Iraq War News Updates -- June 30, 2008

From The Long War Journal:

Iraqi Security Forces Five Year Plan: An updated projection

n August 2007, the Projected Iraqi Security Forces Five Year Plan (end-2012), a rough estimate of the end-state for Iraqi forces, was published. Additional information and details have since become available to clarify Iraqi Security Force (ISF) development and probable plans, however, the same rule applies: What follows is heavy on speculation, estimation, and extrapolations. If sixty percent proves accurate, the estimate will be considered good. Many of the decisions that affect what is being projected here have not been made yet.

Read more ....

More News On Iraq:
US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,113 -- Yahoo News
US Ambassador Says More Talks Possible With Iran on Iraq -- Voice Of America
Five Iraqi Judges Escape Baghdad Bombs -- ABC News
Wave of attacks threaten Iraqi judges -- Yahoo News
Program in Iraq against al-Qaida faces uncertainty -- Yahoo News
Car bomb kills seven Iraqi policemen -- Daily Times
Basra intel. chief assassinated -- Aswat Aliraq
Iraqi tribesmen preparing for life without U.S. aid -- Newsok
Six more combat units to head to Iraq: Pentagon -- Yahoo News
U.S. transfers first 1,000 of 8,000 humvees to Iraqi forces -- World Tribune
Iraqis: 43% say Iraq is going well while 17% of americans say USA on right track -- The Next Big Future
The Secret American Army -- Strategy Page
Army study: Iraq occupation was understaffed -- Newsweek
Iraq seeking help to develop oil -- BBC
U.S. Advised Iraqi Ministry on Oil Deals -- New York Times
British and US companies win Iraq oil contracts -- The Guardian

My Comment: Afghanistan has suffered more coalition casualties than Iraq for the second month in a row. I guess that sums up the differences between these two wars now.

Iraq Starts To Fix Itself

Iraq Fighting 2007

From the Economist:

Its people are still suffering monstrously, but Iraq is doing far better than it was only a few months ago

AFTER all the blood and blunders, people are right to be sceptical when good news is announced from Iraq. Yet it is now plain that over the past several months, while Americans have been distracted by their presidential primaries, many things in Iraq have at long last started to go right.

Read more ....

News From Other Sources On Iraq:
Anti-US cleric shifts strategy for Iraq elections -- Yahoo News
Anti-US Cleric Shifts Strategy for Iraq Elections -- ABC News
S-Iraq security pact 'not dead,' deal ready in July: Iraqi FM` -- Yahoo News
Troops Pour Into South Iraqi City -- BBC News
Iraq Will Take Control of 2 More Provinces in Coming Weeks -- Gateway Pundit
Troops pour into south Iraqi city -- BBC News
Maliki Moves Against Militants In Amarah, Iraq -- Strata-Sphere

My Comments: The momentum is definitely against the enemies of the new Iraq. This summer and the U.S. Presidential election in the fall will be the make or break period for both Iraq and the U.S.

Iraq War Updates -- June 12, 2008

CNN Headline News / The Al-Qaeda Files / - !!WARNING GRAPHIC !!

News On Iraq From Other Sources
US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,098 -- AP
Iraqi police detain three Special Groups operative behind 2007 Karbala attack -- Long War Journal
Suicide recruits dropping in Iraq -- Washington Times
Anbar Iraqis Share Al-Qaeda Intelligence -- Threatswatch
U.S. Enlists And Arms Patrols in Sadr City -- Washington Post
Iraq war could cost taxpayers $2.7 trillion -- CNN
US military reports 2 troop deaths in Iraq -- Yahoo News
Car bomb kills three in Baghdad -- Yahoo News
Iraq road bomb kills three Kurdish security guards -- Yahoo News
26 Iraqis wounded in Baghdad bombings -- Xinhuanet
US military blames Shiite militias for bomb -- Yahoo News
Building Capacity in Iraq – Police Forces -- Small Wars journal

My Comment: Seven years and counting ..... but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Iraq War News Updates -- May 1, 2008

Iraqi Team Seeks Halt To Suspected Iranian Aid To Militias -- Yahoo News

Official: Iraqis To Confront Iran About Arming Militants -- CNN News

Iran's Involvement In Iraq -- Belmont Club

Ir** vs Ir** -- Belmont Club

Iraqi Delegation Arrives In Iran With Evidence Of Militant Aid -- International Herald Tribune

CIA Director Hayden Says Iran Wants Americans in Iraq Killed -- FOX News

Media Ignores Record Progress: Finds Reason to Slam Iraq -- Gateway Pundit

About Those Casualty Statistics From Iraq -- Strata Sphere

Iraq: US Deaths Hit 7-Month High -- Time Magazine

US Troop Deaths Hit 7-Month High In Iraq -- Yahoo News

U.S. Troop Deaths Hit 7-Month High In Iraq -- MSNBC

Tariq Aziz, The Public Face Of Saddam's Tyranny, Goes On Trial -- Independent

35 Die, Dozens Injured In Iraq Wedding Attack -- MSNBC

At Least 28 Killed In Sadr City Fighting -- San Francisco Chronicle

US Troops Kill 28 Mahdi Fighters In Sadr City -- Long War Journal

Maliki Vows To Pursue Militias -- Long War Journal

Unsafe Haven -- Newsweek

Is Iran The Biggest Problem In Iraq? -- MSNBC World Blog

Congress Urged Not To Slash Iraq Funding -- CBS News

Bush Pays Price For 'Mission Accomplished' Sign -- MSNBC

Clinton Says There’s Nothing Left to Achieve in Iraq -- FOX News

My Comment: Low level conflict still continuing. Reconciliation with Sadr's militia's continuing. Iran actively involved in the conflict. Al Qaeda still on the run. In otherwords .... everything is still the same.

Iraq War Updates -- April 23, 2008

Petraeus Picked To Lead Mideast Command -- Yahoo News

No. 2 US Commander Hopes al-Sadr Will Stop Attacks -- Yahoo News

Two Marines Killed In Suicide Bombing -- Washington Times

Baghdad Militia Clashes Kill 19 -- Yahoo News

Iraqi PM Wants to Secure Borders -- Time Magazine

Arab States Reluctant To Forgive Iraq Debt -- Washington Post

Iraq Continues Towards Reconciliation -- Hot Air

'Disneyland' Planned For Baghdad War Zone -- Times Online

Iraqis Turning In Mahdi Army Fighters -- Strata-Sphere

Why The Campaign Against Sadr? -- Belmont Club

Its Sucks To Be Sadr -- Strata Sphere

Rising Female Bombers in Iraq: An Alarming Trend -- Counter Terrorism Blog

Deep Background: Iraq Five Years On -- Austin Bay

The Real Surge Continues: Iraqi Army Corps Formation -- Long war Journal

Al Qaeda Decapitated in Iraq -- Strategy Page

al-Qaeda Cries For Help In Iraq -- Strata Sphere

Al-Qaeda Speaks -- Belmont Club

Iraq War News Updates -- April 21, 2008

Iraq To Confront Militias After Sadr Threat -- Reuters

Fear In Sadr City As Cleric Threatens War -- Times Online

Sadr Threatens New Uprising; Iraqi And US Forces Press Attack -- Long War Journal

Sadr Threatens 'Open War' As Iraqi Army Attacks Base -- Independent

Sadr Balks Again - Not Sure When He Will Decide On Open War -- Strata Sphere

U.S. Risks Deepening Role In Iraqi Shi'ite Feud -- Reuters

Iraqi PM Urges Arab States To Open Embassies In Baghdad -- Yahoo News

Arab Nations Non-Committal On Iraq Debt, Embassies -- Reuters

Rice: Arab Neighbors Taking 'Step Forward' To Support Iraq -- Yahoo News

America's Allies In Iraq Under Pressure As Civil War Breaks Out Among Sunni -- The Independent

Trying to Hold Together Iraq's Army -- Time Magazine

A Gun in One Hand, A Pen in the Other -- Newsweek

12 Dead As U.S. Troops Battle Al-Sadr's Militia -- MSNBC

Under Attack, Al-Sadr Threatens To 'Declare War' -- CNN

Iraqi Forces Launch New Attacks In Basra -- LA Times

Al-Sadr Threatens Uprising in Iraq if Crackdown Continues -- FOX News

Iran Denounces Operations In Sadr City -- CBS News

Concrete Walls For Sadr City -- Captain's Journal

Iran, al Sadr, And The Endgame? -- Tigerhawk

Al-Qaeda in Iraq: Determined But Desperate -- Pajamas Media

Al-Qaeda In Iraq: Determined But Losing -- Iraq The Model

Thousands March in Brussels to Protest Attacks on Christians in Iraq -- FOX News

Commentary: Barak Obama And Iraq -- Reason Online

Commentary: The Iraqi Army Can Hold, Too -- Western Standard

My Comment: It is interesting to see the difference in reporting from the main stream media and the bloggers who are actually in Iraq.