DECEMBER
December 30, 2005, 9:15 PM EST
U.S. Forces Focus on Training, Monitoring Iraqi Police
Following increased reports that Iraqi police forces have been infiltrated by militia members and may have unfairly targeted Sunnis and others, the United States has pledged to increase its training and monitoring the force.

December 29, 2005, 7:15 PM EST
Team to Investigate Allegations of Election Fraud
An international team said Thursday that it will look into claims by Sunni Arab and secular Shiite groups that Iraq's Dec. 15 parliamentary elections were tainted by fraud. Borzou Daragahi, reporter for the Los Angeles Times in Baghdad, provides a post-election update.

December 27, 2005, 3:05 PM EST
10,000 Protest in Baghdad as Leaders Negotiate a Coalition
More than 10,000 Sunni Arabs and secular Shiites marched in Baghdad Tuesday to protest the Dec. 15 parliamentary elections and demand a rerun of a ballot that appears poised to hand a legislative majority to the religious Shiite alliance, which with its Kurdish allies, currently controls the interim government.

December 23, 2005, 8:25 PM EST
Military to Reduce Troops in Iraq
The U.S. military confirmed Friday it will cut the number if troops in Iraq by about 7,000 early next year. Ray Suarez gets the latest from Baghdad from John Burns of The New York Times. Then, he discusses the implications of cutting troop levels with Col. Thomas Hammes, an author and former Marine Corps. officer, and Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis, a consultant who served in the Army for 30 years.

December 22, 2005, 4:15 PM EST
Saddam Trial Adjourns for a Month
The trial of Saddam Hussein and his co-defendants for the deaths of 140 Shiites in the town of Dujail adjourned Thursday until Jan. 24, following a statement from an investigating judge that officials never saw evidence verifying Saddam's claims he was beaten while in U.S. custody.

Analysis: Margaret Warner speaks with Feisal Istrabadi, Iraqi deputy ambassador to the United Nations, and Miranda Sissons, senior associate at the International Center for Transitional Justice, about the trial and how it stacks up to other noted war crimes tribunals.

December 20, 2005, 6:40 PM EST
Sunnis Challenge Early Election Results in Iraq
As results begin to take shape from Iraq's Dec. 15 parliamentary elections, Sunni Arabs are calling the voting fraudulent, especially in the Baghdad province.

December 18, 2005, 9:40 PM EST
President Hails Election in Iraq, Urges U.S. Public to Support Iraq Policy
President Bush, continuing a three-week public relations blitz that has sought to bolster American support for the ongoing Iraq war, on Sunday hailed last week's parliamentary elections as a critical step toward creating a free Iraq.

December 16, 2005, 7:40 PM EST
In-depth Coverage: An Interview with President Bush
In an interview with Jim Lehrer, President Bush defended the administration's efforts to build a democratic nation in Iraq, among other issues.

December 15, 2005, 8:00 PM EST
Officials Report Large Voter Turnout for National Assembly Elections
Despite scattered violence, at least 10 million Iraqis -- 67 percent -- turned out to vote Thursday to choose a new government. New York Times Baghdad Bureau Chief John Burns reports from the capital.

December 14, 2005, 8:00 PM EST
Elections Mark Milepost on Iraq's Uncertain Road
Three foreign affairs writers -- Trudy Rubin, foreign affairs columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer; David Ignatius, columnist for the Washington Post; and George Packer, reporter for the New Yorker -- consider the election and what lies ahead for Iraq.

December 12, 2005, 8:00 PM EST
President Bush Works to Define Iraq Strategy as Elections Near
President Bush delivered a speech Monday in Philadelphia on his strategy in Iraq as the country moves toward parliamentary elections Thursday. During the address, the president stressed the Iraqis had paid a high price for their chance at democracy, saying some 30,000 had died since the start of the war in March 2003. Gwen Ifill discusses the politics of security in Iraq with Edward Wong, reporter for The New York Times in Tikrit, Iraq.

December 8, 2005, 2:00 PM EST
Iraqi Group Says Hostage Killed; Suicide Bomber Attacks Bus
An Iraqi insurgent group said in an Internet posting Thursday that it has killed a kidnapped U.S. security consultant. The claim's authenticity was not immediately verified. Also Thursday, a suicide bomber jumped on a bus after it had gone through security checks and detonated his explosives belt, killing at least 32 people.

December 7, 2005, 8:15 PM EST
President Bush Praises Iraq Rebuilding Efforts, Democrats Disagree
In a speech Wednesday, President Bush said the reconstruction of Iraq has been tough, but Iraqis are seeing tangible improvements in reopened schools and better roads. Senate Democrats countered that billions of dollars have been wasted and that the Iraq invasion was a mistake. Margaret Warner talks to Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and James Kunder of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

December 6, 2005, 2:15 PM EST
Suicide Bombers Attack Iraqi Police Academy, Killing over 40 People
Suicide bombers attacked the Iraqi police academy in Baghdad Tuesday, killing at least 40 people, mostly officers and cadets.

December 5, 2005, 3:15 PM EST
Saddam Hussein Defiant at Chaotic Court Session
During a dramatic court session in which witnesses took the stand and angrily testified that Saddam Hussein's agents carried out random arrests, torture and killings, former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, who is helping represent Saddam, touched off an argument about the legitimacy of the court that led to the walkout by the defense team. New York Times Baghdad bureau chief John Burns describes the day's events.

December 2, 2005, 4:15 PM EST
Roadside Bombing Kills 10 Marines in Fallujah
A roadside bombing killed 10 U.S. Marines who were patrolling the uneasy Sunni town of Fallujah. The attack, which occurred Thursday and left 11 other Americans wounded, took place while the Marines were conducting anti-insurgency operations in Western Iraq.

NOVEMBER
November 30, 2005, 7:30 PM EST
Senators React to President's Effort to Outline Clear Policy in Iraq
Appearing before banners that read "Plan for Victory", President Bush on Wednesday defended his strategy in Iraq and pledged to continue the war against Islamic terrorism. Two members of the Senate Armed Services committee react to the president's address and assess the state of U.S. policy in Iraq.

RealAudio: President Bush's Naval Academy address

Document: The Bush administration's "The Strategy for Victory in Iraq" (pdf, 386kb)

November 28, 2005, 7:30 PM EST
Stormy Court Appearance Leads to One-Week Delay in Saddam Trial
Amid tight security, Saddam Hussein's trial for alleged crimes against humanity resumed Monday after a five-week delay. The session was marked by repeated complaints by Saddam and some of the other seven former regime leaders over their treatment by their captors and the lack of security for their legal representatives. The New York Times Baghdad bureau chief John Burns discusses the former dictator's day in court and the problems plaguing his prosecution.

November 25, 2005, 6:30 PM EST
Kurdish, Shiite Militias Play Uncertain Role in Iraq
Background Report: A wave of fighting swept Iraq in August 2004, killing 65 American soldiers and wounding scores more. Although the violence had been characterized by the CIA as a "classic insurgency," the enemy shooting at the Americans was not Islamic extremists organized by al-Qaida, but instead Shiite Iraqis who U.S. planners had assumed would welcome the American-led invasion.

November 24, 2005, 7:15 PM EST
Suicide Bomber Attacks Hospital Near Baghdad
An explosives-laden car detonated outside a hospital south of Baghdad Thursday as U.S. troops were visiting the facility, killing at least 30 people, officials said.

Transcript: Edward Wong of the New York Times provides a report from Baghdad.

November 21, 2005, 8:40 PM EST
Iraq Exit Strategy Debate Rages After Congressman Calls for Withdrawal
Lawmakers continued Monday to debate troop withdrawal in Iraq following House Democrat John Murtha's call to pull troops in six months. Retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Bernard Trainor, who is co-authoring a book on the inside story of the Iraq war, and retired Army Lt. Gen. William Odom, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, discuss the Murtha proposal and the military situation in Iraq.

November 18, 2005, 9:00 PM EST
White House Fires Back at Iraq Criticism
President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney are challenging mounting criticism over the decision to go to war in Iraq by saying Congress had the same intelligence as the administration and independent panels found no evidence the administration misled the public. Columnists David Brooks and Tom Oliphant discuss the simmering political battle boiling over Iraq.

Update: Scores Killed in Mosque, Hotel Attacks in Iraq

November 17, 2005, 8:35 PM EST
Calls for Troop Withdrawal Increase on Capitol Hill
Rep. John Murtha, the ranking Democrat on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee who had voted to go to war, on Thursday called for the complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq within six months. Margaret Warner speaks with Murtha and then with House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., about the growing call for an Iraq exit strategy.

November 16, 2005, 8:45 PM EST
Sunnis Demand Probe into Alleged Torture of Prisoners
Last weekend, U.S. Troops found more than 170 inmates exhibiting signs of starvation and torture at a detention center run by the Iraqi Interior Ministry in Baghdad. Sunni leaders have demanded an international investigation. John Burns, the Baghdad bureau chief at the New York Times, updates the allegations of torture and the latest violence in the country.

November 15, 2005, 8:30 PM EST
Key Iraqi Official Stresses Need for U.S. Forces to Remain
Although tarred by allegation of leaking information to Iran and accusations he offered misleading information to Americans ahead of the war, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi defended his country's work to stabilize the war-torn nation and called on American officials to aid in this effort.

Transcript: Excerpts of Tuesday's debate and votes in the U.S. Senate to require the Bush administration to explain its Iraq policy

Transcript: Two senior senators discuss Tuesday's actions and consider how best to outline an exit strategy from Iraq.

November 10, 2005, 3:00 PM EST
Suicide Attackers Bomb Baghdad Restaurant in Latest Wave of Violence
The recent surge of violence against Iraqi soldiers continued Thursday morning as two suicide bombers killed at least 33 and seriously injured 19 in a Baghdad restaurant popular with police officers and Iraq Army soldiers.

November 7, 2005, 7:23 PM EST
Gen. Peter Pace Outlines Major Offensive in Western Iraq
American forces continued a major operation near the Syrian border to combat ongoing insurgent attacks again Iraqi and coalition forces. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace, the principal military advisor to President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, discusses a major operation in Husayba, Iraq where 36 insurgents and one U.S. Marine have been killed in three days of fighting.

OCTOBER
October 25, 2005, 7:50 PM EDT
U.S. Ambassador Hails Iraqi Vote for Constitution
Iraqi electoral officials announced Tuesday that the draft constitution had been approved in the Oct. 15 referendum, setting a legal foundation for the government and paving the way for elections in December.

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad, who helped broker many of the political differences between Sunni, Shiite and Kurd leaders, discusses the results and the next steps.

October 25, 2005, 7:55 PM EDT
Death Toll Reaches 2,000
Tobias Naegele, editor-in-chief of the Military Times Media Group, discusses what is known about the 2,000 U.S. soldiers who have died in the war.

October 19, 2005, 8:45 PM EDT
Secretary Rice Pledges U.S. Will Remain in Iraq
Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice refused to rule out a continuing U.S. presence in Iraq a decade from now, sparking debate over the scope and direction of the American policy in Iraq. Ray Suarez leads a discussion about U.S. foreign policy goals in Iraq with Zbigniew Brzezinski, counselor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and former national security adviser to President Carter, and Walter Russell Mead, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

October 19, 2005, 8:30 PM EDT
Judge Delays Saddam Trial Until November
Nearly two years after being captured, former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein went on trial Wednesday for crimes against humanity committed two decades ago during his reign. He entered a not guilty plea.

Transcript: Borzou Daragahi of the Los Angeles Times provides a report from Baghdad.

October 17, 2005, 6:45 PM EDT
Early Numbers Show Iraqis Adopting Constitution
As vote-counting continued Monday, preliminary and unofficial results reportedly showed Iraqis approved a draft constitution that many Sunnis opposed.

Transcript: The New York Times' Ed Wong reports on voting problems and sporadic violence that accompanied the constitutional referendum.

October 14, 2005, 9:00 PM EDT
Constitution Poses New Opportunities, Challenges to Political Effort
Four Middle East experts debate the referendum's importance to peace and stability in Iraq.

October 12, 2005, 8:50 PM EDT
Sunni Party Endorses Draft Constitution
Members of Iraq's Shiite, Kurdish and Sunni political parties came to a last-minute agreement Wednesday on a draft Iraqi constitution. Mark Levine of the University of California at Irvine and Paul Williams of the Public International Law and Policy Group discuss the agreement.

Update: The agreement calls for a review of the constitution once Iraqis elect a new legislature in December.

October 11, 2005, 12:15 PM EDT
Insurgent Violence Heightens Ahead of Iraqi Constitution Vote
In stepped up violence leading up to Saturday's referendum on a new Iraqi constitution, at least 40 people were killed Tuesday in a string of attacks, including a car bombing at a crowded market.

October 5, 2005, 12:30 PM EDT
Iraqi Lawmakers Reverse Changes to Voting Rules
Iraq's National Assembly decided Wednesday to reverse controversial changes in voting rules made over the weekend that would have nearly guaranteed passage of the constitutional referendum on Oct. 15.

October 3, 2005, 2:07 PM EDT
Iraqi Constitution Voting Rules Change; U.S. Forces Battle Insurgents
U.S. forces launched an offensive against what officials call "a known terrorist sanctuary" in western Iraq over the weekend, while the Iraqi parliament passed a proposal aimed at making it easier to pass the constitution on Oct. 15.

SEPTEMBER
September 29, 2005, 8:20 PM EDT
Senate Probes Military Efforts to Stabilize Iraq, Build Army
Despite a series of setbacks and a bloody ongoing insurgency, U.S. Defense Department officials told senators Thursday that the military plan to stabilize Iraq and build a new national army were working. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, R-Va., and ranking Democrat Sen. Carl Levin, Mich., discuss Thursday's testimony and the overall American strategy in Iraq.

Update: Car Bombs Kill Scores in Iraq

September 28, 2005, 3:00 PM EDT
U.S. Forces Ready for More Violence in Iraq, President Says
President Bush reaffirmed his confidence in the U.S.-led operation in Iraq in a speech Wednesday in the Rose Garden, saying troops were prepared to encounter an increase in violence by insurgents prior to next month's vote on an Iraqi constitution.

September 26, 2005, 8:30 PM EDT
Antiwar Protests Continue; Dozens Arrested in D.C.
Over the weekend, people for and against the Iraq war came to Washington, D.C. to try to boost their cause. Nancy Lessin, co-founder of Military Families Speak Out; Vietnam veteran Carol Phillips; and author and professor Alexander Bloom discuss the war and the call by some to pull American troops out now.

September 23, 2005, 4:35 PM EDT
Key Shiite Cleric Urges Supporters to Back Constitution
Support for the Iraqi constitution got a boost Friday when aides to Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said the powerful cleric would call on his followers to vote to support the document in a referendum next month, despite continued opposition from many Sunnis and possible influence from outside Iraq.

Profile: Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani

September 15, 2005, 8:45 PM EDT
Talabani Expresses Hope for Unified Iraq
Despite recent bursts of violence, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani denied the possibility of a civil war in his country and stressed the importance of Americans continuing the effort to build a democratic Iraq.

September 14, 2005, 7:30 PM EDT
Coordinated Attacks in Iraq Kill More Than 160
At least a dozen explosions hit the Iraqi capital Baghdad Wednesday, killing at least 160 people and wounding more than 500. Al-Qaida has claimed responsibility.

Transcript: Robert Worth of the New York Times provides an update from Baghdad.

September 14, 2005
Profile: Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari
Newly elected Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, a Shiite and doctor by trade, is charged with heading the fledgling Iraqi government and steering it toward a future of harmony between the country’s Sunnis, Shias and Kurds.

September 6, 2005, 8:30 PM EDT
Parents Remember Sons Lost in Iraq War
Parents of four soldiers and Marines who died during the ongoing conflict in Iraq discuss their views of the war and support for the troops still there with senior correspondent Margaret Warner.

AUGUST
August 31, 2005, 7:35 PM EDT
Hundreds of Iraqis Die in Stampede Near Shiite Shrine
More than 650 and possibly as many as 1,000 people died Wednesday during a religious procession toward a Shiite shrine in Baghdad when rumors that a suicide bomber was about to attack caused a stampede on a bridge.

Transcript: ITN's Lindsay Hilsum reports on the stampede, then Terence Smith interviews Los Angeles Times reporter Borzou Daragahi in Baghdad.

August 29, 2005, 7:45 PM EDT
Sunnis Protest Draft Constitution
Thousands of Sunnis angry that negotiators completed the Iraqi constitution without the support of their sect protested in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit on Monday.

Transcript: Three guests discuss Iraq's constitutional wrangling and its outcome: Rend al-Rahim of the Iraqi Foundation, Laith al-Saud at Harold Washington College in Chicago and Spence Spencer of the Public International Law and Policy Group.

August 26, 2005, 7:15 PM EDT
Tentative Deal for Constitution Belies Fundamental Divisions
Negotiators announced late Friday that they had reached a "deal in principle" to bring a draft constitution to the parliament. Despite these efforts, both the spokesman for the Iraqi prime minister and one of the chief Sunni negotiators said the compromise charter would likely go down to defeat in a public referendum set to happen in October.

August 25, 2005, 7:15 PM EDT
Iraqi Parliament Fails to Meet; Constitution Still in Limbo
The fate of the draft Iraqi constitution remained unclear on Thursday after the Iraqi National Assembly announced it had no plans to meet to consider the charter, signaling a lack of agreement ahead of a self-imposed midnight deadline. The New York Times' Dexter Filkins warns the delay highlights deep divisions over the new constitution.

Update: Constitution Still in Limbo

August 25, 2005
Profile: Donald Rumsfeld
Known for his direct style and unapologetic approach to fighting terrorism, Donald Rumsfeld has spent nearly three decades in the U.S. government and has twice served as Secretary of Defense.

August 23, 2005, 8:30 PM EDT
U.S. Ambassador Urges Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds to Agree to Constitution
Despite concerns that negotiators will not be able to reach agreement over Iraq's proposed constitution before Thursday's deadline, U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said every effort would be made to get representatives of the Sunni Muslim minority to agree to the accord.

August 22, 2005, 8:30 PM EDT
Iraq Meets Constitutional Deadline; Divisions Remain
Iraqi leaders submitted a draft constitution on Monday, only to put off a parliamentary vote on the charter in hopes of winning over members of the Sunni Arab minority whose support is seen as key to ending the insurgency. Three regional experts assess the constitutional progress.

Update: Iraqi Assembly Postpones Vote on Draft Charter

Transcript: Chris Albritton of Time magazine updates the situation from Baghdad.

August 17, 2005, 12:30 PM EDT
Triple Bomb Blasts Kill at Least 43
Three car bombers struck near a bus station and hospital in Baghdad Wednesday, killing at least 43 people and wounding dozens in the worst attack in Iraq's capital in weeks, police said.

August 16, 2005, 7:30 PM EDT
Constitutional Delay Highlights Deep Divisions Within Iraq
Iraqi lawmakers gave themselves an additional week to draft the war-torn nation's new constitution after deep divisions over issues of minority rights and the power of the central government derailed last-minute talks. Paul Williams, a former State Department lawyer and head of the Public International Law and Policy Group, assesses the impact of the delay and what it might mean for the post-war government.

August 15, 2005
Transcript: The New York Times' Ed Wong reports on the decision to delay the constitutional debate a week.

August 9, 2005, 7:30 PM EDT
Ohio Community Mourns Fallen Members of Local Battalion
Thousands of residents and scores of elected officials joined grieving relatives for a somber memorial to mourn the loss of members of the local Marine reservist unit. More than 20 Marines died in a matter of days in fighting in the western part of Iraq and for many from the small community of Brook Park, Ohio, the attacks brought the war home in a painfully personal way.

August 4, 2005, 9:30 PM EDT
Violence Escalates Against U.S. Marines
The U.S. Marine death toll in Iraq this week has risen to 24, many from the Lima Company unit in Ohio. American service personnel in the volatile Anbar region in western Iraq continue to encounter deadly pockets of insurgent violence. After a background report two retired military officials discuss the challenges facing the Marines.

August 3, 2005, 9:30 PM EDT
At Least 14 Marines Killed in Blast in Western Iraq
Military officials in Iraq reported that 14 Marines and an Iraqi civilian translator died Wednesday when a roadside bomb detonated as their vehicle passed. The explosion, which left a 15th Marine wounded, marked a continuation of intensified attacks on Americans that have killed 37 since July 24. Edward Wong of the New York Times provides a report from Baghdad.

August 2, 2005, 2:32 PM EDT
Six Marines Killed, U.S. Military Death Toll Tops 1,800
American military officials on Tuesday announced that six Marines were killed in combat in western Iraq, pushing the death toll for U.S. military personnel over 1,800. The continuing violence comes as U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad called upon members of the committee drafting the new Iraqi constitution to protect women's rights.

JULY
July 27, 2005, 8:40 PM EDT
U.S. Presses for Iraqi Constitution by August Deadline
The drafting of an Iraqi constitution ran into another snag Wednesday when Kurds threatened to not back down from demanding a federal state. On a visit to Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld urged Iraqis to meet the Aug. 15 deadline for finishing the constitution.

Transcript: Edward Wong of the New York Times provides an update about the latest developments in Iraq.

July 20, 2005, 11:45 AM EDT
Sunnis Suspend Work on Constitution After Killings
Update: The remaining 12 Sunni members of the commission drafting an Iraqi constitution suspended their work Wednesday a day after gunmen killed one of the representatives and an adviser, saying they and their communities needed more security.

Committee member Mijbil Issa and adviser Dhamin Hussein al-Obeidi, as well as one of their bodyguards, died in a hail of gunfire outside a Baghdad restaurant on Tuesday.

July 18, 2005, 12:30 PM EDT
Iraqis Shocked by Huge Explosion in South
Residents of the southern Iraqi town of Musayyib continued to mourn Monday after a suicide bomber blew himself up Saturday night under a fuel tanker, which ignited a fireball that engulfed cars, shops and homes.

Transcript: New York Times reporter Kurt Semple in Iraq provides an update.

July 14, 2005, 8:00 PM EDT
U.S. General Says Iraqi Security Forces Must Ultimately Defeat Insurgents
Lt. Gen. John Vines, the commander of multinational ground forces in Iraq, said Thursday that ultimate victory there depends on the establishment of an accepted political process and the ability of Iraqis to provide for their own security.

July 7, 2005, 7:00 PM EDT
Al-Qaida Says Egyptian Envoy Killed
Al-Qaida in Iraq said on a Web site Thursday that it had killed the Egyptian top envoy in Iraq, Ihab al-Sherif, who had been abducted days earlier.

July 7, 2005, 7:00 PM EDT
Al-Qaida Says Egyptian Envoy Killed
Al-Qaida in Iraq said on a Web site Thursday that it had killed the Egyptian top envoy in Iraq, Ihab al-Sherif, who had been abducted days earlier.

July 5, 2005, 12:30 PM EDT
Insurgents Target Arab Diplomats in Iraq
Insurgents attacked Arab and Muslim diplomats in Iraq over the past few days, seizing Egypt's top envoy to Iraq in Baghdad and wounding Bahrain's top envoy in a kidnapping attempt.

July 1, 2005, 9:15 PM EDT
Home From Iraq, U.S. Soldiers Reflect on Their Experiences
U.S. soldiers are returning from Iraq with firsthand accounts of the violence stemming from the insurgency, including roadside bombs and insurgents shooting at soldiers from crowds. Three soldiers and a Marine who returned recently assess the effectiveness of the insurgency and speak about the frustrations they faced trying to bring peace to a divided and dangerous country.

JUNE
June 29, 2005, 9:00 PM EDT
Democrats Challenge President's Speech on Iraq
Some prominent congressional Democrats criticized President Bush's speech Wednesday, saying he shouldn't have invoked the memory of the Sept. 11 attacks when urging support for Iraq. National security advisor Stephen Hadley and Sen. Joseph Biden, ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, offer their reactions to the speech.

June 28, 2005, 9:15 PM EDT
President Appeals for Continued Support in Iraq Conflict
President Bush, hoping to bolster sagging public support for the war in Iraq, called on Americans to back the work of stabilizing and rebuilding the war-torn nation, saying the effort was critical to the continuing war against terrorism.

Text | RealAudio: President Bush's address

RealAudio: Two political columnists and two military experts assess Mr. Bush's speech and the state of Iraq policy.

June 27, 2005, 4:15 PM EDT
Violence Undermines U.S. Efforts in Iraq
A U.S. Apache attack helicopter crashed Monday just north of Baghdad killing its two crew members, the U.S. military said in a statement. The incident was part of a day of violence that included roadside bombs and other ambushes.

June 23, 2005, 2:15 PM EDT
Iraq Seeks Footing in International Community
Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari attended an international conference in Brussels on Wednesday and met with top U.S. advisers at the White House on Thursday. The meetings come as Iraq works to rebuild its security forces in the face of continuing internal violence.

After a recap of a Senate hearing on Iraq's military strategy, al-Jaafari's spokesman Laith Kubba sits down with Margaret Warner to discuss the country's troop training and other rebuilding efforts.

RealAudio: President Bush and al-Jaafari address the question of whether the United States should have a clearly defined exit strategy from Iraq and other questions at a press conference Friday.

June 20, 2005, 12:30 PM EDT
Insurgent Attacks Kill Dozens in Iraq
A weekend of violence in Iraq continued into Monday as a suicide bomber struck in the northern city of Irbil, killing 16 police officers and wounding more than 100 people, including police and civilians.

June 16, 2005, 3:00 PM EDT
Democrats Demand White House Response to Downing Street Memo
More than 100 Democrats in the House delivered a letter to the White House Thursday demanding that President Bush respond to the so-called Downing Street Memo and other confidential documents obtained by the Times of London that suggest the United States had already decided to use force to oust Saddam Hussein in 2002. Two former CIA officials discuss the memos' impacts.

British Government Documents:
Original "Downing Street Memo"
Cabinet Office Paper
Iraq: Legal Background (PDF)
Iraq Options (PDF)
Chief Foreign Policy Advisor David Manning Memo (PDF)
British Ambassador Christopher Meyer Letter (PDF)
British Foreign Office Political Director Peter Ricketts Letter (PDF)
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw Memo (PDF)

June 15, 2005, 3:00 PM EDT
Bombings Kill Dozens of Iraqis; Hostage Freed
Nearly 40 people died in two separate insurgent attacks in Iraq Wednesday, while Iraqi and U.S. forces, acting on a tip, freed an Australian hostage who was hidden beneath a blanket, authorities said.

June 14, 2005, 8:45 PM EDT
Suicide Bomber Strikes Kirkuk; U.S. Public Support of War on Decline
A man wearing a belt of explosives blew himself up in a crowd of civilians in the northern city of Kirkuk Tuesday, killing at least 23 people and injuring 100 others. Edward Wong of the New York Times describes the latest violence from Baghdad.

As casualties continue to mount, public support for the war has steadily eroded. Pollster Andy Kohut explains the latest trends in U.S. opinion.

June 8, 2005, 9:00 PM EDT
Iraq Struggles to Provide Power, Peace
Former electricity minister, Aiham al-Sammarae, discusses the current climate in Iraq as the new government tackles security issues, insurgency violence and the lack of electricity and power. Then, Jonathan Finer of the Washington Post speaks about al-Sammarae's announcement that he has been in contact with the insurgency about beginning negotiations to end their attacks.

June 6, 2005, 9:00 PM EDT
Iraq Government Grapples with Insurgent Violence
The Iraqi government announced Monday it detained nearly 900 suspected militants in a two week crackdown on the insurgency. Phebe Marr of the U.S. Institute of Peace, recently back from a visit to Iraq, discusses the fledgling democratic government's efforts to rebuild and improve security under the strain of ongoing insurgent violence.

June 2, 2005, 8:50 PM EDT
Iraqi Foreign Minister Calls on U.S. to Train More Iraqi Troops
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, having persuaded the United Nations to extend its mission to Iraq, is urging the United States to accelerate the training of local security forces. After meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Zebari discussed the ongoing insurgency and his country's efforts to end the violence.

MAY
May 31, 2005, 11:50 AM EDT
Helicopter Crashes, Provincial Governor Found Dead in Iraq
Four Italian troops died in a helicopter crash overnight and the governor of Anbar province was found dead after fighting between U.S. forces and insurgents who abducted him three weeks ago, officials said Tuesday. Meanwhile, President Jalal Talabani told CNN that authorities are expected to put deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein on trial in the next two months.

May 30, 2005, 7:15 PM EDT
Suicide Bombers Attack Police in Iraq
Two suicide bombers blew themselves up in a crowd of police officers in Iraq on Monday, killing about 30 people, as U.S. jet fighters destroyed insurgent strongholds near Syria's border. Gwen Ifill discusses the latest round of violence and how it is impacting people in Baghdad with Jonathan Finer in the Washington Post's Baghdad bureau.

May 24, 2005, 7:00 PM EDT
Insurgency Continues Campaign Against Iraqi, U.S. Targets
Militants in Iraq have continued to launch attacks against Iraqi and American forces, killing scores of Iraqis in recent days and at least 14 American soldiers. Even as U.S. and Iraqi troops continued to hunt for insurgents, a militant Web site reported that one of the key leaders of the guerilla fighting, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, had been wounded. Richard Oppel of The New York Times updates the situation.

May 23, 2005, 4:00 PM EDT
Sunnis Agree to Participate in Government
A thousand Sunnis representing religious, political and tribal groups have formed an alliance to take a larger role in the Iraqi government as another wave of attacks hit several Iraqi cities Monday.

May 17, 2005
Creating a Constitution
Members of the former Iraqi Governing Council are meeting to hash out the details of the interim Iraq constitution, a document that lays out the laws of the country and sets the way for a permanent document and leadership.

May 16, 2005, 7:30 PM EDT
At Least 45 Bodies Found in Iraq; Cleric Demands Coalition Forces Leave
Three Iraqis were found shot dead in Baghdad Monday and a slain Kurd was left in a garbage dump in northern Iraq, raising to 45 the number of bodies found in recent days. The Iraqi government has vowed to find those involved.

Transcript: A published report on a week-long battle between Marines and insurgents in western Iraq said U.S. forces were outgunned. Margaret Warner speaks with Ellen Knickmeyer, of The Washington Post, about her reporting.

May 11, 2005, 1:30 PM EDT
U.S. Forces Push Toward Syria; Car Bombs Shake Iraq
A series of suicide bombers killed at least 60 people and wounded 100 in several Iraqi cities Wednesday as U.S. forces continued an offensive aimed at uprooting insurgents near the Syrian border.

May 10, 2005, 8:30 PM EDT
Insurgents Kidnap Iraqi Official as Offensive Continues
As U.S. Forces continued their offensive against the rising insurgency near the Syrian border Tuesday, a newly elected governor of the Anbar province near Baghdad was kidnapped. Following a report from The Washington Post's Jonathan Finer, retired Army Col. Patrick Lang and editor Mahan Abedin discuss the offensive and other developments in Iraq.

May 9, 2005, 1:40 PM EDT
U.S. Forces Launch Major Operation Against Foreign Insurgents
In one of its largest ground operations since the taking of Fallujah six months ago, U.S. Marines and other American forces launched a major operation targeting insurgents operating in the sparsely populated region of Western Iraq, near the Syrian border.

May 5, 2005, 2:00 PM EDT
Insurgents Strike Iraqi Security Forces
Insurgents continued a bloody series of assaults Thursday, targeting Iraq's security forces and recruits in four separate attacks in Baghdad that killed at least 21 people and wounded another 26.

May 4, 2005, 7:50 PM EDT
Scores Die in Northern Iraq Suicide Bombing
A suicide bomber posing as a job applicant at a police recruiting center in the city of Irbil blew himself up Wednesday, killing at least 50 people and wounding some 100 others.

Transcript: Ray Suarez discusses the latest increase in violence in Iraq with Erik Gustafson, executive director of the Education for Peace in Iraq Center, and former ambassador Peter Galbraith.

May 3, 2005, 7:30 PM EDT
Iraq's First Elected Government Takes Office
Shiite Arab Ibrahim al-Jaafari was sworn in as prime minister in Baghdad Tuesday as Iraq's first democratically elected government took office.

Transcript: Also Tuesday, Italy released a report that conflicts with the U.S. investigation into the shooting at an Iraqi checkpoint that killed an Italian agent. Two reporters discuss the findings.

May 2, 2005, 1:30 PM EDT
Trio of Car Bombs Mark Latest Violence in Iraq
Three car bombs exploded in Baghdad on Monday, killing at least eight people in the latest surge in violence since a new Iraqi government was named last week.

Transcript: Caryle Murphy of The Washington Post's Baghdad bureau provides an update on the recent upswing in insurgent violence that has left at least 130 people dead since Thursday.

APRIL
April 29, 2005, 3:20 PM EDT
Insurgents Unleash Multiple Bomb Attacks in Iraq
Insurgents set off some 11 bombs in Iraq Friday, killing at least 24 people including seven Iraqi civilians and one American soldier. More than 100 people were wounded in the attacks.

April 28, 2005, 9:40 PM EDT
Iraqi National Assembly Approves Partial Cabinet
Iraq's interim National Assembly adopted a partial list of cabinet ministers Thursday, paving the way for the country's first democratically elected government since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

April 27, 2005, 8:45 PM EDT
Lead Investigator Outlines the End of the Search for WMD in Iraq
An 18-month investigation into Iraq's purported cache of weapons of mass destruction ended Monday when the CIA's top weapons inspector, Charles Duelfer, released a final report saying no weapons were found. Duelfer discusses the report and the flaws in America's intelligence.

April 25, 2005, 12:45 PM EDT
Iraq Postpones Naming Government; Insurgents Launch More Attacks
Iraqi politicians failed again Monday to break a three-month deadlock over naming a transitional government, as the death toll from a weekend of coordinated insurgent attacks targeting police and civilians reached 29.

April 21, 2005, 5:30 PM EDT
Senate Passes $81 Billion in Extra Funding for Afghanistan, Iraq
The Senate on Thursday unanimously approved $81 billion in additional emergency funding for security and rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Meanwhile in Iraq, a commercial helicopter contracted by the U.S. government was shot down by missile fire 12 miles north of Baghdad, killing six American contractors and at least five others.

April 20, 2005, 7:20 PM EDT
Scores of Bodies Found in Tigris River; 19 Executed in Separate Killing
Iraqi authorities pulled the bodies of more than 50 people believed to be Shiite hostages seized in the Madain region south of Baghdad from the Tigris River Wednesday.

Transcript: Robert Worth of The New York Times reports from Baghdad on the day's incidents.

April 20, 2005, 7:30 PM EDT
Marines Come to Grips with War Experiences Using Paper and Pen
Four Marines who served in Iraq are finding that writing about their experiences helps them come to terms with what they saw and felt. The National Endowment for the Arts and the Defense Department joined forces on a project called Operation Homecoming, in which soldiers and Marines publish their wartime stories.

April 20, 2005
Operation Homecoming
Four Marines read excerpts from the stories they submitted to the National Endowment for the Arts and the Defense Department's Operation Homecoming project.

April 20, 2005
Author Tobias Wolff Recalls an Exercise Leading Up to His Deployment in Vietnam
Tobias Wolff, one of the authors involved in Operation Homecoming, reads an excerpt from his Vietnam war remembrance, "In Pharaoh's Army."

April 18, 2005, 1:20 PM EDT
Activist Killed in Car Blast; Iraqi Forces Search for Hostages
As Iraqi security forces continued to search for more than 100 Shiites reportedly held hostage south of Baghdad, officials reported the death of a young founder of a humanitarian group aimed at helping civilian casualties in Iraq.

April 14, 2005, 9:00 PM EDT
Dual Car Bomb Blasts Kill at Least 18 in Baghdad
Two car bombs detonated outside an Iraqi police ministry in Baghdad Thursday, killing at least 18 and wounding 36. Al-Qaida claimed responsibility for this latest in a recent upswing in attacks.

Transcript: New York Times reporter Robert Worth updates the situation in Iraq.

April 13, 2005, 1:00 PM EDT
Iraqi Police Die Trying to Defuse Bomb as U.S. Official Visits
A second senior U.S. official made an unannounced visit to Iraq Wednesday on a day of violence, including a bombing that killed 12 Iraqi policemen and the airing of a video showing a hostage pleading for his life.

April 12, 2005, 11:30 AM EDT
Rumsfeld Urges Swift Formation of Iraqi Government
During a visit to Iraq Tuesday, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld met with U.S. troops and urged new Iraqi government leaders to move quickly toward developing a constitutional government to avoid charges of corruption and insurgent activity.

April 11, 2005, 11:30 AM EDT
Iraqi-U.S. Forces Round Up Dozens of Suspected Insurgents
U.S. and Iraqi forces launched their biggest raid in Baghdad in recent weeks, sweeping though a central neighborhood Monday and detaining dozens of suspected insurgents, the military said.

April 6, 2005, 8:50 PM EDT
Assembly Chooses Kurdish President, Sunni and Shiite Vice Presidents
Iraq's National Assembly broke a political deadlock Wednesday and appointed Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani as president. Margaret Warner leads a discussion on the next steps for the Iraqi government with Najmaldin Karim, president of the Washington Kurdish Institute; Judith Yaphe, senior research fellow at National Defense University; and Juan Cole, professor of history at the University of Michigan.

April 5, 2005, 1:20 PM EDT
U.S.-Iraqi Forces Battle Insurgents; Iraqis Settle Some Cabinet Posts
Four U.S. troops and one Iraqi soldier died in clashes that erupted across Iraq this week, the U.S. military said, while Iraqi politicians struggled to form a new government.

MARCH
March 30, 2005, 8:45 PM EST
Assembly Stalemate Uncovers Deep Political Divisions
The new 275-member Iraqi assembly abruptly adjourned Tuesday after failing to elect a speaker to head the body, the latest in a series of political disputes that have slowed efforts to build a postwar government. Two regional experts assess the impact of the continued political bickering and what it might foreshadow for the Iraqi government.

Update: Iraqi Assembly Fails to Elect Speaker

March 28, 2005, 9:00 PM EST
Insurgent Attacks Target Security Forces
Sunni Arabs met with Iraq's new ruling coalition Sunday, but threats of insurgent attacks still loom over negotiations. Regional experts discuss the Iraqi insurgency and the U.S. efforts to manage security force.

March 11, 2005, 9:50 AM EST
Suicide Bomber Strikes Mosque in Mosul
A suicide bomber blew himself up at a Shiite mosque during a funeral in the northern city of Mosul on Thursday, killing at least 47 people and injuring more than 100.

March 9, 2005, 1:30 PM EST
Iraqi Police Find 41 Corpses; Minister Escapes Ambush
Iraqi police found the bodies of 41 Iraqis either beheaded or shot by insurgents at two sites, officials said Wednesday. Other violence in the country left one U.S. soldier and two Iraqi policemen dead, while Iraq's planning minister escaped an assassination attempt.

Transcript: New York Times correspondent Robert Worth in Baghdad provides an update.

March 7, 2005, 8:45 PM EST
Iraqi Checkpoint Safety Reevaluated
In the wake of Friday's friendly fire shooting of an Italian security agent in Iraq, checkpoints and their security are coming under scrutiny. Military experts join an Italian journalist to discuss these dangerous areas and Italy's response to the shooting.

March 2, 2005, 11:15 AM EST
Gunmen Kill Judge, Lawyer in Saddam Tribunal
Gunmen in Baghdad shot and killed a lawyer and judge working for the Iraqi Special Tribunal set up to try Saddam Hussein and his top lieutenants, while car bombs killed at least 10 Iraqi soldiers in two separate attacks on Wednesday.

FEBRUARY
February 28, 2005, 10:45 AM EST
Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 115 in Iraq
A suicide car bomb ripped through a crowd of police and national guard recruits outside a medical clinic south of Baghdad Monday, killing at least 115 people and injuring more than 130 in the single deadliest attack in the two-year insurgency.

Transcript: Jackie Spinner of The Washington Post in Baghdad provides a report.

February 24, 2005, 4:00 PM EST
Suicide Bombings Target Police, Shiites
A suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden car inside a police compound Thursday, killing at least 12 officers in the deadliest of a series of attacks against Iraqi security forces, Shiite politicians and American soldiers that left at least 29 people dead.

February 22, 2005, 8:00 PM EST
Shiite Muslims Nominate Ibrahim al-Jaafari over Chalabi for Prime Minister
The United Iraqi Alliance, a major Shiite coalition, nominated Ibrahim al-Jaafari for prime minister after Ahmad Chalabi withdrew his candidacy. Al-Jaafari awaits confirmation from Kurds and Sunnis in the newly elected National Assembly. Juan Cole, professor at the University of Michigan, and Laith Kubba of the National Endowment for Democracy discuss al-Jaafari's selection with Jim Lehrer.

February 18, 2005, 5:00 PM EST
String of Bombings Kills Dozens Ahead of Religious Holiday
A series of explosions at Shiite mosques and a religious procession in Iraq Friday killed more than 35 people and injured dozens more during events marking the eve of Ashoura, the holiest day of the year for Shiites.

Transcript: Douglas Struck of The Washington Post provides a report from Baghdad.

February 17, 2005, 1:40 PM EST
Shiites Win Slim Majority in New Iraqi Parliament
Iraq's electoral commission awarded the Shiite alliance a slim majority of seats in the new National Assembly on Thursday, giving the party a powerful voice as the parliament takes up the issues of choosing new leaders and drafting a constitution.

February 14, 2005, 9:32 PM EST
New Iraqi Leaders Face the Challenge of Balancing Power
Fouad Ajami, director of Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University, and Vali Nasr, professor of national security affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., discuss Iraq's election results.

February 14, 2005, 3:30 PM EST
Shiites Look to Forge Allies After Election
Iraq's main Shiite alliance won the most votes in Iraq's historic Jan. 30 national elections, but not an absolute majority, leaving the alliance to build support among other political parties as it shapes the agenda for the 275-seat National Assembly.

February 11, 2005, 2:00 PM EST
Rumsfeld Visits Iraq; Insurgents Launch Two Attacks
Two separate insurgent attacks in Iraq on Friday killed at least 23 and injured dozens, occurring on the same day that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld visited the country to observe the training of Iraqi security forces.

February 9, 2005, 8:30 PM EST
Renewed Violence Raises Specter of Stronger Insurgency
Insurgents in Iraq have launched a series of bloody attacks in recent days, unleashing a wave of suicide bombings and assassinations that killed scores of Iraqis and threatened post-election hopes for increased stability. Two retired American generals consider the military strength of the insurgents and what can be done to stop the violence.

February 8, 2005, 12:30 PM EST
Iraq's Al-Qaida Claims Trio of Deadly Blasts in Two Days
More than 20 people were killed outside a police station in central Baghdad Tuesday by an alleged suicide bombing. Iraq's al-Qaida network, led by Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has claimed responsibility for the attack, along with two others on Monday.

February 7, 2005, 4:09 PM EST
Insurgent Attacks Kill at Least 29 in Iraq
Suicide attacks killed at least 29 people Monday in Baquba, northeast of Baghdad, and the northern city of Mosul in the worst insurgent violence since the country's historic elections eight days ago.

February 2, 2005, 9:15 PM EST
U.S. Weighs Exit Strategies in Wake of Election
In his State of the Union address, President Bush told Americans that U.S. forces had entered a "new phase" in Iraq, focusing on the training of Iraqi forces to provide their own security after national elections. Military and political strategists discuss whether the U.S. policy is the first step toward a withdrawal from Iraq.

JANUARY
January 31, 2005, 8:30 PM EST
U.S. Ambassador Hails Iraqi Election
Calling Sunday's vote a critical step toward the emergence of a stable and democratic Iraq, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq John Negroponte outlined the next steps political leaders must take and downplayed limited Sunni participation, saying, "This election could well, in the end, have a unifying consequence."

Update: An Independent Television News report on Sunday's elections in Iraq is followed by an update from John Burns, Baghdad bureau chief for The New York Times, on the mood and turnout of Iraqis on Election Day.

Analysis: Two Middle East experts discuss Iraq's election and the impact it might have on the insurgency and the withdrawal of coalition forces.

January 30, 2005, 12:30 PM EST
Millions of Iraqis Vote in First Free Elections; 44 Die in Attacks
After months of preparations and the deployment of thousands of troops to try and bolster security, millions of Iraqis went to the polls Sunday to cast ballots in the nation's first major free election in more than 50 years.

January 28, 2005, 8:30 PM EST
After Waves of Violence and Months of Preparation, Iraq Heads to the Polls
Despite insurgent violence aimed at disrupting balloting and American pledges it would happen as planned, the legitimacy of the Iraqi elections rides on several critical factors including voter turnout, ethnic acceptance and the level of attacks.

Two regional experts who have written widely on the Iraq situation assess what it will take to call Sunday's election a success.

January 27, 2005, 8:30 PM EST
Iraqi-Americans Register to Vote in Sunday's Election
In the largest expatriate voting effort ever, up to 240,000 Iraqis living in the United States may be eligible to vote, but proving eligibility and registering has become a challenge for many.

From Iraq, reporters describe pre-election activities and expectations in Basra, Mosul and Baghdad.

January 26, 2005, 9:00 PM EST
President Urges Iraqis to Vote
At a press conference Wednesday, President Bush urged Iraqis to vote in Sunday's elections, despite insurgent activity seeking to derail the process. Jim Lehrer discusses the election and the public's view of the Iraq war with columnist Mark Shields and National Review editor Rich Lowry.

RealAudio: President Bush's Full Press Conference

Update: Marine Helicopter Crashes in Iraq, Killing 31

January 25, 2005, 7:30 PM EST
Iraqis Gear Up for Sunday's Elections
Margaret Warner talks with New York Times reporter Edward Wong in Baghdad about Iraq's preparations for elections on Sunday and the political maneuvering of the candidates.

January 24, 2005, 9:45 PM EST
Jordanian Militant Targets American, Shia in Continuing Insurgency
Despite the arrest of a top lieutenant to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi blamed for orchestrating some of the deadliest attacks during the insurgency, the Jordanian militant and al-Qaida ally has threatened to attack anyone running in the Jan. 30 elections as well as any "infidel" who votes. Two regional experts assess Zarqawi's motives and his organization's capabilities.

Update: Top Zarqawi Aide Arrested in Iraq

January 20, 2005, 4:25 PM EST
U.S. Launches Raids in Mosul; Iraqi Forces Seal Off Roads to Baghdad
American troops launched new raids Thursday around the northern city of Mosul aimed at capturing insurgents who have threatened to disrupt the election scheduled for Jan. 30, while Iraqi forces closed off the main routes into Baghdad following a wave of car bombings and shootings.

January 19, 2005, 1:05 PM EST
Car Bombs Rock Baghdad Ahead of Elections
A series of car bombings and shootings shook Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 14 people as insurgents continued attacks ahead of national elections scheduled for Jan. 30.

January 17, 2005, 6:30 PM EST
Expectations, Bloodshed Increase Ahead of National Elections
Even as Iraqi exiles registered to vote in the United States, Australia and elsewhere, the violence aimed at disrupting the election in their war-torn homeland continued Monday, killing 22 Iraqi security officers and throwing into further doubt the ability for the interim government to hold balloting in certain parts of the country. Two regional experts assess the state of the electoral efforts.

Transcript: The New York Times Jeffrey Gettleman discusses the latest violence.

January 13, 2005, 12:30 PM EST
U.S. Ends Search for Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq
The search for biological, chemical and nuclear weapons in Iraq officially ended just before Christmas with nothing substantial found, members of the Iraq Survey Group said in interviews this week. Meanwhile, violence continued in parts of the country Thursday when gunmen killed the son and a representative of Iraq's most senior Shiite Muslim cleric, Ali al-Sistani.

January 10, 2005, 12:59 PM EST
Baghdad Police Official Assassinated; Ukraine Considers Pullout
The daily attacks that have intensified ahead of national elections this month continued Monday with the assassination of the deputy police chief in Baghdad and a massive roadside bombing that killed two American soldiers.

January 4, 2005, 9:30 PM EST
Regional Governor Assassinated; Truck Bombing Kills Iraqi Security Agents
Insurgents launched a brazen series of attacks Tuesday, gunning down Baghdad's provincial governor and detonating a suicide truck bomb at an Iraqi National Guard checkpoint, killing at least 10 people and wounding some 60 others.

January 3, 2005, 1:30 PM EST
Insurgents Strike Party Office, Other Sites Ahead of Election
Insurgents in Iraq detonated three car bombs, including one outside Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's party headquarters in Baghdad, killing at least 16 people Monday as the country prepared for elections at the end of the month.