Sunnis, Shi’a, secular and sectarian citizens alike, Iraqis have been debating the issues that come with US military occupation for years now. But one week ago, the Iraqi Parliament came together, despite their different beliefs, and passed the Status of Forces Agreement by a vote of 149-35. There were dissenters, of course; most were Sadr […]
It's been in the news for a few weeks now, so I’m sure you haven't been able to escape the talk. For those of you who have been solely focused on the current US political situation, and I don't blame you, I have only one word: Syria. Last week, thousands of Syrians congregated in Damascus […]
I meant to write about this right after the news came out but I got sidetracked with the election drama. In his newest book, “The War Within: A Secret White House History, 2006-2008,” Bob Woodward confirms the rumor that the US is spying on Nuri al-Maliki, Iraqi Prime Minister, as well as other top Iraqi […]
In an interview with BBC, General Petraeus, the outgoing commander of US troops in Iraq, states that he probably will not ever use the word ‘victory’ in discussions about Iraq. Further (and this is what I like about our military leaders), he argues that honesty is the best policy when it comes to reports about […]
As the election is almost upon us, this is the best time to become more informed about the issues. My goal with this post is to display the facts, and let you judge for yourself. The only thing that I will tell you to do is register and VOTE (if you didn't know, many states […]
The International Herald Tribune reported last week that the US is turning security control over the Anbar Province to Iraqi security forces. As you may remember, Anbar has been a violent area in the past, once serving as a stronghold for Sunni insurgents. This is a big development for the both countries, as Anbar is […]
Stephen Biddle, Michael E. O’Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack have a plan for withdrawing from Iraq. Their article, published in the September/October 2008 Issue of Foreign Affairs states that Democratic and Republican goals can both be met through a withdrawal timeline. They argue that serious draw downs should not occur until after the Iraqi national election, set […]
A picture of an Iraqi psychiatric hospital, now in disrepair. (NYTimes.com) (Note: we know that US troops are suffering from psychiatric disorders upon returning to the US, but what about the Iraqi people?) It seems that the US is bearing the brunt of reconstruction expenses in Iraq, even though the Iraqi government is projected to […]
In a morning speech Thursday outside the Oval Office, George W addressed the Iraq war, political and military advances made by the Iraqi government and shorter tours of duty. The International Herald Tribune published the full text of his speech. “This has been a month of encouraging news from Iraq. Violence is down to its […]
Good news! Iraq will be going to China next month, and sending four athletes: a men's rowing double, a discus thrower and their sprinter, Dana Hussain (their archer may also have the chance to compete, as long as his spot is still available after entries are completed by other countries.) USA Today reports that the IOC […]
The International Olympic Committee has banned Iraq from competing in China next month. However, as usual, there are two completely different versions of the story and I still don't fully understand what happened. Adding to the confusion is the fact that many major media outlets are not reporting on these events. CNN (with the most […]
It seems that the Bush Administration has given up its rigidity when it comes to troop numbers in Iraq (maybe they read my last post!). As Time and CNN.com reported this week, the US is withdrawing troops from Iraq. But don't get excited yet; this only means that levels are returning to their original number […]
The latest news this week is Iraq's demand for a withdrawal timetable from US officials. The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that Iraqi National Security Adviser, Muwaffak al-Rubaie, demanded the timetable, saying that Iraq is “impatiently waiting” for the withdrawal of US troops. This comes after Prime Minister al-Maliki's same request, and was “the strongest demand […]
It's amazing how two newspapers have taken the same remarks from the Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari, and spun them into totally different articles. The articles are mainly focused on Zebari's remarks made at a press conference in Baghdad earlier today. New York Times’ article is titled “Iraq Hints at Delay in US Security Deal” and […]
In a follow up to my fellow blogger Jennifer's piece on the lucrative oil wars in Iraq, the BBC has a piece entitled “Iraq seeking help to develop oil“. This discusses the official beginning of the opening up of the oil industry to foreign investment. The six main oil fields that are being opened up […]