BeltwayBlips - Latest Iraq News Articles

U.S. followed own timetable on Iraq war: UK envoy (Reuters)

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 14:26:03 +0000

Reuters - The United States followed its own military timetable for the 2003 invasion of Iraq rather than allowing diplomacy to run its full course, the former British ambassador to the United Nations said on Friday.

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Female cops in Iraq? Arab women are seizing freedom.

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:00:00 +0000

News from the Middle East isn't all bleak.

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Afghanistan: Pay for it or charge it?

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:20:04 +0000

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - War is expensive, and it's about to get more so if the U.S. government escalates its military efforts in Afghanistan. President Obama is set to announce his strategy next week. And the question of cost hovers in the background of the difficult decision he faces. Over the past eight years, the nearly $1 trillion cost of the military's efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan was essentially charged to the national credit card. Will it be different this time? Full story on CNNMoney.com

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Iraq was not UK's main worry prior to invasion (AP)

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:21:44 +0000

AP - Iran and Libya, not Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, were Britain's main security concerns before the invasion of Iraq, Foreign Office officials testified Wednesday at an inquiry probing Britain's role in the war.

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Iraq inquiry: Early U.S. push on Saddam

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:44:50 +0000

An inquiry into Britain's role in the Iraq war kicks off with top government advisers testifying that some Bush administration officials called for Saddam Hussein's ouster as early as 2001.

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British panel begins inquiry on Iraq war (AP)

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:50:43 +0000

AP - An inquiry into Britain's role in the Iraq war kicked off Tuesday with top government advisers testifying that some Bush administration officials were calling for Saddam Hussein's ouster as early as 2001 — long before sanctions were exhausted and two years before the U.S.-led invasion.

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UK to hold public inquiry into alleged Iraq abuse (AP)

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:37:53 +0000

AP - Britain's defense ministry says it will formally order a public inquiry this week into the alleged abuse and killing of Iraqi civilians by British soldiers.

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CNN/Opinion Research Poll – November 13-15, 2009 – Afghanistan, Iraq

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:00:10 +0000

TOPICS: Afghanistan, Iraq Full results (pdf)

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CNN Poll: Americans divided over troop buildup in Afghanistan

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:00:02 +0000

Washington (CNN) – If President Barack Obama decides to send 34,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, a new national poll indicates Americans would be split over whether to support such a move. Half of the people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey say they'd support such a decision, with 49 percent opposed. But support for a troop buildup of that size is greater than the 45 percent of the public who support the war in Afghanistan. The survey indicates that 52 percent oppose the war. "The war is unpopular and previous polls have shown that Americans oppose sending more troops in the abstract," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "But it may be a different story when Americans are confronted with an actual decision, by the Commander-in-chief, on a military matter. Previous presidents have seen a 'rally effect' - at least temporarily - when they have made command decisions like this one." The poll's Tuesday morning release comes just hours after Obama met ...

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IED riddle tougher in Afghanistan (AP)

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:15:37 +0000

AP - A senior Pentagon official says that preventing roadside bombs from killing troops has proven to be tougher in Afghanistan than in Iraq because of the austere conditions there.

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HRC confident Iraq elections will happen

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:28:00 +0000

From NBC's Sue KrollSecretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters today that the U.S. has every reason to believe that Iraq's election will happen although the date "might slip by some period of time". Iraq's Vice President vetoed a key part of Iraqs election law last week raising doubts that the election may not happen by the end of January. By law the Iraqi law the elections must take place before the end of January. "We have every reason to believe that elections will be held which...( read more )

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Clinton says Iraqi election might be delayed (AP)

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:20:26 +0000

AP - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is holding out the possibility that Iraq's national election could be delayed beyond January because of a dispute over the allocation of seats in parliament.

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Report: Leaked UK documents detail Iraq war chaos (AP)

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:42:38 +0000

AP - Leaked British government documents call into question ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair's public statements on the buildup to the Iraq war and show plans for the U.S.-led 2003 invasion were being made more than a year earlier, a newspaper reported Sunday.

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Is imam a terror recruiter or just an incendiary preacher? (McClatchy Newspapers)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:12:00 +0000

McClatchy Newspapers - CAIRO, Egypt — The Yemeni-American imam who's been under renewed scrutiny after the deadly shootings at Fort Hood, Texas, preaches against alcohol, birthday parties, black magic and extramarital sex. He also supports armed struggle — jihad — against the U.S. military in Afghanistan and Iraq, and has encouraged extremist insurgents in Pakistan and Somalia.

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(AP)

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:32:51 +0000

AP - US says it will drop manslaughter case against former Blackwater guard in 2007 Iraq shooting.

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Gates says Iraq withdrawal on schedule (AP)

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:29:47 +0000

AP - Defense Secretary Robert Gates says warnings that politics could push back Iraqi elections scheduled for January aren't affecting his plans for a troop withdrawal now.

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Senate passes benefits for vets' caregivers (AP)

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:58:27 +0000

AP - The Senate has unanimously passed legislation that would provide monthly stipends and medical benefits to family members who stay home to care for severely injured veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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Fine and Inquiry Possible for Blackwater Successor

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:05:09 +0000

The company formerly called Blackwater Worldwide is in talks over penalties, and a senator called for an inquiry.

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Soldier's family brings fight with contractor to Congress (McClatchy Newspapers)

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:21:00 +0000

McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — Army Lt. Col. Dominic "Rocky" Baragona was killed in Iraq on the very day that he was going home.

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Iraq veto could affect troop withdrawal

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:19:00 +0000

From NBC's Sue KrollU.S. offcials said Wednesday that the U.S. was disappointed by news that the Iraqi Vice President vetoed a key part of Iraq's election law. "We urge the Iraqi leaders and parliament to to take quick action," State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly said. The move raises doubts that the election may not happen on time. The Iraqi constitution mandates the elections happen before the end of January. The delay could affect U.S. plans for a withdrawal from Iraq, set to begin...( read more )

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Army suicides rise

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:36:00 +0000

From NBC's Jim Miklaszewski and Courtney Kube Despite the fact that the Pentagon just announced last Friday that 133 active duty soldiers have committed suicide so far in 2009, today the Army admitted that there have actually been 211 possible soldier suicides so far this year. Why the discrepancy? Last week's announcement did not factor in soldiers who were not on active duty at the time of their death -- that is, National Guard and Reserve soldiers. As of November 16, 140 active duty U.S. soldiers are either confirmed or suspected to have committed suicide so far this year ... AND another 71 Army National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers who were NOT deployed at the time of death are also possible or confirmed suicide victims. Of course, with so many Guard and Reserve soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, a soldier could be back from the war zone for only a matter of weeks before being inactivated -- but last week's announcement did not factor them in. ...( read more )

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U.N. preparing Iraq-Kuwait reconciliation plan (Reuters)

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:24:55 +0000

Reuters - The United Nations is outlining a plan to help Iraq end its dispute with neighboring Kuwait over war reparations, 19 years after Baghdad invaded the oil-producing Gulf state, a U.N. official said on Monday.

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UK war criminal: We kicked and punched Iraqis (AP)

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:46:04 +0000

AP - A British soldier convicted of a war crime in Iraq says troops there frequently punched and kicked Iraqi prisoners.

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Gates blocks release of abuse pictures

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:54:28 +0000

Gates files notice that will likely block release of photos depicting abuse of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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Britain investigating fresh Iraq abuse claims (AP)

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:50:58 +0000

AP - Iraqi civilians who were detained by British troops during the U.S.-led war have leveled some 33 allegations of rape and abuse against male and female soldiers, Britain's Ministry of Defense said Saturday.

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Army says morale is down in Afghanistan (AP)

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:50:22 +0000

AP - Morale has fallen among soldiers in Afghanistan, where troops are seeing record violence in the 8-year-old war, while those in Iraq show much improved mental health amid much lower violence, the Army said Friday.

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