REPORTS FROM THE FIELD

• Video footage of security contractors apparently firing on an Iraqi civilian vehicle has prompted an investigation by the U.S. military, a spokesman said Thursday, and by the company linked to the incidents.

• Catch up on Michael Yon - there are a couple of new dispatches up.

• There is no word yet on the fate of the four peace activists one day after terrorists threatened to execute them if prisoners were not released.

RECONSTRUCTION & THE ECONOMY

• Take a look at this week's reconstruction highlights: Iraq takes first step to rejoin World Customs Organization (WCO). Two Iraqi Customs Department officials recently met with WCO executives and attended the twice yearly Harmonized System Committee meeting, marking Iraq’s first step toward rejoining the Brussels, Belgium-based organization. USAID/Iraq has designed and is implementing a comprehensive program to provide access to credit to Iraq’s micro, small, and medium enterprises in a sustainable manner. USAID’s Agricultural Reconstruction and Development in Iraq (ARDI) program and the Ministry of Agriculture are implementing an integrated sheep nutrition program as an inexpensive model for improving the health of sheep flocks and increasing the production and sale of sheep meat, milk and wool. ARDI and the Departments of Water Resources in governorates throughout Iraq are cooperating to rehabilitate small hydraulic infrastructure in irrigation systems. Over 30 mud schools throughout Iraq have been replaced through USAID’s Education II program. Over 9,900 teachers have received training in Information Communication Technology (ICT), teaching Iraqi educators how to use computers effectively in the classroom. Nearly 7,500 educators have received ESL training, improving their ability to teach English as a Second Language courses to Iraqi students. A 12-day workshop for 70 Master Trainers in science recently began in Amman, Jordan, in partnership with the Amman Arab University. The course will equip the 70 master trainers to train educators in modern methods of teaching in the sciences. An Iraq Transition Initiative (ITI) improved the power supply – and powered a water treatment plant – in a large district in central Iraq. An ITI grant restored power to a children’s hospital. Located in one of Iraq’s poorest governorates, the children’s hospital suffered from frequent power outages. The Iraqi Special Tribunal (IST) receives support from ITI to help build capacity. Created in December 2003 to address past crimes against humanity, the IST is working to establish the necessary evidentiary infrastructure to collect, analyze, and protect critical evidence. ITI grants have provided IST key equipment, materials, and stipends to support a secured storage facility to store evidence.

IRAQI POLITICS

• The results of the upcoming election may spur additional cries for a timetable for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. These requests may be harder for the administration to resist, however, as they will be coming from the duly elected Iraqi government.

• With Thursday's elections approaching, the government has closed the borders and imposed a curfew intended to reduce threats to the voters.

• Former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi was chased out of Shi'ite Islam's holiest shrine in Najaf on Sunday by an angry mob who hurled shoes, rocks, and debris at the former premier.

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

THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE

• President Bush says that the U.S. will be able to start bringing troops home in 2006 in the wake of the 15 December elections. Some Senators believe that talk of withdrawal must wait for Iraqis to work out their constititution first.

• The Japanese government approved an extension of its troop deployment in Iraq for one year, but said it might still decide to withdraw some troops before then.

• South Korea plans to withdraw 1,000 troops from its 3,200-strong contingent in Iraq in the first half of next year.

ETCETERA

• Curiosity may have killed the cat, but the Bush administration faces no such risk. Stephen Hayes wonders why the Pentagon is so remarkably incurious about all the prewar documents of the Iraqi government. Not only have they refused an FOIA request to release certain unclassified documents, but the Pentagon is apparently going to shut down the program of translating and analyzing the documents, eliminating any chance of learning where our prewar mistakes were.

• Jonathan Rauch says - "President Bush may not know it yet—or, then again, he may—but in Iraq he is about to do a Nixon. Psychologically and politically, the withdrawal phase has already begun. Militarily, the pullback will start within weeks or, at most, months after the December 15 Iraqi parliamentary elections." Do you agree with the Vietnam correlation?

• Back in court, Saddam Hussein said - "Give me time, give me room. I am defending not myself, but you all."

• Do you have your GI Bracelet? Many military families fall into financial hardship when the breadwinner is injured or killed. The entire 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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