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Jobs, the economy and the 2004 presidential election

Holiday Movie Preview 2004

Multimedia slide show with capsule previews of upcoming films

Deadly Weapons in Dangerous Hands

Special report about weapons of mass destruction

Losing Ground

Special report: Wetlands' demise ripples across nation

Iraq: After Saddam

Continuing coverage of the conflict in Iraq

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Bush seeks support in Iraqi political process
A day after Iraq's historic elections, President Bush reached out to overseas skeptics of his Iraq policy Monday to try to enlist their help.

USATODAY.com | January 31, 2005 | 11:42 pm

General: Iraqi troops improve
The top U.S. general in Iraq said Wednesday that once Iraqi government forces take the lead in the war, the insurgency can be defeated and the American troop level reduced.

USA TODAY | January 26, 2005 | 11:40 pm

Parties waging a polite battle to control Najaf
In this city, the holiest in Iraq to the country's Shiite Muslim majority, political rhetoric is heating up. But unlike in some places in Iraq, the debate here isn't focused on religion or historic ethnic divisions, and there's little violence.

USA TODAY | January 25, 2005 | 11:34 pm

In Iraq, the question is: To vote or not to vote
A recent survey by the International Republican Institute found that 80% of Iraqis say they will probably vote this weekend. But unrelenting insurgent violence, the specter of post-election sectarian strife and confusion over complex ballots threaten to snuff out democracy before it can take hold.

USA TODAY | January 25, 2005 | 11:17 pm

Politics popular in Shiite areas
In Basra and other parts of heavily Shiite southern Iraq, people are embracing politics.

USATODAY.com | January 20, 2005 | 11:51 pm

Lengthy ballots, ad blitzes contribute to confusion
Less than two weeks before Election Day, many Iraqi voters still are unsure about some basics, such as: Who are they electing?

USATODAY.com | January 19, 2005 | 11:44 pm

Sunni leaders urge talks with insurgents to end 'stalemate'
Moderate Sunni leaders are urging the United States and Iraqi governments to change course and seek a cease-fire and negotiations with insurgents.

USATODAY.com | January 18, 2005 | 11:46 pm

Female Iraqi candidates risk lives
Members of Congress who traveled to the Middle East over the weekend got a harrowing lesson on the high price of democracy.

USATODAY.com | January 12, 2005 | 10:57 pm

U.S.: Elections will be credible
The Bush administration will consider the results of Iraq's elections credible even if most Sunni Muslims minority don't vote on Jan. 30.

USATODAY.com | January 12, 2005 | 10:57 pm

2 Iraq cities, separated by politics, await election
Sadr City and Fallujah illustrate both the hopes and risks of Iraq's march toward democracy.

USATODAY.com | January 11, 2005 | 10:58 pm

Polling places planned in Iraq's problem areas
The Iraqi Election Commission plans to set up polling stations in problem areas in Iraq despite insurgent attacks.

USATODAY.com | January 10, 2005 | 11:03 pm

Court-martial begins for Abu Ghraib figure
The court-martial of Army reservist Spc. Charles Graner, the man portrayed as the ringleader in the Abu Ghraib prisoner-abuse scandal in Iraq, is set to begin Friday at Fort Hood in Texas.

USATODAY.com | January 6, 2005 | 11:47 pm

Iraqi expatriates fear being left out of elections
Iraqi-American groups say disorganization and overly stringent requirements are plaguing an ambitious effort to allow expatriates worldwide to vote in Iraq's Jan. 30 elections.

USATODAY.com | January 6, 2005 | 10:48 pm

Allawi: Elections will go on
Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi on Wednesday rejected growing calls for postponement of the national elections set for Jan. 30.

USATODAY.com | January 5, 2005 | 11:15 pm

Fallujans reluctant to return
So far, Fallujans are not lining up to return to what's left of their devastated city.

USATODAY.com | January 5, 2005 | 11:13 pm

Congress expects $100 billion war request
Congress expects the White House to request as much as $100 billion this year for war and related costs in Iraq and Afghanistan, congressional officials say.

USA TODAY | January 3, 2005 | 11:30 pm

More contracts steered to Iraqi firms
The U.S. government is shifting more reconstruction contracts toward Iraqi companies as violence makes it harder for American contractors to work.

USATODAY.com | January 3, 2005 | 11:00 pm

Iraqi election candidates crave coverage
As Iraq moves toward elections scheduled for Jan. 30, the media campaign is intensifying.

USATODAY.com | January 2, 2005 | 10:57 pm

Gas shortage fuels resentment in Iraq
Buying gasoline in Iraq is a serious undertaking. Determined motorists get up before their dawn prayers to join 2-mile-long lines. Sometimes they don't get to fill their tanks until evening. A black market is thriving.

USA TODAY | December 29, 2004 | 11:47 pm

Soldiers saw giant tent as inviting target for insurgents
Soldiers at the Forward Operating Base Marez near Mosul, Iraq base had long complained of feeling defenseless in the fabric-covered hall, which lately has been the target of mortar and rocket attacks almost daily.

USA TODAY | December 22, 2004 | 11:42 pm

U.S. contractor pulls out of Iraq rebuilding project
A Virginia company this week became the first large contractor to withdraw from the multibillion-dollar Iraq reconstruction drive, saying work there was too dangerous and costly.

USA TODAY | December 22, 2004 | 11:35 pm

Mosul attack showcases insurgents' intelligence
The implications of the audacious suicide attack in the center of a heavily guarded U.S. military base in Mosul go beyond a failure of base security.

USATODAY.com | December 22, 2004 | 11:11 pm

Mosul blast hits U.S. hard
A massive lunchtime explosion struck a flimsy mess tent filled with soldiers Tuesday at a military base near Mosul. It was one of the deadliest attacks yet against Americans in Iraq. Mlitary spokesmen in Baghdad and at the Pentagon said 19 U.S. soldiers were killed.

USA TODAY | December 21, 2004 | 11:45 pm

Soldiers who led invasion must return
Continuing insurgent attacks have forced the United States to boost its force in Iraq toward 150,000, its highest level yet.

USATODAY.com | December 19, 2004 | 11:08 pm

Chaplain, others look to lift Christmas spirit in war zone
Across Iraq, military chaplains will enter makeshift chapels on the morning of Dec. 25 and pray for peace on earth in a land where peace continues to be in short supply.

Gordon Trowbridge | Marine Corps Times | December 19, 2004 | 6:41 pm

Troops can't beat deals at PX
Flush with hazardous-duty pay and tax-free earnings, U.S. troops in combat zones often have more money to spend than things to buy. That's where the PX, or post exchange, comes in, providing a taste of home if only for the time it takes to eat a bag of Doritos.

C. Mark Brinkley | Army Times | December 16, 2004 | 11:22 pm

Army spending billions on new armored vehicles
The Army said Wednesday that it is spending $4.1 billion to armor all military wheeled vehicles in Iraq by June.

USATODAY.com | December 15, 2004 | 11:23 pm

Air Force boosts number of supply flights
Roads have become too dangerous for American convoys, the top Air Force general said Tuesday.

USATODAY.com | December 14, 2004 | 11:32 pm

Army Guard now says its Iraq troops figure was inaccurate
The Army National Guard said Monday it had given USA TODAY an inaccurate count of the total number of Guard troops in Iraq since the beginning of the war in March 2003, but still could not provide a precise count.

Dave Moniz | USA TODAY | December 14, 2004 | 10:29 am

Fair vote possible in Anbar, top Marine says

The U.S. military believes Iraq's rebellious Anbar province can be brought into national elections scheduled for January.

Gordon Trowbridge | Army Times | December 12, 2004 | 11:05 pm

U.S. military preparing restive Iraqi province for elections
The top U.S. officer in Iraq's rebellious Anbar province believes the region can be settled and brought into national elections scheduled for Jan. 30. Anbar, a hotbed of insurgent unrest, stretches from west of Baghdad to the Syrian border and poses perhaps the toughest challenge to the U.S. mission in Iraq.

Gordon Trowbridge | Army Times | December 10, 2004 | 9:09 pm

Weather wages own war in Iraq
For commanders in war, fighting the enemy can sometimes be only half the battle. Weather can be just as challenging. Consider Mosul. Daily temperatures can shift 40 degrees or more, and rain clouds or dust storms can pop up without warning.

C. Mark Brinkley | Army Times | December 9, 2004 | 11:47 pm

Combat engineers improvise to armor troop transport
There's a huge Army dump truck here that's unlike any other in the U.S. arsenal, a virtual Frankenstein's monster truck, bulging and rippling at its spot-welded seams. The soldiers from the 276th Engineer Battalion (Combat), an Army National Guard unit from Richmond, Va., know about improvising.

C. Mark Brinkley | Army Times | December 9, 2004 | 11:38 pm

Fallujah residents may return home within days
Military officials will be prepared within days for the return of civilians to the battle-scarred city of Fallujah, and local companies will soon begin clearing the way for reconstruction, the military official responsible for rebuilding efforts said Tuesday.

Gordon Trowbridge | Army Times | December 7, 2004 | 10:56 pm

Translators' fears disrupt Iraq communications
In recent weeks, insurgents have been waging a terror campaign in Mosul, assassinating police or individuals suspected of working with the U.S.-led coalition.

USATODAY.com | December 7, 2004 | 10:47 pm

Troops wary of Baghdad airport route
Soldiers call the road between Baghdad and the international airport "RPG Alley," a reference to rocket-propelled grenades and the frequency of attacks.

Steven Komarow | USA TODAY | December 2, 2004 | 10:59 pm

Insurgency leaves Mosul ill-prepared for elections
With only two months to go until Iraq's general elections, the local government in Mosul has yet to devise a plan for registering voters in one of the country's largest cities. Insurgents torched most of the city's records during an uprising last month.

C. Mark Brinkley | Army Times | December 1, 2004 | 11:39 pm

U.S. will boost troop levels in Iraq
The Pentagon will increase U.S. forces in Iraq to their highest level yet to provide security for upcoming elections. More than 10,000 soldiers and Marines who expected to head home before the Jan. 30 vote will now stay until March and 1,500 troops from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division will be soon join them.

USA TODAY | December 1, 2004 | 11:19 pm

U.S. faces daunting `Sunni problem'
The challenge for U.S. and Iraqi forces now is to get control of the insurgency in time for the elections without killing and alienating so many Sunnis that they feel rebellion is their only option.

John Yaukey | GNS | November 30, 2004 | 3:28 pm

Mosul's militants fight mostly from shadows
About 40 dead bodies turned up across Mosul last week. The message from insurgents to the public was simple: We're here, and we're watching.

C. Mark Brinkley | Army Times | November 28, 2004 | 10:17 pm

Bittersweet Thanksgiving for troops in Iraq
For U.S. service members, Thursday was a day for remembering family and friends far away.

Gordon Trowbridge | Army Times | November 25, 2004 | 10:46 pm

Police lack training, firepower in fighting insurgency
Iraq's fledgling police force has enough to do battling crime, but it is also on the front lines of an insurgency. When police chase off criminals or insurgents, the suspects reappear before the cops return to their station.

USA TODAY | November 25, 2004 | 10:35 pm

U.S. sees no pressure to return civilians to Fallujah
Fallujah has been freed from ``a sick, depraved culture of violence,'' but it is unclear when the thousands of residents who fled the city in recent weeks can return to their homes, Marine officials said Sunday.

Gordon Trowbridge | The Army Times | November 21, 2004 | 9:43 pm

Marines find enemy GPS device
After a fierce firefight between the Marines of Alpha Company's 3rd Platoon and more than 30 anti-U.S. insurgents in Fallujah, one Marine discovered a gold mine: a detailed layout of the enemy's defenses. A handheld Global Positioning System receiver apparently left by fleeing rebels.

Gordon Trowbridge | The Army Times | November 18, 2004 | 10:58 pm

Humvees go high-tech for soldier safety
The military has been spending millions to develop better weapons and vehicles, with a focus on the Humvee. Soldiers and Army officials say upgrades have been valuable because they've already helped save lives.

Frank Oliveri | GNS | November 15, 2004 | 7:50 pm

Marine unit sweeps Fallujah, tries to quell 'reinfestation'
U.S. troops occupying this rebellious city are engaged in a dangerous house-by-house effort to root out insurgents fighting the American-backed Iraqi government.

Gordon Trowbridge | The Army Times | November 14, 2004 | 7:28 pm

Wedding bells ringing for more Iraqis
Iraq is a dangerous place, but not all the shooting is hostile. Much of the noise on weekends comes from wedding celebrations.

USATODAY.com | November 11, 2004 | 10:45 pm

VA seeks prosthetic support for amputees
Erick Castro of Santa Ana, Calif., who lost his left leg in Iraq to a rocket-propelled grenade, is among the 25,000 amputees who have received artificial limbs. Finding a prosthetic technician near his home to keep it working is a problem but when Castro finds one, the VA will pick up the bill.

Dennis Camire | GNS | November 10, 2004 | 10:45 pm

Fallujah key to salvaging Iraq
The battle for Fallujah certainly won't end Iraq's Sunni Arab-led insurgency. But the mission the Iraqis are calling the ``new dawn'' is widely viewed as a bellwether for the country's future and a powerful indicator of when U.S. forces might be able to start leaving.

John Yaukey | GNS | November 9, 2004 | 9:49 pm

Relieved commander did not support troops, state soldiers' kin say
The commander of an Army Reserve unit whose soldiers refused a fuel convoy order in Iraq last week has been relieved of her duties, the military confirmed.

The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger | October 21, 2004 | 11:43 pm

Poll: More Iraqis doubt nation's direction
More Iraqis say their country is headed in the wrong direction and they blame the poor security situation, a new poll has found.

USA TODAY | October 20, 2004 | 11:54 pm

Wives speaking for soldiers who refused convoy mission in Iraq
Patricia McCook and Jackie Butler have accepted a mission created when their husbands refused an order to transport fuel in Iraq last week. They are speaking for their husbands.

The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger | October 20, 2004 | 11:44 pm

U.S., Iraqi forces gear up to retake Fallujah
An imminent offensive to break the resistance in Fallujah, a rebel stronghold about 35 miles west of Baghdad, could be one of the most decisive battles since the fall of Baghdad 18 months ago.

USA TODAY | October 20, 2004 | 11:50 am

Put to test, 300 Iraqi troops fled
About 300 Iraqi soldiers abandoned their 750-man unit after being deployed to Samarra last month for a joint U.S.-Iraqi operation to retake the militant-controlled city, according to a British coalition official.

USA TODAY | October 19, 2004 | 11:48 pm

U.K. considers redeploying Iraq troops
British military officials will Tuesday begin studying where to shift some of their forces in Iraq in order to free U.S. troops to pursue new operations against insurgents.

USA TODAY | October 18, 2004 | 11:49 pm

Soldiers face discharge for allegedly refusing Iraq order
Five members of an Iraqi-based platoon who allegedly refused a convoy order earlier this week were told they would be punished with a general discharge, the father of one of the soldiers said Saturday.

The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger | October 17, 2004 | 12:49 am

U.S. Army reserves allegedly refused Iraq mission
A 17-member U.S. Army Reserve platoon deployed to Iraq has been placed under investigation for allegedly refusing a ``suicide mission'' to deliver fuel, a military spokesman said Friday.

The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger | October 15, 2004 | 11:07 pm

Iraqi TV delivers twists on reality and reality shows
"Caricateera" � or Caricatures � is Iraq's answer to "Saturday Night Live," a variety show driven by biting political satire. It's must-see TV for millions of Iraqis.

USA TODAY | October 14, 2004 | 12:32 am

U.S. weapons report details corruption of oil-for-food program
However, Saddam Hussein's regime found ways to turn the program to its advantage. That corruption is detailed in a report released last week by the chief U.S. weapons inspector, Charles Duelfer.

USA TODAY | October 11, 2004 | 11:20 pm

Iraq water treatment plants to go online
After 12 years without sewage treatment, Baghdad's water treatment plants will be soon be in operation � a big step toward addressing health problems caused by contaminated water.

USA TODAY | October 1, 2004 | 7:07 pm

Security is deteriorating in Baghdad, some say
Some people who live and work in Iraq's capital � including U.S. civilian contractors, security firms and charity groups � see a deteriorating security situation.

USA TODAY | September 28, 2004 | 11:37 pm

Iraqi leader, Bush: Keep Iraqi elections on schedule
President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi are resolute on the next major step for Iraq: Hold Iraq's first elections on schedule in January despite an insurgency that threatens to derail them.

John Yaukey | GNS | September 23, 2004 | 11:19 pm

Allawi makes rounds on U.S. visit
Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi speaks to a joint session of Congress Thursday as an increasingly violent insurgency complicates his country's plans for its first Democratic elections.

USA TODAY | September 22, 2004 | 11:52 pm

Bush at U.N.: No retreat in Iraq
President Bush gave an unflinching defense of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq to the U.N. General Assembly Tuesday, arguing that in an age of terrorism, "there is no safety in looking away."

USA TODAY | September 21, 2004 | 11:44 pm

Reality check: Is there a connection between 9/11 and Iraq?
Here are the highlights of President Bush and John Kerry's positions on a link between Iraq and 9/11, along with what experts say.

John Yaukey | GNS | September 17, 2004 | 7:49 pm

Travel is still far away for many in Iraq
The right to travel was one of the most enticing of the freedoms Iraqis looked forward to after the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime. It has also been one of the most agonizingly elusive.

USA TODAY | September 16, 2004 | 11:20 pm

Senators slam administration on Iraq
Senators from both parties accused the Bush administration Wednesday of incompetence in its efforts to rebuild Iraq and said the United States could lose the war unless it improves security and gets more money into the Iraqi economy.

USA TODAY | September 15, 2004 | 11:42 pm

Bush asks to spend rebuilding funds on security
The Bush administration notified Congress on Tuesday that it wants to shift nearly $3.5 billion from water, power and other reconstruction projects to try to bring stability to Iraq.

USA TODAY | September 14, 2004 | 11:05 pm

Dozens dead after synchronized attacks shake Iraq
Insurgents hammered central Baghdad on Sunday with one of their most intense mortar and rocket barrages ever in the heart of the capital, heralding a day of violence that killed nearly 60 people nationwide as security appeared to spiral out of control.

USA TODAY | September 11, 2004 | 11:13 pm

Insurgency threatens Iraqi elections, U.S. exit plan
An especially bloody six weeks in Iraq have clarified what lies ahead for the U.S. troops there: an insurgency that won�t quit and Iraqi forces incapable of fighting it alone anytime soon. This could delay elections and a U.S. pullout.

John Yaukey | GNS | September 10, 2004 | 2:55 pm

U.S., Iraqi forces move to regain control of cities
U.S. and Iraqi government forces launched simultaneous operations Thursday aimed at regaining control of areas that have fallen to insurgents.

USA TODAY | September 9, 2004 | 11:15 pm

Reports pan Iraq reconstruction
Detailed new reports by two independent groups offer a devastating portrait of the 16-month-old U.S. reconstruction effort in Iraq, blaming ongoing violence there in large part on misplaced U.S. priorities, bureaucratic bungling and poor planning.

USA TODAY | September 8, 2004 | 11:20 pm

Toll brings home pain, patriotism across USA
As the death toll for U.S. personnel in Iraq passed 1,000 Tuesday, much of the nation was transfixed by hurricanes and presidential politics. But not everyone.

USA TODAY | September 7, 2004 | 11:51 pm

Convicted soldier testifies at England hearing
The only soldier convicted in the Abu Ghraib prisoner-abuse scandal told a military judge here Monday that he watched Pfc. Lynndie England stomp on the toes and fingers of three Iraqi prisoners, laugh, and then pose for photos with them after they had been stripped nude.

USATODAY.com | August 30, 2004 | 11:28 pm

Higher-ups at Abu Ghraib could face abuse charges
Military prosecutors said Tuesday they are weighing charges against high-ranking military intelligence officers responsible for interrogating prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison.

USATODAY.com | August 24, 2004 | 11:58 pm

Report: Poor planning set context for abuse
A report Tuesday by a commission that investigated abuses at Abu Ghraib prison is one of the most stinging indictments yet of the Bush administration's planning for the occupation of Iraq.

USATODAY.com | August 24, 2004 | 11:57 pm

Abu Ghraib probes shift public focus
Two new reports on abuses at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison jumped on to front pages and into the national debate this week � jolting reminders of the ongoing conflict's political impact amid weeks of sniping over Vietnam.

Jill Lawrence | USA TODAY | August 24, 2004 | 11:37 pm

Panel: Top officials played role in prison abuse
An independent panel investigating prisoner abuse in Iraq blamed top Pentagon officials and local commanders for creating conditions that led to "acts of brutality and purposeless sadism" toward some prisoners at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison.

Dave Moniz | USA TODAY | August 24, 2004 | 11:36 pm

Soldier accepts blame in Abu Ghraib case
The most senior U.S. soldier accused of abusing Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison is expected to plead guilty to some of the charges, according to a statement released by his attorney Monday.

Noelle Knox | USATODAY | August 23, 2004 | 11:08 pm

U.S. soldier challenges enlistment extensions
The U.S. military's policy of extending the enlistments of tens of thousands of troops to cover needs in Iraq violates federal law and the Constitution, an Iraq war veteran is alleging in a lawsuit.

USATODAY.com | August 18, 2004 | 11:53 pm

Report on Iraq abuse cites interrogators, clears leaders
A new Army report on prisoner abuse by intelligence personnel at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison cites misconduct by military interrogators but exonerates high-ranking Pentagon officials and senior U.S. military commanders, a Pentagon official said Wednesday.

USATODAY.com | August 18, 2004 | 11:44 pm

Iraq hospitals under siege
When Iraqi physician Mahmud Thamer stepped down from the U.S. military helicopter that carried him into Baghdad on June 6, 2003, after 34 years of exile, he found Iraq's health system in shambles � wrecked not only by war, but by decades of neglect and corruption.

USATODAY.com | August 18, 2004 | 11:35 pm

Iraq vet boiling over `Fahrenheit' cameo
There are a lot of things Sgt. Peter Damon doesn't like about ``Fahrenheit 9/11.''But what he likes least about the controversial new film by left-wing provocateur Michael Moore is the fact that he's in it.

Gina Cavallaro | Army Times | August 9, 2004 | 6:53 pm

Chaotic picture of Abu Ghraib emerges
No one disputes that chaotic conditions existed at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq before the prisoner-abuse scandal erupted there.

USATODAY.com | August 8, 2004 | 11:15 pm

Soldier England described as troublemaker at Iraqi prison
Army Pfc. Lynndie England was portrayed by Army prosecutors Wednesday as a disobedient office clerk who sneaked out of her quarters at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq to sleep with her prison guard boyfriend and joined with several out-of-control guards to humiliate prisoners.

USATODAY.com | August 4, 2004 | 11:34 pm

Pfc. Lynndie England: Photos taken 'for fun'
The seven U.S. soldiers charged in the Abu Ghraib scandal abused Iraqi prisoners "just for fun," an Army investigator testified Tuesday at the start of a hearing that will determine whether Pfc. Lynndie England will be court-martialed for taking part in the abuse.

USATODAY.com | August 3, 2004 | 11:15 pm

Marine who vanished says he didn't desert
The U.S. Marine who disappeared from his base in Iraq and turned up three weeks later in Lebanon said Monday he did not desert his post.

USATODAY.com | July 19, 2004 | 11:57 pm

Audit finds U.S. lax on control of oil money
U.S. officials who ran Iraq until last month lacked adequate controls to track their spending of its oil money, but records give no indication they committed any fraud, an international audit says.

USATODAY.com | July 15, 2004 | 11:27 pm

WWII guidebook to Iraq is relevant today
Since invading Iraq, Americans have discovered that the country is a military, political and cultural minefield. But it's a lesson they could have learned from a pocket-sized booklet published six decades ago by the U.S. government.

USATODAY.com | July 15, 2004 | 11:13 pm

Assessment will decide if Marine fit for duty
Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun, the U.S. Marine who turned up in Lebanon after disappearing from his unit in Iraq, arrived Thursday at a base in Virginia, where doctors will assess whether he can return to duty.

USATODAY.com | July 15, 2004 | 11:07 pm

Al-Sadr's intentions, ambitions unclear
Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his spokesmen have been issuing conciliatory statements about working with the interim Iraqi government which took power two weeks ago. But it is still unclear whether the firebrand cleric is willing to play a constructive role or to disband his Mahdi Army.

USATODAY.com | July 15, 2004 | 11:02 pm

U.S., British probes reach similar findings
With some differences in the details, the reports by Britain's Lord Butler this week and the Senate Intelligence Committee last week reach the same conclusion about the flawed intelligence used to justify invading Iraq.

USATODAY.com | July 14, 2004 | 11:40 pm

Iraqi police collar hundreds of criminal suspects
More than 500 criminal suspects were in jail Tuesday after Iraqi police launched the largest anti-crime offensive since the country regained sovereignty two weeks ago.

USATODAY.com | July 13, 2004 | 11:28 pm

Fight for Ramadi exacts heavy toll on Marines
In a violent city where more Marines have died than anywhere else in Iraq, one was thought to be blessed with good fortune. Until the day his luck ran out.

USATODAY.com | July 13, 2004 | 11:26 pm

Military court hears Lynndie England case
A new Army lawyer was appointed to help defend Pfc. Lynndie England in the Abu Ghraib prisoner-abuse scandal on Monday, prompting a second delay in a hearing that will determine whether England will face a court-martial for allegedly mistreating Iraqis.

USATODAY.com | July 12, 2004 | 11:55 pm

U.S. troops face deadly challenges in Iraqi city of Ramadi
Ramadi may be the most dangerous city in Iraq. Though battles in places such as Fallujah and Najaf have gotten more attention, the Marine battalion in this provincial capital has encountered the most deadly combat fighting and logged the highest number of casualties of any U.S. battalion since the war in Iraq began.

Gregg Zoroya | USA TODAY | July 12, 2004 | 10:40 am

Pensacola soldiers: Iraqis grateful for U.S. help
Along with Army Reserve Maj. James Manzanares' painful recollections of the war�s human toll, Manzanares, who works at Nemours Children�s Clinic in Pensacola, Fla., is proud of the U.S. mission in Iraq. Now that Iraqi�s interim government has assumed sovereignty, men and women from the Pensacola area who have risked their lives say progress is being made.

Amber Bollman | The Pensacola News Journal | July 9, 2004 | 6:46 pm

Report: Flawed Iraq intelligence exposes national peril
The United States went to war in Iraq on false claims from an intelligence network so dysfunctional it raises grave concerns about being able to thwart future terrorist attacks, according to a Senate report released Friday and the lawmakers who wrote it.

John Yaukey | GNS | July 9, 2004 | 5:41 pm

Pivotal pre-war document was confident about Iraqi arsenal
Just before lawmakers voted to authorize the use of force against Iraq in October 2002, they were sent a pivotal 90-page report by the nation's intelligence community called the National Intelligence Estimate. Its assessments were reached without any U.S. or allied spies or operatives having seen any chemical or biological weapons in Iraq since 1995.

John Yaukey | GNS | July 9, 2004 | 3:08 pm

Several investigations focus on intelligence
The scathing Senate intelligence committee report on intelligence used to make a case for the war in Iraq is just part of a broad effort to identify and correct the way the government collects and uses intelligence in the age of terrorism.

Jon Frandsen | GNS | July 9, 2004 | 3:04 pm

Senate panel finds CIA's prewar spying was deficient
The CIA failed to penetrate Saddam Hussein's regime sufficiently before the war to find out what weapons Iraq possessed, and agency analysts applied faulty logic to the sketchy information they did have to conclude Saddam had weapons of mass destruction, a Senate committee report due out today says.

USATODAY.com | July 8, 2004 | 11:18 pm

Stability returning to Baghdad
Iraq's interim government, which began exerting influence even before it officially took political power last week, seems to be restoring a semblance of order to Baghdad's lawless streets.

USATODAY.com | July 7, 2004 | 11:42 pm

Senate panel to blast CIA, but not Bush, on Iraq intelligence
A blistering Senate report due out Friday is expected to lay most of the blame for the weapons of mass destruction debacle in Iraq on the CIA and largely spare the White House, according to lawmakers who have publicly discussed some of the analysis.

John Yaukey | GNS | July 7, 2004 | 11:25 pm

Insurgents will be defeated, interim Iraq president says
Iraqi President Ghazi al-Yawer predicted victory over the insurgency that has bedeviled U.S. troops, slowed reconstruction and left some cities ungovernable.

USATODAY.com | July 5, 2004 | 9:55 pm

Muslims around world debate hostage's fate
There is no word on Cpl. Wassef Ali Hassoun's whereabouts or fate. But there is plenty of word in the Muslim world, both here and abroad, about how he should be treated.

USATODAY.com | July 1, 2004 | 11:20 pm

Saddam won't make it easy to try him
The sound of clinking chains announced Saddam Hussein's arrival at the small makeshift courthouse on Thursday. During the 26-minute hearing, the 67-year-old former dictator was alternately nervous, feisty, angry, tired and impatient. He was never repentant.

USATODAY.com | July 1, 2004 | 10:58 pm

MPs: Some Iraqi guards as bad as prisoners
U.S. authorities in Iraq hired Iraqi prison guards to help staff Abu Ghraib and other prisons in Iraq, but the guards turned out to be almost as much trouble as the prisoners themselves, interviews and documents obtained by USA TODAY show.

USATODAY.com | July 1, 2004 | 12:04 am

Army recalls thousands for Iraq duty
The Pentagon is calling up nearly 10,000 more troops, more than half of them soldiers who had thought they had finished their active-duty time, Defense officials said Wednesday.

USATODAY.com | June 30, 2004 | 11:31 pm

U.S. to recall 5,600 troops for Iraq
The Pentagon is preparing an involuntary call-up of up to 5,600 discharged soldiers to help fill units depleted by fighting the two-front war on terror, the Army said Tuesday.

USATODAY.com | June 29, 2004 | 11:33 pm

Army using technology, intelligence to analyze execution video
The U.S. Army is combining advanced video analysis with information from intelligence agencies in its efforts to identify a man that Iraqi radicals execute on video. The Arab TV network Al-Jazeera obtained the video Monday with a statement claiming the man being executed was Spec. Keith Matthew Maupin, a Batavia, Ohio, resident missing since April 9 when his fuel-truck convoy was attacked in western Baghdad.

John Yaukey | GNS | June 29, 2004 | 6:24 pm

Next: A crash course in democracy
Ronald St. John, a political consultant with the International Republican Institute, recently asked some college students in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul to define democracy. One student stuck up his hand and answered: "Democracy means you can disobey laws you don't agree with." Iraqis have a lot to learn about democracy and not much time to learn it.

USATODAY.com | June 29, 2004 | 6:07 pm

Iraqi effort judged harshly
The U.S. administration in Iraq was bedeviled by staff shortages, escalating violence, lack of functioning Iraqi courts and continuing electrical power woes, a congressional report out Tuesday says.

USATODAY.com | June 29, 2004 | 6:02 pm

Women�s groups say U.S. hasn�t eased plight of Iraqi, Afghan women
Iraqi women�s rights deteriorated under U.S. occupation and could further worsen under Iraq�s new provisional government, according to a report released Tuesday by several women�s groups.

Greg Wright | GNS | June 29, 2004 | 6:00 pm

Last-minute handover confuses U.S. contractors in Iraq
Foreign contractors in Iraq, caught flat-footed by the early transfer of power Monday, say they're confused by last-minute edicts issued by the U.S. occupation chief setting out their liability under Iraqi law.

USATODAY.com | June 28, 2004 | 11:03 pm

New era is blessing for some, curse for others
One of the greatest challenges facing the new Iraqi government, which took power Monday, is creating a system where there are more Iraqis who are optimistic than disgruntled. For all the money spent, the U.S. occupation government has left much of society disillusioned, unemployed and too easily recruited by insurgents.

USATODAY.com | June 28, 2004 | 10:27 pm

What members of Congress are saying about the transfer of power
Here is what some members of Congress had to say about the expedited transfer of power in Iraq.

GNS | June 28, 2004 | 7:19 pm

Violence to test bond between U.S. and newly sovereign Iraq
U.S. ground commanders have been warning that the sovereignty transfer will not discourage insurgents. The difference as of Monday is that Iraqis now must try to take the lead in repelling them.

John Yaukey | GNS | June 28, 2004 | 4:17 pm

Security forces in Iraq brace for larger role
As the United States closes its occupation government and turns authority over to an interim Iraqi administration, security in the country is poised to take a different tack.

USATODAY.com | June 27, 2004 | 11:19 pm

Lugar optimistic despite Iraq setbacks
Only days ahead of a transition of power in Iraq, Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, one of the nation's leading foreign relations experts, said Thursday he is optimistic that Iraq is on track toward a ``rough-and-ready democracy'' that will help stabilize the region.

Maureen Groppe | GNS | June 26, 2004 | 5:56 pm

Gore blasts Bush's Iraq strategy
Gore accused President Bush of abusing his powers and playing on the emotions of Americans to wage a campaign of deception for political gain.

Larry Bivins | GNS | June 24, 2004 | 7:20 pm

Power transfer in Iraq geared to elections
Many a pundit has discounted the handoff as mere symbolism. But it does at least point the way for an eventual U.S. exit - even if it fails to guarantee a successful one.

John Yaukey | GNS | June 24, 2004 | 4:25 pm

Iraq sovereignty raises questions about future
The sovereignty agreement is vague in places, raising questions about who will command U.S. troops starting Monday and what will happen to deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

John Yaukey | GNS | June 24, 2004 | 3:57 pm

Who will be in charge of security?
Iraqi leaders will have the power to veto major operations like the Marine mission recently in Fallujah.

Gannett News Service | June 24, 2004 | 3:45 pm

Comparisons made about postwar period
Bush administration officials have compared the occupation and rebuilding of Iraq to the occupations of Japan and Germany after World War II.

Gannett News Service | June 24, 2004 | 3:39 pm

White House responds to critics with policy disclosure
White House officials decided that they had no choice but to release documents Tuesday detailing their internal debate over interrogation policies, according to interviews with administration officials.

USATODAY.com | June 23, 2004 | 10:39 pm

Rumsfeld OK'd harsh treatment
In an extraordinary disclosure of classified material, the Bush administration released 258 pages of internal documents Tuesday that portray harsh interrogation techniques � including stripping terror suspects and threatening them with dogs � as a necessary response to threats from al-Qaeda terrorists.

USATODAY.com | June 23, 2004 | 10:38 pm

General promised quick results if Gitmo plan used at Abu Ghraib
The general who pushed for more aggressive interrogation tactics at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison predicted better intelligence within a month if his strategies were adopted, according to a copy of his classified plan obtained by USA TODAY.

USATODAY.com | June 23, 2004 | 10:36 pm

Generals ordered to testify on abuse
A military judge on Monday ordered top U.S. generals to answer questions about abuse at Abu Ghraib prison and ruled that the infamous facility should be preserved as a "crime scene" for now, not torn down as President Bush has suggested.

USATODAY.com | June 22, 2004 | 12:18 am

Kurds experiencing tranquility in Iraq
Imagine an Iraq where GIs are greeted with cheers rather than roadside explosives, where traffic flows in orderly processions, where the calm is undisturbed by car bombs or assassinations. Such an Iraq already exists in the northern third of the country, where the local Kurdish population has governed itself for the past 13 years.

USATODAY.com | June 20, 2004 | 11:04 pm

Power handoff in Iraq not likely to cut war costs
As Iraq struggles to stand on its own, the 116th Cavalry Brigade from Idaho's National Guard will be entering the newly sovereign country expected to be every bit as volatile as it was under American rule. Indeed, the price Americans pay in Iraq with blood and money will not likely abate anytime soon, despite the power handoff.

John Yaukey | GNS | June 18, 2004 | 4:23 pm

Bremer satisfied with Iraq's progress
Despite an increase in violence before the transfer of sovereignty to Iraqis, the American administrator of Iraq says the country is on a path to democracy that will carry it through to elections and a representative government early next year.

USATODAY.com | June 17, 2004 | 11:13 pm

Iraqis to regain control of the renovated Baghdad airport
Iraq's new leadership will take control of a rehabilitated Baghdad International Airport in the next few weeks. The hand-over is expected to open the door for the first normal commercial service since the U.S. invasion 15 months ago.

USATODAY.com | June 16, 2004 | 11:46 pm

Panel says Saddam didn't help al-Qaeda
There is "no credible evidence" that Saddam Hussein helped al-Qaeda plan and train for attacks against the United States, the commission investigating the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks said Wednesday. That finding disputes a rationale the Bush administration gave for invading Iraq.

USATODAY.com | June 16, 2004 | 11:38 pm

Contractors pay rising toll in Iraq
Eighty-five civilians working on U.S. government contracts or subcontracts have died in Iraq since spring 2003, according to Labor Department data obtained by USA TODAY.

USATODAY.com | June 16, 2004 | 11:27 pm

U.S. missed need for prison personnel in war plans
As investigators try to piece together what led to the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib in the fall of 2003, the shortage of trained personnel appears to be one of the keys to what went wrong.

USATODAY.com | June 14, 2004 | 11:06 pm

Ailing companies blame Iraq war
Hundreds of companies blame the Iraq war for poor financial results in 2003, many warning that continued U.S. military involvement there could harm this year's performance.

USATODAY.com | June 14, 2004 | 10:19 pm

Wounded Vt. guardsman anxious to get home
A mortar had ripped open Brooks' left leg and blown away part of his foot. Nearby lay the bodies of two fellow Vermonters.

Erin Kelly | GNS | June 14, 2004 | 5:57 pm

Fallujah Brigade tries U.S. patience
A top Marine officer here says the compromise that gave control of Fallujah to an Iraqi brigade in exchange for the withdrawal of Marines may be a failure.

USATODAY.com | June 13, 2004 | 11:18 pm

Bush wants NATO relief in Iraq
President Bush, eager to reduce U.S. responsibilities in Iraq, said Wednesday that he hopes NATO will take a more active role there.

USATODAY.com | June 9, 2004 | 11:51 pm

U.S. force in Iraq to grow as Marine deployment pushed up
The Pentagon will increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq to around 145,000 this summer, from the current 140,000, in recognition of the continued difficulty coalition forces are having in providing security leading up to the hand-over of political power to Iraqis on June 30.

USATODAY.com | June 9, 2004 | 12:28 am

U.N. approves Iraq resolution
The United Nations Security Council handed the Bush administration an important foreign policy victory Tuesday by voting unanimously for a resolution backing the new caretaker government of Iraq and a multinational force under U.S. command.

USATODAY.com | June 8, 2004 | 11:05 pm

Lawmakers in both parties urge Congress to probe abuse
Congress should do more to investigate the abuse of prisoners at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison rather than let the military probe itself, members of Congress in both parties say.

USATODAY.com | June 7, 2004 | 11:55 pm

Iraq seeks '.IQ' domain to make its mark on Net
Iraq is making its first claim for an internationally recognized presence on the Internet.

USATODAY.com | June 3, 2004 | 11:53 pm

Allawi's ascent follows extensive PR campaign
Iraq's new prime minister waged an expensive lobbying and public relations campaign beginning last year to build political support � not in Baghdad, but in Washington.

USATODAY.com | June 3, 2004 | 11:47 pm

Gears grind as effort shifts into overdrive
The U.S.-funded reconstruction drive in Iraq is entering a make-or-break phase, ramping up to create 1.5 million jobs and set off a building boom despite grave doubts about the sustainability of the occupation.

USATODAY.com | June 3, 2004 | 11:42 pm

Army extends duty for soldiers
In the latest sign of the growing strains on thinly stretched U.S. armed forces, the Army has issued orders to block tens of thousands of soldiers heading to Iraq and Afghanistan from leaving the military or transferring to other units, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

USATODAY.com | June 2, 2004 | 11:57 pm

U.S. and Britain circulate revised Iraq resolution
The United States and Britain tried to smooth over objections to a United Nations resolution on Iraq on Tuesday with a version that would remove troops no later than early 2006.

USATODAY.com | June 1, 2004 | 11:17 pm

Cash crunch curbs rebuilding in Iraq
With bank lending almost non-existent and foreign investment in Iraq about as common as a snowstorm, Iraqi businesses are struggling to secure the credit they need for life after Saddam Hussein.

USATODAY.com | June 1, 2004 | 11:12 pm

Two Marines convicted of prisoner abuse
Two infantry Marines were convicted in courts-martial May 14 of abusing an Iraqi prisoner with electrical shocks, Marine Corps officials said May 27.

MarineTimes.com | May 28, 2004 | 8:13 pm

Militias threaten to split Iraq, entrench U.S. troops
There are worrisome signs Iraq's fractious Shiite, Sunni Arabs and Kurdish militias, deployed now along sensitive religious and ethnic fronts, intend to stay active as U.S. civil authorities attempt to bring Iraqis together under a sovereign government this summer.

John Yaukey | GNS | May 27, 2004 | 4:27 pm

5 more GIs may face abuse charges
At least five more Army soldiers involved in abuses at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison last fall are likely to be charged with criminal conduct in the next several weeks, a high-ranking Army officer with knowledge of the cases said Wednesday.

USATODAY.com | May 26, 2004 | 11:54 pm

Timing of general's departure questioned
Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez is likely to be judged the highest-ranking casualty of a foundering occupation and a corrosive prisoner abuse scandal, both of which tarnished the year he has been the top U.S. commander in Iraq.

USATODAY.com | May 25, 2004 | 11:04 pm

Analysis: Bush tries to broaden focus on Iraq war, dispel concerns about his leadership
In a springtime of sorrow and second guessing, President Bush on Monday sought to attack the doubts that threaten his presidency by portraying Iraq as a pivotal point in the war on terrorism, and a crossroads in history.

Chuck Raasch | GNS | May 25, 2004 | 12:31 am

Army may be sending training base troops to Iraq
The Army, pressing to meet the need for combat troops in Iraq, is making contingency plans to deploy an elite unit whose mission is to play the enemy in rigorous field exercises. It is the latest sign of the Army's personnel crunch, say some experts.

USATODAY.com | May 25, 2004 | 12:19 am

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