|
DECEMBER
December 29, 2004, 2:20 PM EST
Insurgent Attacks Target Iraqi Security Forces Ahead of Elections
Clashes between insurgents and the American and Iraqi authorities continued to intensify Wednesday a day after a series of bloody attacks killed at least 56 people, including 31 police officers.
December 27, 2004, 11:00 AM EST
Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 13 Outside Shiite Party Office
A suicide bomber struck outside the home of Iraq's biggest political party Monday, killing at least 13 and wounding some 50 more. The party's leader, Shiite cleric Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, escaped unharmed. Hours later, Iraq's top minority Sunni Muslim party -- the Iraqi Islamic Party, said it was withdrawing from the election.
December 22, 2004, 8:20 PM EST
Mosul Attack Hints at More Sophisticated Insurgency
The deadly attack on American forces at a multi-national base near Mosul appears to have been the work of a suicide bomber, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Richard Myers said Wednesday. The assault, one of the deadliest since the war began 21 months ago, is the latest in a series of more sophisticated insurgent attacks. Two analysts assess the militants' strategies and capabilities.
Transcript: Bill Nemitz of the Portland, Maine Press Herald offers his eyewitness account of Tuesday's attack in Mosul.
December 22, 2004, 1:20 PM EST
Attack on U.S. Base Kills 22 in Northern Iraq
An explosion ripped through a U.S. military mess tent near the northern city of Mosul Tuesday, killing 22 and wounding some 60 others as they sat down to lunch.
Transcript: Edmund Sanders of the Los Angeles Times speaks from Baghdad about the latest violence.
December 20, 2004, 8:48 PM EST
Iraqi Finance Minister Discusses Economic Rebuilding
With Iraqi elections nearing, questions about the region's economic stability remain. Iraqi interim Finance Minister Adil Abd al-Mahdi discusses the future of the war-torn nation.
Update: Dozens Detained in Connection to Car Bombings
December 15, 2004, 7:15 PM EST
Bomb Kills Seven on First Day of Campaigning in Iraq
Violence marred the first day of presidential campaigning in Iraq when an explosion in Karbala killed seven people Wednesday, while Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi announced his candidacy for the Jan. 30 election.
Transcript: Washington Post reporter Anthony Shadid gives an update from Baghdad.
December 13, 2004, 9:04 PM EST
Analysts Worry Iraqi Security Forces Not Ready
As attacks against Iraqi and American targets continued Monday, Iraqi interim President Ghazi al-Yawer criticized American efforts to build a new security force and called the dispersal of the old armed forces a major mistake. Three military experts consider the effort to train an Iraqi force and what more needs to be done before the new troops can take control of the security of the troubled nation.
Update: Suicide Bombing Kills 13; Weekend Clashes Kill Seven Marines
December 9, 2004, 9:15 PM EST
Officials Work to Reassure Troops on Armor Shortfalls
Following several pointed exchanges with soldiers in Kuwait about Iraq policy, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on Thursday sought to downplay criticism that the military has failed to supply troops with the armored vehicles and other supplies needed to combat insurgents.
RealAudio: Excerpts of Rumsfeld's exchange with troops.
December 6, 2004, 7:45 PM EST
Presidents Bush, Al-Yawer Press for Iraqi Elections
On the heels of a violent weekend and continued fighting Monday, President Bush met with Iraqi interim President Ghazi al-Yawer in the Oval Office where they pushed for Jan. 30 elections to proceed in Iraq.
Transcript: Robert Worth of The New York Times reports on the recent wave of violence in Iraq.
December 3, 2004, 1:45 PM EST
Nearly Simultaneous Attacks Kill 30 in Baghdad
Two insurgent attacks in Baghdad killed 30 people Friday, including at least 16 police officers.
NOVEMBER
November 29, 2004, 9:45 PM EST
Opposition Mounts to Proposed Jan. 30 Elections
Citing continued violence throughout the country and a possible boycott by many Sunni Muslims, 17 major political parties, lead by Sunnis but with the support of some Kurdish groups, have called for a delay in the Jan. 30 elections. Three regional experts assess the drive for elections and the fear that the country may not be ready for the vote.
November 24, 2004, 1:45 PM EST
Tape Castigates Muslim Scholars for 'Silence' on Iraq, Afghanistan
An audiotape purportedly from Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi accused Muslim scholars of betrayal for not speaking out against U.S. actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
November 22, 2004, 3:52 PM EST
Nineteen Nations Cancel Most Iraqi Debt
Nineteen major creditors agreed Sunday to cancel 80 percent of the $39 billion debt owed to them by Iraq in a deal that boosts U.S. efforts to put the Iraqi economy back on its feet and sets an important precedent for other Iraqi creditors.
November 19, 2004, 8:45 PM EST
Military Assesses Anti-insurgency Campaign After Fallujah
Less than two weeks after American and Iraqi forces opened their campaign against the insurgent stronghold of Fallujah, U.S. officials said they control the town and have broken the rebels' hold. But as that military operation unfolded, militants launched attacks in other critical cities throughout Iraq. Three experts examine the battle for the central city and what challenges lie ahead in the campaign to stabilize Iraq.
November 18, 2004, 12:45 PM EST
Rebels Detonate Bombs, Fire Mortars at Government Offices
Insurgents, largely routed in a major military offensive in the central Iraqi city of Fallujah, continued their attacks in other parts of the war-torn nation, exploding car bombs and firing mortars at American and Iraqi government facilities Thursday.
November 16, 2004, 7:30 PM EST
U.S. Launches Inquiry into Shooting of Wounded Insurgent in Fallujah
As American and Iraqi forces continued to clash with pockets of resistance in Fallujah, U.S. military officials said Tuesday they had opened an investigation into the apparent shooting of a wounded and reportedly unarmed insurgent by a Marine. Military and regional experts assess what lasting impact the incident may have on U.S. and Iraqi efforts to stabilize the country.
November 15, 2004, 7:30 PM EST
U.S. and Iraqi Forces Secure Most of Fallujah; Fighting Persists in Mosul
Less than a week after launching a major assault to oust rebels from Fallujah, U.S. and Iraqi forces smashed the last major sector under insurgent control Sunday. The securing of Fallujah, despite continued pockets of fighting, came as fighting intensified in other parts of the war-torn country.
Transcript: Ed Wong of The New York Times provides a report from Iraq.
November 12, 2004, 7:40 PM EST
Insurgent Leader Rallies Troops
As fighting continued in the Iraqi city of Fallujah Friday, one of the masterminds of the violent insurgency, Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, told his supporters to continue the resistance and that victory was now certain.
Transcript: Lindsey Hilsum of Independent Television News and Dexter Filkins of The New York Times provide on-the-ground reports.
November 11, 2004, 7:30 PM EST
Violence Erupts in Mosul, Baghdad as Fallujah Assault Continues
Backed by aircraft and artillery shelling, U.S. forces launched a major attack Thursday aimed at cordoning off Sunni fighters who have retreated into pockets in the southern part of the rebel-held city of Fallujah.
Transcript: Lindsay Hilsum of Independent Television News provides a report from Fallujah.
November 10, 2004, 7:45 PM EST
U.S. Forces Control Most of Fallujah
U.S. forces swiftly seized control of 70 percent of the Iraqi city of Fallujah on Wednesday -- the third day of a major offensive to take over the rebel stronghold prior to national elections. Reporters in and around Fallujah update the status of the fighting.
Update: U.S. Forces Advance; Insurgents Take Allawi Relatives
November 9, 2004, 9:45 PM EST
Fallujah Fight Forces American Troops into Urban Combat
In two days of intense fighting in the central Iraqi city of Fallujah, 10 American and two Iraqi soldiers have died in a massive military operation aimed at forcing out militants entrenched in the city. Two military experts assess how the battle has unfolded thus far and what challenges the multinational force faces in taking on a determined enemy in an urban setting.
Update: U.S., Iraqi Troops Advance to Center of Fallujah
November 8, 2004, 8:50 PM EST
Military Operation Against Insurgents Raises Political, Cultural Concerns
U.S.-led forces launched a major attack in the Iraqi city of Fallujah Monday in an effort to bring the rebel stronghold under control in advance of elections planned for January. The operation, authorized by Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, hopes to militarily neutralize the insurgents, but some analysts worry it may politically cost the interim government the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. Two native Iraqis assess the implications of the assault launched Monday.
Update: U.S.-Iraqi Forces Launch Long-Awaited Assault on Fallujah
Transcript: Jackie Spinner of The Washington Post describes the initial military attack.
November 5, 2004, 9:40 PM EST
More Than 10,000 Troops Poised for Fallujah Assault
More than 10,000 American soldiers backed by additional Iraqi Army units encircled the embattled Iraqi city of Fallujah, ready to begin a final assault on the town aimed at ousting insurgents who have launched hundreds of attacks against U.S. and other forces. Three military officials consider the military campaign, its strategy and potential pitfalls.
November 3, 2004, 6:40 PM EST
U.S. Forces Strike Suspected Rebel Sites in Fallujah
U.S. airplanes and tanks fired on suspected rebel strongholds in eastern and western Fallujah on Wednesday in the heaviest bombardment on the Iraqi city in several weeks.
November 1, 2004, 5:00 PM EST
Hostages Taken in Iraq; Dozens Killed in Separate Explosions
An American, a Nepalese and four Iraqi guards were abducted at gunpoint from their Baghdad office Monday, following a weekend of violence that left dozens of Iraqis and U.S. Marines dead in separate explosions.
OCTOBER
October 28, 2004, 3:57 PM EDT
Insurgents Execute 11 Iraqi Troops, Kidnap Polish Woman
Insurgents released an Internet video Thursday showing the execution of 11 Iraqi troops they had taken hostage days ago, coinciding with footage aired the same day on the al-Jazeera television network showing a Polish woman kidnapped by another militant group.
October 27, 2004, 8:00 PM EDT
U.S. Military Investigates Missing Explosives
Roughly 380 tons of explosives are missing from a major military site in Iraq, according to the U.N. nuclear watchdog group. The issue has erupted into a major political fight in the presidential race. Ray Suarez speaks with Washington Post military affairs correspondent Bradley Graham about what is known and unknown about the missing explosives.
October 25, 2004, 7:00 PM EDT
Explosives Missing in Iraq; Militants Kill 49 Iraqi Army Recruits
About 380 tons of explosives, enough to detonate nuclear warheads, are missing from a former Iraqi military facility. Meanwhile, militants loyal to al-Qaida ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killed 49 Iraqis training to become national guardsmen.
Transcript: Ed Wong of The New York Times provides an update.
October 22, 2004, 8:45 PM EDT
Abducted Aid Worker Pleads for Her Life
The kidnapped director of CARE International in Iraq made an emotional appeal for her life in a video that appeared on Al-Jazeera television Friday, pleading for the British government to help save her. Rajiv Chandrasekaran of The Washington Post provides an update.
October 21, 2004, 4:30 PM EDT
U.S. Army Reservist Sentenced to Eight Years for Prison Abuse
In the most severe sentence yet to stem from the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison, a judge sentenced U.S. Staff Sergeant Ivan "Chip" Frederick to eight years in prison at a court martial in Baghdad on Thursday.
Also Thursday, Britain agreed to a U.S. request to re-deploy its forces in Iraq to aid with security efforts.
October 18, 2004, 2:20 PM EDT
Peace Talks Suspended in Fallujah
The top negotiator in Fallujah peace talks with the Iraqi government said dialogue would remain suspended, despite his release Monday by U.S. authorities as an apparent bid to resume talks to end the fighting in the major insurgent stronghold.
October 14, 2004, 4:30 PM EDT
Bombs Explode in Heavily Fortified Baghdad Compound
Insurgents breached Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone on Thursday and set off two hand-carried bombs in an outdoor market killing at least eight people and wounding 20.
Transcript: Edward Wong of the New York Times provides an update.
October 13, 2004, 4:30 PM EDT
Bombs, Suicide Attack Kill Six U.S. Soldiers
Six U.S. soldiers were killed in separate attacks late Tuesday and early Wednesday in Iraq, the U.S. military said. Also Wednesday, Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi called for residents of Fallujah to hand over militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a rebel leader whose group is linked to many kidnappings and beheadings of foreigners.
October 12, 2004, 4:07 PM EDT
U.S. Airstrikes Target Insurgents in Iraq
U.S. forces stepped up operations Tuesday across a wide swath of the Sunni insurgent strongholds northwest of Baghdad, pounding targets in two cities from the air and supporting Iraqi troops in raids on mosques suspected of harboring insurgents.
October 11, 2004, 1:30 PM EDT
Followers of Rebel Cleric Start Handing in Weapons
Loyalists to rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr began turning in hand grenades, machine guns and other weapons to police stations in Baghdad's Sadr City Monday as part of an agreement with the interim Iraqi government to end fighting with U.S. and Iraqi forces in the Shiite militant stronghold.
October 4, 2004, 1:45 PM EDT
Three Car Bombings Kill at Least 26
Three car bombs exploded in Iraq Monday, killing at least 26 people. The violence comes on the heels of a recent U.S. military push to control rebel strongholds ahead of January elections.
October 1, 2004, 2:15 PM EDT
U.S., Iraqi Forces Launch Attack in Samarra, Dozens Killed
U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a major assault on the insurgent stronghold Samarra on Friday. At least 96 rebels and one U.S. soldier were killed in the house-to-house fighting in the central Iraqi town, according to a spokesman for the U.S. 1st Infantry Division.
SEPTEMBER
September 30, 2004, 2:15 PM EDT
Bomb Attacks Kill Scores in Baghdad
A succession of bombings that appeared to target U.S. and Iraqi forces in and around Baghdad Thursday killed more than 40 people, including dozens of children, and injured at least 180 more. Also Thursday, the Arab news network Al-Jazeera showed video of 10 new hostages seized by militants in Iraq. Al-Jazeera said the captives -- six Iraqis, two Lebanese and two Indonesian women -- were taken by the Islamic Army in Iraq.
RealAudio: The Washington Post's Karl Vick updates the situation following the deadly Baghdad attacks.
September 24, 2004, 9:15 PM EDT
Rebuilding Continues Despite Violence
Ray Suarez discusses reconstruction efforts with John Deblasio of Sally Port Global Holdings, which provides security consulting services and logistical support to the military and private contractors, and Farshad Rastegar, chief executive officer of Relief International, a humanitarian agency that helps rebuild schools in southern Iraq.
September 23, 2004, 8:15 PM EDT
Prime Minister Addresses Congress, Pledges to Hold Elections in January
Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi declared his country is moving forward and he thanked America for its support. Allawi addressed the U.S. Congress, telling members he and most Iraqis are grateful the U.S. went to war and ousted Saddam Hussein.
September 22, 2004, 4:15 PM EDT
Hostage Body Recovered; NATO Agrees to Help Train Iraqis
U.S. officials on Wednesday recovered the body of American hostage Jack Hensley, who was beheaded, after militants demanded the release of female Iraqi prisoners. A senior Iraqi official said a high-profile female Iraqi prisoner would soon be released from prison, but U.S. officials denied the claim.
Transcript: New York Times Baghdad bureau chief John Burns describes the latest developments in Iraq.
September 17, 2004, 9:22 PM EDT
Insurgent Attacks Persist, Grow More Sophisticated
A rash of deadly attacks on Iraqi police, a series of foreign kidnapping and the deaths of 53 American soldiers this month are all signs that militants continue their bloody fight to force the United States out of Iraq and to destabilize the interim government. Two Iraqi-Americans assess the state of the insurgency and consider what the U.S. military can do to bring peace to the war-torn nation.
September 16, 2004, 3:22 PM EDT
Contractors Kidnapped in Daytime Raid in Iraq
Gunmen snatched two Americans and one Briton from their residence Thursday in a bold dawn raid, bringing to eight the number of westerners currently held hostage in Iraq. The U.S. Embassy identified the Americans as Jack Hensley and Eugene Armstrong but gave no ages or hometowns. Britain's foreign office did not name the third hostage.
September 14, 2004, 2:45 PM EDT
Blast Kills at Least 47 in Baghdad
A car bomb exploded near a Baghdad police headquarters on Tuesday, killing at least 47 people in the deadliest attack in the capital city in six months. A group led by al-Qaida ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility for the attack.
September 13, 2004, 6:45 PM EDT
Weekend Attacks Leave Some 80 Dead
Insurgents lobbed some 20 mortars into the tightly controlled "Green Zone" in central Baghdad. The attack marked the beginning of a violent day where a series of car bombs throughout the country killed at least 78. At least 37 people were killed in Baghdad alone. Washington Post reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran provides an update on the continuing violence.
September 8, 2004, 8:45 PM EDT
U.S. Death Toll in Iraq Surpasses 1,000
Violence in Iraq this week, including a convoy attack and roadside bomb in Baghdad on Wednesday, brought the number of U.S. fatalities in the country to 1,005, according to the Defense Department. Two former military officers assess the military situation on the ground in Iraq.
Transcript: Washington Post reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran provides an update on the continuing violence.
September 7, 2004, 2:00 PM EDT
Dozens Killed in Baghdad Clashes; Aid Workers Abducted
U.S. forces fought insurgents loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in the poor Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City Tuesday. At least 36 people died in the clashes, including one American soldier, and 203 were wounded, U.S. and Iraqi authorities said.
AUGUST
August 30, 2004, 3:45 PM EDT
Rebel Cleric Asks Fighters to Lay Down Arms
Rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has asked his followers to stop fighting U.S. and Iraqi forces and is considering entering the political process, a top al-Sadr aide said Monday. U.S. and Iraqi interim government officials are working with al-Sadr aides to negotiate an end to the fighting in Basra and Sadr City, a Baghdad slum where 10 people died on Sunday.
August 27, 2004
Italy Condemns Murder of Kidnapped Journalist in Iraq
Update: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Friday denounced the killing of Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni, who disappeared in Iraq last week, as "an act of barbarity." He is the first journalist to be executed by hostage-takers in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion last year.
August 26, 2004, 9:15 PM EDT
Top Cleric Strikes Deal with al-Sadr to End Fighting in Najaf
Iraq's top cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, and rebel cleric Muqtada al-Sadr met in Najaf, forging an agreement aimed at ending fighting that has engulfed the city for the past three weeks. Two experts assess the challenges still facing Sistani.
RealAudio: The New York Times' Dexter Filkins updates the situation in the war-torn city.
Update: Sistani, Sadr Reach Deal in Najaf
Profile: Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani
August 25, 2004, 6:09 PM EDT
Al-Sistani Urges End to Violence in Najaf
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani returned to Iraq Wednesday after undergoing surgery in London urging his Shiite followers to help bring an end to the ongoing violence in the holy city of Najaf. Ray Suarez speaks with John Burns of The New York Times from Baghdad about the situation.
August 23, 2004, 2:00 PM EDT
Battles Rage Between U.S. Forces, Shiite Militia in Najaf
Fighting between U.S. Marines and loyalists to rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr escalated in Najaf Monday as the U.S. military stepped up pressure on the militiamen to hand over control of the Imam Ali Shrine to religious authorities.
August 20, 2004, 3:30 PM EDT
Militants Remove Weapons from Shrine in Najaf
Militants supporting radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr removed their weapons from the sacred Imam Ali Shrine in central Najaf Friday, bringing an end to a two-week standoff in the holy city.
RealAudio: Washington Post Baghdad bureau chief Rajiv Chandrasekaran provides an update on the day's developments.
August 19, 2004, 7:15 PM EDT
Iraqi Government Gives Shiite Militia Final Warning
Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi issued a "final call" to Shiite militants in Najaf Thursday, telling them to disarm and leave the sacred Imam Ali Shrine or face a massive onslaught by Iraqi forces.
Transcript: Rajiv Chandrasekaran of The Washington Post provides an update on the intensified fighting in the holy city.
August 18, 2004, 3:00 PM EDT
Rebel Cleric Agrees to Cease-fire in Najaf But Fighting Continues
Muqtada al-Sadr, the rebel Shiite cleric at the helm of a two-week uprising in Najaf against U.S. and Iraqi troops, accepted a plan Wednesday to end the fighting. But clashes marked by gunfire and explosions continued in Najaf even after the agreement was announced.
August 17, 2004, 5:15 PM EDT
Iraqi Delegation Seeks Meeting with al-Sadr
Eight members of the Iraqi National Conference arrived in Najaf Tuesday to try to convince rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his militia to end an insurgency in the south. At least one U.S. warplane bombed near Najaf's vast cemetery as fighting continued for the 12th day.
August 16, 2004, 7:15 PM EDT
Iraqi Officials Send Delegation to Najaf
The Iraqi National Conference voted Monday to send a delegation to Najaf to broker a deal to end the 11-day standoff in the city. Terence Smith discusses Monday's developments with New York Times Baghdad bureau chief John Burns.
August 12, 2004, 11:30 AM EDT
U.S., Iraqi Forces Launch Major Offensive in Najaf
Thousands of U.S. and Iraqi soldiers launched a major assault against militiamen loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in Najaf Thursday on the eighth straight day of fighting in the holy city. Margaret Warner talks to experts on the implications of al-Sadr's insurgency.
August 11, 2004, 2:30 PM EDT
Chalabi Returns to Baghdad; Fighting Persists in Najaf
Iraqi politician Ahmad Chalabi returned from Iran on Wednesday to face an arrest warrant that could lead to jail time. The political turmoil continued as fighting between U.S. forces and Shiite militants continued in several southern cities.
August 9, 2004, 8:30 PM EDT
Allawi Forges Ahead Despite Rebel Resistance
Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Monday refused demands from the interim Iraqi government to halt his militia's fighting in the holy city of Najaf.
Ray Suarez talks with Larry Diamond, former political adviser to the disbanded Coalition Provisional Authority, and Eric Davis, professor of Middle Eastern studies at Rutgers University, about how the continued resistance is affecting interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's efforts to reshape the government.
Transcript: New York Times Baghdad bureau chief John Burns provides an update on the violence in Iraq.
August 6, 2004, 2:30 PM EDT
U.S. Claims 300 Militia Killed in Latest Fighting
American military officials in Iraq said Friday some 300 members of militia loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have been killed in two days of heavy fighting throughout Iraq. The violence has left three American soldiers and scores of Iraqi civilians dead.
Transcript: The Washington Post's Pamela Constable discusses the fighting between al-Sadr's militia and American troops.
August 5, 2004, 9:30 PM EDT
Interim Government, U.S. Forces Continue to Combat Insurgent Groups
New clashes between the interim government and Shiite militias are just the latest challenge facing American and Iraqi forces trying to bring stability to postwar Iraq. The continuing violence has left 1,000 Iraqis dead since the handover of sovereignty on June 28. Three regional experts examine the roots of the continued fighting.
Transcript: The New York Times' John Burns discusses the increased clashes between the interim government and Shiite militia.
August 2, 2004, 7:30 PM EDT
Insurgent Violence Targets Christians, Foreign Workers
Insurgents looking to undermine the Iraqi interim government and force the U.S.-led coalition out of Iraq continued to target ethnic minorities and foreign workers in the war-torn nation during a bloody weekend of attacks that continued Monday.
JULY
July 29, 2004, 11:12 AM EDT
Key Iraqi Conference Postponed Amid Threatened Boycotts and Security Concerns
A national conference that is considered to be a key first step in Iraq's transition to democracy was postponed for two weeks, a conference organizer said Thursday. The decision was announced one day after a massive car bomb killed 70 people in Baquba.
July 28, 2004, 7:00 PM EDT
Suicide Car Bomb Kills at Least 68 in Iraq
A minibus filled with explosives killed at least 68 people Wednesday when it blew up near a market and a police station in the town of Baquba, making it the deadliest attack in Iraq since the United States transferred sovereignty to an interim government one month ago.
RealAudio: Terence Smith discusses the deadly attack with Washington Post reporter Pamela Constable in Baghdad.
July 26, 2004, 1:58 PM EDT
Suicide Bombing Kills Three in Northern Iraq; Assassins Kill Senior Iraqi Official in Baghdad
A suicide car bomb near a U.S. military base in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul killed three Iraqis Monday, and assassins shot and killed a senior Interior Ministry official, in the latest attack on officials in the interim Iraqi government.
July 19, 2004, 6:00 PM EDT
Blast Kills at Least Nine in Baghdad; Philippines Completes Pullout
A fuel truck loaded with explosives blew up near a police station in southwest Baghdad early Monday, killing at least nine people and injuring more than 62 others, according to the Iraqi Health Ministry.
Transcript: Gwen Ifill speaks to New York Times reporter Somini Sengupta in Iraq about the latest violence.
July 15, 2004, 8:48 PM EDT
Iraqi Ambassador to U.S. Outlines Interim Government Efforts
Iraq's interim government unveiled plans to establish an internal security service to combat continuing insurgent attacks. Jim Lehrer discusses the search for stability in postwar Iraq with Rend Al-Rahim Francke, the first Iraqi ambassador to the United States in the post-Saddam Hussein era.
July 14, 2004, 3:05 PM EDT
Bombing in Baghdad Kills 11; Mosul Governor Assassinated
Eleven people died and at least 30 were injured Wednesday in a suicide attack near the headquarters of the new Iraqi government and the U.S. Embassy. The attack came just hours before the governor of Mosul was killed in an ambush in the northern part of the country.
July 12, 2004, 7:30 PM EDT
Iraqi President Offers Amnesty to Militants
Interim Iraqi President Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer told British newspaper, The Financial Times, Monday that his government will soon offer amnesty to those who fought against the U.S.-led coalition if their crimes weren't serious. Gwen Ifill gets an update on the situation in Iraq from Rajiv Chandrasekaran of The Washington Post.
July 8, 2004, 1:30 PM EDT
Attack in Samarra Kills 5 U.S. Soldiers, 2 Iraqis
Militants in Iraq fired mortar rounds at a headquarters for U.S. and Iraqi forces in the city of Samarra Thursday, destroying a building and killing five American soldiers and two Iraqi guardsman.
July 7, 2004, 11:30 AM EDT
Iraq Unveils New Security Laws to Combat Insurgents
The interim Iraqi government released a series of security laws Wednesday aimed at clamping down on insurgents as militants continued to battle U.S. and Iraqi forces in Baghdad.
July 2, 2004, 8:20 PM EDT
Trial of Saddam Hussein Elicits Mixed Reviews from Arab World
Saddam Hussein's defiant performance before an Iraqi judge marked the first public appearance for the former Iraqi dictator since his arrest in December. The televised events has sparked mixed reactions within Iraq and the Arab world. Ray Suarez assesses how Saddam's day in court played out with three regional experts.
Transcript: The New York Times' John Burns reports on the appearance of Saddam before an Iraqi judge.
July 2, 2004, 1:30 PM EDT
Hostages Released, Rockets Fired at Hotels
A day after Saddam Hussein's first court appearance, insurgents launched multiple rocket attacks in different parts of Baghdad Friday, hitting two hotels used by foreigners and Iraqi officials and wounding three people.
July 1, 2004, 8:30 PM EDT
Joint Chiefs Chairman Says 'Rocky Road' Ahead in Iraq
Following the transition of power in Iraq and the first court appearance of former dictator Saddam Hussein, Gen. Richard Myers discusses the security situation in Iraq and the challenges ahead.
July 1, 2004, 11:30 AM EDT
Saddam Defiant in Preliminary Court Appearance
Update: A defiant Saddam Hussein appeared before an Iraqi tribunal Thursday, refusing to sign a list of charges against him unless a lawyer was present. The deposed Iraqi leader twice told the judge, "I am Saddam Hussein, the president of Iraq."
Transcript: Newsweek magazine's Babak Dehghanpisheh reports on Saddam's comments in court and reactions in Baghdad.
JUNE
June 30, 2004, 8:45 PM EDT
Iraq Begins Legal Proceedings Against Saddam Hussein, Other Baathists
Saddam Hussein appeared before an Iraqi judge Wednesday as Iraq's new interim government took the initial steps toward putting the former dictator on trial for reported atrocities that occurred during his rule. Michael Scharf, director of the War Crimes Research Office at Case Western Reserve University and an adviser to the new Iraqi judicial system, assesses how the upcoming trial of Saddam will likely proceed.
Transcript: The New York Times' John Burns reports on Saddam's first day in court.
June 29, 2004, 8:45 PM EDT
Interim Government Moves to Solidify Authority
As part of the transfer of authority in Iraq, the United States will turn over legal custody of Saddam Hussein and 11 of his former officials to Iraq's new interim government on Wednesday. Despite the legal move, all of the detainees will physically remain in U.S. military custody. Iraqi-Americans say the moves are part of an effort by the government to legitimize its rule. Three regional experts assess the interim authority's efforts so far and the road ahead.
Update: Iraq to Assume Legal Custody of Saddam, Allawi Says
June 28, 2004, 8:45 PM EDT
Transfer of Authority Leaves Questions of Next Steps in Iraq
The U.S.-led coalition transferred limited sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government Monday rather than Wednesday as scheduled. The move is the first step in establishing an elected government for the war-torn Middle Eastern nation. Jim Lehrer assesses the road ahead in Iraq with Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security adviser during the Carter administration, and Walter Russell Mead, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Update: Interim Iraqi Government Takes Power Early
RealAudio: The New York Times' Jeffrey Gettleman in Baghdad describes the day's events.
June 25, 2004, 11:00 AM EDT
Coordinated Attacks Kill at Least 100
Insurgents launched a devastating series of attacks on Iraqi security installations and other targets throughout Iraq on Thursday, killing at least 100 people and injuring another 300. New York Times reporter Jeffrey Gettleman in Baghdad provides details on the apparently coordinated attacks.
June 23, 2004, 9:15 PM EDT
Contractors Weigh Dangers, Business Opportunities in Iraq
U.S. companies continue to vie for reconstruction contracts in Iraq, even as the Coalition Provisional Authority prepares to pass political authority to an Iraqi interim government next week. Correspondent Jeffrey Kaye looks at the sometimes deadly price of doing business in Iraq.
June 22, 2004, 7:15 PM EDT
South Korean Hostage Killed in Iraq
Iraqi militants beheaded South Korean hostage Kim Sun-il after earlier threats that he would be killed if South Korea did not withdraw troops from Iraq.
Transcript: Ray Suarez gets an update from The Washington Post's Rajiv Chandrasekaran in Baghdad.
June 18, 2004, 9:00 PM EDT
Iraq Works to Secure Energy Industries
From restoring electricity to keeping the oil flowing so the country can rebuild, the efforts to keep Iraq's infrastructure free from attack and interruption are an ongoing struggle.
June 17, 2004, 9:50 PM EDT
New U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Outlines Challenges
John Negroponte, the new U.S. ambassador to Iraq, discusses the search for security and stability in Iraq and his unique role as an ambassador there as the country prepares to accept sovereignty.
June 17, 2004, 1:50 PM EDT
Bombs in Iraq Target Security Forces, Kill 41
Two vehicles packed with explosives detonated in and near Baghdad Thursday, killing at least 41 people and wounding more than 100.
The first suicide bomber blew up his white four-wheel-drive car in a crowd of Iraqis seeking jobs at an army recruiting base in Baghdad. The second car bomb exploded in a village north of the capital, killing six members of the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps.
June 16, 2004, 3:45 PM EDT
Attacks Cripple Iraqi Oil Exports; Security Official Killed
Insurgents bombed a key oil pipeline in Iraq Wednesday, crippling the country's 1.6 million-barrel-a-day oil industry and halting all of the country's crude oil exports through the Persian Gulf.
June 15, 2004, 2:00 PM EDT
Rebel Cleric May Seek Role in Iraqi Government
Iraq's interim President Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer on Tuesday urged radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to lay down his arms and enter politics, a prospect President Bush said he would not oppose.
June 14, 2004, 7:30 PM EDT
Blast in Baghdad Kills at Least 13
A suicide car bomb ripped into a coalition convoy in Baghdad Monday, killing at least 13 people including an American and four other foreign contractors working to rebuild Iraq's power plants. New York Times correspondent Jeffrey Gettleman offers a report on the latest incidents of violence from Baghdad.
June 13, 2004, 11:30 AM EDT
Bomb Kills 12 in Baghdad; Second Iraqi Official Assassinated
A car bomb exploded near a U.S.-Iraqi base in Baghdad Sunday, killing at least 12 Iraqis and wounding 13. Gunmen killed a senior Education Ministry official in the second assassination in as many days.
June 11, 2004, 4:50 PM EDT
Fighting Flares South of Baghdad; Army to Investigate Iraqi Death
Gunmen overran and blew up a police station south of Baghdad Friday in the fourth such attack against Iraqi security installations over the last week. Meanwhile, the U.S. Army said it is investigating the killing of an Iraqi man by a U.S. soldier. The man was killed in a raid after allegedly bragging to neighbors that he had murdered another soldier.
June 10, 2004, 7:00 PM EDT
Gunmen Attack Najaf Police Station; Turkish Hostage Tape Airs
Shiite gunmen loyal to Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr attacked an Iraqi police station in the southern city of Najaf late Wednesday, burning police cars, looting the building and controlling it for two hours. Gwen Ifill speaks with Dexter Filkins of The New York Times in Baghdad about the latest developments.
June 9, 2004, 9:00 PM EDT
Brahimi Confident Kurds, Shiites Will Resolve Differences
Kurdish leaders threatened to leave the interim Iraqi government on Wednesday if the country's majority Shiites gain too much power. Margaret Warner speaks with U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi about the situation in Iraq leading up to the June 30 transfer of power.
June 8, 2004, 8:56 PM EDT
U.N. Unanimously Approves Resolution on Power Transfer in Iraq
The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a U.S.- and British-backed resolution Tuesday that formally ends the occupation of Iraq on June 30, and authorizes an American-led force to keep the peace. The council approved the resolution after significant revisions brought France and Germany -- staunch opponents of the war -- on board. Ray Suarez and experts discuss the resolution and its impact on the interim Iraqi government.
June 7, 2004, 5:15 PM EDT
Iraqi Militias, Excluding Radical Cleric Fighters, to Disband
Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi announced Monday that nine militias, consisting of more than 100,000 men, would disband. Loyalists to rebel Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr who have been fighting coalition troops for months were not among them.
June 4, 2004, 9:00 PM EDT
New Iraqi Foreign Minister Discusses U.S. Role in Post-occupation Iraq
Newly installed interim Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari discusses how he hopes the United Nations proceeds on supporting full sovereignty for Iraq.
June 3, 2004, 8:00 PM EDT
Army Extends Tours for Troops in Combat
The Army has alerted thousands of soldiers expecting to leave the military that their tours of duty may be extended if their units are sent to Afghanistan or Iraq. Ray Suarez gets perspective on the decision from three retired military officers.
June 2, 2004, 9:30 PM EDT
FBI Investigates Chalabi's Ties to Iran
Iraqi National Congress leader Ahmad Chalabi has gone from being a key Bush administration ally to being the subject of an FBI probe about his role in alleged espionage for Iran.
June 1, 2004, 8:50 PM EDT
Interim Iraqi Government Set to Take Power
Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer, a Sunni Arab businessman, was named interim Iraqi president Tuesday, completing the slate of top government officials who will work toward Iraq's first elections in January. Regional experts assess the role of the transitional government and its credibility among Iraqis.
Update: Top Posts in Interim Government Named, Governing Council Disbands
MAY
May 28, 2004, 4:45 PM EDT
Iraqi Prime Minister Named
Iyad Allawi, a Shiite exile who opposed Saddam Hussein, was named interim prime minister of Iraq on Friday, according to a senior Bush administration official. Despite the United Nations' surprise at the timing of the announcement, officials said the international body "respects" the choice.
May 27, 2004, 8:30 PM EDT
U.S. Suspends Offensive in Najaf
Coalition forces agreed Thursday to a partial pullout from the holy city of Najaf after Iraqi leaders reached a deal with radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr whose militiamen have clashed with U.S.-led coalition troops for weeks. New York Times reporter Dexter Filkins provides a report from Baghdad.
May 25, 2004, 9:30 PM EDT
U.S. Efforts to Ready Transition in Iraq Raises New Concerns, Issues
A day after President Bush reiterated his pledge to return sovereignty to Iraqis, several members of the U.N. Security Council expressed concern over the proposed Iraq resolution the United States and Britain presented this week. Former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski and the Council on Foreign Relations' Walter Russell Mead react to the president's address and the situation in the war-torn nation.
May 24, 2004, 9:05 PM EDT
President Outlines Plans for Transition, Pledges to Defeat Insurgents
Saying Iraq offers a choice between "history" and "tragedy," President Bush outlined his goals for a smooth transition to Iraqi rule on June 30. The president also reiterated his promise to defeat insurgents in the prime-time address Monday evening.
"We will persevere and defeat this enemy and hold this hard-won ground for the realm of liberty," Mr. Bush said.
Despite his pledge, the president also warned, "As the Iraqi people move closer to governing themselves, the terrorists are likely to become more active and more brutal. There are difficult days ahead, and the way forward may sometimes appear chaotic."
Analysis: Ahead of the president's address, three regional experts assess what the president should focus on ahead of the transition and the proposal America and Britain are pushing in the United Nations.
RealAudio: Mr. Bush's full remarks at the U.S. Army War College
May 24, 2004, 12:20 PM EDT
Explosion Near Coalition Headquarters in Baghdad Kills Two
A roadside bomb outside the U.S.-led coalition headquarters in Baghdad destroyed an armored civilian car and killed two British citizens Monday.
The latest incident of violence occurs on the day President Bush is planning to deliver a prime-time speech on the situation in Iraq and the transfer of sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government.
May 21, 2004, 7:00 PM EDT
More Images, Details of Iraqi Detainee Abuse Published
Hundreds of new images and sworn statements from Iraqis held at Abu Ghraib prison near Baghdad reveal details of abuse that go beyond already published accounts, including sexual humiliation and religious intimidation.
Transcript: Terence Smith talks to Washington Post Executive Editor Leonard Downie about the new evidence of abuse and the paper's decision to publish the photos.
May 20, 2004, 1:00 PM EDT
U.S.-Iraqi Force Raids Home, Offices of Iraqi Council Member
U.S. soldiers and Iraqi police raided the offices and home of one-time American ally Ahmad Chalabi on Thursday, taking documents and computers, but offering no reasons for the move.
Meanwhile, U.S. military officials on Thursday refuted Iraqi claims that a U.S. attack near the Syrian border killed at least 40 members of a wedding party.
May 19, 2004, 8:30 PM EDT
Soldier Gets Maximum Sentence in First Iraq Abuse Court-martial
A court-martial sentenced Spc. Jeremy Sivits to the maximum penalty of one year in prison, a reduction in rank and a bad conduct discharge Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to charges linked to the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison. Eugene Fidell of the National Institute of Military Justice discusses the Sivits trial and ongoing legal proceedings against other accused soldiers.
May 17, 2004, 7:45 PM EDT
Car Bomb Kills Iraqi Governing Council President
A suicide car bomber killed the leader of the Iraqi Governing Council near a checkpoint outside the coalition headquarters in central Baghdad Monday, dealing a blow to the U.S. plan to hand over sovereignty of the country by July 1. New York Times reporter Dexter Filkins provides an update on the day's events.
May 14, 2004, 5:20 PM EDT
Coalition Forces Battle Al-Sadr Loyalists in Southern Iraq
U.S.-led coalition forces, backed by tanks and helicopters, pushed into the center of the holy Iraqi city of Najaf on Friday, pounding the positions of militant supporters of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
May 13, 2004, 8:30 PM EDT
Rumsfeld Defends Interrogations, Condemns Abuses in Iraqi Prisons
On his way to Iraq for an unannounced visit, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld defended the American military's interrogation techniques, saying they did not violate the Geneva convention nor condone the abuses that occurred at Abu Ghraib prison.
Legal experts debate whether the efforts to combat terrorism in Iraq created a climate that led to the abuses depicted in more than 1,000 photographs and videos.
May 12, 2004, 8:45 PM EDT
Senators View New Images of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse
Pentagon officials showed senators more than 1,000 new photos of Iraqi prisoner abuse Wednesday. Two of the senators discuss the impact of the images and their reactions.
May 12, 2004, 1:45 PM EDT
Video Shows Beheading of U.S. Hostage as Fighting Flares in Karbala
Islamic extremists released video Tuesday depicting the grisly decapitation of an American civilian held hostage in Iraq, saying the act was in retaliation for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison.
May 11, 2004, 9:05 PM EDT
Sources and Psychology of Iraqi Prisoner Abuse Probed
Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba has accused soldiers at the Abu Ghraib prison of "incidents of sadistic, blatant, and wanton criminal abuses." Experts examine the psychology of abusive behavior.
May 10, 2004, 9:55 PM EDT
Experts Weigh Military Prospects for Achieving Victory in Iraq
President Bush Monday pledged to continue the United States' mission in Iraq and to stay until the war-torn nation is rebuilt as a democratic country. "We have made clear commitments before the world, and America will keep those commitments," Mr. Bush said. But some have begun to question whether the military effort to secure Iraq is making headway. Three experts assess the situation.
Full Text: President Bush discusses Iraq conflict, defends Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
May 7, 2004, 8:55 PM EDT
Congress Reacts to Rumsfeld Testimony, Ongoing Prisoner Scandal
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on Friday extended "my deepest apology" to Iraqi prisoners abused by U.S. military personnel and told lawmakers that he accepts full responsibility for the events and is seeking a way to compensate the victims of the mistreatment. Leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee talk to Margaret Warner about Rumsfeld's testimony.
Update: Rumsfeld Apologizes for Iraqi Prisoner Abuse
Excerpts: Rumsfeld testifies before the Senate and House
Analysis: Historians reflect on presidential apologies and the government holding leaders accountable.
May 7, 2004
Leading Polish War Correspondent and Producer Killed in Ambush South of Baghdad
Update: Waldemar Milewicz, an award-winning correspondent for Poland's state TVP television, and producer Mounir Bouamrane died on Friday when their car was raked by machine-gun fire in an ambush about 20 miles south of Baghdad, Polish television said. Polish cameraman Jerzy Ernst, who was also in the car, survived the attack with injuries to his arm.
During his 20-year career at TVP, Milewicz, 48, won numerous journalism awards for his reporting from the Balkans, Chechnya, Afghanistan, Rwanda and other conflict zones.
May 6, 2004, 9:00 PM EDT
Rumsfeld Under Fire in Iraqi Prisoner Abuse Scandal
Kwame Holman reports on some legislators' calls for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld over his part in allegedly covering up the prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq. Then former Assistant Secretary of Defense Lawrence Korb and former Director of Central Intelligence James Woolsey offer their perspective on whether Rumsfeld should be held accountable.
May 6, 2004, 1:30 PM EDT
Soldiers Battle Shiites in Najaf; Bomber Kills Six in Baghdad
As the United States launched a new assault against Shiite forces near Najaf Thursday, a suicide bomber killed one U.S. soldier and five Iraqi civilians in a brazen attack on the heavily fortified safe zone in Baghdad.
May 6, 2004
Transfer of Power
The United States and the United Nations are working to transition control of Iraq to an Iraqi-led government ahead of the June 30 deadline and elections scheduled for 2005.
May 5, 2004, 9:00 PM EDT
President Bush Denounces Iraqi Prisoner Abuse on Arab TV
President Bush gave interviews Wednesday with the Arabic-language networks Al-Arabiya and U.S.-sponsored Al-Hurra, trying to assuage the growing clamor over photos that have surfaced depicting the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers.
Shibley Telhami, a professor at the University of Maryland, and Fouad Ajami, director of Middle East Studies at Johns Hopkins University, offer their views on the U.S. response.
Update: President Bush and the new commander of the Abu Ghraib prison spoke about the alleged abuse.
Full Text: President Bush's interview with Al-Hurrah
Full Text: Mr. Bush's interview with Al-Arabiya
May 4, 2004, 8:50 PM EDT
Rumsfeld Calls Iraqi Prisoner Abuse 'Unacceptable and Un-American'
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told reporters Tuesday that the actions of U.S. soldiers in photographs depicting abuses of Iraqi prisoners are "totally unacceptable and un-American." Meanwhile, members of the Senate Armed Services Committee were briefed on the alleged abuses and the status of investigations into the prisons during a closed-door meeting. Two members of the committee discuss the briefing and the potential impact of the alleged abuse scandal.
May 3, 2004, 8:50 PM EDT
Violence Flares in Najaf as U.S. Responds to Alleged Iraqi Prisoner Abuse
U.S. troops in Najaf faced the most intense fighting there to date, including intense gunbattles and eschanges of mortar fire. The fighting came as military officials continued to say they would punish those responsible for the alleged torture of prisoners in American custody.
Transcript: The Washington Post's Rajiv Chandrasekaran reports on the relative calm in the Sunni city of Fallujah and the latest violence in Najaf.
May 3, 2004, 8:40 PM EDT
U.S. Military Reprimands Soldiers for Alleged Iraqi Prisoner Abuse
The U.S. military has reprimanded six American soldiers and admonished another in connection with the alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad.
Ray Suarez speaks to Seymour Hersh from the New Yorker; Lt. Col. Gary Solis, chief of oral history at the Marine Corps; and Hisham Melhem from the Beirut newspaper As-Safir.
APRIL
April 30, 2004, 9:00 PM EDT
Sinclair Broadcasting Group Pulls ABC Nightline's Special Edition From Its Stations
On a special edition of Nightline, Ted Koppel read the names of all of the U.S. troops who have died in Iraq, but viewers of seven ABC stations owned by Sinclair Broadcasting were not able to see it. Terence Smith explores Sinclair's decision not to air the broadcast, which its executives say is politically motivated.
April 30, 2004, 8:30 PM EDT
Marines Move to Transfer Fallujah Mission to Former Republican Guard General
A new Iraqi security force, commanded by a former general from Saddam Hussein's Republican Guard, took up positions in Fallujah Friday, while U.S. Marines continue to maintain a presence in the Sunni city. Margaret Warner speaks with Washington Post reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran, who is embedded with U.S. Marines.
April 30, 2004, 2:30 PM EDT
President Disgusted by Iraqi POW Treatment
Update: President Bush said he was disgusted by the treatment of Iraqi prisoners, after pictures showing some of the allegations against U.S. soldiers were made public.
Stations Pull Nightline Iraq Casualties Report
Update: In response to ABC News' decision to read the names of the more than 700 soldiers killed in Iraq during the April 30 edition of Nightline, Sinclair Broadcast Group announced that it will not carry the broadcast.
April 29, 2004, 9:00 PM EDT
U.S. Troops to Leave Fallujah; Fighting Continues
Margaret Warner gets perspective on the latest developments in Iraq from three military experts.
Update: U.S. Marines will begin withdrawing from Fallujah as a new Iraqi security force moves in under an agreement reached late Wednesday to end the month-long standoff between coalition forces and insurgents.
April 28, 2004, 8:15 PM EDT
U.S.-Rebel Clashes Continue in Fallujah
U.S. Marines assaulted insurgents in Fallujah Wednesday with helicopter gunships and bombing strikes -- the third day of intensified attacks aimed at weakening rebel forces. Terence Smith gets an update from Washington Post reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran.
April 27, 2004, 7:30 PM EDT
U.S. Forces Battle Militants in Fallujah, Najaf
U.S. aircraft and tanks targeted two suspected insurgent strongholds in the central Iraqi city of Fallujah Tuesday night, in a second day of attacks aimed at clamping down on insurgents.
Transcript: Ray Suarez gets updates on the latest round of violence from L.A. Times reporter Tony Perry in Fallujah and Newsweek reporter Babak Dehghanpisheh in Baghdad.
April 26, 2004, 1:00 PM EDT
Suspected Chemical Facility Explodes in Baghdad; Two Killed
A building where supplies for chemical munitions were produced, according to the U.S. military, blew up in Baghdad on Monday, killing two soldiers and wounding five others.
Meanwhile, fighting erupted in Fallujah on Monday a day after U.S. officials announced a fragile cease-fire would be extended until Tuesday.
April 23, 2004, 9:00 PM EDT
Photos of Fallen Soldiers Stir Debate
Department of Defense spokesman Bryan Whitman and Dana Milbank of The Washington Post debate the Pentagon's ban on media coverage of the return of fallen service members that was broken twice this week.
April 22, 2004, 9:45 PM EDT
Insurgent Violence Threatens Work of Rebuilding Efforts
A string of kidnappings and an uptick in insurgent violence aimed at civilian contractors has threatened to slow or even derail the work of rebuilding the war-torn nation. Despite the dangers, an estimated 20,000 Americans continue to work there. Ray Suarez speaks to Stan Soloway of the Professional Services Council and Sheba Crocker of the Post-Conflict Reconstruction Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
April 22, 2004
News Organizations Pool Resources to Cover Iraq, Citing Increased Danger
Conditions in Iraq have become so treacherous for journalists that the networks and cable channels have taken the unusual step of coordinating their coverage in unprecedented ways. Terence Smith discusses reporting in Iraq with John Burns, Baghdad bureau chief of The New York Times; and Eason Jordan, chief news executive for CNN.
April 21, 2004, 8:45 PM EDT
Car Bomb Kills Dozens in Basra; Fighting Flares in Fallujah
Five suicide car bombers targeted police stations around the southern Iraqi city of Basra during Wednesday's morning rush hour, killing at least 65 people, including school children, and wounding scores more.
Transcript: Ray Suarez speaks to a New York Times reporter in Baghdad on the latest violence in Iraq.
April 20, 2004, 9:30 PM EDT
Senate Examines Causes of Escalating Violence in Iraq
Insurgents fired 12 mortars at a U.S.-run prison in Baghdad Tuesday, killing 22 detainees and injuring 92, coalition military officials said. It was the latest assault in what has become the deadliest month in Iraq for U.S. soldiers since entering the nation more than a year ago. Two members of the Senate Armed Service Committee discuss the recent rise in American casualties in Iraq.
April 20, 2004, 4:18 PM EDT
U.S. Confirms Killing of Two Staffers of Iraqi News Outlet
Update: Coalition officials in Baghdad confirmed that U.S. soldiers had shot to death two Iraqi staffers of the U.S.-funded Al-Iraqiya television station in central Iraq.
April 19, 2004, 7:30 PM EDT
Fallujah Leaders, U.S. Urge Militants to Disarm
Update: Civic leaders in Fallujah joined American officials Monday in asking insurgents to surrender their heavy weapons, after a weekend of fighting in Iraq killed ten U.S. soldiers.
Transcript: The New York Times' John Burns updates coalition efforts to bring violence under control.
April 16, 2004, 5:00 PM EDT
U.S. Officials, Iraqis Negotiate in Fallujah
Update: U.S. military and civilian officials met with leaders from Fallujah, a city ringed by U.S. Marines working to root out insurgents operating there, for the first time Friday since the siege of the central city began April 5.
April 15, 2004, 9:30 PM EDT
Iraq Tour Extended for Some U.S. Troops
Update: The U.S. military will keep about 21,000 American soldiers, scheduled to end their tour of duty this month, in Iraq to cope with the surge in anti-occupation violence, the Pentagon announced Thursday.
Regional views: Editorial page editors from newspapers across the country discuss the Bush administration's responses to security concerns in Iraq and the announcement for extended troop deployments.
April 15, 2004, 1:54 PM EDT
Japanese Hostages Freed as Najaf Standoff Persists
Three Japanese taken hostage in Iraq were released Thursday, but violence continued there with the murder of an Iranian diplomat, renewed fighting in Fallujah and a stalemate in Najaf.
April 13, 2004, 8:15 PM EDT
U.S. Troops Amass Outside Najaf As Standoff with Shiite Militia Continues
About 2,500 U.S. troops assembled outside the holy city of Najaf Tuesday to "capture or kill" Shiite radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, said the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez. Professor Juan Cole and former CIA agent Reuel Gerecht on Muqtada al-Sadr and how the U.S. should handle the Shiite revolt.
April 12, 2004, 8:15 PM EDT
Cease-fire Holds in Fallujah; U.S. Regains Parts of South
A shaky cease-fire between U.S. Marines and Sunni rebels continued in Fallujah after talks aimed at calming Iraq's bloodiest fighting since the war. New York Times Baghdad bureau chief John Burns reports on the latest developments.
April 12, 2004, 1:15 PM EDT
Iraqi Insurgents Take More Hostages
Two U.S. troops and seven contractors have gone missing in Iraq, according to U.S. military officials Monday, raising fears they may join the more than two dozen foreigners that were taken hostage in separate incidents by insurgents over the last week.
April 9, 2004, 5:15 PM EDT
Iraqi Insurgents Continue to Hold Foreigners Hostage
A surge of kidnappings of foreign workers in Iraq continued Friday with insurgents claiming they seized four Italians and two Americans on the outskirts of Baghdad.
Death Toll Mounts in Iraq Uprising
Two U.S. soldiers were killed Friday in Iraq, as violence continued to escalate between U.S.-led forces and Sunni and Shiite insurgents.
April 8, 2004, 8:30 PM EDT
Iraqi Insurgents Kidnap Aid Workers, Release Some
New York Times correspondent Jeffrey Gettleman provides an update on the escalating violence in Iraq after coalition forces spent another day combating militias of Sunni and Shiite Muslims.
Update: Iraqi insurgents kidnapped eight South Koreans, three Japanese and two Arab Israelis in separate incidents Thursday, and militants threatened to burn the Japanese alive if Tokyo does not withdraw from the U.S.-led coalition within three days.
April 7, 2004, 2:00 PM EDT
Mosque in Fallujah Hit as Fighting Spreads
U.S. Marines fired rockets into a mosque compound in Fallujah Wednesday, killing at least 40 people, witnesses said, in day three of the campaign to root out militants in the Sunni Muslim stronghold.
April 6, 2004, 8:45 PM EDT
Coalition Forces Face Deadly Gun Battles Against Shiite, Insurgent Forces
Violence continued in Iraq Tuesday as coalition forces throughout the country fought Shiite and Sunni rebels. In Fallujah U.S. forces cordoned off the city as they prepared to go after Sunni insurgents accused of brutally slaying four American defense contractors last week. West of Fallujah a firefight reportedly claimed the lives of up to 12 U.S. Marines in the town of Ramadi.
April 5, 2004, 9:15 PM EDT
Anti-U.S. Shiite Cleric Sparks Uprising
Violence continued Monday in Baghdad where members of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's militia clashed with a U.S. patrol. Experts assess al-Sadr's emergence as a leader and what it might mean for U.S. plans to hand over authority to Iraqis on June 30.
Transcript: The New York Times' Jeffrey Gettlemen discusses the weekend's uprising and situation in and around Baghdad.
Transcript: Two U.S. senators discuss the likelihood that the United States can stick to its June 30 deadline.
April 5, 2004, 1:15 PM EDT
U.S. Forces Launch Operation to Secure Fallujah
Hundreds of U.S. and Iraqi troops surrounded the turbulent Iraqi city of Fallujah on Monday ahead of a major operation against insurgents following the brutal slayings of four American defense contractors last week.
April 1, 2004, 8:30 PM EST
U.S. Promises 'Overwhelming' Response to Fallujah Attacks
U.S. military officials Thursday vowed to "pacify" the Iraqi city of Fallujah while hunting down those responsible for killing and mutilating the bodies of four civilian workers. Jim Lehrer talks with military experts about the challenges American military leaders face in trying to control the volatile area known as the Sunni Triangle, a former Saddam Hussein stronghold.
MARCH
March 31, 2004, 8:30 PM EST
Angry Mob Kills Four Americans in Fallujah
An anti-American mob in the Iraqi city of Fallujah ambushed a group of contractors Wednesday, beating and dragging four bodies through the streets. The brutal attack came on the same day a roadside bomb killed five Americans west of Baghdad. Military analysts discuss what the ambush in Fallujah suggests about the state of security in Iraq.
Transcript: Terence Smith speaks with New York Times correspondent John Burns in Baghdad about the latest attacks.
March 30, 2004
U.S. Takes Responsibility for Shooting Deaths of Two Iraqi Journalists
Update: The U.S. Army on Monday accepted responsibility for the shooting deaths of an Iraqi reporter and cameraman near a roadblock in Baghdad earlier this month, but said soldiers were acting within the rules of engagement and killed the journalists by accident.
March 29, 2004
Closure of Shiite Newspaper in Baghdad Sparks Protests
Update: U.S. troops on Sunday temporarily closed a popular Baghdad newspaper after coalition authorities accused the Shiite Muslim weekly of printing lies that incited violence.
March 19, 2004, 2:20 PM EST
One Year After Conflict Began, Analysts Consider Fallout From Iraq War
Foreign policy experts Zbigniew Brzezinski and Walter Russell Mead discuss how the Iraq war has influenced U.S. diplomatic relations and the war on terror.
Update: President Bush, in a speech marking the first anniversary of the start of the Iraq war Friday, tied the effort to rebuild the war-torn nation into the overall endeavor to combat terrorism.
March 18, 2004, 10:10 AM EST
Car Bomb Destroys Hotel in Baghdad
A massive car bombing nearly leveled a hotel in central Baghdad Wednesday night, killing at least seven and wounding more than 27, three days before the anniversary of the start of the Iraq war.
Transcript: Ray Suarez speaks with New York Times reporter Jeffrey Gettleman about the deadly blast.
March 16, 2004, 7:45 PM EST
Terrorists Target Civilian Workers in Iraq
Abdulwahab Alkebsi of the National Endowment for Democracy and Zainab Salbi of Women for Women International discuss the escalating attacks on civilian aid workers in Iraq.
Update: A fourth American missionary died of his wounds Tuesday from an ambush in northern Iraq that killed three others who worked for a Southern Baptist missionary organization.
March 9, 2004, 7:00 PM EST
Iraqi-Americans Reveal Mixed Feelings on Iraq Postwar Future
Elizabeth Brackett talks to a group of Iraqis living in the United States about their feelings toward the war in Iraq, the progress of the U.S. occupation and the prospects for a new Iraqi government to rebuild their homeland.
March 8, 2004, 10:30 PM EST
Interim Constitution Offers Promise, Sparks Concerns
Members of Iraq's Governing Council signed an interim constitution Monday that is geared toward helping the country prepare for self-rule after the U.S.-led coalition transfers power on June 30. Gwen Ifill speaks to two Middle East experts about the document and the objection some Shiites have to it.
Update: Iraqis Sign Interim Constitution Amid Protest From Key Cleric
March 3, 2004, 6:00 PM EST
U.S. Intelligence Links Jordanian Militant to Iraq Attacks
Top U.S. military commander Army Gen. John Abizaid said Wednesday the United States has intelligence linking fugitive Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab Zarqawi to Tuesday's deadly attacks on Shiite Muslim shrines in Iraq.
March 2, 2004, 9:00 PM EST
Attacks Kill Worshippers at Shiite Religious Ceremonies
A series of coordinated suicide attacks and mortars killed at least 145 people at major Shiite Muslim shrines in the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Karbala Tuesday. Ray Suarez discusses the violence with professor Juan Cole of the University of Michigan and Christian Parenti, contributing writer for the Nation magazine.
Update: Suicide attacks kill at least 145 people and injure hundreds on the holiest day in the Shiite calendar.
March 1, 2004, 1:56 PM EST
Iraqi Council Approves Interim Constitution
Iraqi political leaders approved an interim constitution early Monday that strikes a compromise on the issues of Kurdish autonomy, Islam's role in government and women's rights.
FEBRUARY
February 23, 2004, 11:39 AM EST
Bombing in Iraq Kills at Least 8 After Rumsfeld Visit
A suspected suicide bomber detonated a car bomb Monday morning at a police station in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, killing at least eight Iraqi national police officers and wounding about 35 others, U.S. military officials said.
February 20, 2004, 2:56 PM EST
U.N. Decision Against Early Elections Evokes Mixed Reactions in Iraq
Iraqi leaders offered mixed reactions Friday to a U.N. recommendation against holding elections before the U.S. transfer of power to an interim Iraqi administration by July 1.
February 17, 2004, 9:25 PM EST
Iraqis Resist U.S. Caucus Plan as Insurgent Violence Continues
After a week of violence left 130 people dead in Iraq, several members of the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council have said they do not support an American initiative to hold regional caucuses to choose an interim government. Three experts consider what the latest developments mean for Iraq's security and the prospect for a political transition by the upcoming U.S.-declared deadline of July 1.
February 16, 2004, 3:45 PM EST
Roadside Bombs Kill Two U.S. Soldiers in Iraq; Governing Council Meets
Roadside bombs killed two U.S. soldiers in separate attacks Monday in Baghdad and a city northeast of the capital, while the Iraqi Governing Council met to discuss prospects for a handover of power from U.S. administrators to Iraqis. Monday's attacks followed a Saturday raid in Fallujah, in which 25 people were killed in simultaneous attacks on the police station and the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps compound.
February 13, 2004, 6:00 PM EST
U.N. Official Rules Out Early Elections in Iraq
A spokesman for the U.N. envoy sent to Iraq to determine if early elections are possible said Friday that a vote could not be held before the June 30 transfer to Iraqi sovereignty.
February 12, 2004, 11:40 AM EST
Abizaid Convoy Attacked; Timing of Elections Still Uncertain
The U.S. commander in the Middle East, Gen. John Abizaid, escaped unharmed from a rocket-propelled grenade attack on his convoy Thursday in the turbulent city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad.
Meanwhile, a U.N. team met with Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani but did not reach an agreement on when to hold elections.
February 11, 2004, 1:50 PM EST
Baghdad Car Bomb Kills at Least 47 in Second Deadly Attack
A suicide attacker detonated a car packed with explosives in a crowd of Iraqis waiting outside a Baghdad army recruiting center Wednesday, killing at least 47 people.
February 10, 2004, 11:56 AM EST
Car Bomb Explodes South of Baghdad Killing Dozens
A car bomb killed dozens of people when it exploded Tuesday morning at a police station south of Baghdad where people were lined up to apply for jobs.
February 6, 2004, 7:30 PM EST
Pres. Bush Forms Bipartisan Iraq Intelligence Review Panel
Bowing to pressure from Democratic and Republican lawmakers, President Bush on Friday named seven people to sit on a bipartisan commission to investigate U.S. intelligence failures in prewar Iraq. A former and current member of the Senate Intelligence Committee discuss the commission and its objectives.
Update: President Bush Names Seven to Review Iraq Intelligence
February 5, 2004, 6:00 PM EST
Senators React to CIA Assessment of Iraq Weapons Program
CIA Director George Tenet on Thursday denied his agency tailored information to build a case for the U.S.-led war in Iraq. Jim Lehrer discusses the intelligence controversy with a former and current member of the Senate Intelligence Committee: Richard Shelby, R-Ala., and Evan Bayh, D-Ind.
Update: Tenet Defends CIA's Prewar Iraq Intelligence
February 4, 2004, 2:30 PM EST
U.N. Team to Evaluate Prospect of Early Elections in Iraq
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Tuesday he would send a team to Iraq to determine if elections could be held before the June 30 transfer of authority to a provisional government.
February 3, 2004, 3:30 PM EST
Death Toll From Weekend Suicide Bombings in Iraq Reaches 101
The death toll from two suicide bombings that targeted the largest Kurdish political parties in Iraq over the weekend rose from 67 to 101, U.S. officials said Tuesday.
Transcript: Independent Television News correspondent Lindsey Hilsum reports on the terrorist attacks, and Gwen Ifill follows up with Najmaldin Karim of the Washington Kurdish Institute. (2.2.04)
JANUARY
January 28, 2004
Iraqi Governing Council Lifts Ban on One Arab-Language Network
Iraq's U.S.-appointed Governing Council decided to allow the Al-Arabiya television network to resume its broadcasts, two months after the Arab-language network and another, Al-Jazeera, were ordered to cease broadcasting from Iraq for allegedly inciting anti-coalition violence. Al-Arabiya said the council made its decision after the channel agreed to abide by Iraqi laws and policies of objectivity. The council's ban against the Al-Jazeera network remains in effect.
January 27, 2004, 4:30 PM EST
Six U.S. Soldiers, Two CNN Staffers Killed in Iraq
A bloody series of attacks in central Iraq Tuesday left six American soldiers, two CNN employees and at least two Iraqi civilians dead even as U.S. military operations continued against anti-coalition insurgents.
January 26, 2004, 2:45 PM EST
U.S. Conducts Raids After Weekend Violence Kills Six Soldiers
U.S. troops conducted raids in Baqouba, a volatile area 35 miles northeast of Baghdad on Sunday, detaining 46 people in the wake of attacks that left six American soldiers dead.
January 23, 2004, 5:30 PM EST
U.N. Weapons Inspector to Lead Iraq WMD Team
Charles Duelfer, the highest-ranking American among U.N. weapons inspectors during Saddam Hussein's regime, will take over as head of the U.S. team searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, the CIA announced Friday.
January 22, 2004, 1:05 PM EST
U.S. Troops and Iraqis Killed in Separate Attacks
In a wave of attacks against American soldiers and Iraqis working with the coalition, insurgents killed two U.S. soldiers and at least six Iraqis in the last 24 hours. In one incident, insurgents fired mortars and rockets at a U.S. base late Wednesday, killing two soldiers in the volatile Sunni Triangle. Also on Wednesday, gunmen killed four people in the ambush of a vehicle carrying Iraqi women who worked in the laundry at a U.S. military base.
January 19, 2004, 7:30 PM EST
U.N. Weighs Involvement in Iraq Political Dispute
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Monday the international body was considering a request from Iraqi leaders and the United States to send a mission to Baghdad to help resolve an impasse on electing an interim government by July. Iraqi Governing Council President Adnan Pachachi and David Malone, former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations, discuss the possible impact of U.N. involvement.
January 19, 2004, 12:30 PM EST
Baghdad Truck Bombing Kills Coalition Workers
A pickup truck loaded with 1,000 pounds of plastic explosives detonated at the main gate of the coalition headquarters in Baghdad on Sunday, killing at least 20 people and wounding more than 60 others.
January 16, 2004, 9:45 PM EST
U.S. Outlines Iraq Transition Plan
Iraq is set to hold caucuses as part of its U.S.-led transition to democracy, but Shiite leaders are demanding direct elections instead. Two experts provide perspective on the various challenges to President Bush's plans for restoring self-rule in Iraq by July.
January 14, 2004, 12:45 PM EST
U.S. Military Captures Insurgent Leader; Car Bomb Kills at Least Two in Iraq
A car bomb killed at least two people Wednesday in Baquba, 40 miles north of Baghdad, and wounded nearly 30 others. Meanwhile, the U.S. military announced that number 54 on its 55 most-wanted list had been captured -- a man thought to be the paymaster for insurgent forces in Iraq's largest province.
January 12, 2004, 11:00 AM EST
U.S. Helicopter Crashes in Iraq; Nine Killed
A U.S. Black Hawk helicopter crashed Thursday near a stronghold of the anti-American insurgency in Iraq, killing all nine soldiers aboard, the U.S. military said.
January 12, 2004
U.S. Firm Awarded Contract to Run Iraqi Media Network
The Pentagon has awarded a $96 million contract to a U.S. communications equipment company to develop Iraq's existing but antiquated media network for the next 12 months.
January 8, 2004, 8:30 PM EST
Attacks Against Coalition Forces in Iraq on the Rise
The crash of a U.S. helicopter near Fallujah and the emergency landing of a military transport plane in Baghdad Thursday raise questions about the renewed wave of anti-coalition insurgency. Ray Suarez speaks to New York Times Baghdad bureau chief John Burns about the latest incidents.
January 2, 2004, 8:30 PM EST
U.S. Soldiers Seek Iraqi Insurgents in Sunni Triangle
A reporter shadowed the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division's Charlie Company for ten days in one of the most dangerous regions of Iraq.
Transcript: Terence Smith follows up on the report with Ralph Peters, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, and Gary Anderson, a retired Marine colonel, to discuss how the Army's tactics address U.S. objectives.
January 2, 2004, 1:50 PM EST
U.S. Helicopter Crashes in Iraq, Likely Downed by Enemy Fire
One soldier was killed and another wounded Friday when their helicopter crashed near Fallujah, Iraq, after coming under what was likely enemy fire, the military said.
January 1, 2004, 3:40 PM EST
Bomb Blast Rips Through Baghdad Restaurant
A bomb blast ripped through a crowded, upscale restaurant hosting a New Year's Eve party in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, killing eight people and injuring some 30 others.
| 
