Iraq Civil War

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July 2008
- Obama Beefs Up Foreign Policy Cred in Iraq
  
  newser | New York Times | Jul 22, 08 8:30 AM CDT
  
  Presidential candidate Barack Obama's weeklong tour of seven countries has so far been fruitful, politically agile, and especially lucky, reports the New York Times . The Illinois senator's withdrawal plan received a timely endorsement from Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki, coinciding with President Bush's embrace of a "time horizon" for pulling troops out of the war-torn country. More »
- Iraq Sands Shifting Under McCain Position
  
  newser | Politico | Jul 21, 08 1:40 PM CDT
  
  Republican presidential candidate John McCain is stuck in an awkward position after both President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki moved closer to a withdrawal timetable favored by Barack Obama, Politico notes. McCain has opposed such a measure, but in 2004 asserted that if a sovereign Iraqi government asked US troops to leave, the American government should comply. More »
- Suicide Bombers Kill 35 in Iraq
  
  newser | Reuters | Jul 15, 08 5:29 AM CDT
  
  Two suicide bombers blew themselves up in an Iraqi army recruitment center, killing 35 people and wounding at least 63, the New York Times reports. Most of the dead were recruits. The attack took place in Baquba, the capital of Iraq's ethnically mixed Diyala province. On Sunday the country's interior ministry announced a major crackdown in Diyala, which will involve American troops. More »
- Army Waivers Linked to Suspect Soldiers
  
  newser | Sacramento Bee | Jul 13, 08 7:17 PM CDT
  
  Dozens of US criminals who were granted Army waivers to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan have been linked to in-service problems, the Sacramento Bee reports. In a year-long study, the paper connected "suspect soldiers"—accused of beating prisoners, stealing weapons, and more—to troubles back home. Of 18 with felony arrest or mental health records, eight were involved in Iraq incidents and a ninth killed himself. More »
- Obama's Iraq Stance Sparks Sunday Battle
  
  newser | Politico | Jul 6, 08 5:46 PM CDT
  
  Senatorial supporters of Barack Obama and John McCain dueled on talk shows today over Obama's latest remarks on Iraq, Politico reports. Sen. Joe Lieberman called Obama a flip-flopper on This Week for his plan to "refine" Iraq pullout plans. On Face the Nation , Sen. John Kerry accused McCain backers of making "an issue where there really isn’t one." More »
- Booze Flows in Baghdad
  
  newser | McClatchy Newspapers | Jul 2, 08 11:09 AM CDT
  
  Iraq may be a war-torn nation with deep-seated sectarian divisions, but things are picking up for a certain thirsty segment of the population. That’s right: booze is flowing again in Baghdad, McClatchy Newspapers reports. Though a predominantly Muslim nation, Iraq, even under Saddam Hussein, permitted any citizen to sip, though only non-Muslims could sell the stuff. More »
June 2008
- Refugees: Iraq's Unspoken Crisis
  
  newser | New York Times | Jun 26, 08 6:56 AM CDT
  
  New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof travels to Jordan to report on one of the unintended consequences of the Iraq war: a regional refugee crisis. About 2 million Iraqis, mostly Sunnis, have fled since the war, living mostly in Jordan and Syria in deplorable conditions. "They are the new Palestinians," writes Kristof, "the 21st-century Arab diaspora that threatens the region’s stability." More »
- War Spending Strategy: Soak the Grandkids
  
  newser | Washington Post | Jun 11, 08 11:47 AM CDT
  
  As Congress tackles the latest "emergency" spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan, bringing the total to more than $860 billion, Ruth Marcus notes in the Washington Post: "For the first time in American history, every penny of that amount will have been borrowed. For the first time, billions more will have been borrowed to finance tax cuts in the midst of war. " More »
- Bush, Advisers Misled US on Iraq: Senate Report
  
  newser | Reuters | Jun 5, 08 2:19 PM CDT
  
  The Bush administration distorted facts in justifying the invasion of Iraq and overstated Saddam Hussein’s links to al-Qaeda, a long-delayed report from the Senate intelligence committee concludes. Bush and his advisers also ignored doubts about Iraq’s possession of weapons of mass destruction in constructing their case for military action, Reuters reports. More »
May 2008
- 'Miracle Marine' Dead After 3-Year Struggle
  
  newser | Associated Press | May 25, 08 4:00 PM CDT
  
  A Marine who endured burns on 97% of his body with good humor and hope has died during routine surgery, USA Today reports. Hit by a roadside bomb in Iraq, Sgt. Merlin German walked, talked, and even danced during his 3-year recovery. Undergoing more than 100 surgeries, he became a symbol of resilience and started a charity for burned kids called "Merlin's Miracles." More »
- Audit Shows Billions Unaccounted for in Iraq
  
  newser | New York Times | May 23, 08 11:20 AM CDT
  
  A Pentagon audit of $8.2 billion in taxpayer money spent in Iraq found that nearly all of the handouts skirted federal rules, and millions of dollars in contracts were awarded with little or no record of what they were for, reports the New York Times . Take the $320.8 million that was issued to 1,000 Iraqis for "Iraqi Salary Payment"—$320,800 a head—with no explanation of what they were compensated for. More »
- Baghdad Collars 1,000 in al-Qaeda Offensive
  
  newser | Reuters | May 17, 08 3:34 PM CDT
  
  Iraqi forces have detained over 1,000 suspected militants in a massive push to drive al-Qaeda out of northern Iraq, Reuters reports. The crackdown centers on Mosul, al-Qaeda’s last major urban foothold. “This operation will last until we finish off all the terrorist remnants and outlaws,” said the Iraqi general leading the charge. More »
April 2008
- Sunni Bloc Signals Return to Iraq Cabinet
  
  newser | New York Times | Apr 24, 08 3:04 PM CDT
  
  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 them, is still up in the air. More »
- Al-Sadr Threatens 'Open War'
  
  newser | CNN | Apr 19, 08 4:48 PM CDT
  
  Moqtada al-Sadr today threatened today to “declare a war” against Iraq unless it curbs attacks on his Mahdi Army, CNN reports. “I’m giving the last warning to the Iraqi government,” he said. “If the government does not stop the militias infiltrated with them, then we will declare an open war.” Al-Sadr had declared a ceasefire in August. More »
- US Builds Giant Wall in Sadr City
  
  newser | New York Times | Apr 18, 08 6:26 AM CDT
  
  American forces have begun construction of an enormous concrete wall that will partition Sadr City, one of Baghdad's most dangerous neighborhood. The structure is intended to make the southern section of Sadr City, a Shiite stronghold that borders the Green Zone, into a protected enclave, reports the New York Times . Walls in other parts of Baghdad have succeeded in blunting insurgent attacks, despite residents' fears of isolation. More »
- 49 Killed in Suicide Attack on Iraqi Funeral
  
  newser | Reuters | Apr 17, 08 6:56 AM CDT
  
  A suicide bomber blew himself up in the middle of a funeral in northern Iraq today, killing 49 mourners. The bomber detonated a vest stuffed with explosives in a village along the border of Diyala and Salahuddin provinces, not far from the site of Tuesday's bomb attack that killed 40. Although nobody has claimed responsibility for the blast, Al Qaeda militants have a history of attacking funerals, Reuters writes. More »
- Iraqis Buck US, Flee Front Line in Sadr City Fight
  
  newser | New York Times | Apr 16, 08 11:51 AM CDT
  
  An Iraqi Army unit fled its position in Sadr City last night, despite American protestations, the New York Times reports, breeding further doubt among US commanders. A captain begged the Iraqi in charge to reconsider. “If you turn around … those soldiers will follow you,” he said. “If you tuck tail and cowardly run away, they will follow up that way, too.” More »
- Diplomat Corps May Be Forced Into Iraq Service
  
  newser | CNN | Apr 16, 08 4:28 AM CDT
  
  American diplomats may be forced to serve in Iraq if enough qualified candidates don't come forward voluntarily, reports CNN. The US embassy in Baghdad is chronically short-staffed, and the State Department has threatened that no other diplomatic jobs will be filled until the Baghdad bureau is up to speed. A similar threat last year, eventually withdrawn, drew huge protests among the foreign service. More »
- Huge Car Bomb Kills 40 In Eastern Iraq
  
  newser | Reuters | Apr 15, 08 6:27 AM CDT
  
  A car bomb ripped through the Iraqi city of Baquba today, leaving at least 40 people dead and more than 70 injured, Reuters reports. The bomb went off near midday outside a restaurant that faces the city's main courthouse. Only a short while later a second bomb went off in the city of Ramadi, killing another 13 people. More »
- Death of Sadr Aide Sparks Battles in Baghdad
  
  newser | Reuters | Apr 11, 08 8:02 PM CDT
  
  The murder of a Moqtada al-Sadr aide triggered heavy fighting in Baghdad today after al-Sadr’s men attacked US and Iraqi forces, Reuters reports. The cleric blamed “the hand of the occupier” for the death of Riyadh al-Nuri, a close relative, and vowed not to forget “this precious blood.” A US commander told CNN that battles broke out when a US patrol, backing Iraqi forces, ran into 10 roadside bombs and sustained heavy fire. More »