World

5 U.S. Soldiers Killed In Iraq

August 1, 2005 / 12:02 AM EDT / CBS/AP

Five U.S. soldiers were killed by roadside bombs in two separate incidents in Iraq, U.S. military officials said Sunday.

In the first attack Saturday, a patrol hit a roadside bomb in southern Baghdad. One soldier was killed and two wounded.

Later that evening, four soldiers were killed when a roadside bomb exploded in southwestern Baghdad

Meanwhile, the head of the committee writing Iraq's constitution said Sunday he will recommend that his group ask parliament for an extension of up to 30 days to finish the draft.

Parliament has until Aug. 15 to approve the charter and submit it to a national referendum in mid-October under a formula strongly supported by the Americans. But major differences remain among the ethnic and religious groups represented on the committee.

"I will suggest to the committee drafting the constitution now to postpone the period for a maximum of 30 days," Hammoudi told The Associated Press as he went into a closed-door committee meeting.

Hammoudi's comment came after framers of the new constitution said they expected to submit a draft in time for parliament to meet the deadline for approval, though they added decisions on some key points may be deferred until a later date.

The United States has been pushing the Iraqis to meet the deadline to maintain political momentum seen as crucial to defeating the insurgency and enabling U.S. and other foreign troops to begin leaving Iraq next year.

Main points in dispute include such issues as federalism, dual nationality and the role of Islam.

A Sunni member of the committee, Saleh al-Mutlaq, suggested postponing a decision the most troublesome issues until after the Dec. 15 general elections.

The constitution should be approved by parliament by Aug. 15 and submitted to the voters in a referendum two months later.

In other developments:

A U.S. government report found that the rebuilding effort in Iraq has made limited progress, CBS News Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi reports. Investigators found that power generation and oil production in Iraq remain at lower levels than March of 2003. One-third of the money earmarked for power, water or health care projects ends up being shifted to security, and Iraq's oil output — which U.S. officials hoped would pay for some of those re-building projects — has dropped by 500,000 barrels per day in the last two years because of constant attacks and an a deteriorating infrastructure.

Iraq's national security adviser thinks the war crimes trial for Saddam Hussein will start before mid-October and will be televised. Speaking on CNN, the official said the Arab world will see Saddam "gone with the wind."

The military said U.S. Marines killed 11 insurgents using tanks and aircraft today in western Iraq after the Americans came under attack from a village schoolhouse. The statement did not say whether any Marines were killed or wounded in the battle, which started when Marines from Regimental Combat Team-two were attacked with mortar fire.

The statement said the building was rigged with explosives and fortified with at least three .30 caliber machine guns in the windows. U.S. Abrams tanks and jet aircraft attacked the buildings, setting off secondary explosions from the munitions stored inside.

A convoy carrying several members of Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress group was ambushed south of Baghdad Sunday, leaving one person dead and three wounded, his spokesman said. The ambush occurred in the town of Mahaweel, 50 miles south of Baghdad, said Chalabi's spokesman Entifadh Qanbar. They were heading to the Shiite holy city of Karbala, he said.

A car bomb exploded Sunday south of Baghdad, killing five civilians and wounding 10, including two policemen, police officials said. The bomb targeted a police vehicle as it was passing on a main road near the town of Haswa, 30 miles south of Baghdad, said police Capt. Muthanna Khaled Ali. One police vehicle was damaged in the attack, he said.