Perspective: On This Day In Iraq -- April 5th edition

April 5, 2004: A supporter of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr demonstrates near a burning US army truck April 5, 2004 in the Shula neighbourhood of Baghdad.


April 5, 2002:

Bush: 'Saddam needs to go'

President Bush today gave the clearest sign yet that the US is preparing for military action against Iraq, declaring "Saddam needs to go".
The statement of intent, which will alarm many western powers opposed to a new campaign, came as Mr Bush prepares for his mini-summit with Tony Blair.

The two leaders' discussions, taking place over the weekend in the informal setting of the president's Texas ranch, will focus on possible solutions to violence in the Middle East. But Mr Bush made clear that the controversial question of action against Iraq would also be on the agenda. In an interview for ITV's Tonight with Trevor McDonald, the president said today: "I made up my mind that Saddam needs to go. That's about all I'm willing to share with you.

Read the rest at the Guardian


April 5, 2003:

U.S. soldiers, tanks enter Iraqi capital

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. soldiers and tanks are operating inside Baghdad, 17 days after the war in Iraq began, Army sources said early Saturday.

Several tank units from the 2nd Brigade of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division rolled into the Iraqi capital on what was described as a reconnaissance mission, CNN correspondent Walter Rodgers reported.

Meanwhile Saturday, a day after U.S. forces secured the newly christened Baghdad International Airport, Iraqi forces are offering organized but small-scale resistance to American soldiers working to bring adjacent areas under control, the commanding officer of the Army's 3-7th Cavalry said.

Read the rest at


April 5, 2004:

US military seeks extra gasoline for southern Iraq

NEW YORK, April 5 (Reuters) - The U.S. military issued a tender seeking an extra 576,000 barrels of gasoline for delivery to southern Iraq this spring, the Defense Energy Support Center said on Monday.

The tender, which calls for the fuel to be barged to the Iraqi port of Khor Al-Zubaryr from May 1 to June 30, is in addition to about 8.3 million barrels of gasoline, kerosene and diesel solicited this winter.

The U.S. military is purchasing the fuel for use by the Iraqi populace, thereby taking over Haliburton's role of getting fuel to the Iraqi people.

Read the rest at Forbes


April 5, 2005:

Commanders again plead for armored Humvees

WASHINGTON - For the fifth time in the past year, U.S. commanders running the war in Iraq have told the Army to send more armored Humvee utility vehicles to protect U.S. troops.

Just as the Army was reaching its target of 8,279 factory-built armored Humvees for delivery to Iraq, U.S. Central Command last month raised the bar again, to 10,079, Army officials disclosed Tuesday.

The Army has been accused by many in Congress of lagging behind in providing armor protection for troops, hundreds of whom have been killed or wounded in ambushes and roadside bombs in Iraq. The Army says it has pressed the vehicle manufacturer for as many as possible, and it has been chasing a moving target set initially at 1,407 by commanders in Iraq in August 2003.

Read the rest at Newsweek


April 5, 2006:

Shiite threat draws secret Mideast talks

CAIRO - Top intelligence officers from several Arab countries and Turkey have been meeting secretly to coordinate their governments' strategies in case civil war erupts in Iraq and in an attempt to block Iran's interference in the war-torn nation, Arab diplomats said Tuesday.

The meetings came after several Arab leaders voiced concerns about possible Shiite domination of Iraq and their alliance with Iran.

The four diplomats said intelligence chiefs from Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and non-Arab Turkey held a series of meetings over the last few weeks to assess the situation in Iraq.

Read the rest at the Arizona Republic