By Christopher Torchia Parliament authorized the government Wednesday to carry out a cross-border attack on Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, approving an offensive that would put Turkey at odds with the U.S. There was no sign of an imminent invasion. Washington and Iraq have pressured Ankara to show restraint and Turkish leaders signaled that they would not immediately give the order to send in the 60,000 troops, armor and attack
(Al-Manar TV) — Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in Ankara on Wednesday that Damascus would back a possible Turkish incursion into northern Iraq to crack down “against terrorist activities” there. “We support the decisions the Turkish government has put on its agenda against terrorism and terrorist activities,” Assad told reporters after talks with Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul. “We see this as Turkey’s legitimate right,” he said. He was speaking shortly
Russia’s lower house of parliament has called on Turkey not to launch a cross-border offensive against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq. Issuing a resolution on Tuesday the Russian lawmakers have called the US invasion of Iraq “gross violation of international law. AP reported that in their resolution, lawmakers in the State Duma – which is dominated by the Kremlin-backed party United Russia – said the 2003 invasion had “inflicted irreparable
Sayyed Ammar al-Hakim Calls for Full US Pull-Out BAGHDAD, A key member of Iraq’s ruling coalition called Saturday for the complete withdrawal of foreign troops from his country and rejected the possibility of permanent US bases. Ammar Hakim, a leading figure of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC), also called on the US occupation troops to be more careful in their use of force after recent bombings killed civilians in
To find out, simply watch this excellent video produced by Alternate Focus (and thanks to Curt for brining it to my attention!)——-
By Andrew Gray Iraq’s national security adviser said on Friday he strongly opposed any military attack on Iran and, in contrast to the Bush administration’s policy, said the option should not even be considered. “Attacking Iran? I say a big fat no. It’s a fatal mistake,” Mowaffak al-Rubaie said. “It should never be an option at all.” The United States accuses Iran of using its nuclear program to develop atomic
“ICH” – Free people of the world, we believe it is time to provide you with another updated report on the status of the war as we in the resistance factions perceive. We have several indications from the fields and from within the puppet government in Baghdad that the tactics used by the occupation forces have developed, yet the strategic aims that drive them, remains the same and in order
BAGHDAD — Iraq’s major political parties denounced the US Senate proposal calling for a limited centralized government with the bulk of the power given to the country’s Shiite, Sunni or Kurdish regions, saying it would seriously hamper Iraq’s future stability. At a news conference earlier Sunday, at least nine Iraqi political parties and party blocs representing both Shiites and Sunnis said the Senate resolution would diminish Iraq’s sovereignty and called
Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh has consistently led the way in telling the story of what’s really going on in Iraq and Iran. SPIEGEL ONLINE spoke to him about America’s Hitler, Bush’s Vietnam, and how the US press failed the First Amendment. SPIEGEL ONLINE: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was just in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Once again, he said that he is only interested in civilian nuclear
by Gareth Porter The George W. Bush administration recently concluded that the increase in rocket attacks on coalition targets by Shi’ite forces over the summer was a deliberate move by Iran to escalate the war in order to put pressure on the United States to accept Iranian influence in Iraq, according to a senior US government official. The reported conclusions reached by administration officials suggest that the advocates of war
By Scott Ritter The long-awaited “progress report” of Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker on the status of the occupation of Iraq has been made, providing Americans, via the compliant media, with the spectacle of loyal Bush yes men offering faith-based analysis in lieu of fact-based assessment. In the days and weeks that have since passed, two things have become clear: Neither Congress nor the American people (including the
NAJAF, Iraq, Sept 27–Iraq’s spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Sistani received Iraqi vice president-cum-the secretary general of the Iraqi Islamic Party, Tariq al-Hashemi, in this holy city, south of Iraqi capital Baghdad, Alalam TV reported Thursday. The meeting came a day after Al-Hashemi published a proposal that he said would help achieve reconciliation in Iraq. The document calls for a blanket pardon for Iraqis who took up arms against the government
Washington – US lawmakers voted Wednesday to split Iraq into a loose federation of sectarian-based regions and urged President George W Bush to press Iraqi leaders to agree. More than 20 Republicans joined Democrats to pass the non-binding measure in the Senate, 75-23, showing frustration in both parties about Bush’s war policy and lagging national reconciliation in Iraq. Supporters of Iraqi partition believe it would let Shia, Sunni and Kurdish
Its strategies shattered, a desperate Washington is reaching out to the late dictator’s henchmen. By Patrick Graham It was embarrassing putting my flak jacket on backwards and sideways, but in the darkness of the Baghdad airport car park I couldn’t see anything. “Peterik, put the flak jacket on,” the South African security contractor was saying politely, impatiently. “You know the procedure if we are attacked.” I didn’t. He explained. One
(AFP) – Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden branded Iraq’s Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki a “traitorous apostate” in new video that threatens the Shiite Muslim majority in the violence-ravaged country. The 81-minute documentary-style video was made public on Thursday by the US-based SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors Islamist websites.In it, bin Laden talks of a succession of US-backed government in Iraq since Saddam Hussein was overthrown in 2003 and taunts
Press TV reports that Iraqi officials have said that a member of an Iranian delegation has been kidnapped by US forces in the city of Sulaimaniya, northern Iraqi. The Iranian official was detained at around 4.00 am after US troops raided the Sulaimaniyah Palace hotel, said Jamal Abdullah an Iraqi official, adding that the detainee was a member of an Iranian commercial delegation visiting the northern city. US forces in
A special investigative report from inside Iraq By Greg Palast Monday, September 17, 2007- Did you see George all choked up? In his surreal TV talk on Thursday, he got all emotional over the killing by Al Qaeda of Sheik Abu Risha, the leader of the new Sunni alliance with the US against the insurgents in Anbar Province, Iraq. Bush shook Abu Risha’s hand two weeks ago for the cameras.
by Tony Karon As I wrote on TIME.com last week, Bush is in no position to bring the Iraq war to a satisfactory conclusion; the U.S. is treading water in Iraq lacking both any reason to believe the current balance of forces there will allow the attainment of U.S. goals, and any leverage capable of altering that balance of power. The Democrats, for their part, are posturing, demanding an immediate
by Patrick Cockburn Ten days after President George Bush clasped his hand as a symbol of America’s hopes in Iraq, the man who led the US-supported revolt of Sunni sheikhs against al-Qa’ida in Iraq was assassinated. Abdul-Sattar Abu Risha and two of his bodyguards were killed either by a roadside bomb or by explosives placed in his car by a guard, near to his home in Ramadi, the capital of
TEHRAN, — US President George W. Bush failed and defeated in his Middle East plan and would one day stand trial for “atrocities” in Iraq, Iran’s Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Friday. Ayatollah Khamenei made the remark in his second sermon to this week’s Friday prayers at Tehran University on the second day of the fasting month of Ramadhan. “Today the Americans are condemned by the public opinion of
