Excerpts from previous updates, by subject

Removed on March 4, 2005

Political environment

• Attacks by insurgents threaten to disrupt the January 30, 2005 elections. The Iraqi Islamic Party, the largest political party representing Sunni Muslims, has withdrawn from the elections, citing concerns that bloodshed will keep Sunni Muslims from voting. Osama bin Laden has called for a boycott of the elections, and Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, head of the al-Qaida affiliate in Iraq, has declared war on Iraq’s elections. Meanwhile, Iraq has reportedly replaced Afghanistan as the primary terrorist training and recruiting ground.

• A national conference with 1,300 delegates convened on August 15, 2004, after having been postponed at the request of the United Nations in the face of security concerns. On August 18, 2004 the conference selected 81 candidates to serve on an interim national assembly. The 81 members joined the 19 members of the former Iraqi Governing Council, whose seats on the assembly were guaranteed.

• On June 28, 2004, the United States transferred political power to the interim Iraqi government, after which the Coalition Provisional Authority was immediately dissolved. Mr. Ghazi Ajil Yawer assumed the largely-ceremonial post of president, and Mr. Ayad Allawi the post of prime minister, which controls day-to-day governmental operations. The interim government's primary tasks are to prepare Iraq for a national election to be held on January 30, 2005, and to provide security, with the help of a multinational coalition. The election will result in a transitional assembly, whose responsibility will be to draft a permanent constitution and chose a president and two deputy presidents. The three executives will then select a prime minister and cabinet. The interim government was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council, which charged the government with making political decisions and controlling the economy--including oil-industry revenue.