, including a U.S. Navy officer.

March 22, 2003, 11:55am EST
U.S. Military Captures Southern Town of Nasiriya
As the ground invasion of Iraq continues, the U.S. said Saturday that coalition forces had captured the southern town of Nasiriya and a critical bridge over the Euphrates River after their initial advance was apparently stopped by a pocket of resistance.

RealAudio: Central Command chief Gen. Tommy Franks briefs the press.
RealAudio: Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke and Army Maj. Gen. Stanley McChrystal brief reporters.

March 22, 2003, 11:40am EST
Advances Leave Sporadic Iraqi Resistance in Wake
Coalition forces in Iraq continue to face sporadic resistance from Iraqi troops and security forces as they race toward major objectives, sometimes leaving pockets of enemy soldiers intact.

March 22, 2003, 8:55am EST
Coalition Forces Advance on Basra, Fight "Major" Tank Battle
Even as U.S. and British forces continued to pound Iraqi positions along key bridges and defensive sites, reports emerged that coalition forces had seized the second largest Iraqi city Basra.

March 21, 2003, 9:30pm EST
"Shock and Awe"
The United States mounted its heaviest air campaign yet in Iraq Friday as ground troops secured some of the country's southern territory. Margaret Warner gets four perspectives on the developments.

March 21, 2003, 9:25pm EST
On the Ground in Southern Iraq
New York Times reporter Dexter Filkins describes the reaction of Iraqi residents to coalition troops when they rolled into the town of Safwan in southern Iraq near the border with Kuwait.

March 21, 2003, 8:20pm EST
Iraqi Army Division Surrenders
About 8,000 Iraqi soldiers surrendered to U.S.-led coalition troops in southern Iraq Friday.

March 21, 2003, 12:25pm EST
U.S. Take "Tentative" Control of Western Airfields
U.S. forces have reportedly seized two important airfields and possible hidden weapons caches in western Iraq Friday, but defense officials warned control of the territory was "tentative."

March 21, 2003, 9:25am EST
Major U.S. Ground Offensive Picks Up Speed
Coalition forces increased the intensity of a major ground attack Friday with U.S. Army and Marine divisions racing north and west in an apparent advance toward the capital city of Baghdad.

March 21, 2003, 8:35am EST
U.S., British Forces Take Iraq City, Faw Peninsula
As U.S. and British troops took territory in southern Iraq on the first day of the ground war, some seven oil fires were set by retreating Iraqi troops, British Defense Minister Geoffrey Hoon said Friday.

March 21, 2003, 7:05am EST
Helicopter Crash Kills 12
Eight British royal commandos and four U.S. Marines were killed Thursday when a U.S. Marine helicopter crashed south of the Iraqi border in Kuwait, Pentagon officials report. The crew of 12 became the first coalition casualties of the war with Iraq.

March 20, 2003, 11:45pm EST
Assessing the Start of the U.S. Invasion
U.S. ground forces launched an incursion into Iraq Thursday after clashing with Iraqi troops near the border with Kuwait.

Margaret Warner gets an assessment of U.S. combat strategy from three former military officials.

March 20, 2003, 10:00pm EST
Inside Iraq
New York Times reporter Dexter Filkins, who is posted at the Iraq-Kuwait border, describes the U.S.-led strikes.

March 20, 2003, 9:20pm EST
Issues of War
Former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski and historian Walter Russell Mead reflect on the day's events and assess the state of the U.S. mission to oust Saddam Hussein.

March 20, 2003, 7:40pm EST
Assessing War Strategy
RealAudio: Margaret Warner gets four views on the first day of U.S.-led strikes in Iraq and the state of the political and military struggle facing Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

March 20, 2003, 5:40pm EST
U.K.'s Blair Makes His Case For War
British Prime Minister Tony Blair told his country Thursday that soldiers sent to depose Saddam Hussein were combating a "new threat" in which states like Iraq can spawn "disorder and chaos" and threaten democracies like Britain and the U.S.

"Our choice is clear: back down and leave Saddam hugely strengthened; or proceed to disarm him by force," Blair said.

RealAudio: Blair's statement

March 20, 2003, 2:35pm EST
U.S. Ground Forces Reportedly Enter Iraq
U.S. ground forces began an "intense artillery barrage" against Iraqi troops near the Kuwaiti border around 8 p.m. local time (noon EST) on Thursday and, nearly an hour later, launched an invasion into Iraq, news reports from the region said.

Large explosions were reported "toward" the Southern Iraqi city of Basra. One report said forward U.S. ground troops cheered as artillery shells and rockets flew overhead toward Iraqi positions

March 20, 2003, 2:45pm EST
Second Wave of Cruise Missiles Hit Baghdad
U.S. cruise missiles exploded into the center of Baghdad Thursday night local, shaking the city with explosions and sparking building fires in an attack significantly more intense than the initial U.S. air strike that launched the war with Iraq.

March 20, 2003, 8:05am EST
U.S. Forces Targets Key Sites, Leaders
U.S. forces opened the first round in a war with Iraq early Thursday local time, launching a barrage of cruise missiles and precision guided bombs at "targets of military importance."

RealAudio: Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers

March 20, 2003, 1:15am EST
U.S. Launches Strikes, Saddam Defiant
President Bush announced late Wednesday that precision strikes mounted on specific targets in Baghdad were the "early stages" of the U.S. war against Iraq.

"On my order, coalition forces have begun targeting selected targets of military importance to undermine Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war," the president said.

Text | RealAudio: President Bush's Address

March 20, 2003, 12:45am EST
Iraq War Begins with Strikes on "Selected Targets"
U.S. forces staged pinpoint military strikes in Iraq early Thursday morning local time, bombing targets near Baghdad as dawn broke over the Iraqi capital.

March 19, 2003, 9:15 pm EST
The Strategy of Air Strikes
Military strategists discuss the possible scenarios for the first days of military action. Retired Air Force Col. John Warden says the timing of any air assault would be driven "by the political necessities that have arisen from the president's 48-hour ultimatum."

March 19, 2003, 1:53 pm EST
U.S., British Troops Mass on the Iraqi Border
Update: With only hours left before President Bush's Wednesday deadline expires for Saddam Hussein and his sons to leave Iraq or face a military invasion, thousands of American and British troops have massed along the northern Kuwaiti border with Iraq.

March 18, 2003, 9:55 pm EST
Disarming Iraq: Military Strategy
Three former military officials examine potential war strategies and possible reaction from Saddam Hussein's forces as the U.S. plans to launch strikes against Iraq.

According to retired Air Force Col. John Warden, the U.S. offensive would likely involve a "very, very intense set of use of precision weapons that will compress the impact on the Iraqis probably by a factor of ten over what happened before" in the 1991 Gulf War.

March 18, 2003, 6:15 pm EST
Disarming Strategy
Saddam Hussein refused a demand by President Bush to leave Iraq within 48 hours or face war. New York Times correspondent Michael Gordon reports from Kuwait on the allied war plans.

March 18, 2003, 6:23 pm EST
Facing Forward
Tom Bearden reports from Qatar with some troop response to President Bush's address yesterday.

March 17, 2003, 6:22 pm EST
On the Ground
New York Times chief military correspondent Michael Gordon reports from Kuwait on how the U.S. and allied forces are organizing to fight the coming war.

March 17, 2003, 7:50 pm EST
The Road to War: Next Steps
Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger on the U.S.'s next steps as it prepares for a war with Iraq.

March 3, 2003, 6:55 pm EST
Urban Warfare
Betty Ann Bowser reports from Fort Polk, Louisiana, where troops are training to fight a war in Iraq.

February 12, 2003, 6:55 pm EST
On Call
Betty Ann Bowser reports on the impact of reserve and National Guard members being called to duty.

January 31, 2003, 6:15 pm EST
Getting Ready
Four thousand soldiers at Fort Carson, Colorado are going into the final stages of deployment to the Middle East. Tom Bearden reports on preparations for the troops and their families.

November 27, 2002, 6:25 pm EST
Return to the Horn
New York Times senior military correspondent Michael Gordon files his second report on military training efforts in the horn of Africa.

November 26, 2002, 6:54 pm EST
Training for War
The New York Times' senior military correspondent Michael Gordon provides the first of two reports on how the U.S. military is preparing for possible war against Iraq.