U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. David Snyder, a C-130 maintenance technician with the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, works on an engine of a C-130 at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, Jan. 29, 2005. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol



U.S. Army Sgt. Patrick Conesa, a military policeman with the 13th MP Company, deployed from Fort Wainwright, Alaska, cleans an M-16 after completing his 12-hour shift at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, Jan. 24, 2005. U.S. Air Force Photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol



U.S. Air Force airmen with the Air Transportation Operations Center, Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, remove a deployment bag from a pallet, Jan. 27, 2005. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol



U.S. Air Force airmen use an R-11 fuel truck to fuel a C-130 Hercules at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, Jan. 28, 2005. Approximately 6,000 gallons of fuel is needed to refuel a C-130. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol



Security forces with the 416th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron patrol the airfield during base operations at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, Jan. 28, 2005. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol



Firefighters with the base fire department practice exit training with aircrews at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, Jan. 28, 2005. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol



Members of the Uzbekistan military talk with a U.S. Air Force C-130 aircrew member, assigned to the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, during a tour for the Uzbekistan personnel at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Jan. 29, 2005. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol



The U.S. flag can be seen along a perimeter fence at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, from the window of a security forces humvee on a foggy morning, Jan. 29, 2005. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol



U.S. Air Force Capt. Sara Babbit stops to check the airfield perimeter at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, Jan. 29, 2005. Babbit is the flight commander for the 416th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron's security forces flight and is deployed from Hill Air Force Base, Utah. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol



Two front-end loaders from the Air Transportion Operations Center move pallets to a plane at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, Jan. 29, 2005. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol



A maintenance de-icer truck revs up prior to de-icing a plane at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, Jan. 29, 2005. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol



A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III takes off as the sun rises at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan, Jan. 29, 2005. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol

REFUELING — U.S. Navy Seaman Philip Whiteng prepares to fuel an F/A-18C Hornet on the flight deck of USS Harry S. Truman, Jan. 29, 2005. The Truman Carrier Strike Group and Carrier Air Wing 3 are currently on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of the war on terror. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Darin R. Conway

JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press
Rice meets with Blair in London
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice thanked British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the United States' closest ally in Iraq, as she held her first meeting Friday with a foreign leader since taking over from Colin Powell as the top American diplomat.

Head of Oil-for-food program disciplined
The United Nations vowed to discipline two officials implicated in a report that detailed conflicts of interest and flawed management in the U.N. oil-for-food program, while the man leading the investigation warned that more revelations were forthcoming.

NATO searching for missing Afghan jet
Afghan and NATO forces launched a ground and air search operation Friday for an Afghan passenger jet carrying 104 people that disappeared from radar screens during a snowstorm near the mountain-ringed capital. Three Americans were thought to have been on board.

Shiite leads Iraq vote; 3 Marines killed
Iraqi officials Thursday released the first partial returns from national elections, showing a commanding lead by candidates backed by the Shiite Muslim clergy. Sunni insurgents unleashed a wave of attacks, killing at least 30 people, including three U.S. Marines and a dozen Iraqi army recruits.

Rumsfeld says he offered to resign twice
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld says he submitted his resignation twice to President Bush during last year's Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal.


BBC: Conflict with Iraq
Annan vows action on corruption
The UN secretary general pledges to discipline officials after a damning report on Iraq oil-for-food corruption. BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)

First partial result in Iraq vote
Iraq's electoral commission says that, with 1.6m votes counted, the list backed by Shia cleric Ayatollah Sistani is in the lead. BBC: Conflict with Iraq (UK Edition)


Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
Cautious Sense of Security Comes to Iraq
It's too early to say whether last weekend's vote has dealt a blow to the insurgency. But in Baghdad, where nearly a quarter of the Iraqi population lives, the absence of any catastrophic attacks in recent days has given people a cautious sense of security. Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Rumsfeld praises 'courage' of Iraqi security forces
US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld wrote in The Wall Street Journal about the "courageous" and unsung effort of the Iraqi security forces in trying to make their country safe from insurgent violence. Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

UN stunned by Iraq oil programme scandal as Shiites lead vote count
A damning investigation said the head of the UN oil-for-food programme in Iraq obtained allocations of oil and unusual payments in a scandal which has badly tainted the image of the United Nations. Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Recent raid 'just missed' Zarqawi
A top Iraqi official said Thursday recent raids had just missed catching Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. [in The US News] The US News: Iraq News

Head of Oil-For-Food Program Disciplined
The United Nations vowed to discipline two officials implicated in a report that detailed conflicts of interest and flawed management in the U.N. oil-for-food program, while the man leading the investigation warned that more revelations were forthcoming. Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Rebel attacks down in Iraq since poll, says Allawi:
[World News]: Baghdad, Feb 3 : Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi says rebel attacks have come down in the country since Sunday's national election [in New Kerala] The US News: Iraq News


The US News: Iraq News
Insurgents Renew Attacks; Kill 2 American Soldiers, 26 Iraqis
today. At least 26 Iraqis and 2 US Marines were killed today in numerous terrorist attacks by insurgents throughout the country. [in Elites TV] The US News: Iraq News

U.S. Soldier Killed South of Baghdad -- Military
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier attached to a Marine unit was killed while carrying out operations south of Baghdad, the U.S. military said on Friday. The soldier was killed in Babil province, w... [in Reuters] The US News: Iraq News

Shiite Leads Iraq Vote; 3 Marines Killed
AP Photo BAG102 By BASSEM MROUE Associated Press Writer BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Iraqi officials Thursday released the first partial returns from national elections, showing a commanding lead by candid... [in Guardian] The US News: Iraq News

Seven Paras face Iraq murder charge
Seven British Paras have been charged with the murder of an Iraqi civilian, the Government has announced. The men will face a court martial for a joint offence of murder and a second joint charge of ... [in Ananova] The US News: Iraq News

Iraq food aid chief 'sought oil quotas'
Benon Sevan, head of the United Nations office that administered Iraq's multi-billion dollar oil-for-food programme, "repeatedly solicited" oil allocations from Baghdad, a UN-appointed inquiry said ye... [in Financial Times] The US News: Iraq News

Allawi faces defeat as Iraqi cleric's team leads the polls
04 February 2005 The coalition of Iyad Allawi, the Iraqi interim Prime Minister appointed by the Americans, is heading for election defeat at the hands of a list backed by the country's senior Shia cl... [in Independent] The US News: Iraq News

Germany Says Eager to Help Build Iraq Institutions
web sites ) on Wednesday, and both countries had agreed to move beyond their disagreements over the Iraq war to focus on creating a stable future for the country. He said they discussed the contr... [in Yahoo] The US News: Iraq News

U.S. to pull 15,000 troops out of Iraq
Buoyed by a higher turnout and less violence than expected in Sunday's Iraqi elections, Pentagon authorities have decided to start reducing the level of U.S. forces in Iraq next month by about 15,000 ... [in MSNBC] The US News: Iraq News

US, allies not to set timetable for withdrawal from Iraq: Bush :
[World News]: Washington, Feb 3 : Ruling out "an artificial timetable" for leaving Iraq, US President George W Bush today said America and its allies will withdraw only when the Iraqi nationals will... [in New Kerala] The US News: Iraq News

Americans among the passengers on missing Afghan jet
Katu.com: Iraq & Terror


Ananova: War In Iraq
Rice meets Blair at start of tour
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will meet Tony Blair on the first leg of a European tour to repair relations with key American allies after the divisions over Iraq. Ananova: War In Iraq

IRA accused over peace threat
The IRA has been accused of holding the Northern Ireland peace process to ransom after warning British and Irish ministers they were making a mess of efforts to restore devolution. Ananova: War In Iraq


Weather
Weather information from The Weather Channel

Iraq
Al Azamiyah
Al Basrah
Al Hillah
Al Karkh
Al Kazimiyah
Al Kut
An Nasiriyah
Baghdad
Baqubah
Mosul
Najaf
Nineveh
Tall Kayf

Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar
Ghurian
Herat
Kabul
Qandahar


From Fox News
Annan Cracks DownDisciplinary action ordered
Oil-for-Food director Benon Sevan to be punished after probe says he broke rules
Raw Data: Read the Report (pdf)
Raw Data: Sevan's Statement (pdf)
Volcker: Probe a Blow to U.N.
Transcript: Panel Report

Rice: Iran Attack 'Not on Agenda'
Secretary of state vague on whether U.S. expects regime change; Blair, Rice discuss Middle East

9/11 Slur Prof May Be Fired
If you haven't heard about this guy, you should really check out the article. This gentlemen likened 9/11 to "chickens coming home to roost," and in this blogger's humble opinion, firing him shouldn't even be a question -- Pam

Abu Ghraib Guard Pleads for Mercy
Sense of Security Grows in Baghdad
Post-Election Violence Kills 30 in Iraq
Shiite Party Ahead in Six Iraqi Provinces
Iraqi Official: Forces Almost Caught Zarqawi
Terrorists' Web Sites Hard to Keep Offline


From the Department of Defense
Rumsfeld Says World Must Stand by Iraq
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2005 — Now that millions of Iraqis have defied insurgents' threats and gone to the polls to elect their new government, it's up to the rest of the world to continue standing by them as they build their democratic future, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told Pentagon reporters here today. Story Rumsfeld, Pace Praise U.S. Troops in Iraq

U.S. Must Focus on Developing Iraqi Forces
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2005 — "The coalition must focus our efforts on reaching the point where we can shift our mission to fighting the counterinsurgency ourselves to developing Iraqi capacity to conduct those operations," Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee today. Story

U.S. Troops in Iraq 'Shaped History'
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2005 — The general in charge of coalition forces in Iraq took to the airwaves Feb. 2 to thank troops in the country for their work in the success of Iraq's Jan. 30 national assembly election. Story

ON THE GROUND

Day of Remembrance Honors Fallen Marines
CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq, Feb. 3, 2005 — More than 500 Marines and sailors gathered here Feb. 2 to honor the memory of their fallen comrades, killed in a Jan. 26 helicopter crash and during November's battle for Fallujah. Story

Engineers Oversee Water Service Upgrade
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Feb. 3, 2005 — Ground was broken recently in Baghdad’s Karradah district on a water distribution network upgrade project overseen by 1st Cavalry Division’s 8th Engineer Battalion. Story

Bradley Mechanics Keep Vehicles Rolling
PATROL BASE UVANNI, Iraq, Feb. 3, 2005 — U.S. Army mechanics with 26th Infantry Regiment set the standard here for providing combat support for M2 Bradley Armored Fighting Vehicles. Story

New Friendship, Trust Being Built In Sulay
MOSUL, Iraq, Feb. 3, 2005 — Since Iraq’s liberation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in cooperation with the Project and Contracting Office, has started over 1,400 projects, totaling $4 billion. Story

IN IRAQ
Fallujah Battlefield Test Bed for NASCAR Cool Vest
Materials From Bosnia Bases Being Reused

IN AFGHANISTAN
Deployed Hawaii Troops Run Frigid Great Aloha
Guard Team Helps Repair Kabul Road
Fox Battery Demonstrates Capabilities

FACE OF DEFENSE
Army Retiree Returns to Duty
HERAT, Afghanistan, Feb. 3, 2005 — U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Timothy Mayhak returned to the Army after nearly seven years of retirement via the Retired Recall Program and is currently deployed to Afghanistan. Story

Special Report - Iraqi Elections
First-Hand View of Elections
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2005 — U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Mike Jones, assistant division commander, maneuver, 1st Cavalry Division, provides a first-hand view of the Jan. 30 elections in Iraq. Jones, who is deployed to Iraq, shares his observations of determined Iraqis defying insurgent threats to cast their votes. Letter from Iraq

Secretary Praises Iraqi Courage
Rumsfeld Thanks U.S. Troops
Elections Celebrate Life, Freedom
Ambassador Sees Unifying Effect
Iraq Begins Next Phase
Iraqis Turn to Democracy
Votes Prove Stronger Than Bullets
Fact Sheet: Timeline
Fact Sheet: Transitional Admin Law
Fact Sheet: Candidate List Regulations

TOP NEWS
IN IRAQ
2 Marines Killed in Anbar Province
Forces Work to Secure Borders
Iraq Daily Update
Year in Review 2004 Fact Sheets (pdf)
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps
Weekly Progress Report (pdf)

IN AFGHANISTAN
Missing Aircraft Search Continues
Afghan National Army Stands Guard
Afghans Field Tsunami Mission
Enduring Freedom Marks 3 Years
Afghanistan Daily Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Iraq to Assume Full Security Role
'State of the Union' Moment
President Announces New Focus
Review to Reflect Potential Threats
Focus of Review: Potential Threat
Suspects Held; Weapons Turned In
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

MILITARY NEWS
Troops Benefit From New Center
Guard Part of Super Bowl Security
Survivor Benefits Increase Sought
National Guard, Reserve Update