Kurds are still fighting armed Islamic radicals near the Iranian border. Over fifty people have been killed in nearly a week of fighting with the Ansar Al-Islam. Among the Ansar dead the Kurds found two Syrians, two Palestinians and an Iraqi. The Kurds believe that there are at least thirty al Qaeda members among the thousand Ansar fighters in the area. 

A U.S. December 7-9 opinion survey found that 59 percent of Americans backed military action against Iraq, even if this lead to increased terrorist attacks.