Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• House budget chair questions Pentagon budget cuts
• Business Highlights
• Bales Case Shouldn't Overshadow Dennis Weichel's Heroism
• Santorum: US weak on Iran, Israel during Obama era
• Budget chairman challenges generals on defense
• Chinese firm surpasses Exxon in oil production
• Sunni rulers largely shun Iraq at Arab summit
• U.S. Wants To Avoid Ban on Afghan Night Missions
• French nuclear physicist in terror trial
• Assad says foreign aid to rebels must stop under peace plan
• Assad backs Annan peace plan, Arabs urge dialogue
• Fewer than half of the Arab leaders show up for Iraq summit, call for end to Syria conflict
• Divided Arab leaders urge Syria dialogue
• Lawmakers press Obama to help avoid defense cuts
• France bars four more Islamic preachers from entry
• Summary Box: PetroChina now tops in oil production
• Fewer than half of Arab leaders attend Iraq summit
• House rejects conservatives' deficit-cutting plan
• Fewer than half Arab leaders attend Iraq summit
• Sudan, S.Sudan pledge peace as crisis talks delayed
• Veterans with Disabilities Take Rehabilitation to New Elevations at the 26th Annual Winter Sports Clinic
• Pioneering feminist poet Adrienne Rich dead at 82
• Arab leaders want Syria plan implemented immediately
• House ready to OK GOP budget, rejects rival plans
• Romney Endorsed ‘Impeach Bush’ Mayor in Television Advertisement
• France bars four more Islamic preachers from entry
• Why Syria's Peace Process Is a Continuation of War by Other Means
• 'Breivik Is Not Crazy': Surprise Defense of Norway Killer
• Top U.S. Military Officials, New England Leaders Join Forces to Support Families of Fallen and Wounded U.S. Special Forces at New England Warrior Benefit
• Rockets explode as Arab leaders meet in Baghdad
• French nuclear physicist on terror trial
• 20 Leading Armoured Vehicles Companies Reviewed in New Visiongain Report Available at MarketPublishers.com
• Authorities charge JetBlue pilot for midair meltdown
• Sectarian Violence Is Raging in Syria
• Five Best Thursday Columns
• Iraq hosts Arab summit, seeking regional role
• A's beat Seattle 4-1 to split Tokyo series
• Blast in Baghdad as Arab summit opens
• Explosions heard as Arab summit opens in Baghdad
• Arab summit opens in Iraqi capital

House budget chair questions Pentagon budget cuts Posted: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon budget for next year is dishonest and generals who have endorsed it on Capitol Hill are not giving Congress their "true advice," a senior Republican lawmaker on budget matters said on Thursday amid rising rhetoric over looming defense cuts. Representative Paul Ryan, head of the budget committee of the House of Representatives, said the defense budget President Barack Obama sent to Congress last month was driven by spending constraints and not by the new U.S. military strategy unveiled in January. "We don't think the generals are giving us their true advice. ...

Business Highlights Posted: ___

Bales Case Shouldn't Overshadow Dennis Weichel's Heroism Posted: COMMENTARY | According to the military, Sgt. Dennis Weichel died a hero. ABC News has reported that the 29-year-old, a father of three, was killed in Afghanistan last week while preventing a little Afghan girl from being run over by a military vehicle. It's a far cry from the recent stories of Quran burnings and Robert Bales, the soldier accused of killing 17 Afghan citizens as they slept. But I would imagine that the way Weichel lived and died was far more common for the soldiers serving in Afghanistan than the heinous crimes committed earlier this month.

Santorum: US weak on Iran, Israel during Obama era Posted: Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum is strongly criticizing President Barack Obama in a foreign policy speech that suggest the United States has been weak on Iran, ignores ally Israel and rushes to engage America's enemies.

Budget chairman challenges generals on defense Posted: The chairman of the House Budget Committee said Thursday he doesn't believe the nation's commanders gave Congress a budget based on military strategy, prompting a push back from the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Chinese firm surpasses Exxon in oil production Posted: A big shift is happening in Big Oil: an American giant now ranks behind a Chinese upstart.

Sunni rulers largely shun Iraq at Arab summit Posted: Sunni Muslim rulers largely shunned an Arab League summit hosted by Shiite-led Iraq on Thursday, illustrating how powerfully the sectarian split and the rivalry with Iran define Middle Eastern politics in the era of the Arab Spring.

U.S. Wants To Avoid Ban on Afghan Night Missions Posted: Thousands of times last year, long after night fell over Afghanistan, U.S. and Afghan troops stormed houses in hot pursuit of the Taliban and al Qaeda. Of the 2,200 night missions in 2011, 83 percent result in the capture of an enemy lieutenant or senior leader. During those raids, rarely was a single shot ever fired.

French nuclear physicist in terror trial Posted: An Algerian-born former nuclear physicist accused of plotting with al-Qaida's north African arm to attack a French military base or economic interests went on trial Thursday, insisting he never took any step toward carrying out terrorism — and simply exchanged ideas online.

Assad says foreign aid to rebels must stop under peace plan Posted: BEIRUT (Reuters) - President Bashar al-Assad said on Thursday Syria would spare no effort to ensure the success of international envoy Kofi Annan's peace mission but warned it would not work without securing an end to foreign funding and arming of rebels opposing him. Assad is under international pressure to call his troops and tanks back to their bases, a year into a popular revolt against his iron rule. Fighting between troops and rebels killed at least 38 more people on Thursday, 15 of them soldiers. ...

Assad backs Annan peace plan, Arabs urge dialogue Posted: President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to work to make a success of envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan, state news agency SANA said, as Arab leaders on Thursday urged dialogue to end Syria's crackdown on dissent.

Fewer than half of the Arab leaders show up for Iraq summit, call for end to Syria conflict Posted: BAGHDAD - Fewer than half the leaders of the Arab world showed up at an Arab summit in Baghdad on Thursday, a snub to the Iraqi government, but the leaders agreed on an appeal to Syria's regime to stop its bloody crackdown on opponents..

Divided Arab leaders urge Syria dialogue Posted: Arab leaders urged dialogue and an end to Syria's bloody crackdown at a landmark summit in Baghdad on Thursday, while Iraq's premier warned that arming rival camps would spark a "proxy war."

Lawmakers press Obama to help avoid defense cuts Posted: Republicans pleaded with President Barack Obama on Thursday to negotiate with Congress to avert automatic, across-the-board military cuts that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has warned would be devastating.

France bars four more Islamic preachers from entry Posted: PARIS (Reuters) - France barred four Islamic preachers from entering the country on Thursday after banning prominent preacher Sheikh Youssef al-Qaradawi and another Egyptian cleric who wanted to attend a Muslim conference in Paris. Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and Interior Minister Claude Gueant said in a joint statement the four preachers "call for hate and violence ... and, in the current context, present a strong risk of upsetting public order". ...

Summary Box: PetroChina now tops in oil production Posted: NEW NO.1: A 13-year-old Chinese company called PetroChina has passed Exxon Mobil Corp. as the world's biggest publicly traded producer of oil.

Fewer than half of Arab leaders attend Iraq summit Posted: Fewer than half the leaders of the Arab world showed up at an Arab summit in Baghdad on Thursday, a snub to the Iraqi government, but the leaders agreed on an appeal to Syria's regime to stop its bloody crackdown on opponents..

House rejects conservatives' deficit-cutting plan Posted: The House rejected a budget pushed by its most conservative members on Thursday and moved toward approval of a $3.5 trillion plan backed by Republican leaders that would revamp Medicare, slice everything from food stamps to transportation and reject President Barack Obama's call to raise taxes on the rich.

Fewer than half Arab leaders attend Iraq summit Posted: Fewer than half the leaders of the Arab world showed up at an Arab summit in Baghdad on Thursday, a snub to the Iraqi government, but the leaders agreed on an appeal to Syria's regime to stop its bloody crackdown on opponents..

Sudan, S.Sudan pledge peace as crisis talks delayed Posted: Sudan and South Sudan vowed Thursday to resolve protracted oil and border disputes that sparked days of clashes this week and fears of an all-out war.

Veterans with Disabilities Take Rehabilitation to New Elevations at the 26th Annual Winter Sports Clinic Posted: This week, nearly 400 Veterans will hit the slopes for the 26th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, taking place in Snowmass Village, Colo., March 25 - 30.

Pioneering feminist poet Adrienne Rich dead at 82 Posted: LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Poet and essayist Adrienne Rich, a feminist literary figure celebrated as much for deeply personal reflections on her own life as for sometimes-biting social commentary, has died at age 82, family members said on Wednesday. Rich, who received a galaxy of honors, including the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize and National Book Award, for a body of work that spanned seven decades and ranks among the most anthologized of the 20th century, died on Tuesday at her home in Santa Cruz, California, daughter-in-law Diana Horowitz said. ...

Arab leaders want Syria plan implemented immediately Posted: BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Arab leaders at a regional summit in Iraq's capital endorsed on Thursday a U.N.-backed peace plan for Syria which they said should be implemented "immediately and completely". The six-point plan, drawn up by Kofi Annan, calls for the withdrawal of heavy weapons and troops from population centers, humanitarian assistance, the release of prisoners and free movement and access for journalists. (Reporting by Mariam Karouny and Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Serena Chaudhry)

House ready to OK GOP budget, rejects rival plans Posted: Republicans are ready to ram through the House an election-year, $3.5 trillion budget that showcases their deficit-cutting plan for revamping Medicare and slicing everything from food stamps to transportation while rejecting President Barack Obama's call to raise taxes on the rich.

Romney Endorsed ‘Impeach Bush’ Mayor in Television Advertisement Posted: Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney filmed a television advertisement endorsing the only mayor of a major U.S. city to publicly call for the impeachment of former President George W. Bush. The advertisement was filmed while Romney was in office as the governor of Massachusetts for former Mayor Rocky Anderson, who was running for re-election in Salt Lake City during 2003. Anderson was a vocal opponent of former President Bush's policies, particularly the involvement of U.S. ...

France bars four more Islamic preachers from entry Posted: PARIS (Reuters) - France barred four Islamic preachers from entering the country on Thursday after banning prominent preacher Sheikh Youssef al-Qaradawi and another Egyptian cleric who wanted to attend a Muslim conference in Paris. Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and Interior Minister Claude Gueant said in a joint statement the four preachers "call for hate and violence ... and, in the current context, present a strong risk of upsetting public order". ...

Why Syria's Peace Process Is a Continuation of War by Other Means Posted: Skepticism by Syrian opposition groups and their foreign supporters over the Kofi Annan peace plan ostensibly accepted by President Bashar al-Assad is hardly surprising: The plan specifies no timetable or sequence for its cease-fire and political solution to the power struggle that has claimed some 9,000 lives over the past year, and -- most galling to the opposition -- it doesn't require Assad to stand down. Assad, moreover, last November "accepted" a plan with many similar provisions, but made sure it was never implemented. ...

'Breivik Is Not Crazy': Surprise Defense of Norway Killer Posted: This post is in partnership with Worldcrunch, a new global-news site that translates stories of note in foreign languages into English. The article below was originally published in Le Monde.OSLO -- Geir Lippestad will definitely cause some controversy with the approach he plans to take in the upcoming trial of Anders Breivik, Norway's infamous extreme-right terrorist. For starters, Lippestad, Breivik's defense attorney, intends to place Mullah Krekar -- an Islamist extremist from Kurdish Iraq who has been living in Norway since 1991 -- on the witness stand.

Top U.S. Military Officials, New England Leaders Join Forces to Support Families of Fallen and Wounded U.S. Special Forces at New England Warrior Benefit Posted: As Boston celebrates the country's 236th birthday and Bicentennial of the War of 1812 – a pivotal moment that marked America's emergence as a global military power – our nation's top military officials will join New England's civic and business leaders to honor wounded and fallen U.S. Special Operations Forces members who made the ultimate sacrifice for America's liberty.

Rockets explode as Arab leaders meet in Baghdad Posted: BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Three rockets exploded around Baghdad on Thursday despite a massive security operation as Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki hosted the country's first Arab League summit in two decades. After years of war, Iraq's Shi'ite-led government had hoped the summit would highlight its growing stability and renewed role in the region, where Sunni Gulf nations have long been wary of Baghdad's close ties to Shi'ite power Iran. One rocket exploded on the edge of the fortified Green Zone where the Arab leaders were meeting. "The blast happened close to the Iranian embassy. ...

French nuclear physicist on terror trial Posted: A former nuclear physicist went on trial in Paris on Thursday on accusations of plotting attacks with the North African wing of Al-Qaida. But his defenders say he only sent some angry emails and fear he may be unfairly linked with a gunman who recently sowed terror in southern France.

20 Leading Armoured Vehicles Companies Reviewed in New Visiongain Report Available at MarketPublishers.com Posted: Armoured vehicles are central to military operational deployments, whether they are humanitarian or combat in nature. The utility of armoured vehicles has been clearly evident over the past decade within Iraq and Afghanistan, as troops have used armoured vehicles for engagement, troop transfer, and patrol duties.

Authorities charge JetBlue pilot for midair meltdown Posted: AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Authorities filed criminal charges on Wednesday against a JetBlue Airways pilot who witnesses said yelled incoherently about religion and the 2001 hijack attacks and pounded on a locked cockpit door before passengers subdued him in a midair uproar. Flight 191 was diverted to Amarillo, Texas, on Tuesday, following what authorities described as erratic behavior by Capt. Clayton Frederick Osbon, who allegedly ran through the cabin before passengers tackled him in the galley. A flight attendant suffered bruised ribs, officials said. ...

Sectarian Violence Is Raging in Syria Posted: Neighbor-on-neighbor violence between Sunnis and Shiites is breaking out across Syria, according to reports, and some fear sectarian strife could spread beyond the country's borders.

Five Best Thursday Columns Posted: Juliette Kayyem in The Boston Globe on Obama and Medvedev President Obama's comments to Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, caught on a live mic, that he would have more flexibility on missile defense after his election has, predictably, gotten caught up in election politics. "The more surprising line in the public tete-a-tete was actually what came after ... 'I understand,' Medvedev told Obama, ... 'I will transmit this information to Vladimir,'" The two are likely discussing Russian opposition to the proposed U.S. missile defense system in Europe. ...

Iraq hosts Arab summit, seeking regional role Posted: BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Thursday hosted Baghdad's first Arab League summit in two decades, a meeting dominated by Syria's crisis. As the summit began, a rocket exploded near the Iranian embassy in Baghdad on the edge of the fortified Green Zone, where leaders were meeting under extremely tight security in a Saddam Hussein-era palace. "The blast happened close to the Iranian embassy. The windows of the embassy have been shattered, but there are no casualties," a senior Iraqi security source said. Two other rockets struck central and western Baghdad. ...

A's beat Seattle 4-1 to split Tokyo series Posted: TOKYO (Reuters) - Yoenis Cespedes drilled a two-run home run as the Oakland Athletics beat the Seattle Mariners 4-1 on Thursday to split their two-game MLB season-opening series in Tokyo. The Cuban defector crunched a line drive to left centre in the bottom of the seventh for his first home run in the majors after Justin Smoak had blasted a solo homer in the top of the inning to give Seattle the lead. Josh Reddick added an insurance run with a towering shot to the right-field seats on the next pitch and Jonny Gomes tacked on another in the eighth with a long ball to centre field. ...

Blast in Baghdad as Arab summit opens Posted: A blast rocked central Baghdad near the Iranian embassy on the outskirts of the Iraqi capital's heavily-fortified Green Zone as a landmark Arab summit opened Thursday, an AFP journalist said.

Explosions heard as Arab summit opens in Baghdad Posted: The annual Arab summit meeting opened in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Thursday with only 10 of the leaders of the 22-member Arab League in attendance and amid a growing rift between Arab countries over how far they should go to end the one-year conflict in Syria.

Arab summit opens in Iraqi capital Posted: The Arab summit has opened in Baghdad with only 10 leaders from the 22-member Arab League in attendance.

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