Iraq War News Updates -- September 20,2 010

A wounded survivor of a suicide car bomb at the scene of the attack that targeted in Baghdad on Sunday. Moises Saman for The New York Times

Iraq Suffers Deadliest Day Since U.S. Drawdown -- McClatchy News

BAGHDAD — A string of bombings killed 37 people Sunday in Iraq's deadliest day since Aug. 31, when President Barack Obama said the U.S. military's seven-year-old combat mission there had ended.

Twin car bombs exploded within moments of each other around 11 a.m. in Baghdad — one near a facility housing federal police, which killed 19 people, the other a few miles away at a busy intersection in the Mansour neighborhood, killing 10, Iraqi authorities said. More than 110 people were injured.

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More News On Iraq

Bombs kill 37, injure more than 100 in Iraq -- Washington Post
Car Bombs tear through Baghdad, Fallujah; 36 dead -- AP
Dozens Dead After Baghdad Car Bombs -- New york Times
33 killed in 3 Iraq car bombings -- L.A. Times
Car bombings kill dozens, injure more than 100 in Baghdad -- Washington Post
More attacks rock Baghdad -- CNN
Iraqi gas field auction put off again: What is cooking? -- International Business Times
Iraq delays gas auction, more firms join race -- FOX News
Iraqi Political Theater, Even as Democracy Struggles -- New York Times
Why Ayad Allawi is Iraq's greatest political survivor -- New York Times
Iraqi Artifacts Are Found in Storeroom -- New York Times
Who Will Face the Music for Iraq’s Future? -- Georgiy Voloshin, Foreign Policy Journal

Iraq War News Updates -- August 7, 2010

TOY TIME - U.S. Army Capt. Michael Barnette gives a stuffed squirrel to an Iraqi boy during a humanitarian aid drop on the outskirts of Baghdad, July 26, 2010. Troops distributed 50 bags of food, bottled water and toys to Iraqis living near Contingency Operating Station Falcon. Barnette is the chaplain for the 3rd Infantry Division's Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 1st Advise and Assist Brigade. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Mary Katzenberger

U.S. Combat In Iraq: Not Over Till It's Over

Major U.S. combat operations in Iraq were first declared to have ended in March 2003, in President Bush's infamous "Mission Accomplished" address aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln. Seven years and many thousands of casualties later, President Barack Obama made a similar announcement this week. But it remains to be seen whether his note of finality has any more traction than that of his predecessor.

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More News On Iraq

Basra blasts kill 20 Iraqis, wound scores -- AP
Explosions rock Basra commercial district -- CNN
Blasts in Iraq's Basra leave over 100 casualties -- Xinhuanet
Deadly 'generator' blast hits south Iraq city of Basra -- BBC
Explosions kill 16 in Basra -- The Telegraph
60 killed in triple bombing in Basra -- Press TV
Seven police among eight killed in Iraq violence -- AFP
Police and gunmen trade bullets for hours at Baghdad bomb factory leaving 5 policemen dead -- Today Online
4 Police Officers Killed in Baghdad Shootout -- Voice of America
Baghdad Hit by Multiple Bombings -- Voice of America
Al-Qaeda: cash for membership -- News24
3 killed in Baghdad heist -- CNN
Gunmen storm Baghdad money exchange, kill 3 -- AP
FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, Aug 7 -- Reuters
Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq - Saturday 7 August 2010 -- McClatchy News

Saddam aide Tariq Aziz criticizes U.S. pullout plan -- Washington Times
Tariq Aziz: Obama is 'leaving Iraq to the wolves' -- AP

Obama sent a secret letter to Iraq’s top Shiite cleric -- Tehran Times
Report: Obama Asks Shi'ite Cleric to Settle Iraq's Political Crisis -- Voice of America
Obama 'asks Shiite cleric to help settle Iraq impasse' -- AFP
Report: Obama contacted Iraq's Sistani -- UPI
Obama's desperate letter to the Iraqi ayatollah -- Ranj Alaaldin, The Guardian

Iran meddling to fill void in Iraq government: poll -- AFP
Iraqi Officials: Progress Made On Coalition Deal -- Radio Free Europe
In Iraq, 'a disastrously high number of widows' -- Times Dispatch
Iraq takes delivery of American tanks -- AFP
Basra a window on Iraq's ambition and dysfunction -- L.A. Times

U.S. hands over control of Iraq combat operations -- CNN
Iraq forces take over from last U.S. combat brigade -- Reuters
Everything must go as US deadline to quit Iraq nears -- Scotsman
Exit Strategy, Meet Your Challenge: Iraq -- New York Times
U.S. exiting a bleeding country -- National Post

Iraq War News Updates -- February 22/23, 2010

ELECTION QUESTIONS - With only two weeks remaining until general elections in Iraq, U.S. Army Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of Multinational Forces-Iraq, talks to the press about the current situation in the country during a briefing at the Pentagon, Feb. 22, 2010. DoD photo by R. D. Ward

Top US General: US Has Plan B For Slower Iraq Exit -- NPR

The top U.S. general in Iraq said Monday he could slow the exit of U.S. combat forces this year if Iraq's politics are chaotic following elections this spring. Gen. Ray Odierno said there are no signs that will be necessary, but he says he has a Plan B and told his superiors about it during Washington meetings over the past week.

The U.S. has about 96,000 troops in Iraq nearly seven years after the American-led invasion that overthrew dictator Saddam Hussein. That's the lowest number of American forces in the country since the invasion.

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More News On Iraq

Top commander in Iraq warns withdrawal could be delayed -- Washington Post
Top US General: US Has Plan B for Slower Iraq Exit -- New York Times
Gates: Only Serious Change in Security Would Delay US Troop Withdrawal from Iraq -- Voice of America
Plans for US withdrawal from Iraq unlikely to change: Gates -- AFP
U.S. Won't Alter Iraq Drawdown Without Deterioration -- New York Times
Odierno: Iraq Can Help Stabilize the Middle East -- US Department of Defense
Odierno, U.S. forces readying for milestone Iraq elections -- Stars And Stripes
Spike in Iraq Violence as Vote Nears -- New York Times
26 people killed in brutal attacks across Iraq -- L.A. Times
Car bombing in W Iraq kills 5 policemen -- Xinhuanet
12 killed in attack on Ramadi government -- Las Vegas/AP
2 U.S. Army pilots killed in Iraq helicopter accident -- CNN
Two Army pilots killed in Iraq helicopter crash, US says -- Boston.com/AP
Post-vote period critical for Iraq -- Las Vegas/AP
Fears of Iraq poll boycott after Sunni party pulls out -- The Guardian

Iraq War News Updates -- February 17, 2010

U.S. Army soldiers with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 214th Aviation Regiment, examine their CH-47 Chinook helicopter before an aircraft turnover mission at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, on Dec. 1, 2009. The aircraft are scheduled to be flown to Talil, Iraq, where Bravo Company, 5th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment will use them for support to Multi-National Division - South. DoD photo by Cpl. Joshua Murray, U.S. Marine Corps. (Released)

Just Weeks Before Elections, Specter Of Sectarian Violence Resurfaces In Iraq -- Washington Post

BAGHDAD -- It was only one killing, but it unleashed the demons of a bitter and perhaps unfinished past.

The victim was a Sunni man in the mostly Shiite neighborhood of Hurriyah, in northwest Baghdad. The death and the aftermath were reminiscent of the prelude to the sectarian war, which began in late 2005 with a smattering of killings and threats and culminated with 100 bodies a day being dumped in the streets of the capital. With the imminent departure of American forces and fierce competition for power ahead of general elections on March 7, many here say sectarian strife is reigniting.

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More News On Iraq

U.S. fears return of sectarian violence -- UPI
Iran Continues to Subvert Iraq, Officials Say -- U.S. Department of Defense
US Commander Says Iran Planned Political Dispute in Iraq -- Voice of America
Iran seen as tightening grip on Iraq -- UPI
General Says 2 Iraq Politicians Have Ties to Iran -- New York Times
U.S. general: 2 Iraqi election chiefs linked to Iran -- Washington Times
US Ambassador to Iraq sees delay in govt formation -- AP
Top cleric urges Iraqis to turn out for March vote -- AP
Iraq Shiite spiritual leader urges big poll turnout -- AFP
Iraq Election Deteriorates as Leading Candidates are Banned -- AllGov
Iraq training for threats surrounding elections -- AP
Iraqi Women Are Seeking Greater Political Influence -- New York Times

FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, Feb 17 -- Reuters
Spate of Christian killings before Iraq March vote -- Reuters
Fourth Christian killed in northern Iraq -- AFP
Three Christians killed in north Iraq -- AFP
Bombing at Iraq Crime Lab Kills 2 Policemen -- Voice of America
Al Qaida assassination planner captured in Iraq -- World Tribune
Facing death, freed Iraq detainees may fight again -- Reuters

US troops at lowest level since Iraq invasion -- AP
Iraq: Number of U.S. Troops Dips Below 100,000 -- New York Times
US troops in Iraq below 100,000 for first time since 2003 -- AFP
U.S. troops in Iraq drop to lowest level since 2003 -- Xinhuanet

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- February 1, 2010

The Obama Spell Is Broken -- Faoud Ajami, Wall Street Journal

Unlike this president, John Kennedy was an ironist who never fell for his own mystique.

The curtain has come down on what can best be described as a brief un-American moment in our history. That moment began in the fall of 2008, with the great financial panic, and gave rise to the Barack Obama phenomenon.

The nation's faith in institutions and time-honored ways had cracked. In a little-known senator from Illinois millions of Americans came to see a savior who would deliver the nation out of its troubles. Gone was the empiricism in political life that had marked the American temper in politics. A charismatic leader had risen in a manner akin to the way politics plays out in distressed and Third World societies.

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COMMENTARIES, OPINIONS, AND EDITORIALS

Arms and Taiwan: The US Must Respond to China’s Nuclear North Korea -- Joshua Stanton, The New Ledger

Obama's Dangerous China Game -- Leslie H. Gelb, The Daily Beast

Obama's gutless missile defense policy -- Michael Turner, American Thinker

Al-Qaeda Attempts to Woo Useful Idiots -- Michael J. Totten, Commentary Magazine

Tony Blair's Iraq Statesmanship -- Wall Street Journal editorial

Shock, Awe and Abracadabra -- New York Times editorial

Iran's Bubble Boys -- Geneive Abdo, Foreign Policy

War and Peace in the Levant -- Noah Pollak, Commentary Magazine

Sniping at U.S. Haiti role shows EU Weakness -- Celestine Bohlen, Delaware Online

Chávez Drops the Democracy Mask -- Mary Anastasia O'Grady, Wall Street Journal

The Most Important Story You Didn't See Last Week (and Probably Won't Ever See) -- William Tate, American Thinker

Talking the talk -- Mark Steyn, Washington Times

Economists in Davos Look with Concern to 2010 -- Anne Seith in Davos, Spiegel Online

Iraq War News Updates -- February 1, 2010

54 Shiite Muslim Pilgrims Killed In Baghdad Suicide Bombing -- L.A. Times

109 also are injured as a woman detonates explosives hidden beneath her cloak at a hospitality tent where Shiites had gathered before a pilgrimage to Karbala.

Reporting from Baghdad - A female suicide bomber detonated a vest rigged with explosives among a crowd of Shiite Muslim pilgrims in northeastern Baghdad on Monday, killing 54 and wounding 109, marking the latest in a string of attacks that had unnerved the city ahead of pivotal national elections in March.

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More News On Iraq

Shiite pilgrims targeted as Iraq bombings intensify -- Christian Science Monitor
Suicide Bomber Kills Shi'ite Pilgrims in Iraq -- Voice of America
Woman suicide bomber kills dozens of Shia pilgrims in Baghdad -- Times Online
Suicide bomber kills 54 in Baghdad -- Press Association
Attacks by female suicide bombers in Iraq -- Washington Post/AP
Suicide Blast Targets Iraqi Police, Former Insurgents -- Voice of America
Suicide bomber kills two, wounds 23 in Iraq -- Washington Post
Iraqi civilian deaths drop sharply in January -- Reuters
FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, Feb 1 -- Reuters
Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq - Monday 1 February, 2010 -- McClatchy News

A look at Iraq's March parliamentary vote -- Washington Post
Comment: Iraqi politicians threaten progress -- Financial Times
Iraqi sheik threatens boycott over ballot purge -- Kansas.com/AP
US envoy say Iraqi vote must be accepted as fair -- Washington Post
Excluding candidates 'could move Iraq backward' -- USA Today

AP source: DOJ probing alleged Blackwater payments -- Wall Street Journal/AP
U.S. Examines Whether Blackwater Tried Bribery -- New York Times

Iraq builds Syrian security fence -- UPI
Iraq Inaugurates Span of New Border Security Fence with Syria -- Voice of America

Russia's Lukoil Wins Contract to Develop Major Oil Field - Voice of America
UPDATE:Iraq's Rumaila Oil Output To Go Up By 10% In July Or Aug -- Wall Street Journal
Incremental Steps in Iraq to Let Kurdistan Oil Flow -- New York Times

Iraq War News Updates -- January 26, 2010

Iraq Bombings: Gen. Odierno Blames A Changing Al Qaeda -- Christian Science Monitor

On the second consecutive day of major suicide bombings in Iraq, top US Gen. Raymond Odierno says Al Qaeda in Iraq had changed focus in the past six months.

A suicide car bomb detonated outside the Interior Ministry’s forensics department in Baghdad Tuesday, killing more than 18 people and severely damaging the building in the second consecutive day of high-profile attacks.

An Interior Ministry official said that in addition to those killed, at least 80 people were injured in the blast, which took place near a checkpoint close to the forensics department on al-Tahariyat Square in the Karrada neighborhood. At least five of those killed and half of those wounded were police officers injured when part of the building collapsed, he said. The explosion also sent glass and pieces of metal flying through nearby cafes. It was the third time in two years that the directorate had been bombed, he said.

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Iraqis and American soldiers inspected the site of a bomb blast at Iraq’s forensics headquarters in central Baghdad on Tuesday. Ali Abbas/European Pressphoto Agency

More News On Iraq

Baghdad hotel bombs mark new tactics: top US general -- AFP
Blast Hits Central Baghdad as Attacks Accelerate -- New York Times
Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 18 at Iraqi Interior Ministry -- L.A. Times/AP
Iraq Crime Lab Car Bomber Kills Many in Baghdad - BBC News
Suicide car bomber strikes Baghdad police forensics office -- The Guardian
Fresh Baghdad suicide bomb flattens forensics HQ -- Times Online
Baghdad blasts shake faith in poll security -- Sydney Morning Herald

Blasts kill 41 as Iraq executes 'Chemical Ali' -- the Age
36 Killed as Bombers Hit Baghdad Hotels -- The Times
Baghdad Blasts Shatter Sense of Security in Capital -- New York Times
37 Killed in Attacks on Baghdad Hotels -- Los Angeles Times
Witnesses to devastation, and to their own luck -- L.A. Times

Iraq's 'Chemical Ali,' 68, hanged for attacks on Kurdish civilians -- Washington Post
Bombs greet execution of Chemical Ali in Iraq -- Financial Times
Dead to rights: Trials and execution of Chemical Ali show how far Iraq has come -- New York Daily News
The King of Spades finally falls -- Asia Times

Joint Arab-Kurd patrols begin in tense north Iraq -- Reuters
U.S. Forces Take On Major Role at Ethnic Border in Iraq -- New York Times
US starts joint operations in Iraq's disputed zones -- AFP
U.S. urges Kurds to settle disputes with Baghdad -- Reuters

Avoiding Crisis in Iraq's Political Minefield -- Council On Foreign Relations
De-Baathification As A Political Tool: Commission Ruling Bans Political Parties and Leaders -- Carnegie Endowmnet

Iraq War News Updates -- January 25, 2010

The three blasts came in quick succession. Photo AFP

Deadly Blasts Rock Baghdad; 'Chemical Ali' Hanged -- Yahoo News/AP

BAGHDAD – Suicide bombers struck near three hotels popular with Western journalists and businessmen Monday just as Iraq announced the execution of Saddam Hussein's notorious cousin known as "Chemical Ali." At least 36 people were killed and more than 80 injured, security officials said.

The blasts — coming in a span of about 15 minutes in downtown Baghdad — came shortly before state television announced that Ali Hassan al-Majid had been hanged.

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More News On Iraq

Blasts Rock Baghdad Hotels -- Wall Street Journal
Iraq capital Baghdad rocked by deadly triple bombing -- BBC
At least 36 killed as three blasts target Baghdad hotels -- AFP
3 Coordinated Bomb Attacks Hit Hotels in Baghdad -- New York Times
Over 30 killed as bombers hit Baghdad hotels -- Times Online
Coordinated attacks on 3 Baghdad hotels kill at least 31 -- L.A. Times

‘Chemical’ Ali Executed in Iraq -- New York Times
"Chemical Ali" Executed, Iraq Announces -- CBS News
Iraq executes Chemical Ali -- The Guardian
'Chemical Ali' executed in Iraq -- BBC
Chemical Ali executed in Iraq -- The Telegraph
Iraq executes 'Chemical Ali' -- CBC
'Chemical Ali' executed in Baghdad -- RTE News
Iraq Executes ‘Chemical Ali’ for Gas Attacks on Kurds -- Business Week

U.S. Marines end Iraq role -- UPI
Marines End Anbar Mission as Army Takes Lead -- US Department of Defense
Analysis: Marines leave Iraq again _ for good? -- Washington Post

Iraqi Panel Chief Firm on Purged Candidates -- Washington Times
U.S. VP Biden Meets Al-Maliki, Fails To Reinstate Those Barred from Elections -- Memri
U.S. Vice President Calls For Fair Iraqi Election -- Radio Free Europe
Biden in Iraq to discuss election crisis -- L.A. Times

DynCorp's Iraq Contracts Scrutinized -- Wall Street Journal
US accused of 'mismanagement' of Iraq police contract -- The Guardian
US Oversight Of Iraq Police Training Firm Faulted -- New York Times/Reuters
US state department condemned over Iraq police contract -- BBC

Iraq completes deal with oil giants Exxon Mobil, Shell -- AFP
Iraq Seals Oil Deal With Exxon, Shell -- Wall Street Journal
Exxon, Shell sign deal for Iraq's W.Qurna Phase One -- Reuters

Road back to Baghdad -- Washington Post opinion

Iraq War News Updates -- January 18, 2010

Iraqis carry a victim of the triple bombing in Najaf. Authorities have blamed Ba'ath loyalists for the attack. Photo from Radio Free Europe

Gunmen Attack Iraqi Charity in Baghdad -- New York Times

BAGHDAD — Gunmen killed four or five people at the offices of an Iraqi humanitarian group in a Sunni neighborhood in Baghdad at midday on Monday, and left a bomb for police responders, in a rare attack on a nongovernmental organization here.

Accounts of the attack, in the Adhamiya neighborhood, remained inconsistent on Monday. A police source, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment, said the gunmen killed four employees of the organization, Mawteny, and injured the fifth. They left a bomb inside the office, which police and army officers disarmed, the police source said.

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More News On Iraq

Marines exit Iraq in first wave of US forces out -- Yahoo News/AP
Iraqi officials: Gunmen kill 5 people at Baghdad aid office, then leave bomb that wounds 2 -- Canadian Press
Gunmen kill five in Iraqi NGO office -- Washington Post/Reuters
Candidate Bans Worsen Iraq’s Political Turmoil -- New York Times
Iraq Parliamentary Campaign Raises Fears Of Sectarian Strife -- Radio Free Europe
Iraq's move against Baathists stirs Sunni ire -- Reuters
Iran and Iraq hold talks on border dispute -- Reuters
Iraq's Aziz in 'stable condition' after stroke -- AFP
Ex-Hussein lieutenant Tariq Aziz hospitalized -- CNN
Iraq inquiry to hear former PM Blair next week -- Reuters
Iraq inquiry sets Blair date, aide defends invasion -- AFP
Britain went to war with Iraq on 'assumption' Saddam Hussein had WMDs, says key Blair aide -- Daily Mail
Iraq Inquiry: Britain went to war on 'assumption' of Saddam Hussein WMD -- The Telegraph
Iraq instructs lawyers to take on Blackwater cases -- Washington Post/Reuters
Iraqis sign up for government-led class-action civil lawsuit against Blackwater -- Canadian Press

December Is The First Month Without A US Combat Death In Iraq

Day Of Mixed Emotions In Baghdad: Elation For U.S., But Anger For Iraqis -- Washington Post

BAGHDAD -- U.S. commanders in Iraq began the new year Friday by trumpeting a milestone -- their first month without a combat death since the start of the war -- and by sending a clear signal that their focus in 2010 will be on getting out of the country that American forces invaded nearly seven years ago.

But for Iraqis, Friday was marked by bitter recriminations over a U.S. judge's decision to dismiss charges against five Blackwater security guards who had been accused of killing 14 Iraqi civilians and wounding 20 others in 2007 -- a reminder that resentments toward the American occupation will linger long after U.S. troops have gone home.

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For the first time since the Iraq war began in 2003, no U.S. troops
were killed in battle in December. Photo CNN

More News On Iraq

No US combat deaths in Iraq in December -- BBC
US claims Iraq milestone after month with no fatalities -- Financial Times
U.S. hails month with no Iraq casualties -- UPI
No U.S. combat-related deaths in Iraq in December -- CNN

Iraq civilian death toll down to 4,500 in 09: study -- Washington Post/Reuters
Iraq civilian deaths 'down in 2009' -- BBC
Iraq death toll drops to lowest level since invasion -- AFP

Ceremony Formally Marks End of Coalition Effort in Iraq -- Los Angeles Times
The Name Change in Iraq: Multi-National Force in Iraq Becomes U.S. Forces in Iraq -- ABC News
`Coalition of the willing' becomes an army of one -- Miami Herald/McClatchy News
Petraeus hails progress as US transforms Iraq command -- The Raw Story/AFP
In Baghdad, Petraeus Stresses Elections' Importance -- Wall Street Journal/AP

Iraqis Express Dismay Over Blackwater Ruling -- L.A. Times
Iraq threatens action after Blackwater case collapses -- The Guardian
Iraq to sue ex-Blackwater guards -- CNN
Iraq outraged as Blackwater case is dropped -- The Independent

Freed Captive Is Reunited With His Family in Britain -- New York Times
Peter Moore Reunited with Family as Argument Rages Over Deaths -- Times Online
Iraq hostage Peter Moore 'easing back into life' -- BBC

Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq - Saturday 2 January, 2010 -- McClatchy News

Toward a Less Deadly Iraq -- Los Angeles Times editorial

Iraq War News Updates -- December 25, 2009

Iraqi Christians arrive at the Syriac Tahira Church or the Church of the Immaculate Virgin.
Photo AFP

Iraq's Christians Face A Difficult Christmas -- L.A. Times

With sectarian violence rising again, many are afraid to go to church services. A Christian is killed in Mosul and 27 Shiite Muslims are slain as they prepare for Ashura.

Reporting from Baghdad and Mosul - The Judo family stayed away from Christmas Eve Mass in Baghdad. Because of recent sectarian violence in the capital and other areas of the country, they were worried that churches might be targeted by armed groups.

By nightfall, their worst fears had been realized. Not only had a Christian been killed in the northern city of Mosul, but the Shiite Muslim holiday of Ashura, which this year begins one day after Christmas, had made the situation even more volatile: 27 people killed in attacks on Shiite neighborhoods.

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More News On Iraq

Iraqi priest says Christians must 'not be afraid' -- AFP
Shiite pilgrims, census workers killed in Iraq -- CNN
Sectarian Violence Continues in Iraq -- Wall Street Journal
Bomb Kills Maliki Ally Ahead of Shiite Holiday -- Wall Street Journal
Iraq bomb explosions leave 23 people dead -- BBC
Iraq sectarian bomb attacks kill 26 -- The Guardian
Fourteen killed in Iraq violence -- AFP
Bombs mar holy days in Iraq -- Chicago Tribune
Iraq attacks kill scores on eve of Christmas, Ashura -- AFP
Christians, Muslims clash outside Iraq church -- IOL
Iraqi Christians, Shiites Fight Amid Coinciding Religious Observances -- FOX News
Blair to Testify Before Iraq Inquiry -- Global Security Newswire
Jack Straw faces Iraq inquiry grilling over Tony Blair letter -- The Guardian
UK's Gordon Brown to testify before Iraq inquiry -- AP
None of Iraq’s Oil Sites Under Iranian Control, Official Says -- Business Week
Iraq on collision course with OPEC -- UPI
Cash-Hungry Iraq Quadrupling Oil Production, OPEC Fears Price Collapse -- Business Islander
US soldiers attend Christmas mass in Iraq -- IBN Live

Iraq War News Updates -- December 9/10, 2009

In Iraq, Another Threat To Security: Politics -- New York Times

BAGHDAD — The televised confessions came quickly in the days after each of the deadly bombings in August and October that rocked the capital and claimed 280 lives.

The broadcasts, heavily edited images of men, some in orange jumpsuits, seated alone against a stark backdrop, did little to answer who was actually behind the attacks. In fact, the confessions contradicted public statements by other officials.

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More News On Iraq

Baghdad security chief fired after bombings -- BBC
Spate of lethal bombings prompts change of command in Baghdad -- CNN
Iraq bombings threaten Maliki government -- Washington Times
Iraqi Government attacked for failure to stop bombings -- Times Online
Iraq PM Urges Patience as Lawmakers Call Special Session -- Voice of America
'Iraq lacks effective intelligence' -- Al Jazeera
Al-Maliki urges unity after attacks -- Al Jazeera
Iraq bombers backed by foreign groups: police -- AFP
Despite bombings, U.S. says Iraq must keep lead security role -- Stars And Stripes
Odierno Cites Iraq’s ‘Deliberate, Steady Progress’ -- U.S. Department of Defense

Iraq War News Updates -- December 8, 2009

Baghdad Blasts Kill 127 -- Yahoo News/AFP

BAGHDAD (AFP) – Five massive vehicle-borne bombs rocked Baghdad on Tuesday, killing 127 people, including women and students, and wounding hundreds in the third co-ordinated massacre to devastate the city since August.

The attacks shattered a month of calm in the Iraqi capital and came hours before an official said the war-torn country's general election, the second since the US-led ouster of dictator Saddam Hussein, would be held on March 6.

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More News On Iraq

Scores Killed as Blasts Shake Baghdad -- Wall Street Journal
Coordinated Bombings in Baghdad Kill at Least 121 -- New York Times
Iraq: bombs kill 112 in Baghdad as March election date is set -- The Telegraph
Four bomb blasts kill at least 112 in Baghdad -- The Daily Mail
Iraq security forces face criticism -- Al Jazeera
In pictures: Baghdad blasts -- BBC

Timeline: Deadliest bomb attacks in Iraq -- Vancouver Sun
Some of the Deadliest Attacks in Iraq -- New York Times

Iraq sets March 6 for general election -- Canada.com
Iraq sets parliament elections for March 6 -- Washington Post
Obama, Biden Phoned Kurds To Press Iraq Election Deal -- McClatchy News
Call from Obama seals Iraq election law -- CSM
Iraqi lawmakers reach deal on seat allotment ahead of election -- Washington Post

Baghdad bombs underline fragility of Iraq government -- The Guardian
Baghdad bombings: Can Maliki provide security ahead of key vote? -- Christian Science Monitor
Iraqi Army Wants US Help Past Withdrawal Deadline -- Washington Times

Leaving Behind in Iraq Equipment Needed in Afghanistan -- AllGov.com
America's gift to Iraq: Fleets of GM SUVs needed in Afghanistan -- USA Today
U.S. leaving Iraq millions of dollars of gear: report -- Reuters

Iraqi Political Deal Clears Way For U.S. Pullout -- NPR
Breakthrough in Iraq -- Washington Post editorial
Q+A - Does a delay in the Iraqi election matter? -- Reuters

Iraq War News Updates -- December 1, 2009

Iraqi soldiers exit a Marine CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter during joint air assault training for U.S. Army paratroopers and Iraqi troops on Camp Ramadi, Iraq, Nov. 15, 2009. The U.S. soldiers are assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, which is serving as an Advise and Assist Brigade. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Michael J. MacLeod

As U.S. Focus Turns To Afghanistan, Iraq Challenges Remain -- McClatchy News

KIRKUK, Iraq — While President Barack Obama prepares to announce that he's sending tens of thousands more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, his problems in Iraq are far from over.

Military casualties have plummeted and sectarian violence has ebbed in Iraq, but the country's power struggles among Sunni and Shiite Muslim Arabs and between Arabs and Kurds are unfinished. The question is whether it will turn violent again.

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More News On Iraq

Iraq monthly death toll lowest since US invasion -- AFP
Iraq reports drop in civilian deaths in November -- AP
FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, Dec 1 -- Reuters

US neglected post-war planning for Iraq, inquiry told -- BBC
Law lord: Iraq inquiry should issue interim finding that war was illegal -- The Guardian
Iraq inquiry: British attempts to improve 'dire' planning 'ignored by US' -- The Telegraph

Iraq sees alarming rise in cancers, deformed babies -- Washington Post
Oil Companies Look to the Future in Iraq -- New York Times
'Saddam channel' in Iraq goes off the air -- Middle East Online
U.S. Military Prepares To Move Out Of Iraq -- NPR
Iraq's Basra lifts ban on booze -- AP
US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,367 -- AP

Iraq War News Updates -- November 24, 2009

Special forces members under Iraq's Interior Ministry are assigned to Maj. Gen. Tariq al-Youssef, Anbar's police commander, who survived a suicide bombing. Joao Silva for The New York Times

Attacks Threaten Fragile Security Gains in Cradle of Iraq Insurgency -- New York Times

RAMADI, Iraq — Maj. Gen. Tariq al-Youssef caught a fleeting glimpse of the man who wanted him dead.

As his armored sport utility vehicle pulled past the battered yellow taxi, General Youssef, the commander of the police in Anbar Province, recalled thinking that the driver looked like so many men in this impoverished territory — another poor peasant trying to eke out a living.

Then the taxi driver crashed his car into the general’s, detonating his explosives.

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More News On Iraq

Iraq elections face delay -- AP
Iraq's vice president in second election veto threat -- CNN
Analysis: Election debacle in Iraq -- BBC
US warns against Iraq election 'slippage' -- AFP
Iraq national vote unlikely in January -- Reuters
US helping Iraq adopt election law: Clinton -- AFP
January election in Iraq? Doubtful -- L.A. Times
Iraq’s January Elections Face Near Certain Delay -- New York Times
Bomb attack halts Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline -- Reuters
Sunni imams killed in Iraq 'sticky bomb' attacks -- AFP
Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq - Tuesday 24 November, 2009 -- McClatchy News
Google to Put Iraqi Artifacts Online -- New York Times
The sorry state of Iraqi politics -- Ranj Alaaldin, the Guardian
US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,365 -- AP

Iraq War News Updates -- November 18, 2009

LOADING LESSONS - A U.S. soldier runs to provide security after unloading from a CH-53 Sea Stallion during a loading exercise on Camp Ramadi in western Iraq, Nov. 15, 2009. U.S. Marines and U.S. and Iraqi soldiers train together on the Sea Stallion to prepare for upcoming missions. The soldiers are assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Air Force photo by Daniel Pierre

Iraq's National Elections In Jeopardy As Sunni VP Issues Veto -- McClatchy News

BAGHDAD — Iraq's pivotal national elections were thrown back into turmoil and potential delay Wednesday after Vice President Tariq al Hashemi vetoed part of an election law and sent it back to parliament.

Hashemi, a Sunni Muslim, charged that the measure doesn't provide adequate representation for millions of displaced Iraqis, most of whom are thought to be Sunnis.

Successful national elections, which are supposed to take place in January, are a crucial milestone for the departure of U.S. troops from Iraq. President Barack Obama wants to remove all American combat forces from Iraq by Aug. 31.

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More News On Iraq

Iraq election plan vetoed by Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi -- The Telegraph
Iraqi vice-president vetoes election law -- The Guardian
Election in doubt as law vetoed -- Sydney Morning Herald
Iraq's vice president vetoes election law -- Washington Post
Iraqi vote preparations halted -- CBC
SNAP ANALYSIS - What does Iraq election law veto mean? -- Reuters

Iraqi Kurds Warn of Election Boycott in Dispute Over Seats -- Washington Post
Kurdish Legislators Threaten Boycott of Iraq Election -- New York Times

US has time to reconsider Iraq drawdown plan-Odierno -- Reuters
Top US officer warns of attacks ahead of Iraq vote -- AFP
Odierno: No Major Iraq Troop Withdrawals Before April -- Washington Independent
Al Qaeda in Iraq becoming less foreign-U.S. general -- Reuters
Patrolling Iraq's borders -- BBC
FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, Nov 18 -- Reuters

US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,363 -- AP

Iraq War News Updates -- November 1, 2009

U.S. Army Spc. Chris Walker, right, cleans his protective eyewear as Pfc. Anthony Perakis, left, and other paratroopers are ready to move out while performing quick-reaction-force duties on Camp Ramadi, Iraq, Oct. 26, 2009. Walker and Perakis are assigned to 82nd Airborne Division's Company B, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Michael J. MacLeod

Iraqi Officer Delving Into Bombings Is Killed -- New York Times

BAGHDAD — A senior Iraqi police officer who was investigating last week’s deadly bombings that struck at the heart of the Iraqi government was killed Thursday night in his office, according to security officials, gunned down by a suspect who was taken to him for questioning.

The suspect, who was being held in connection with twin suicide bombings last Sunday that killed at least 155 people, shot himself after killing the investigator and wounding another police officer, the officials said. He later died of his wounds.

Read more ....

More News On Iraq

Suspect in bombings kills investigator -- Washington Post
Iraq bombing suspect kills officer -- Al Jazeera
Iraqi man suspected in attacks kills officer -- AP
UN envoy in Iraq to report on Baghdad bombings -- Khaleej Times/AFP
Baghdad bombs to cost $16m in repairs -- AFP

Bombers strike across Iraq -- Al Jazeera
Bicycle and bus bombs kill 8 in Iraq -- Iraq
10 dead, 50 injured in attacks in Iraq -- Sify
Round-up of Daily Violence in Iraq - Saturday November 1, 2009 -- McClatchy News

Sectarianism and politicization of the Iraqi Army -- Threat Matrix
Bombings threaten Iraqi government -- UPI

Iraq polls 'at risk' without vote details -- AFP
Iraqi MPs delay election law vote -- BBC

US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,354 -- AP

Iraq War News Updates -- October 29, 2009

The destroyed Justice and Municipality buildings in central Baghdad.
Photo AFP

Iraq Makes Sweeping Arrests Over Baghdad Blasts -- New York Times

BAGHDAD — Iraq announced Thursday that it had arrested dozens of police officers and soldiers responsible for security in the neighborhood where car bombs killed and wounded hundreds of people outside government buildings this week.

The attacks on Sunday, aimed at the Justice Ministry and the Baghdad provincial council buildings, occurred in a heavily protected section of the capital, prompting accusations that Iraq’s security forces had been complicit in the bombings.

The two suicide attacks killed 155 people and wounded more than 500.

Read more ....

More News On Iraq

Iraqi security officials held in blast aftermath -- AP
Dozens of security force members held over Baghdad bombs -- AFP
Iraqi army, security officers arrested in Baghdad blast -- CBC
U.N. official heads to Iraq after Baghdad bombings -- Reuters
Iraq says 153 people died in Baghdad bombing -- AFP
Six killed in fresh Iraq violence -- AFP
Iraq to Vote on Kirkuk Balloting Guidelines -- Voice of America
Kurds Plan to Boycott Iraqi Vote On Kirkuk -- Wall Street Journal
Iraqi election delay could stall US troop pullout -- AP
Iraq: Why Baghdad's Bombs Won't Change U.S. Plans -- Time Magazine
Pervasive Corruption Rattles Iraq’s Fragile State -- New York Times
Analysis: Iraq not ready to face al Qaeda -- CNN
For Every Iraqi Party, an Army of Its Own -- New York Times
Iraq's last chapter is still not written -- The Guardian
Turning Fallujah -- SWJ Editors (pdf)

Iraq War News Updates -- October 27, 2009

Grieving Iraqi women look at the damaged government buildings Monday a day after suicide truck bombings in Baghdad killed 155. Al-Rubaye/Getty

Al-Qaeda Claims Responsibility For Iraq's Worst Suicide Bomb Attack In Two Years -- The Telegraph

The Iraqi wing of al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the country's worst suicide bomb attack in two years, which killed 155 people on Sunday.

Twenty-four children were among the dead, killed when one of two truck bombs struck the school bus that was carrying them away from a day-care centre near the ministry of justice.

A statement posted on a website claiming to be from the Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella group for organisations claiming association with al-Qaeda, said the two truck bombers were "martyrs who had targeted the dens of infidelity".

Read more ....

More News On Iraq

Al-Qaida linked group claims Baghdad attacks -- AP
Al-Qaida claims responsibility for Baghdad suicide bombings -- The Guardian
Al-Qaeda group claims Iraq blasts -- BBC
Al Qaeda in Iraq ally claims bombings -- CNN
Iraqis Arrest Bombing Suspects in Baghdad -- U.S. Department of Defense
Bloody Sunday a heavy blow for Iraqi gov't -- China View
Iraq bombers seek to reverse progress -- BBC
Iraq beefs up security in Baghdad after bombings -- L.A. Times
Iraq Increases Security After Blasts -- Wall Street Journal
Some of the deadliest attacks in Iraq -- AP
Massive Baghdad bombings that left 155 dead may also destroy fragile Iraq government - experts -- New York Daily News
Baghdad bombs damage US strategy -- The Guardian
Iraq: Why Baghdad's Bombs Won't Change U.S. Plans -- Time Magazine
Iraq’s leaders have created a vacuum -- Financial Times editorial

Iraq War News Updates -- October 8, 2009

A U.S. Army soldier watches as gravel is dumped in the river to create a ford over a river near the Iraq-Iran border, Iraq, Sept. 22, 2009. The soldiers are assigned to Company C, 9th Engineer Battalion. A bridge over the stream had been washed away by recent rains and the ford allows Military Transition Teams to conduct training with Iraqi border guards. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Brien Vorhees

After Six Years, 'We're Worthless' -- Washington Post

Iraqis on U.S.-Created Local Councils Feeling Vulnerable as American Pullout Looms.

BAGHDAD -- Weeks after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in the spring of 2003, as parts of the capital were still smoldering, American soldiers and diplomats turned to men like Hassan Shama and Omar Rahman Rahmani in their quest to plant the seeds of representative democracy.

In Baghdad, Iraq's capital, they held impromptu neighborhood caucuses to appoint district and neighborhood advisory councils. The local government bodies were given no official charter, lawmaking power or public budget.

Read more ....

More News On Iraq

For U.S. combat soldiers, new role in Iraq is frustrating -- Miami Herald/McClatchy News
Five killed in Iraq bombings -- AFP
Iraqi police: Bomb in barber shop kills 5 -- AP
Iraqi security forces strain budget, PM says -- AP
Iraq MP blames Saddam loyalists for undermining diplomatic ties with Arab countries -- China View
Secular, Religious Blocs Jockey For Position In Iraq -- NPR
Discord over electoral law ahead of Iraq January poll -- Irish Times
Security walls at Samarra shrine now create divide -- AP
Iraq's Minorities Caught Between Arabs, Kurds -- NPR
Families exiled by Saddam return to Iraq -- AP
Politics, bureaucracy still hinder investments in Iraq -- Arab Times
Obama Praises Iraqi President’s Efforts -- U.S. Department of Defense
US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,349 -- AP