Sunni:

Minority Islamic sect in Iraq (but majority worldwide)

Religion of Saddam Hussein

Group makes up about 35 percent of Iraqi Muslims

Shi’a (also known as Shiites):

Dominant Islamic sect in Iraq (but minority worldwide)

Group makes up about 60 percent of Iraqi Muslims

Kurds:

An ethnic group indigenous to the Middle East

Practice Sunni Islam

IED: Improvised Explosive Device

Makeshift bombs used by insurgents made out of ordinary

materials

Often referred to as roadside bombs

Sometimes detonated with garage door openers or

cell phones

WMD: Weapons of mass destruction

Ba’athist Party: Political party of Saddam Hussein

Robert Gates: Secretary of defense, replaced

Donald Rumsfeld in December 2006

Multinational Force in Iraq:

Also known as the Coalition

Group of nations that supports American efforts

in Iraq with their own militias

Includes 27 countries in 2007

As of January 2007

132,000+ American troops deployed in Iraq

7,200 British troops

2,300 South Korean troops

1,300 Australian troops

Private Military Contractors (PMCs)

Outsourced civilians paid to work as journalists,

specialists, etc.

Have no accountability to the U.S. military and

its laws

Cannot carry weapons

Number about 48,000 American, 21,000 British

Prime Minister of Iraq: Nouri al-Maliki

A Shi’a Muslim

RECENT NEWS

Bush says that 20,000+ troops will be deployed to

the Middle Eastern theater. Most will be sent to

Baghdad to control insurgency. Deployments will begin

at the end of January.

As of Jan. 23

3,032 American troops have been killed in Iraq

22,951 American troops have been wounded in action