Escalation of the attacks in Iraq, efforts to make the elections a success

The Pentagon announced the intention to dispatch members of the air-borne American 82nd squads to Iraq in order to take part in enhancing security before making the elections due in that country on January 30, 2005.

One American official asked to be anonymous said that the Pentagon might also decide to extend the service of two American squads at least, currently stationed in the north of Iraq until after the elections, noting that announcing these measures might take place during the few next hours.

This, however, coincides with the time when the higher commission for the elections in Iraq started a series of TV advertising aiming at mobilizing enthusiasm for taking part in the Iraqi elections.

The Interim Iraqi prime minister Eyad Allawi launched a campaign from Amman to attract the Iraqi figures stationed abroad to take part in the elections. He held unofficial meetings with many of these figures, calling on the Jordanian king Abdullah II during his meeting with him to help him achieving this very objective.

The International Migration Organization announced in November from Geneva that it will organize the participation of unlimited number of Iraqis living in 14 countries outside Iraq in the next presidential elections. The number of Iraqis eligible to vote is estimated at 14 million.