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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: Iraq government

Iraq government stories: 44 news summaries

1 - 20 of 44 Stories | 1 2 3 Next >>

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(AP) - At least 85,694 Iraqis lost their lives from 2004 to 2008 in violence, the Iraqi government said today in its first comprehensive tally released since the war began. Another 147,195 were wounded during that four-year period, says the Human Rights Ministry. The number includes Iraqi civilians, military, and... More »

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Iraq • civilian casualties • Iraq death toll • Iraq government • Iraq war

(Newser) - The Iraq government has tightly restricted the movements and activities of American troops remaining in cities, and some commanders blame the restrictions for a rise in attacks, the Washington Post. The day after Iraqis celebrated the pullback of US troops to outside cities, Iraq ordered the US military to cease... More »

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Iraq • Baghdad • US military • Iraq government • Shiite insurgents • Iraq Army • Iraq war • al-Qaeda in Iraq

Shoe-Chucker Gets Reduced Sentence

Iraqi journalist faces only 1 year in prison
on lesser charge

Apr 7, 09 11:50 AM CDT
(Newser) - Muntadar al-Zaidi, famous for throwing his shoes at former President Bush, has been granted an appeal that cuts his prison time from 3 years to 1, the BBC reports. A court of appeals agreed with Zaidi’s lawyers that the Iraqi journalist deserves a charge of insulting—rather than assaulting—... More »

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Iraq • shoes • Iraq government • George W. Bush • insult • sentence • Muntadar al-Zaidi

 This Time, Iraq Gets 
 Politics With Its Elections 

Stability gives candidates chance to compete more in Western democratic style

Jan 22, 09 10:55 AM CST
(Newser) - If Iraq’s tumultuous 2005 elections were a trial run at democracy, the current provincial race has main-event flavor, the Washington Post reports. Greater stability has allowed town-hall gatherings, where voters grill some 14,000 candidates running for 440 seats on everything from housing to militarization. And campaign posters, T-shirts... More »

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Iraq • Sunni • Shiite • Nouri al-Maliki • democracy • political party • Iraq government • candidate • election • local election • political campaign

 Iraq Officials Busted 
 in Coup Plot 

Generals, old regime members arrested in Ministry of Interior sweep

Dec 18, 08 3:25 AM CST
(Newser) - Iraq has arrested up to 35 Ministry of the Interior officials over the last three days for their part in a plot to revive Saddam Hussein's Baath party, the New York Times reports. Some being held were in the early stages of planning a coup, say officials. Four generals were... More »

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Iraq • Saddam Hussein • Nouri al-Maliki • Iraq government • Baathists • Baath Party • Iraq Army • coup d'etat

Bush Helps Shield Iraq From Gulf War Legal Claims

Compensation could bankrupt country, it says; Americans hurt by Saddam differ

Dec 11, 08 11:25 AM CST
(Newser) - President Bush has wedged himself between Americans and Iraq by supporting a UN measure that stops financial claims against the fledgling democracy. Iraq faces bankruptcy if claims are added to $26 billion it already owes companies and individuals who suffered in the first Gulf war. But the temporary plug keeps... More »

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Iraq • Bush administration • United Nations • Iraq government • compensation • Gulf War • Iraq security

Obama Victory Triggers Positive Shift in Iraq Politics

New optimism signals future cooperation

Nov 7, 08 2:51 AM CST
(Newser) - A wave of optimism in the wake of Barack Obama's victory is causing a shift in Iraqi politics, the New York Times reports. Shiite politicians are signaling that they're more prepared now to sign a new security agreement with the US. They believe Obama will speed the pace of withdrawal,... More »

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Iraq • troop withdrawal • Iraq government • Iraq security • President Obama

 US Agrees to Leave Iraq in 2011 

Bilateral pact, which gives Iraq control over troops, must be approved by parliament

Oct 15, 08 4:32 PM CDT
(Newser) - Iraq's government could soon be in charge of US troops for the first time, a prelude to their full withdrawal by 2011 under a deal now awaiting approval by Iraqi politicians, Reuters reports. The deal sets a firm timeline, and lets the Arab nation prosecute American soldiers for some serious... More »

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war • US troops • timetable • soldier • Iraq government • Iraq war

Forces Key to Iraq Security Lose Steam as US Hands Off

Shiite government isn't incorporating Sunni Sons of Iraq, or, worse, hunting them down

Sep 30, 08 1:18 PM CDT
(Newser) - As Iraq's Shia-led government assumes greater control of security, US soldiers fear the sudden disintegration of the 54,000-strong Sunni force that had been key to improving conditions there, the Washington Post reports. The government has pledged to hire 20% of the so-called Sons of Iraq, but that still leaves... More »

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Sunni • Shia • Iraq government • Iraqi security forces • Awakening Councils • Iraq war • Sons of Iraq

 US Arrests Key
 Shiite Official in Iraq

Ali al-Lami accused linked to June attack that killed 10, including 4 Americans

Aug 28, 08 1:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - A top Shiite in Iraq’s government was arrested today by US forces, which believe he played a role in a June bombing that killed 10 people, including four Americans, the AP reports. The arrest of Ali al-Lami, who heads a committee that keeps Saddam Hussein loyalists out of government,... More »

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Iraq • Iran • Iraq government • Shiite militia • Ali al-Lami

 Iraq Cracks Down on
 US-Allied Sunni Fighters

US commanders fear reversal of hard-fought peace

Aug 22, 08 6:30 AM CDT
(Newser) - Iraq's Shiite-dominated government has begun a crackdown on groups of US-backed Sunni fighters, the New York Times reports. The government fears the fighters, part of what is called the Awakening movement, could be waiting to turn their guns on Shiites. In several parts of the country senior members have been... More »

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Iraq • Diyala • Iraq government • Sunni insurgents • Iraq Army • al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia • Awakening Councils • counter insurgency • Iraqi militias • Sunni allies

Political Turf War Threatens Stability at Iraqi Oil Giant

Government wants to oust director of South Oil, but he's resisting

Jul 30, 08 3:44 PM CDT
(Newser) - The central government in Iraq is trying reassert its control over a huge state-owned oil company by forcing out its maverick—but highly effective—chief, the Wall Street Journal reports. He's refusing to go, however, and the resulting turf war could have huge implications not only for Iraq but the... More »

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Iraq • oil • Nouri al-Maliki • Iraq government • political factions • Hussain al Shahristani • Iraqi elections • South Oil • Jabber el-Leaby

Militia Power Wanes as
Iraqi Government Gains

Shiite Mahdi Army's extortion and violence alienate residents

Jul 27, 08 5:38 AM CDT
(Newser) - The sway of a key Iraqi militia has declined significantly and it's losing control of its Baghdad strongholds to the government, the New York Times reports. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army once controlled politics and police in areas throughout the city, but supporters became disenchanted by its violence... More »

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Iraq • Sadr City • Baghdad • Mahdi Army • Iraq government • Muqtada al-Sadr

Foreign Companies Cash In on Stable Iraq

Baghdad aggressively courts international investment

Jul 22, 08 12:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - With security and stability on the rise, Iraq’s government is turning its attention, and its generous budget, toward reconstruction. That’s led to some big opportunities for Western businesses, which are scrambling to get a cut of the country’s $25 billion reconstruction budget. Iraq, which lacks the resources... More »

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Iraq • foreign investment • Iraq government • infrastructure • Iraq contractors • Iraq reconstruction

Pelosi Becomes a Believer on Baghdad Trip

Staunch war critic optimistic about upcoming election

May 17, 08 12:12 PM CDT
(Newser) - Nancy Pelosi visited Iraq today, and the staunch war critic said she liked what she heard. After meeting with several top Iraqi and US officials, including Nouri al-Maliki and David Petraeus, Pelosi emerged optimistic about the upcoming provincial elections. She also praised Baghdad for passing a budget and oil legislation,... More »

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Iraq • Nancy Pelosi • Congress • Baghdad • Nouri al-Maliki • David Petraeus • Iraq government

Dead Soldiers Beef Up
Iraqis' Troop Count

US audit says many in special forces aren't actually serving

Apr 25, 08 2:08 PM CDT
(Newser) - The number of men in Iraq's security forces is estimated to be a healthy 530,000. Trouble is, a "substantial number" of them are injured, dead, or AWOL, a new government audit says. The review casts doubt on Pentagon reports about Iraqi capabilities and questions Baghdad's ability to train... More »

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Pentagon • David Petraeus • US military • Iraq government • Iraqi security forces • Iraq Army • Iraq mess

Sunni Bloc Signals Return to Iraq Cabinet

Group cites amnesty law, anti-Shiite crackdown as positives

Apr 24, 08 3:04 PM CDT
(Newser) - The biggest Sunni bloc in Iraq is returning to the government after a nine-month boycott, encouraged by a new amnesty law and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s redoubled attention to Shiite militias, the New York Times reports. Which cabinet positions the Tawafiq bloc will get, and which members will hold... More »

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Iraq • Sunni • Shiite • Nouri al-Maliki • Iraq government • Shiite militia • Adnan al Duliami • Tawafuq

Iraqi PM:
No Elections
for Militias

Mahdi Army must disband, Maliki says,
or lose political power

Apr 7, 08 8:32 AM CDT
(Newser) - Muqtada al-Sadr and his loyalists will be banned from upcoming elections if the Mahdi Army doesn't disband, Nouri al-Maliki said today, in his toughest rhetoric yet against the popular cleric. Sadrists say the Iraqi PM has no constitutional power to make that threat, but even if lawmakers succeed in banning... More »

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Iraq • Sadr City • Mahdi Army • Green Zone • Nouri al-Maliki • Iraq government • Sadrists • Iraqi militias • Muqtada al-Sadr

Iraqi Official Calls Blackwater Deal 'Bad News'

PM's adviser warns Baghdad may challenge contract

Apr 5, 08 4:24 PM CDT
(Newser) - An Iraqi official called the renewal of Blackwater USA's contract "bad news" today, CNN reports. "I personally am not happy with this, especially because they have committed acts of aggression, killed Iraqis," said the adviser to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. With many in Baghdad upset about it,... More »

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Iraq • Baghdad • Nouri al-Maliki • Blackwater • Iraq government • security contractors • Iraq contractors

Updated

Al-Sadr Orders His Militia Off Streets of Basra

He offers weakened Maliki a truce deal as violence continues

Mar 30, 08 5:15 PM CDT
(Newser) - Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered his fighters to leave the streets of Basra and other cities, reports the BBC, in an effort to end clashes with security forces. “Anyone carrying a weapon and targeting government institutions will not be one of us,” Sadr said, but minutes after... More »

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Iraq • Baghdad • Basra • Shia • Iraq government • cleric • ceasefire • Muqtada al-Sadr • Iraq war • Shia militia

1 - 20 of 44 Stories | 1 2 3 Next >>


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