REPORTS FROM THE FIELD

• On Wednesday a Marine transport helicopter of the 1st Marine Division crashed near the town of Rutbah, approximately 360 kilometers west of Baghdad. Reports indicate 30 or more casualites and the crash is under investigation. Since March 2003, the US military has lost 33 helicopters with 20 of those attributed to insurgent fire.

• Three of Zarqawi's lieutenants were scooped up in a recent raids in Baghdad and US forces say they are close to capturing Zarqawi himself. Salah Suleiman al-Loheibi, head of Baghdad operations; Anad Mohammed Qais, Zarqawi's military advisor; and Ali Hamad Yassin al-Issawi, another close advisor to Zarqawi were captured in mid-January.

• Sami Mohammed Ali Said al-Jaaf, a top al-Qaeda operative who was captured in mid-January, states he is responsible for building 75% of the car bombs used in attacks in Baghdad, since the beginning of the war. He has claimed to have built the carbombs, which killed President of Iraqi Governing Council Izzadine Saleem, the bomb used against the Shiite mosque in Najaf - which killed Ayatollah Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim, and those used in the attack on the UN compound.

IRAQI POLITICS

• Iraq's Independent Electoral Commission will not be able to announce a winner of the elections for several days, at least, after the voting takes place. As the vote counting is manual and security concerns make exit polling almost impossible, the world will have to hold its breath while the tallying is done. Iraqi's are voting for "coalitions" of candidates, rather than single candidates for each office. The seats in the legilature will be appointed based upon the results of a particular party's percentage of the votes. More information on the intricacies of the Iraqi election process can be found here.

• Zeyad reports on his observations of the election from Amman. Alaa gives thanks for the bravery of his fellow citizens, as well as the sacrifices of the Coalition soldiers who gave their lives to make the election possible.

• The latest Carnival of the Liberated is up at Dean's World.

THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE

• Authorities in France have arrested 11 islamists said to be a terror cell. The suspects were reported to all be of North African origin, but French nationality. Those detained are reported to have been part of a recruiting effort for foreign fighters who wish to fight US forces in Iraq.

• After a video taped plea for help by US hostage Roy Hallums, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has appealed to Hallums' captors for his release. Hallums works for a Saudi contractor, which provides catering services to the Iraqi army.

ETCETERA

• The troops are still there. So is the Winds of Change.NET consolidated directory of ways you can support the troops: American, Australian, British, Canadian & Polish. Anyone out there with more information, contact us!

• Don't forget Chief Wiggles' Toys for Iraq drive!

Thanks for reading! If you found something here you want to blog about yourself (and we hope you do), all we ask is that you do as we do and offer a Hat Tip hyperlink to today's "Winds of War". If you think we missed something important, use the Comments section to let us know. And if you have a tip for a future Iraq Report, email us at MondayIraqReport(at)windsofchange.net.