Iraq: April 18, 2003

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The 1st Marine division is preparing to depart Iraq, being replaced by U.S. Army troops. America is asking it's coalition allies, particularly Eastern European nations, to contribute troops (both combat and support) for duty in Iraq. The U.S. would pay the expenses, so this would be an attractive deal for the nations sending soldiers. 

Some 3,000 Iranian troops have crossed the Iraqi border and are moving towards camps occupied by the Iranian revolutionary organization, the People's Mujahadeen. U.S. troops have been rounding up members of the Mujahadeen. There have been no reports of Iranian and American troops running into each other.

The U.S. is upping its "Weapons of Mass Destruction" search parties to a thousand troops. So far, none of these nasties have been found. The U.S. is hoping that captured Iraqis will provide information where the weapons are hidden. But so far this has not produced anything either.

U.S. war casualties so far total 126 dead (109 in combat) and 495 wounded (plus 59 injured in accidents.) Three soldiers are still listed as missing. The casualties of coalition allies increase the total by about 25 percent. Thus total casualties are well under a thousand.