US gives up search for WMD in Iraq A 400-strong US military team which has been looking for WMD was withdrawn after finding nothing of substance. The head of the US search, David Kay, confirmed rumours of his resignation last month. A separate group looking for weapons still remains.
Saddam Officially Declared POW The US Defence Department finally declares Saddam Hussein a prisoner of war. Under the "prisoner of war" classification, the Geneva Convention applys and Saddam Hussein must be given an international trial... but it seems America wants an Iraqi trial.
Bush planned an Iraq invasion before 911 Former US Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neil writes in his new book that President Bush began making plans for an invasion of Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein from power within days of his inauguration in January 2001, eight months before Sep 11. He described the President as a "blind man in a room full of deaf people."
Al-Sistani organizes massive protest Iraq's foremost Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani, flexed his muscles by organizing a large nation wide protest against the US plan for the transfer of power. Bremer wants 18 regional committees to appoint members of the legislature, but Al-Sistani wants true elections. An aide to Al-Sistani said that a fatwa (religious edict) declaring the U.S. plan illegitimate may be issued if his demand for direct elections are ignored.
Bremer visits Washington US "administrator" in Iraq, Paul Bremer, discussed plans to return sovereignty to Iraq with President Bush and his advisers.
Pentagon to probe alleged abuse of Iraq detainees The investigation involves more than one incident. "These are not rumors," said a US military spokesperson. Earlier this month 2 soldiers had their ranks lowered and Master Sgt. Lisa Girman, Staff Sgt. Scott McKenzie and Spec. Timothy Canjar were ordered to forfeit pay for two months after being found guilty of dereliction of duty for "failing to safeguard Iraqis under their control" and "maltreatment of Iraqi detainees." The abuse included kicking prisoners in the groin and twisting a prisoner's injured arm.
Bremer seeks help from UN Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan met with US "administrator" of Iraq Paul Bremer in New York and promised the UN would study a request to help with the "elections" in Iraq.
David Kay calls US Intelligence a "failure" David Kay, the outgoing chief U.S. weapons inspector in Iraq said, "My summary view, based on what I've seen, is that we're very unlikely to find large stockpiles of weapons. I don't think they exist."
Lord Hutton releases his long awaited report British Judge Lord Hutton releases a report into the allegations made by BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan that Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Director of Communications Alastair Campbell "sexed up" the Iraq dossier on weapons of mass destruction. The inquiry also examined the David Kelly affair, the British weapons expert who commit suicide after it was revealed by Tony Blair that Mr. Kelly was the source of the BBC report. The Hutton report finds that changes were made by the Blair administration in the wording of certain documents, including changing the word "could" to "can" in the famously false claim that Iraq "can" launch a chemical attack within 45 minutes. However most people perceive this report as being strongly in Tony Blair's favor and highly critical of the corporation. BBC chairman Gavyn Davies resigns.
BBC Journalist Andrew Gilligan resigns Mr. Gilligan resigns after Lord Hutton's inquiry was critical of his reporting that the government "sexed up" intelligence reports concerning Iraqi WMD. "My departure is at my own initiative. But the BBC collectively has been the victim of a grave injustice," he said.
