Iraq

Secretary Rice (Jan. 30): "This is the start of a new day for Iraq. It's not perfect. There are parts of the country where people have been intimidated and where the violence is very high. ... [W]hat we are seeing is that Iraqis are voting in large numbers. I think everybody believes it's better than expected. There are parts of the country where we expected a low turnout, but this election is, of course, a first step; and what it really says is that the Iraqi people are not prepared to be fearful and intimidated and kept from their right to exercise their voice." [full text of Fox interview] Also see ABC, CBS, CNN interviews; remarks outside CBS studio; view photos.

Fact sheets: Iraq's January 30 election is the next step on the road to a secure, prosperous, and democratic Iraq. The Iraqi people will elect a 275-member Transitional National Assembly. By the end of 2005, the Iraqi people are expected to elect a new national government under a new, permanent constitution. Read more in these Jan. 18 and Jan. 25 fact sheets. Also see photos of preparations [1, 2, 3].

Ambassador Negroponte's January 23 interviews on ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, and NBC.

President Bush: "Elections in Iraq are going forward, even though there are terrorists trying to stop the election process.... [T]he political process is unfolding.... [T]his is the election of an assembly, which will choose leadership. The new leadership will further refine the security strategy and will write a constitution.... Iraq has been a sovereign nation in its new form for less than a year, and there are many reasons to be optimistic about the emergence of a free government." [more]

Acting Assistant Secretary briefs the press on the status of the out-of-country voting program for Iraqi citizens in the U.S. and the accelerating pace of preparations for elections in Iraq. [more]

Fact sheet: Iraqis, with help from the Coalition and many partners, are rebuilding their country and offering freedom, new opportunities and much needed services to their people. Security problems remain a major challenge for the Iraqi people and for development in various parts of the country. Nevertheless, real progress has been made in many key areas. [more]  

Section 2207 report to Congress provides a quarterly update on the use of Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Funds. The funding aims to improve security, increase Iraqi employment, and support the democratic transition in Iraq.

President Bush: "Chief weapons inspector Charles Duelfer has now issued a comprehensive report that confirms the earlier conclusion of David Kay that Iraq did not have the weapons that our intelligence believed were there. The Duelfer report also raises important new information about Saddam Hussein's defiance of the world and his intent and capability to develop weapons." [more]

--Visit the U.S. Embassy Web site.
--The Commerce Department has created a task force to help U.S. companies participate in the economic rebuilding of Iraq.
--Information on U.S. Government Iraq reconstruction contracts.