Prince Pundit

Iraq war updates
U.S. couple calls for death investigation: "Parents of an American activist killed earlier this year in Gaza by an Israeli army bulldozer called Monday for an independent U.S. investigation of her death."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Republicans mobilize to get Iraq money approved: "Key US Republican senators argued President George W. Bush needed 87 billion dollars to defray rebuilding and military costs in Iraq and Afghanistan if chaos is to be avoided there. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



U.S. to Offer 'Political Horizon' for Iraq: "The United States, in a new draftU.N. resolution on Iraq, will lay out steps to put Iraqis backin control of the country and give a bigger political role tothe United Nations, a U.S. official said on Monday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



UNHCR must work closely with Iraqis, says Ruud Lubbers at ExCom opening: "UN refugee agency chief Ruud Lubbers today opened the annual meeting of its governing body by affirming UNHCR's commitment to Iraq and pledging to work closely with local authorities to help hundreds of thousands of displaced Iraqis return home eventually."

In Electronic Iraq



NGOs scale down presence: "Stacked boxes are piled on chairs, on desks and against the front door - as Save the Children UK, an international NGO, is closing its doors in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad and moving international workers to offices in the north and to Jordan, at least temporarily."

In Electronic Iraq



Insecurity, tardiness deal blow to phasing out of UN food programme: "The terrorist bombing of United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, the resulting drastic reduction in international staff and tardy action by the United States-run Coalition Provisional Authority have dealt a major blow to the timetable for ending the Oil-for-Food programme, the UN official in charge of the operation said today."

In Electronic Iraq



"Doubletake": a day in Iraq: ""As we find so often when there is no rush or time pressure on a visit, the level of conversation deepens as trust is established. This gentleman began to tell me that in the area where he lives, the mayor and police chief are former Ba'ath party members. He said that in the meetings with the Coalition authorities people are not free to speak for fear of repercussions. In his words, 'The American army doesn't get the right advice.' How, he asks, can one speak in front of the U.S. army when the Ba'ath party is present?" Cathy Breen writes from Baghdad."

In Electronic Iraq

Joe's Iraq Report: Sept 29/03
Command Post: Irak: " Welcome! Our goal is to give you one power-packed briefing of insights, news and trends from Iraq that leaves you stimulated, informed, and occasionally amused every Monday & Thursday. Our " Winds of War " coverage of the global war on terror is a separate briefing today.
Top Topics:

• Even Lebanon's Daily Star is beginning to talk about the good news in Iraq: "In mid-summer, I spent over a month in Iraq. What I found there did not correspond to what was being reported...." Yes, says Dean as he offers a comprehensive collection of links on the subject - we've noticed that. Oskar van Rijswijk explains why it happens . Or is it self-inflicted by the CPA? Or both?
  
• In resonse, Frank of IMAO has become serious for a change - and unveiled one of the best ideas of the war . We've been publishing a number of those soldiers' writings and links, from Afghanistan , Operation Iraqi Freedom , the 3ACR in the Sunni Triangle post-war, and post-war reports from Tikrit . We're going to keep doing that, and also help Frank & co. while we're at it. (Hat Tip: Cold Fury )
  
• One of the things that's very different about Iraq is that it's a tribal/kinship society , not a civic society like the U.S.A. The difference matters.

Other Topics Include: Fallujah fighting; U.S. Marines polling; WMD summary; Iraq's Shi'ites; Iraq's odious debts - a U.S. blunder; Reports on Iraq's legal system, infrastructure & industry; Doing business in Iraq; America & Europe; Baghdad Museum report; Which cards have we captured; Support the Troops. Iraq and the 2003 Tigers; Iraqi toy drive; Free the Generals!
read the rest! »
 "

Iraq war updates
Iraq postwar insecurity began in Washington: report: "Iraq's stubborn guerrilla war, electrical blackouts, looting and chaos were born in Washington -- as US officials missed cues and battled over ideology, said a report. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



White House Rejects Charges of Vague Iraq Intelligence: "By BRIAN KNOWLTON,"

In New York Times: World Special



I was right to go to war on Iraq, Blair insists: "British Prime Minister Tony Blair insisted he had no regrets at all about taking Britain into the war against Iraq, despite increasing public dissatisfaction over the conflict. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



US military offers vacations to troops in Iraq: "Gearing up for a long deployment in Iraq, the US military this week began offering "vacations" to troops stationed in the country for long periods. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Lawmakers Survey Iraq Damage Before Vote: "Members of Congress took a tour of Iraq's infrastructure today, before they vote on an $87 billion funding request."

In New York Times: World Special



Powell gives up hope for Indian troops: "Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sunday that the United States has given up hope of getting Indian soldiers to help coalition forces secure Iraq, but said he was optimistic countries would contribute troops after a U.N. resolution."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Alleged Al-Qaida tape denounces 'crusade': "An audiotape attributed to al-Qaida deputy Ayman al-Zawahri and broadcast on Al-Jazeera satellite television Sunday accused the United States of trying to abolish Islam."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



CIA at centre of WMD controversy: "The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) hit back at criticism of its Iraq weapons evidence after lawmakers attacked the White House information used to justify the Iraq war. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Rice Knew 'Nothing' About CIA Agent Leak: "U.S. national security adviserCondoleezza Rice said on Sunday she knew "nothing of any" WhiteHouse effort to leak the identity of an undercover CIA officerin July, a charge now under review at the Justice Department. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



U.S. Probes Leak of CIA Agent's Identity: "The Justice Department is investigating allegations that White House officials revealed the identity of a CIA agent, a senior Bush administration official said Sunday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Iran says it'll work with U.N. on nukes: "Iran's foreign minister said his country is willing to cooperate with the U.N. nuclear agency as the United States and Russia press Tehran to abandon its suspected nuclear weapons program."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

BAGHDAD (Army News Service, Sept. 10, 2003) -- Soldiers from the Germany-based 1st Armored Division are renovating schools at each end of Baghdad.

In the north, the Az Elarab School was renovated by engineers with the 16th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team. A back-to-school party to celebrate the reopening took place Aug. 28.

Along the Euphrates River, just 15 miles south of Baghdad, soldiers from the 123rd Main Support Battalion assisted a Civil Affairs Detachment in rebuilding a local school that houses 350 students ranging in age from 7 to 14.

More than 50 of the MSB soldiers volunteered to make the small, rural schoolhouse a little nicer.

"What shocked me was the size of the classrooms," said Command Sgt. Maj. Troy Barton. "The children had to climb over the desks to get to their seats."

The school had no water source, no playground equipment, and minimal school supplies. However, with the help of artists, carpenters, and even battalion family members, all of that has changed.

Volunteers from the battalion helped build swing sets, a water tank, a playhouse, picnic tables and more. Additionally, family members back in Germany and the United States collected donations of pens, pencils, paper and other school supplies.

"Not only was this a chance to help out people who are less fortunate, it also provided an opportunity for cultural exchange," said Sgt. 1st Class Jamie Gilmore. "Helping with the school project made me realize that the Iraqi people are no different from us, just less fortunate. They were very thankful for our help and truly welcomed us."

Schools in no shape to hold class are littering Iraq, but engineers in the 16th Eng. Bn. said they are renovating and restoring as many as they can in their area of operations.

Az Elarab, one of the schools the engineers helped to restore, had been used by the Iraqi troops during the war as a defensive fighting position and was damaged by combat, said 1st Lt. Edwin Clarke, a company executive officer.

The engineers hired and worked with a local contractor, Saaddoun Hashim al Saraji. He and the engineers repaired the damage throughout the school.

The contractor replaced the plumbing fixtures - the toilets and sinks, some of which had been destroyed or taken by looters. Al Saraji installed fans and blackboards in the classrooms, as well. He also built a wall around the school to keep children away from the traffic on the busy street that runs next to the school, Clarke said.

(Editor's note: This story is a composite of articles submitted from 1st Lt. H. L. Taylor-Hartle of the 123rd Main Support Battalion and Spc. Ryan Smith from the 372nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.)

1AD soldiers put Iraqis back in school

As the military purchases wood for construction in Iraq, plywood costs in the United States are soaring.

The higher prices are affecting home construction in the United States, and could be contributing to shortages among U.S. troops in Iraq.

The military’s appetite for wood is just one factor contributing to a plywood price hike during Hurricane Isabel last week.

Military and industry experts say other catalysts included rain in the South that made it difficult to stack plywood, fires in the West that burned into fir harvests, a spike in home construction during the summer and then Hurricane Isabel and the resulting demand for plywood to protect windows.

“You certainly can’t point to one factor and blame it all on that,” said Dawn Dearden, spokeswoman for the Defense Logistics Agency at Fort Belvoir, Va.

The agency will purchase $50 million worth of wood for the entire year, a $16 million increase over last year. Some suppliers blamed last month’s military purchase of 666,000 sheets of plywood for the price increase prior to Isabel’s smacking into the East Coast. Some of the order was part of the military’s normal purchase schedule, but a large amount was sent to the 1st Armored Division in Iraq.

Dearden said the wood was destined to be made into items such as tent floors and guard posts, but was not for the rebuilding of homes in Iraq.

“Quite frankly, there were two things I think the government should have made clearer,” said Michael Carliner, an economist with the National Association of Home Builders. “One of them is, ‘Why are they selling all this wood to Iraqis when we need it here?’ Well, it’s for American forces and not for Iraqi houses. [Secondly], people hear … 700,000 sheets and they think it’s a lot, when the total U.S. consumption of plywood alone is 16 billion sheets.”

Nonetheless, Carliner said the military purchase did have a “disproportionate effect on market psychology.”

“My feeling is, the suppliers were using the military as a scapegoat because they didn’t plan properly.”

All the factors, though, added $3,000 to the cost of building an average home. Carliner said he didn’t feel builders would raise their prices to the same degree.

The cost of an average 4-by-8 sheet of plywood has gone from about $9 in May to $18 currently, said Ron Jarvis, vice president of merchandising for lumber for the Atlanta-based Home Depot chain.

“I think some of the dynamics are still in existence,” Jarvis said, “but I don’t see the prices going up beyond December-January. … I think it will have to come down. There’s so much wood supply, once the mills get cranking, I don’t think it’s going to stay at the level it is today.”

Unfortunately, prices for now are still going up. And even after the military’s recent wood purchase, troops are still scrounging for scrap.

Troops in Iraq use wood for everything from showers and outhouses to converting old Iraqi bunkers and storage bays into barracks and work spaces.

At some bases, wood is such a hot commodity that soldiers have torn apart loading pallets.

“We scrounge for wood everywhere we can get it,” said one 101st Airborne Division UH-60 Black Hawk pilot at a base south of Mosul.

The supply lines are opening up, though.

When Sgt. 1st Class Michael Fletcher wanted to give his 1st AD troops a little privacy, he ordered 70 sheets of plywood and some framing lumber so they could carve out two-man rooms inside the storage area his platoon had moved into.

“It only took about a month for all the wood to get here,” Fletcher said. “We’re just waiting to hang the doors now.”

Not all the wood in Iraq is coming from American forests.

With little more than palm trees and scrub, Iraq offers little homegrown lumber. But Iraqi importers bring in wood by the truckload, and Uncle Sam is buying.

In Baghdad’s bustling markets, wood merchants say business is booming.

“Seventy-five percent of the wood we sell is for the American military,” said Radha Hussain Hassan, a manager with Haydar al-Khafaf, one of the five largest wood importers in Iraq.

In the past month alone, he said, he’s sold about $100,000 worth to the U.S. military, including more than 1,500 sheets of plywood as well as lumber.

Most of the wood sold in Iraq comes from Malaysia, Indonesia and South America and is imported through Jordan and Turkey. Plywood purchased in Iraq goes for about $12 per sheet, $6 cheaper than the price in America.

Sad Zaki, the manager of another major importer, said it is hard to say how much of the wood he sells is going to the military, but he knows most of the contractors he does business with are working on Army bases.

One of those Americans is 1st Lt. Steven Oliver, a logistics officer for the 1st Armored Division.

“Wood is a premium item here and we’re going through a lot of it,” said Oliver, a supply specialist with the 16th Armored Engineer Battalion at a base dubbed Bandit Island in northern Baghdad.

Most of the wood he gets comes through military supply channels, but none of it has come from the United States.

Because of the current shortage, the trend of buying foreign-produced plywood could also hit the States like an import Isabel.

“Whenever the market goes up like this,” said Home Depot’s Jarvis, “the U.S. becomes a very attractive place to ship plywood.”

European and Pacific Stars & Stripes

Iraq war news
London and World Protests Oppose Iraq Occupation: "Chanting "Troops out of Iraq and Blairout of Number 10," thousands of anti-war protesters took to thestreets of London on Saturday to demonstrate against Britain'scontinued military involvement in Iraq. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



UN staff continue to flee Baghdad violence, US sets constitution time table: "UN staff continued their exodus from Iraq as a Baghdad hotel housing US officials came under fire, while Washington agreed to a six-month target to draw up a new constitution. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Iraqis killed in U.S. checkpoint shooting in CNN - War in Iraq



No end to Baghdad dangers (27 Sept 03) in Radio Free USA



Bush Says 'World Is Safer' Without Saddam: "President Bush sought to reassureAmericans on Saturday that the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq wasappropriate despite the failure to find weapons of massdestruction and with U.S. troops under daily guerrilla attack. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Pentagon taps 10,000 soldiers for Iraq, puts 5,000 more on standby: "The Pentagon has mobilized two US Army National Guard brigades for deployment to Iraq and put a third on standby as US calls for international troop contributions go unheeded. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq war news
U.S. official: Rockets hit Iraq hotel in CNN - War in Iraq



US troops 'kill four Iraqis': "US troops fired on two cars at a checkpoint in Fallujah, killing four Iraqis and injuring five others, residents and Arab satellite television reported today."

In Ananova: War In Iraq



Grenades strike U.S. compound in Baghdad: "Three rockets slammed into a hotel housing U.S. troops and civilians on Saturday but caused no injuries, while in the explosive town of Fallujah, U.S. troops killed two Iraqis at a checkpoint, the military said."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Witnesses: Rockets fired at Iraq hotel in CNN - War in Iraq



Al-Qaeda suspects held in Iraq in BBC: War in Iraq



Russia Sends Message to U.S. About Iraqi Oil Contracts: "Russian oil companies are hoping that their efforts to preserve old Iraqi oil contracts gain some traction with the White House."

In New York Times: World Special



Iraq Leaders Seek Greater Role Now in Running Nation: "Iraqi officials are growing impatient with the strictures of the American occupation, which they say has slowed reconstruction efforts."

In New York Times: World Special



Bremer Says 19 Qaeda Fighters Are in U.S. Custody in Iraq: "The top American official for Iraq said that the United States was holding at least 19 members of Al Qaeda in custody there."

In New York Times: World Special



Mortar Shell Kills at Least 7 Iraqis Near U.S. Position: "It was the third fatal attack in recent weeks by mortars ? whose powerful and portable shells are questionably accurate but, when they hit, do so lethally."

In New York Times: World Special



Debate Rises Where Bush and Marshall Plans Diverge: "The Bush administration says its plan to rebuild Iraq is modeled on the the Marshall Plan, but lawmakers and historians are finding flaws in the analogy."

In New York Times: World Special



Once an Ally of Bush at Home, Kennedy Lashes Out on Iraq: "Senator Edward M. Kennedy is digging in for a fight over Iraq, calling it the "defining issue" of this congressional session."

In New York Times: World Special



U.S. OKs greater U.N. oversight of Iraq: "The United States has agreed to give the United Nations a bigger political role in overseeing Iraq's transition to democracy, an American official said Friday, while Britain and Spain welcomed a tentative U.S. timeline for handing over power to an elected Iraqi government."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Soldiers Get Break From Iraq Deployment: "Glancing up from her ticket counter at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Sharon Whittington couldn't believe what she saw: her son, Army Reserve Spc. Adrian Dupree, home from Iraq. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Anti-war group takes out NY Times ad calling on Rumsfeld to resign: "A US anti-war group took out a full-page advertisement in the New York Times calling on Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign, accusing him of leading the United States into a "quagmire" in Iraq. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

U.S. holding 19 al-Qaida suspects in Iraq: "U.S. forces in Iraq are holding 19 suspected members of the al-Qaida terrorist network, the American civilian administrator said Friday."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



West Bank gunman kills Israeli man, baby: "A Palestinian gunman broke into a Jewish settlement in the West Bank on Friday and opened fire in a home where a family had gathered to mark the Jewish New Year, killing an Israeli man and a toddler and shattering Israel's efforts to maintain calm over the holiday."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Schwarzenegger declines debate challenge: "Gov. Gray Davis challenged Arnold Schwarzenegger to a debate "right here, right now," accusing the actor Friday of distorting his record. The Schwarzenegger campaign declined."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Bush, Putin to hold talks at Camp David: "President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin brought deep differences over postwar Iraq and Iran's nuclear program to a two-day Camp David summit. But they were expected to play down those disputes and emphasize economic and anti-terrorist cooperation."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press

Iraq war news
U.S. may send more soldiers to Iraq: "The United States may have to alert thousands more National Guard and Reserve troops within weeks that they are needed for duty in Iraq, the Pentagon's second-ranking general said Wednesday."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



U.S. forces kill 18 in heavy Iraq clashes: "Bombs rocked a teeming quarter of Baghdad and a sex-film theater in Mosul on Wednesday, reportedly killing at least three Iraqis and wounding dozens. In a string of ground clashes, the U.S. military said they killed nine Iraqis on one of the bloodiest days of combat in weeks."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Saddam burgers: "An Iraqi war-themed restaurant in China was forced to change its name by state officials. "Iraq" served such treats as "cooked Saddam" by waiters wearing army fatigues. Rifles and bayonets adorned the walls. China cracked down on "Iraq" within days of its opening, calling it tasteless."

In Alternet: War On Iraq



U.S. soldier in Iraq speaks out: "Tim Predmore, on active duty with the 101st Airborne Division in northern Iraq, has written a brave essay exposing the hypocrisy of Bush's war. He writes, "For the past six months, I have been participating in what I believe to be the great modern lie: Operation Iraqi Freedom."
Predmore continues, "I once believed that I was serving for a cause - "to uphold and defend the constitution of the United States". Now I no longer believe that; I have lost my conviction, as well as my determination. I can no longer justify my service on the basis of what I believe to be half-truths and bold lies.""

In Alternet: War On Iraq



Security lacking: "One of only three women on Iraq's Governing Council remains in critical condition after her car was ambushed by men with semiautomatic weapons in an assassination attempt Saturday morning. This comes after other members of the Governing Council have been pleading with U.S. authorities to provide them with more security and bodyguards. Women in Iraq have thus far not only been largely excluded from the reconstruction process, but looting, violence and threats of extremism have kept them in their homes. They are also facing restrictions on their rights by religious fundamentalist groups. Continue »"

In Alternet: War On Iraq

Iraq war news
Iraqi Council Member Dies of Wounds: "Aquila al-Hashimi, one of three women on Iraq's American-picked Governing Council, died Thursday, five days after she was shot in an ambush. Earlier, a bomb exploded outside the hotel housing NBC staff, killing a Somali guard and injuring a Canadian sound engineer. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



CIA: No Conclusion in Iraq Weapons Hunt: "An interim report by the CIA's chief weapons hunter in Iraq will not make any claim of finding weapons of mass destruction, say officials at the intelligence agency. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Family of dead Iraq expert condemns UK government (25 Sept 03) in Radio Free USA



CIA-led hunt for weapons of mass destruction yields - nothing (25 Sept 03) in Radio Free USA



GM crops? No thanks - Britain delivers overwhelming verdict after unprecedented public opinion exercise (25 Sept 03) in Radio Free USA



Iraq Violence Hits Several Targets: "A member of the U.S.-picked Governing Council died of wounds suffered days earlier in assasination attempt, one person died when the hotel where NBC reporters are based was bombed, and seven U.S. soldiers were wounded in Mosul."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis



Report: No WMD Found In Iraq: "A preliminary report from the group hunting Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction contains no evidence of illegal weapons. The CIA says the interim report is not the final word."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis



RISQ joins in launch of News Exchange in RISQ



Saddam Missed by Miles: "...so says the former Iraqi (Dis-)Information Minister. From The Australian :

US bombing did not target the places where Saddam Hussein was sheltering during the Iraq war, according to the former Iraqi information minister Mohammad Said as-Sahhaf.
The former Baath official said the ousted president made his first wartime speech from a house close to his main palace.
" Only once did the bombing target an area 400 to 500 metres away " from where Saddam had been staying, "in a simple villa at the edge of the Zahra neighborhood" of Baghdad, Sahhaf told Abu Dhabi Television.
At one point, Saddam stayed for " five consecutive days in al-Amirat street of the Mansur neighborhood ," but it was never hit by the US bombers, Sahhaf told the channel in the United Arab Emirates capital of Abu Dhabi in the second of a series of interviews to be aired over several weeks.
[...]
Sahhaf said Saddam, who wrote his speeches himself since " some time in the 1980s ," had made his first televised address of the war on March 20, hours after a pre-dawn US attack aimed at killing him, from a house adjacent to the main presidential compound in Baghdad.

"

In Command Post: Irak

Iraq war news
Iraqis hit in Baghdad bus blast in IraqWar.ru (English)



Iraqi ban on Arab media a 'blow to press freedom' in IraqWar.ru (English)



Al-Qaeda the winner: Beazley in IraqWar.ru (English)



US spy planes set to irk N Korea in IraqWar.ru (English)



U.S. Notes Drop; Asian Central Banks May Cut Treasury Purchases in IraqWar.ru (English)



US plans to attack seven Muslim states in IraqWar.ru (English)



With No Plan Apparent, GIs In Iraq Slowly Becoming Frantic in IraqWar.ru (English)



Illegal immigrant soldier returns from duty in Iraq, faces possible deportation in IraqWar.ru (English)



Coalition casualties accounted for (Updated 23rd of September) in IraqWar.ru (English)



Coalition casualties accounted for (Updated 21st of September) in IraqWar.ru (English)



Sharon says prisoner swap is very close: "Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said in remarks published Wednesday that a large-scale swap of prisoners with Lebanese guerrillas is closer than ever, but will still require the approval of the Israeli Cabinet."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Arabs criticize Bush's U.N. speech: "President Bush's speech to the United Nations offered nothing new and showed little grasp of Middle Eastern realities, Arabs said Wednesday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Iraq returns to OPEC in boost to US-backed government: "Iraq returned to its first OPEC meeting since the US-led war to unseat Saddam Hussein, marking a new step towards international recognition for the US-backed interim government in Baghdad. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Condition of Shot Iraqi Councilor Worsens: "The health of Aquila al-Hashimi, one of three women on Iraq's Governing Council, has taken a turn for the worse, four days after she was shot in a brazen daylight assassination attempt, a spokesman for the Iraqi Governing Council said Wednesday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Postwar Iraq Reopens U.S., U.N. Divide: "The difficult reconstruction of postwar Iraq has reopened the divide between the United States and the United Nations despite a softer tone by President Bush. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Bomb Rips Into Buses In Baghdad: "A homemade bomb exploded along a road in the Iraqi capital, missing a U.S. military patrol but killing at least one Iraqi and injuring almost two dozen others as it destroyed two civilian buses, police said."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis



U.S. military responses imperil journalists: "Overaggressive reactions by U.S. military forces in Iraq are putting journalists and other civilians in unnecessary danger, Human Rights Watch said today. On August 17, US forces shot and killed Reuters cameraman, Mazen Dana. He was the 12th journalist killed in Iraq since the beginning of the war."

In Electronic Iraq

Iraq war news
Bush Is Criticized At U.N. Over Iraq: "UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 23 -- President Bush, defending the invasion of Iraq before the United Nations today, endured a torrent of criticism from world leaders who warned that his policy of unilateral action to confront emerging threats to U.S. security could destroy the 58-year-old international organization. (washingtonpost.com)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Under Fire at UN, Bush Rejects Early Iraq Transfer: "President Bush on Tuesdayrejected any speedy transfer of power to Iraqis as worldleaders criticized him for bypassing the United Nations tolaunch the war that ousted Saddam Hussein. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



US clears soldiers in killing of a TV cameraman: "A US military investigation has cleared US troops who mistakenly shot and killed a Reuters TV cameraman as he was videotaping near a US-run prison in Iraq last month, a US defense official said. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Officials to Get Update on Iraq WMD Hunt: "The man in charge of the hunt for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is briefing senior intelligence officials in Washington this week but the public may not be told of his findings right away. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



A Look at U.S. Daily Deaths in Iraq: "As of Tuesday, Sept. 23, 304 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq, according to the Department of Defense. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



U.S. Forces Attack Iraq Farmhouse, Kill 3: "U.S. soldiers backed by helicopters firing rockets attacked a farmhouse Tuesday, killing three Iraqis and wounding three others, villagers said. The U.S. military said soldiers followed suspected guerrillas into this village after a patrol was ambushed. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Families protest Iraq deployment extension for reservists: "Hundreds of families of US reservists and National Guard soldiers are protesting against an order extending their stay in Iraq to a year or more as casualties mount. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



France A U.S. Friend Or Foe?: "CBS' Mark Phillips presents the Inside Story on the ongoing clash between the U.S. and France."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis



US Soldiers Kill 3 Iraqis: "Sept. 23 - A US aircraft fired six missiles into a farm north of Fallujah on Tuesday, killing three men and wounding three others, police and villagers said."

In War In Iraq from www.FeedRoom.com



They lied and many soldiers died (23 Sept 03) in Radio Free USA

Iraq war news
$20B Iraq Plan Call for Museum, ZIP Codes: "President Bush's $20.3 billion proposal for rebuilding Iraq includes money to establish ZIP codes there, help Iraqi workers learn English and start a museum of former leader Saddam Hussein's atrocities, an administration document shows. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Iraq Council Head Shifts to Position at Odds With U.S.: "Ahmad Chalabi, the president of Iraq's interim government, has become a nationalist with a loud, independent voice."

In New York Times: World Special



Plenty of Clues in Iraqi Crimes, but Few Trails: "For those investigating recent bombings, classic crime-solving techniques are running into the harsh realities of postwar Iraq."

In New York Times: World Special



Two Government Witnesses Recalled in British Suicide Inquiry: "Two senior members of Prime Minister Tony Blair's government made return appearances before the inquiry investigating the suicide of the weapons expert David Kelly."

In New York Times: World Special



Suicide Attacker Who Struck at U.N. Carried 2 Bombs: "A man was wired to 50 or more pounds of explosives that he detonated on Monday in the parking lot of the United Nations compound."

In New York Times: World Special



Iraq and Ailing Economy Leave Bush Aides on Edge: "When George W. Bush addresses the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, behind the proud words will be a president in a less potent political position than a year ago."

In New York Times: World Special



Medals for His Valor, Ashes for His Wife: "Sgt. First Class Paul Ray Smith, who was killed in Iraq, may be awarded the Medal of Honor. Whether this gives his widow solace seems to depend on the day."

In New York Times: World Special

Iraq war news
Finnish Ex-Leader to Head U.N. Iraq Probe: "Finland's former president will lead an independent investigation of the security situation at U.N. headquarters in Baghdad just before the August bombing that killed 22 people and injured more than 160, a U.N. spokesman said Monday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



For Bush's Iraq Request, Tough Comparisons Loom: "With lights recently blacked out in the mid-Atlantic and wetlands conservation being squeezed, President Bush wants to spend nearly $5.7 billion on Iraq's electricity system and as much as $100 million next year to restore that nation's drained marshlands. (washingtonpost.com)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Bremer Urges Senate to Approve Iraq Funds: "Iraq could become a haven for terrorists if the United States fails to provide money needed to help rebuild the country, the U.S. administrator told senators Monday. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



2 Killed, 19 Wounded in Iraq Car Bombing: "A suicide bomber, his body wrapped in explosives and his car filled with 50 pounds of TNT, struck a police checkpoint outside U.N. headquarters in Baghdad on Monday, killing an Iraqi policeman who stopped him and wounding 19 people. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Bush unbending on Iraq in BBC: War in Iraq



AP: Bush paper details Iraq spending plan: "The administration wants $100 million for an Iraqi witness protection program, $290 million to hire, train and house thousands of firefighters, $9 million to modernize the postal service, including establishment of ZIP codes."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Iranian agent charged in Canadian's death: "An agent for Iran's Intelligence Ministry was charged with murder Monday in the death of an Iranian-Canadian photojournalist from injuries she received while in custody."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Iraq oil assets 'up for sale' in BBC: War in Iraq



UN rifts over Iraq remain deep: "President Bush's speech to the UN will highlight rather allay international divisions."

In BBC: War in Iraq



Musharraf Wary on Iraq: "In an interview, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the president of Pakistan, said his government needed more support from the Islamic world before it could send troops to Iraq."

In New York Times: World Special

Iraq war blog
Bomb kills 2 at U.N. compound in Baghdad: "A car bomb exploded Monday morning while the vehicle was being examined at a checkpoint as it tried to enter the U.N. compound, killing at least two people and injuring eight others."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Israeli troops exchange fire in Hebron: "Israeli troops backed by tanks surrounded a house in Hebron early Monday, exchanging fire with at least one gunman inside and then demolishing the building, Palestinian witnesses and military officials said."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Chirac says he has no intention to veto new US Iraq resolution: "French President Jacques Chirac said, in an interview, that he has no intention to veto a new UN Security Council resolution proposed by the United States on Iraq. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Iraq adopts sweeping reforms in BBC: War in Iraq

Iraq war news
Israeli officials visit U.S.: "A delegation headed by a top aide to Israel's prime minister began a visit to Washington on Sunday to present proposed routes for a hotly disputed security barrier between Israel and the West Bank."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



New Survey of 2,000 Iraqi households reveals human rights abuses and attitudes on reconstruction, justice and government: "A survey of 2,000 households, conducted by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), finds that people living in southern Iraq experienced widespread human rights abuses under Saddam Hussein?s Ba?ath regime and revealed that Iraqis support protection of women and minorities and a UN-led reconstruction effort. More than half of the respondents (53 percent) felt the Coalition Forces should not be involved in direct delivery of humanitarian assistance."

In Electronic Iraq



Lebanese troops clash with Hezbollah: "Lebanese troops fired at militant Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon Sunday in the first such clash in more than a decade, killing one guerrilla and wounding two, a Hezbollah official said."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Iraq hopes for around 70 billion dollars in aid: "Iraqi interim finance minister Kamel al-Kilani said that his government hoped to get financial commitments of around 70 billion dollars from donors at a key aid conference next month. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



U.S. Military Denies Report of Saddam Exile Offer: "The U.S. military on Sunday denieda British media report that Saddam Hussein had offered moneyand information on weapons of mass destruction in return forsafe passage to the ex-Soviet republic of Belarus. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Democrat Biden Urges U.S. to Out-Maneuver France: "A top Senate Democrat urgedPresident Bush on Sunday "to outsmart the French" in theiropposition to a new U.N. resolution on Iraq by having theSecurity Council decide when to turn control back to Iraqis. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Airline passengers' data used in study (20 Sept 03) in Radio Free USA



Halliburton's secret deal -- Even the reason it's secret is a secret (20 Sept 03) in Radio Free USA



Soaring Iraqi Costs Mean More U.S. Business: "Sabotage, looting and a more fragileinfrastructure than anticipated are driving up costs in Iraq,where U.S. companies will likely reap billions of dollars inthe next round of reconstruction contracts. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



COALITION ENGINEERS WORK ON BAGHDAD?S SEWER SYSTEM in CENTCOM: News Release



Community powderkeg ready to explode in Kirkuk despite official cool: "Simmering tensions between Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen in this northern Iraqi city could boil over at any time, but community leaders offer vocal support for US efforts to maintain calm. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Iraq war news
Arafat sees U.N. vote as sign of support: "Yasser Arafat told hundreds of supporters Saturday that a United Nations vote condemning an Israeli decision to remove him is of the "utmost importance" as a sign of international support for the Palestinians."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Iraqi Council Member Shot; Europeans Still Divided: "Gunmen seriously wounded aleading woman member of Iraq's Governing Council Saturday, asEurope's three biggest powers failed to resolve their rift overIraq and its future six months after the war began. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

In Iraq, Demand Makes Security Growth Industry: "Some Iraqis have turned to political militias and private companies for their own protection having already given up on the Americans."

In New York Times: World Special



U.S. Is Struggling to Make New Iraq Resolution Matter: "The intense diplomatic efforts over a new resolution to change the military and political realities in Iraq are aimed at making it matter."

In New York Times: World Special



Three nations asked to bolster Iraq force: "The United States has asked Turkey, Pakistan and South Korea to send up to 40,000 troops total to Iraq as part of a global U.S. drive for help to secure the country still wracked by violence, officials from those nations told The Associated Press."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



U.S. tanks patrol Iraqi city after ambush: "U.S. tanks and armored fighting vehicles rumbled through Saddam Hussein's hometown and its outskirts early Saturday in a show of force following a coordinated ambush against American forces that killed three soldiers and wounded two."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



A Look at U.S. Daily Deaths in Iraq: "As of Friday, Sept. 19, 298 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq, according to U.S. Central Command. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Saudi says his country against terrorism: "Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States insisted Friday his country stands firmly against terrorism, despite continued criticism from Capitol Hill that funds could still be moving through Saudi charities to organizations such as al-Qaida."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Isabel's outer bands lash N.C. coast: "The outer rings of a weakened but still potent Hurricane Isabel began lashing the North Carolina coast early Thursday with gusting winds, while already rain-soaked areas as far away as Pennsylvania prepared for possibly ruinous flooding."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Bush works toward U.N. Iraq compromise: "President Bush, working to find common ground with allies on a new U.N. Iraq resolution, sought to dispel controversy about recent administration statements on Saddam Hussein and the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



NYSE seeks successor after chairman quits: "Dick Grasso is gone, and his millions with him, leaving a new, almost certainly less extravagant and more public era to be ushered in by the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Jobless claims at lowest level in 3 weeks: "After rising for three straight weeks, new claims for unemployment benefits dropped last week to the lowest level in nearly a month, raising hopes that the pace of layoffs may be starting to slow down again."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Spanish police make more al-Qaida arrests: "Police have arrested several suspects on orders of a Spanish judge who is investigating al-Qaida links, the government said Thursday, a day after he issued the first known indictment against Osama bin Laden in the Sept. 11 attacks."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Gunman who held class hostage is killed: "A 26-year-old man with a history of mental problems held at least a dozen college students at gunpoint during a nine-hour standoff before a SWAT team stormed the school building and killed him."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Calif. seeks to hold recall on schedule: "The fate of the gubernatorial recall election was back in the hands of an appeals court as candidates ramped up their rhetoric in anticipation of a reversal that would reinstate the historic Oct. 7 vote."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



New version of Beatles' 'Let It Be' coming: "A new version of The Beatles' album "Let It Be" will be released in November, the group's company Apple Corps announced Thursday."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Stocks expected to open higher: "U.S. stocks were expected to open higher Thursday as investors remained upbeat about the prospects for the economy. Futures were up early on the first day of trading after the resignation of New York Stock Exchange Chairman Dick Grasso."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press

Palestinians vow to shield Arafat: "Two dozen Palestinians at Yasser Arafat's headquarters settled down for a third straight night Saturday, pledging to serve as human shields if Israel tries to forcibly expel the Palestinian leader."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Arafat calls for return to peace talks: "Ten years after the signing of historic peace accords whose goals were never achieved, Yasser Arafat said Saturday the Mideast conflict is facing its most difficult point since and he urged Israel to return to negotiations following its threat to exile him."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Angry Iraqis mourn deaths of officers: "Angry mourners swarmed this central Iraqi city Saturday, firing into the air, attacking journalists and cursing the American occupation as they followed the flag-draped coffins of eight Iraqi police killed in a friendly fire incident involving U.S. troops."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Key UN powers agree on Iraqi sovereignty, but timetable and UN role unclear: "The five veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council failed to resolve their differences on Iraq's future, reiterating their commitment to restore Iraqi sovereignty without giving specifics on a timetable for self-rule or the United Nations' future role in the country. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



What Bush should tell United Nations: " (USA TODAY)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Saudis declare Barbie's clothes offensive: "Saudi Arabia's religious police have declared Barbie dolls a threat to morality, complaining that the revealing clothes of the "Jewish" toy - already banned in the kingdom - are offensive to Islam."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



U.S. sees some Iraq contact with al-Qaida: "The Bush administration has evidence of some prewar Iraqi contacts and training with al-Qaida, based on prisoner interrogations, defector statements and documents collected in Iraq and Afghanistan, but no proof of joint terror operations, according to U.S. officials."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Powell: Gap On Iraq Narrowed: "But after conferring with fellow U.N. Security Council members in Geneva, Powell also said differences among them remain. He spurned a French proposal for Iraqis to take control in Iraq in a month. In a surprise, it was announced he would visit Iraq."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis



Fallujah Fumes Over Friendly Fire: "Angry mourners at a burial ceremony for victims of the incident peppered gunfire into the air and sneered at an American apology. One cleric urged the crowd to save its bullets for "the chests of the enemy." The U.S. says GIs were fired at first."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis



ARTILLERYMEN, IRAQIS SPIN WRENCHES TO KEEP COALITION ROLLING in CENTCOM: News Release

Making trade fairer (12 Sept 03)
In Radio Free USA

Powell rejects French timetable for Iraq: "Secretary of State Colin Powell on Friday rejected as "totally unrealistic" a French timetable for the full transfer of authority in Iraq to local control, starting with the establishment of a provisional government next month."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Task force notes problems before blackout: "Voltage shifts, line problems and power plant shutdowns were observed "well before" midday and across several states on the day of the nation's worst blackout, a government task force said Friday."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Israel shrugs off criticism over Arafat: "Israeli leaders shrugged off condemnation of their decision to "remove" Yasser Arafat whenever they choose, saying Friday the Palestinian leader should have been ousted long ago and the world has no right to judge a nation facing constant suicide bombings."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



CIA: bin Laden voice probably authentic: "The CIA said Friday the purported voice of Osama bin Laden on the newly aired al-Qaida videotape probably is an authentic recording of the terrorist leader, but it is impossible to determine when the tape was made."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



TV sitcom icon John Ritter dies at 54: "John Ritter, a master of sitcom silliness who ruled TV comedy with "Three's Company" and rediscovered success 25 years later with "8 Simple Rules ... For Dating My Teenage Daughter," has died of an undetected heart problem. He was 54."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Geoghan case inmate said to write letter: "A letter purporting to be from Joseph L. Druce, the convict accused of killing former priest John Geoghan in prison, claims Druce was sexually abused as a child and calls for tougher measures against those who prey on children."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



U.N. votes to lift sanctions on Libya: "The U.N. Security Council on Friday lifted 11-year-old sanctions on Libya after Moammar Gadhafi's government took responsibility for bombing a Pan Am jet over Scotland and agreed to pay the victims' families $2.7 billion."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Red Sox escape White Sox 7-4: "Johnny Damon drew three of Boston's 12 walks, including two with the bases loaded, and the Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 7-4 Friday night despite getting just five hits."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press

Iraq war news
Palestinians rally round Arafat after exile threat (11 Sept 03) in Radio Free USA



At least 9 dead in apparent friendly fire in Iraq in CNN - War in Iraq



India 'won't send troops' to Iraq in CNN - War in Iraq



Exploiting the atrocity (12 Sept 03) in Radio Free USA



Foreigners may not have liked the war, but they financed it (12 Sept 03) in Radio Free USA



'Iraq policemen killed' in friendly fire tragedy (12 Sept 03) in Radio Free USA



Blair's war: PM ignored intelligence advice on Iraq (12 Sept 03) in Radio Free USA



Jerusalem Post Editorial: Kill Arafat (11 Sept 03) in Radio Free USA



Bloody Day In Iraqi Town: "In one of the bloodiest nights of fighting since the end of major combat on May 1, two Americans were killed, seven were wounded and U.S. troops may have mistakenly shot a dozen Iraqi cops in Fallujah."

In CBS News: Iraq Crisis



Israeli police quell shrine disturbance: "Israeli police entered a disputed Jerusalem shrine Friday, firing tear gas and stun grenades to disperse Muslim worshippers who threw stones after noon prayers, police and witnesses said."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



17 Palestinians wounded in Lebanon march: "Attackers hurled a hand grenade and fired rifles at pro-Yasser Arafat demonstrators in this Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, injuring 17 people, a Palestinian official said Friday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Iraq war news updates
Bush Urges Foreign Troop Role in Iraq: "President Bush said Wednesday it is in other nations' interests to contribute money and troops to postwar Iraq, but his defense chief cautioned against expecting offers of large numbers of troops even if the United Nations authorizes a multinational force. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Rumsfeld admits infrastructure woes underestimated: "US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld admitted the United States underestimated the devastation of Iraq's infrastructure but said ultimately it would be up to Iraqis to rebuild their country. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Al-Jazeera airs new bin Laden videotape: "The Arabic satellite channel Al-Jazeera aired video and audio tapes of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and his deputy on Wednesday. The footage - the first video image of bin Laden in nearly two years - was aired on the eve of the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Bush lukewarm to new Palestinian PM: "President Bush withheld judgment Wednesday on the new Palestinian prime minister and kept a diplomatic distance from a power structure that inevitably leads back to Yasser Arafat."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



No deal yet in US-militia showdown in Iraqi holy city: "Mediators pressed talks to avert a showdown between US forces and armed Iraqi militia they have vowed to disarm after nearly a fortnight of turning a blind eye to their presence on the streets of this Shiite Muslim holy city. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



France, Germany Seek to Downgrade U.S. Role in Iraq: "France and Germany have offeredthe United States a deal that effectively recognizes an Iraqitransitional government but downgrades the U.S. political rolein the occupied state, according to documents circulated onWednesday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



West overrates terrorism (10 Sept 03) in Radio Free USA



France and Germany seek full UN control over Iraq (10 Sept o3) in Radio Free USA



Bush urges UN action on Iraq: "The US president calls on UN members to put aside 'past bickering' and commit troops and money to Iraq."

In BBC: War in Iraq



Iraq council names central bank governor: "The U.S.-appointed Governing Council on Wednesday named economist Sinan Mohammed Rida al-Shibibi as the country's first central bank governor since the ouster of Saddam Hussein's government five months ago."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



New film of Osama bin Laden is shown: "The Arabic satellite channel Al-Jazeera aired a video of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahri on Wednesday, and an accompanying audiotape attributed to al-Zawahri called on Iraqi guerrillas to "bury" American troops in Iraq."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



Bush calls on nations to help with Iraq: "President Bush said Wednesday it is in other nations' interests to contribute money and troops to the postwar reconstruction of Iraq."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



U.S. says 3,000 Iraqi artifacts recovered: "Investigators have recovered more than 3,000 antiquities taken from Iraq's collection but still don't know exactly what else might have been pillaged during the war, the Pentagon said Wednesday."

In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq



France, Germany Seek to Downgrade U.S. Role in Iraq: "France and Germany have offeredthe United States a deal that effectively recognizes an Iraqitransitional government but downgrades the U.S. political rolein the occupied state, according to documents circulated onWednesday. (Reuters)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



IRAQI WORKERS, COALITION SOLDIERS RESTORE MOSUL?S ZOO in CENTCOM: News Release



WEAPONS CACHE DISCOVERED IN 3RD BRIGADE AREA in CENTCOM: News Release



3RD ACR PATROLS NET BIG WEAPONS HAUL in CENTCOM: News Release



Two U.S. soldiers die in Iraq in CNN - War in Iraq



Iraqi Pleads Not Guilty to Bombing: "An Iraqi pleaded innocent Wednesday to a charge of detonating an explosion near a U.S. Navy base here during the Iraqi war, his defense lawyer said. (AP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq



Suicide bomber kills at least one, wounds dozens in northern Iraq: "A suicide bomber killed at least one child and wounded dozens of people, including six US defence staff, in the Iraqi city of Arbil, shattering the calm US commanders had hailed in the Kurdish north. (AFP)"

In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Al-Jazeera airs new bin Laden videotape: "The Arabic satellite channel Al-Jazeera aired video and audio tapes of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and his deputy on Wednesday. The footage - the first video image of bin Laden in nearly two years - was aired on the eve of the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Bush seeks to improve homeland security: "Americans will never forget the "servants of evil" who plotted the Sept. 11 attacks, President Bush said Wednesday as he pushed to give law enforcement officers the same powers to investigate and prosecute suspected terrorists as they have to combat some other criminals."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Senate votes to block new overtime rules: "The Senate voted Wednesday to bar the Bush administration from issuing new overtime pay rules that Democrats and organized labor said would take money from the pockets of millions of workers."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Court gives Indiana lt. governor power: "As Gov. Frank O'Bannon lay in critical condition following a stroke, the state Supreme Court formally transferred power Wednesday to Indiana's lieutenant governor."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Israeli air strike misses Hamas leader: "Israeli warplanes flattened the home of senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahar with a half-ton bomb Wednesday, wounding him and killing his eldest son and a bodyguard in retaliation for two Hamas suicide bombings that killed 15 Israelis a day earlier."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Ex-Enron Corp. treasurer sentenced: "A former Enron Corp. treasurer pleaded guilty Wednesday to a federal conspiracy charge and became the first executive sentenced to prison in the scandal that toppled the energy company."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press

Iraq war news
Palestinian PM demands parliament backing: "Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, weakened by his power struggle with Yasser Arafat, told parliament Thursday it must either support him or send him home."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



U.S. says more troops are needed in Iraq: "The top U.S. commander in Iraq said Thursday he needs more international forces to deal with an array of potential security threats, including al-Qaida terrorists, Iranian fighters and clashes between ethnic and religious militias."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Arnold sits out California recall debate: "Five top candidates hoping to replace Gov. Gray Davis clashed over how they would lead the state and the best way to solve California's budget crisis during their first debate, an event some believed hurt only the candidate not present: Arnold Schwarzenegger."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



U.S. productivity soars in 2nd quarter: "The productivity of U.S. companies in the second quarter posted the biggest gain in more than a year as businesses produced more with fewer workers. New claims for unemployment benefits climbed last week to the highest level since the middle of July"

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Tropical storm warning issued for Florida: "A tropical depression was strengthening early Thursday in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and was expected to become Tropical Storm Henri before crossing the northern Florida Peninsula, forecasters said."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Abortion clinics fear execution reprisals: "The execution of Paul Hill for the murders of an abortion doctor and his bodyguard left abortion providers holding their breath, wary that the former minister may become a martyr to the anti-abortion cause and spur others to act violently."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Court blocks FCC media ownership rules: "In a break for small media companies fearful of industry consolidation, an appeals court blocked new federal rules that would relax restrictions on how many TV stations a company can own and lift a ban on owning newspapers and broadcast outlets in the same city."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Juanes sweeps major Latin Grammy awards: "Three years ago, Juanes was a relative unknown and wondering whether his decision to move to Los Angeles and start a solo career was a good idea."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



U.S. stocks expected to open lower: "U.S. stocks are set to open lower Thursday, with investors taking a breather after the recent highs in the markets."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press



Astros move into first in tight NL Central: "With first place on the line in the tight NL Central race, the Houston Astros scored four first-inning runs, and Jeriome Robertson set a franchise record for wins by a rookie left-hander in an 8-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night."

In JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press