Green Zone Turned Over to Iraqis

US military looking to increase defense ties with states around region

(NEWSER) - The United States may be pulling out of Iraq by the end of 2011 , but that doesn't mean it's getting out of the Persian Gulf—in fact, the US military is looking to boost its combat presence in Kuwait and increase its military ties to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman, reports the New York Times . With Iran looking to flex its muscles and other states looking unstable, the US military wants to create a new “security architecture” for the region, integrating air, sea, and missile defenses. More»

(NEWSER) - The US should get out of Iraq sooner rather than later, a top Army officer wrote in a recent memo obtained by the Washington Independent. Col. Timothy Reese, the chief of the Baghdad Operations Command Advisory Team, says American forces “smell bad to the Iraqi nose,” and their presence—currently scheduled to extend until 2011—jeopardizes relations with Baghdad. He also cites the Iraqi government's numerous restrictions on US operations. More»

(AP) - Four US soldiers were killed in combat shortly before the American military completed a withdrawal from Iraq's cities last night. But prime minister Nouri al-Maliki assured Iraqis in a televised address today that government forces are in control: "Those who think that Iraqis are not able to protect their country and that the withdrawal of foreign forces will create a security vacuum are committing a big mistake." More»

Joint Chiefs chairman still wants US withdrawal tied to security situation

(NEWSER) - The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is "comfortable" with the new US-Iraq security pact scheduling the start of an American troop pullout next year, but believes some major hurdles still exist, the Washington Post reports. Admiral Michael Mullen cautioned that the US has huge amounts of equipment and thousands of troops within the country, and it will likely take up to three years to get everything out of the nation safely. More»

First-ever trip by an Iranian prez upsets Sunnis, poses security risk to hosts

(NEWSER) - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will fly to Baghdad Sunday to meet with Iraqi president Jalal Talabani, the first state visit ever by an Iranian president, the BBC reports. Sunni Iraqi leaders expressed outrage over the visit, which also comes a day after the US claimed further evidence of Iranian meddling in the country—a sniper "trained in Iran," US military said. More»