Facts, News, Trends, Analysis
“So what if the guy threw his shoes at me?” questioned President Bush in the wake of an attempted assault in Baghdad. In the midst of a surprise final visit to Iraq, an intrepid Iraqi reporter, later identified as “Shoeless” Muntadar al-Zeidi, abandoned his objective journalistic stance and let his unconventional footwork do the talking [...]
The Iraqi government took the last step toward accepting the security agreement with the United States today. The three-person Presidency Council finally approved the pact, which was ratified by Iraqi Parliament last week. The main condition of the pact mandates the withdrawal of US troops from the country, with the last of them completely out [...]
In a follow up ruling after an initial conviction last year, the mastermind of the Kurdish massacres of the late 1980’s has been sentenced to death by an Iraqi court. In a decision sure to ignite controversy, Saddam’s relative, Ali Hassan al-Majid, has finally met the justice so many have longed for. Formally charged for [...]
With the status of forces agreement passed, members of the Obama administration are turning their attention towards the future of American involvement in the region. Secretary Gates has expressed his support for the incoming President’s plan of action in Iraq, citing the fact that the timeline is firmly established. Given the withdrawal deadline now looming [...]
After heated debate, the Iraqi Parliament passed the Status of Forces Agreement by a vote of 149-49. President George Bush praised the agreement that requires all US forces to be out of Iraq by the end of 2011. Perhaps the operative phrase here, though, is “by,” meaning it could occur before then, specially noted with [...]
Yet another conflict has arisen between the Kurds and the Iraqi government, this time stemming from rights to the country’s most important natural resource, oil. The Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq recently signed oil contracts with foreign oil companies, promising them rights to crude oil from the Kurdish region.
Iraqi oil minister, Hussain Shihristani, [...]
Recently, foreign media were allowed to enter Iraqi jails for the first time since the invasion in 2003. The results were less than impressive. The jails are severely overcrowded, with upwards of 5 times the capacity of a cell. Many of the prisoners have been there for months or years without being formally charged of [...]
Recently, concerns have arisen both inside and outside of Iraq about the intentions of current prime minister Nouri al-Maliki. Over the past months, he has exerted great control over the government and the state in order to promote a strong central government and prevent the dissolution of Iraq. The intensely nationalist leader has made some [...]
At a conference in Damascus, American officials accused Syria of complicity in terrorist networks running cross-border operations into Iraq. Syria has previously denounced the flagrant violation of its state sovereignty by US troops and claimed that it was a victim rather than an aggressor, denying any active involvement with terrorists. Other conference attendees, including Iran, [...]
In a stunning reversal of policy, the pending agreement in the Iraqi Parliament includes requirements for evidence, trials, and legitimate judicial proceedings for all Iraqi prisoners held in US custody. Since 2003 American and Coalition Forces have enjoyed absolute authority over the Iraqi judicial system, producing some of the most horrific and public abuses of [...]