More Information on Iraq Reconstruction

Iraqis queuing to vote at a polling station in the centre of Az Zubayr, southern Iraq.(© AP/WWP)

On January 30th, the Iraqi people voted in the first free election in Iraq in over fifty years. In accordance with the Transitional Administrative Law, several important dates still remain as Iraq moves toward democracy.

August 15, 2005 - Date by which a constitution is to be drafted by the newly elected transitional government.
October 15, 2005 - Date by which a national vote is to be held regarding the ratification of the proposed constitution.
December 31, 2005 - Date that elections for a permanent government take place if the constitution is ratified. If the constitution is not ratified, this is the date by which elections for a new national assembly are to be held.

To learn more about Iraq’s election and future political process, click here. To view a photo gallery of events on Iraq’s Election Day, click here.

Whitehouse confirms $80 billion supplemental request.

Senior administration officials said the White House will seek an approximately $80 billion supplemental request for the 2005 fiscal year. A portion of these funds will be directed to the training of security forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. For more information on the supplemental request, click here. As of February 2, 2005, the following numbers of Iraqi police and military had been trained and equipped:

COMPONENT	TRAINED & EQUIPPED
Police	57,290
Highway Patrol
Other MOI Forces	21,826
TOTAL	79,116*
Army	56,284
Navy	139
Air Force	526
TOTAL	56,949**