To the Point

In Iraq, Elections or Civil War?

The Pentagon will send parts of the 82nd Airborne Division to increase security for Iraq-s January election and extend tours of duty for some troops already there. That means about 10,000 more soldiers for a total force of 150,000. Election preparations are underway, with -the threat of violence factored into every step of the process.- While Shiites demand the voting be held on time, Sunnis want a postponement and Kurds seem to be playing it both ways. Meantime, many Iraqis don-t know what the election is all about, and the deadly violence continues. We get a progress report and hear how deeply divided Iraq really is, from journalists and those who train them, a former State Department official and an expert in conflict resolution. Making News: President Bush Thanks Atlantic Canadians for 9/11 Help In Halifax, Nova Scotia today, President Bush acknowledged past disagreement with Canada over the war in Iraq, but said that both countries now agree about what-s at stake. Susan Delacourt, Ottawa Bureau chief for the Toronto Star, says Bush's wit may have endeared him to the crowds, but his mention of missile defense most certainly irritated Prime Mister Paul Martin, who understood that the subject would not be raised. Reporter's Notebook: Administration Proposes Cutback in Protected Salmon Habitat In the Pacific Northwest, environmentalists and developers are pouring over Bush administration proposals to relax protection for endangered salmon and steelhead. After their first inspections, developers are cautiously optimistic. Environmentalists are outraged. The change would reverse a last-minute Clinton administration designation. Robert McClure, an environmental reporter for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, has the story.