Iraq war

3 Soldiers Charged in Iraqis' Murder

Associated Press  |  Sep 17, 08 12:08 PM CDT

(AP) - Three soldiers have been charged with murder for their alleged role in the killing of four Iraqis last year, the US Army said today. The Iraqi men were blindfolded, shot in the head, and dumped in a Baghdad canal around April 2007 in retribution for casualties suffered by the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, Army officials said. More »

Petraeus' Successor Has Mixed Record

Guardian (UK)  |  Sep 16, 08 9:34 AM CDT

(Newser) - Gen. Ray Odierno, who today became the top US commander in Iraq, was instrumental in last year’s troop surge that helped stabilize the country. But though most notably known for mirroring predecessor David Petraeus' focus on protecting Iraqi citizens, some in the military have slammed his methods early in the war as overly aggressive, the Guardian reports in a profile of the Army's new top dog in the region. More »

Petraeus Hands Over Command of Iraq

BBC  |  Sep 16, 08 2:56 AM CDT

(Newser) - Citing a "long struggle" in Iraq despite his successes, Gen. David Petraeus handed over his command of the country, reports the BBC, amid a smattering of violence that served as a reminder of reversible gains. Defense Secretary Robert Gates praised security gains made on Petraeus' watch as authority was passed to Gen. Ray Odierno, whom Petraeus praised as "the perfect man for the job." Two bomb blasts in Baghdad and one in Diyala province killed 34 people during Gates' visit. More »

Palin Ties Iraq to 9/11 Attacks

Washington Post  |  Sep 12, 08 8:13 AM CDT

(Newser) - In her speech yesterday to Iraq-bound troops in Alaska—a brigade that includes her oldest son, Track—Palin linked the war in Iraq with the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Washington Post reports, making a connection the Bush administration has long since stopped making. She said the soldiers' mission is to "defend the innocent from the enemies who planned and carried out and rejoiced in the death of thousands of Americans." More »

Iraqi 'Daughters' Work to Foil Female Attackers

Christian Science Monitor  |  Sep 11, 08 7:28 PM CDT

(Newser) - A new group of Iraqi women is tackling a big rise in suicide attacks by females, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Insurgent groups are exploiting gender norms that prevent men from searching women, giving bombers who look pregnant or are otherwise fully covered easy access to crowded areas. Female search teams are being assembled to curb such attacks, a development that could help change perceptions of women in the nation, the Monitor notes. More »

Iraq Troop Levels to Hold Steady Under Bush

Washington Post  |  Sep 9, 08 6:46 AM CDT

(Newser) - Troop levels in Iraq won't change until after George Bush leaves office, the president will announce in a speech today, leaving further withdrawals as an immediate matter for his successor —although Bush will oversee what amounts to a transfer of US troops from Iraq to Afghanistan. The announcement likely represents his last major decision in the pair of wars, the Washington Post reports. More »

Petraeus Hands Off Iraq Reins Next Week

Reuters  |  Sep 8, 08 7:03 AM CDT

(Newser) - Gen. David Petraeus will step down as the top US commander in Iraq on Sept. 16, handing the reins to Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, the No. 2 commander there until recently, Reuters reports. Petraeus, who led the troop surge that ushered in a major decline in Iraq violence, will become head of Central Command, which oversees a region from Kenya to Kazakhstan. More »

Iraq Looks to Buy F-16s From US

Wall Street Journal  |  Sep 5, 08 8:36 AM CDT

(Newser) - Iraq’s military wants to buy 36 F-16 fighter planes from the US in an effort to cut its dependence on American air power, the Wall Street Journal reports. The multi-billion-dollar purchase could speed the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, but neighboring nations may worry about the presence of such powerful weaponry in a still-shaky country. More »

Petraeus: US Could Be Out of Baghdad by July '09

Financial Times (UK)  |  Sep 3, 08 12:46 PM CDT

(Newser) - US troops could pull out of Baghdad by next summer if violence continues declining, David Petraeus told the Financial Times today. “Conditions permitting, yeah,” the top American general said when asked about a withdrawal by July 2009, adding that daily attacks in the capital have fallen dramatically enough that a handover to Iraqi troops was under consideration. More »

US Hands Anbar Province to Iraqis

BBC  |  Sep 1, 08 6:30 AM CDT

(Newser) - The American military is finally handing over control of Anbar province, once the center of the Sunni insurgency, to Iraqi forces today. Once one of Iraq's most dangerous regions, Anbar was transformed as Sunni militants allied themselves with the US. The transfer of Anbar, delayed several times, brings the number of provinces under Iraqi control to 11 out of 18, reports the BBC. More »

Civilian Jury Acquits Ex-Marine of Iraqi Murders

Los Angeles Times  |  Aug 29, 08 2:53 AM CDT

(Newser) - A former Marine sergeant accused of killing Iraqi prisoners has been acquitted by a California jury, reports the Los Angeles Times. Jose Luis Nazario, 28, wept as he heard the verdict. It's the first time in modern history a civilian jury has ruled on actions taken in combat, and promised to test jurors' ability to comprehend what one serviceman described as the "chaos and fear" of war. More »

As Troops Exit Iraq, US Spends More on Contractors

USA Today  |  Aug 28, 08 1:21 PM CDT

(Newser) - American troops are trickling home, but at a hefty cost: The US has spent more than $1.2 billion this year on private security contractors—mostly to protect diplomats, but also to secure infrastructure and supplies, USA Today reports. The State Department says now that focus has shifted to rebuilding, officials are venturing out of secure areas to do field work and require more protection. More »

US Arrests Key Shiite Official in Iraq

Associated Press  |  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, could bring strong pressure from Sunni groups concerned about Iranian influence in the government. More »

Army School Gets Dropouts Ready to Serve

Associated Press  |  Aug 27, 08 6:50 PM CDT

(Newser) - The US Army today opened its first prep school to prepare high school dropouts for military service, the AP reports. With wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and not enough eligible recruits, the Army wants unqualified prospects to earn their GEDs. "Only three out of every 10 people of military age" qualify, says one Army rep. "We are going to have to do something different." More »

Fewer Marines Needed in Iraq's Anbar: General

Associated Press  |  Aug 27, 08 1:31 PM CDT

(Newser) - The Marines’ top general says his two combat units in Iraq’s Anbar province could stand to be deployed elsewhere after the US hands over control there to Iraqi forces next week, the AP reports. “There aren't a whole heck of a lot of bad guys there left to fight,” Gen. James Conway says Marines told him during a recent visit. More »

US Officers: We Executed Handcuffed Iraqi Captives

New York Times  |  Aug 27, 08 5:29 AM CDT

(Newser) - Three US officers shot four blindfolded and handcuffed Iraqi detainees early last year and dumped their bodies in a canal, according to statements made to military investigators and obtained by the New York Times . The men are likely to face murder charges. Four others from the same platoon have been charged with murder conspiracy for agreeing to the killings, according to authorities. More »

Blasts Kill at Least 34 in Iraq