Petraeus Hands Over Command of Iraq

(NEWSER) - Tension between Arabs and Kurds, rather than the usual friction between Sunnis and Shia, has become the greatest threat to Iraqi security, says the top US general in the country. The oil-rich Kurdish region has become "the No. 1 driver of instability," Ray Odierno told reporters yesterday, and "many insurgent groups are trying to exploit the tensions." The Kurds are battling Baghdad over who has control of oil reserves, and support for an independent Kurdistan is rising. More»

Defense secretary sees need to stabilize gains after 'al-Qaeda routed'

(NEWSER) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates today backed a "pause" in pulling out US forces from Iraq once the 30,000 troops added for the surge are sent home in July. “The notion of a brief period of consolidation and evaluation probably does make sense,” Gates told reporters during a surprise visit to Baghdad today. How long a period? “That’s one of the things we are still thinking about.” More»

Blast occurs as US defense secretary surveys troop surge

(NEWSER) - A suicide bomber killed at least 33 people and injured 45 in Iraq today just hours before US Defense Secretary Robert Gates made a surprise visit to Baghdad, the BBC reports. The car blast, sparked by six barrels of explosives, toppled buildings, and officials say more bodies may be dug out of the rubble. More»

Prez makes surprise trip to Baghdad, will meet with Maliki, generals

(NEWSER) - President Bush landed today in Anbar Province, just west of Baghdad, for a surprise trip in advance of the September 15 status briefing on Iraq. Bush will meet with President Nouri al-Maliki, local officials and US generals including David Petraeus, CNN reports. The president was on his way to a summit in Australia when he showed up unexpectedly. More»

Other attacks kill 3 in Iraq

(AP) - A car bomb ripped through a funeral tent in a mainly Shiite area of Baghdad today, killing at least 37 people, including four children and three women. The car, which exploded around 2pm, had been parked with the vehicles of other mourners, several yards away from the tent, so it wouldn't raise suspicion, police said. Several other cars were set afire and the force of the blast damaged nearby houses. Another 78 were wounded, say police and hospital officials. More»