CNN (Free subscription) | 7 hours ago
Deputy Speaker Khalid al-Attiya of the Iraqi parliament called Sunday's vote an "important achievement."NEW: U.S. officials laud council for "coming to agreement on ... difficult issues" affecting IraqisNew law widely seen as test of Iraq's ability to form functioning governmentOf the 196 ministers of parliament present Sunday, 141 voted in favor of the lawElection commission said vote...
The Guardian (Free subscription) | 4 hours ago
Iraqi legislators have finally agreed on a formula to include the bitterly contested city of Kirkuk in a national election in January, ending months of political wrangling and fears that the planned US troop pullout might be delayed. However, the agreement struck in parliament tonight deals only with how to apportion votes in the semi-autonomous northern enclave, and did not tackle a decision...
Political Punch (Free subscription) | 3 hours ago
Calling it a "significant breakthrough," President Obama praised the vote by Iraq's Council of Representatives allowing for parliamentary elections in January 2010 calling it "an important milestone as the Iraqi people continue to take responsibility for their future."
ABC News (Free subscription) | 3 hours ago
... allowing for parliamentary elections in January 2010 calling it "an important milestone as the Iraqi people continue to take responsibility for their future." The president cast the decision as paving the way for the withdrawal of US troops, saying the US government looks "forward to Iraqi elections early next year" and that the "agreement advances the political progress that can...
Reuters (Free subscription) | 7 hours ago
... combat troops out of Iraq by next September," Obama said at the White House soon after the Iraqi parliament approved the law.With the Obama administration focused on arresting the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, it is anxious to complete the pullout of combat troops on schedule. U.S. forces are due to withdraw completely by the end of 2011.Acknowledging the recent spate...
PunkAssBlog.com (Free subscription) | 11/06/2009
... Military police refused to comment, citing an ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, Afghan and Iraqi leaders have offered tepid, sarcastic condolences to the families of those killed. “Yeah, wow, that sucks.” Iraqi president Jalal Talabani wrote in a press statement, “I can’t even imagine. Twelve lives lost. And for what'” “Well, never mind that,” the statement continued, “CNN...
Iraqi Mojo (Free subscription) | 11/02/2009
Four years after it was determined that half of suicide bombers in Iraq are Saudi and most enter Iraq via Damascus , a "U.N. special envoy has met with top Iraqi officials to discuss government complaints of outside involvement in the recent wave of terrorism. Official figures, just released, show the number of terror casualties doubled for the month of October. Iraqi officials are...
Rhod on Public Affairs (Free subscription) | 11/02/2009
... struck Sunni as well as Shiite areas. Though violence in Iraq has fallen sharply since 2007, many Iraqis fear an increase before parliamentary elections scheduled for Jan. 16. Since the attacks on Oct. 25, which killed 155 and destroyed three government buildings in Baghdad, the authorities have arrested dozens of suspects and security officers, and critics have lashed out at the...
