The disappearance of 350 tonnes of high-grade military explosives from a depot south of Baghdad became a flashpoint in the closing days of the 2004 US presidential race, with six days left before a contest polling too close to call.
Democratic nominee John Kerry pressed his attack on President George W. Bush in speeches across Wisconsin and Nevada, noting that Bush had not commented publicly on the missing stockpile of HMX and RDX. The International Atomic Energy Agency had warned the materials could be used in conventional weapons or to trigger a nuclear device.
Vice President Dick Cheney countered at a Florida rally, arguing it was unclear whether the explosives had even been on site when American forces arrived in the Baghdad area. He pointed to the roughly 400,000 tonnes of other weapons and munitions that US troops had located and were destroying.
NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw clarified that the network's earlier report, which the Bush campaign cited as proof the cache had vanished before troops arrived, did not actually reach that conclusion.
Kerry broadened his critique after the Washington Post reported the administration planned to seek an additional $70 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan early the following year, which would bring the combined total to $225 billion.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in October 2004, in its own words.