The Pentagon said on Wednesday the number of U.S. combat deaths climbed to 1,001.
An American soldier was killed Tuesday by small-arms fire while on patrol in Baghdad. The US military also said a Marine died in a vehicle accident in western Baghdad. The two deaths brought the number of U.S. military who have died since the launch of the Iraq war in March 2003 to 1,278, according to an Associated Press tally.
Meanwhile Wednesday, the Iraqi Interior Ministry supported a reported proposal from interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi to spread Jan. 30 national elections over several weeks in various regions. Interior Ministry spokesman Sabah Khazim said the ministry supported Allawi's idea. "It is an excellent idea and it will make it ... easier for the Interior Ministry regarding securing the elections," he said.
Iraq's Interim Electoral Commission, which would make the final decision, said however it had not been told of the proposal and had no plans to change the voting.
