Iraq Parliament Delays Vote on US Security Pact

(NEWSER) - As the US military prepares to withdraw from Iraq's cities, security officials in both countries have observed that a smaller but more lethal insurgency seems to be gaining ground. Several recent bombings, believed to be orchestrated by al-Qaeda in Iraq, have killed 123 people in Baghdad and elsewhere, while members of the Sunni Awakening Movement have faced assassination attempts. As the New York Times reports, the attacks are a reminder of instability in a country that has been relatively peaceful of late. More»

Pact gives Iraqis more oversight over American presence

(AP) - Iraq's parliament today passed a security pact with the US that lets American troops stay in the country for 3 more years. The ruling coalition's Shiite and Kurdish blocs as well as the largest Sunni Arab bloc backed the "yes" vote, the AP reports. The parliament speaker said an "overwhelming majority" lawmakers present voted in favor. PM Nouri al-Maliki appeared to have won the comfortable majority he sought to give the agreement additional legitimacy. More»

Will allow thousands of civil servants to reapply for jobs, pensions

(NEWSER) - The Iraqi parliament today cleared the way for former members of Saddam's Baath party to rejoin the government and military, the BBC reports. The move is seen as a way to smooth tensions between Shiites, who control the new government, and Sunnis, who ruled under Saddam and dominated the Baath party. Those with outstanding criminal charges will not be allowed to return. More»

Tariq al-Hashemi accuses Shiite PM of eliminating rivals

(NEWSER) - Sunni VP Tariq al-Hashemi today openly accused Nouri al-Maliki of trying to eliminate his political rivals and run Iraq like a "one-man-show," a move that Hashemi says is pushing the country toward sectarian war. The comments came during an interview with the AP, which notes that the escalating tension between the two men , along with the series of bombings that killed at least 69 people yesterday , have hiked fears that Iraq could indeed be thrown into new violence following the exit of US troops. More»

Sunnis walk out of parliament, demand more power

(NEWSER) - Iraq's political structure already seems to be unraveling. Before the last US troops have left , Sunni politicians are walking out of parliament and threatening to quit altogether, the Washington Post reports. Ministers in the Sunni Iraqiya bloc are demanding more political power and greater control of Iraq's Shiite-dominated militia—especially after tanks recently surrounded the homes of Sunni politicians in the fortified Green Zone. More»