Council Gives Iraq Security Deal Final Approval

'Operation Iraqi Freedom' history as most troops head home

(NEWSER) - The Obama administration has rebranded the Iraq War as it prepares to pull out most American troops. "Operation Iraqi Freedom" will become "Operation New Dawn" as of Sept. 1, when US troop levels are supposed to fall to around 50,000, the Washington Post reports. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the new name will signal that America's combat role in Iraq is drawing to a close. More»

(NEWSER) - A series of bomb attacks in Baghdad and Mosul killed at least 41 people today and raised fears of a new upsurge in sectarian violence, the BBC reports. In Mosul, where an attack on a Shia mosque killed 40 people Friday, a double truck bomb killed 25 people in a Shia community. In Baghdad, construction workers were targeted with a pair of bombs that killed at least seven. Iraqis are reportedly losing faith in the government's ability to protect them under the new security deal. More»

(NEWSER) - An explosion ripped through a market in Baghdad’s Sadr City today killing 52 and injuring 104, Reuters reports. Though Iraq has seen markedly less violence in the past year, today’s bombing is part of a wave of attacks ahead of the US military’s scheduled withdrawal from Iraqi cities next week. Sadr City is home to supporters of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, though it is patrolled by Iraqi government forces. More»

Despite deadline, US may keep forces in some Iraqi cities

(NEWSER) - The US and Iraq are negotiating exceptions to the June 30 deadline for withdrawing combat troops from Iraqi cities, reports the New York Times. While the US military will leave most cities and towns by the deadlines, troops may remain in Mosul, the northern city critical to al-Qaeda in Iraq, as well as in some parts of Baghdad. More»

Suicide attacks rock police academy, US-Iraqi patrol

(AP) - Suicide bombers struck today near a Baghdad police academy and in Mosul against a joint US-Iraqi patrol, together killing 31 people, Iraqi officials said. In Baghdad, a car bomb exploded outside the heavily fortified academy. Minutes later, a suicide attacker blew himself up as police rushed to respond to the blast. Sixteen people were killed and 45 were wounded, police said. More»