REPORTS FROM THE FIELD

• In Baghdad, gunmen killed police Lieutenant Colonel Alaa Khalil Ibrahim, who worked in the passport section of the Interior Ministry. Major General Mohsen Abdel Sada was killed in a separate incident, also in Baghdad.

• U.S. forces in Iraq just missed capturing terrorist leader al-Zarqawi, It is reported an Iraqi citizen's tip led to an operation which netted al-Zarqawi's driver but that Zarqawi jumped from a moving vehicle to escape Task Force 626's surveillance. Also captured was $104,000 in euros, a laptop, and several flashdrives, which is apparently how al-Zarqawi communicates to various cells.

• Cori Dauber notes that one of the car bombs in yesterday's attacks was an explosives-packed ambulance, and says "no report should have left out this detail." Surprisingly, the elite newshounds of the New York Times missed it.

• A Captain from the Iowa National Guard is unhappy with the training he received at Fort Hood prior to mobilization. Jason Van Steenwyk takes a look at the situation.

• American soldiers took a serious beating from Iraqi forces in Kirkuk: a 13-1 scalping in soccer against Iraqi security forces. (Hat tip: Dean Esmay.)

IRAQI POLITICS

• Sheikha Lameah Khaddouri al-Sakri, one of 87 women serving on Iraq's National Assembly, was killed by terrorists at her home in Baghdad. "One of them got out and fired on her [Khadduri], the other two went around to pick up the dead body," he said. "But [when] they saw a crowd had gathered, they got into the car and they all left."

• Strategy Page takes a look at the developing schism between Sunnis in Iraq. Hardliners want to continue the fight in the hope they can regain power, while the pragmatists are realizing that their hopes of winning are so slim that accomodation is their best hope. Their hands may be forced if the Kurds and Shiites grow tired of Sunni-inspired violence, however.

• Iraq's National Assembly voted by hand count in favor of a Shiite-led Cabinet creating the first elected government since the fall of Saddam Hussein - who turned 68 on the same day.Coincidence?

• The latest Carnival of the Liberated is up at Dean's World.

RECONSTRUCTION AND THE ECONOMY

• Here are some of this week's reconstruction highlights: The USAID week 26 highlights are not yet published, but Defend America has some month-by-month highlights in a great at-a-glance" format.

THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE

• American and Iraqi soldiers detained 11 people, five of whom are believed to have been involved with the death of British aid worker Margaret Hassan.

• It appears that British Prime Minister Tony Blair will keep his job despite widespread British discontent over the Iraq war, according to a new public opinion poll.

• Syria has agreed to restore its relations with Iraq, a major move for the other Arab nation run by Baathists.

ETCETERA

• Army Sergeant Hasan Akbar has been sentenced to die for killing two of his fellow troops and wounding 14 others in Kuwait. The US military has executed 135 servicemembers since 1916, but has not executed a servicemember since Pvt John A. Bennett was hanged after being convicted of rape and attempted murder in 1961. The death penalty was suspended in 1972 and reinstated by Ronald Reagan in 1984. A court martial death sentence automatically goes to appeal. The President has the power to commute a death sentence and no servicemember can be executed unless the President personally confirms the death penalty. The Uniform Code of Military Justice provides the death penalty as a possible punishment for 15 offenses, many of which must occur during a time of war. All 8 (including Akbar) men on the military's death row were convicted of premeditated murder or felony murder - there are 450 inmates at the US Disciplinary Barracks at Ft.
  Leavenworth.

• Radio Dijla has turned a house into one of the first Post Saddam radio stations on the air. It is also billed as the first independently owned talk radio station in the Middle East.

• Charles Duelfer, head of the Iraq Survey Group, states there is no reason to keep the Iraqi scientists who are held because of their knowledge of Iraq's weapons program "Others may have reasons for not letting them go. I wanted to be on the record that, in respect to the WMD inquiry, we're done," Duefler also stated the weapons investigation wasn't done very well.

• The United States Army has cleared the soldiers involved in the death of Nicola Calipari following the release of Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena. The report is unlikely to assuage the Italian public's anger over Calipari's death, but the Army seems to have the evidence on its side.

• Do you have your GI Bracelet? Many military families fall into financial hardship when the breadwinner is injured or killed. The entire $5 purchase price of the GI Bracelet is donated to support our troops and their families! Please join us to give back to these brave people in their time of need.

• The troops are still there. So is the Winds of Change.NET consolidated directory of ways you can support the troops: American, Australian, British, Canadian & Polish. Anyone out there with more information, contact us!

• Don't forget Chief Wiggles' Toys for Iraq drive!

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