Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Why US is helping France fight Islamist forces in Mali, Somalia
• KARZAI'S CORDIAL MEETING LEAVES QUESTIONS UNANSWERED
• Mali rebels make gains, vow to avenge French bombs
• French public backs Mali intervention, but for how long?
• War crimes in Syria: Time to appeal to International Criminal Court?
• Mali Islamists gain ground despite French fighting
• 2012 military suicides hit a record high of 349
• Military Suicides in 2012 Tops Military Deaths in Afghanistan
• Former President George H.W. Bush leaves hospital
• Syria bombs Damascus suburbs to keep rebels out
• Back in Afghanistan, Karzai shifts tone on US troop immunity
• Factbox: Discovering Mali, the Hard Way
• Court: Escape from Greek lockup was justified
• Iraq says it freed hundreds of inmates
• Department of Arizona, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Partners with Excelsior College to Provide Pathway to College Degree
• Karzai: US troop immunity up to Afghan elders
• Iraq frees prisoners in gesture to ease Sunni protests
• France says Diabaly falls to Malian insurgents
• Five Best Monday Columns
• Mali Islamists counter attack, promise France long war
• French widen bombing campaign, enter Central Mali
• Jailed Kurdish militant leader to meet brother after killings
• Are half of House Republicans really willing to let the U.S. default?
• Syria Displacement Crisis Worsens as Protracted Humanitarian Emergency Looms
• What Obama's Missing in Afghanistan
• Two Air Force Pilots Run Marathon at North Pole, Raise Funds for Children of Fallen Special Operators
• ''Homeland'' captures TV drama Globes, ''Girls'' gets comedy nods
• Brent rises to near $111 on supply worries, econ revival hopes
• Mali: one African war France could not avoid
• France Telecom to push further into Africa's high-growth markets
• Author L. Craig Williams Takes a Look at the Events of World War II and its Meaning for the Future
• Waltz wins supporting-actor Globe for 'Django'

Why US is helping France fight Islamist forces in Mali, Somalia Posted: 14 Jan 2013 03:55 PM PST The United States acknowledged this week that it is providing military assistance to French forces attacking Islamist strongholds in two African nations.

KARZAI'S CORDIAL MEETING LEAVES QUESTIONS UNANSWERED Posted: 14 Jan 2013 03:30 PM PST WASHINGTON -- My, it is surely nice, after the cordial, cooperative visit between President Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai last week, to finally have some clarity sprinkled over our confusing wars.Unquestionably, the American president's words were the most reassuring as he spoke Friday at the White House: "The reason we went to war in the first place is now within reach: ensuring that al-Qaida can never again use Afghanistan to launch attacks against our country."Starting this spring," he said, "our troops will have a different mission -- training, advising, assisting Afghan forces. ...

Mali rebels make gains, vow to avenge French bombs Posted: 14 Jan 2013 02:38 PM PST BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Despite a punishing bombardment by French warplanes, al-Qaida-linked insurgents grabbed more territory in Mali on Monday, seizing a strategic military camp that brought them far closer to the government's seat of power.

French public backs Mali intervention, but for how long? Posted: 14 Jan 2013 02:15 PM PST Despite the suddenness of France's military involvement in Mali, President François Hollande's decision to send troops to the troubled African nation has been well received across the French political spectrum. French politicians from nearly all the country's parties have thus far supported the campaign, which has seen early successes in stopping the southward advance of Mali's al-Qaeda-linked rebels who seized control of the country's north in the first half of last year.

War crimes in Syria: Time to appeal to International Criminal Court? Posted: 14 Jan 2013 01:55 PM PST With international frustration growing over the big powers' inability to take any action on Syria, some countries are urging the United Nations Security Council to refer Syria's mounting humanitarian and human-rights disaster to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Mali Islamists gain ground despite French fighting Posted: 14 Jan 2013 01:51 PM PST BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Despite a punishing aerial bombardment by French warplanes, al-Qaida-linked insurgents grabbed more territory in Mali on Monday, seizing a strategic military camp that brought them far closer to the government's seat of power.

2012 military suicides hit a record high of 349 Posted: 14 Jan 2013 01:45 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Suicides in the U.S. military surged to a record 349 last year, far exceeding American combat deaths in Afghanistan, and some private experts are predicting the dark trend will grow worse this year.

Military Suicides in 2012 Tops Military Deaths in Afghanistan Posted: 14 Jan 2013 01:35 PM PST The number of suicides among active duty service members, across all four military branches, reached a record high of 349 in 2012, compared with 301 in 2011. The Associated Press first reported the new numbers, pointing out that the 2012 suicide total was higher than the number...

Former President George H.W. Bush leaves hospital Posted: 14 Jan 2013 12:56 PM PST AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush was released from a Houston hospital on Monday after more than seven weeks of treatment for bronchitis and related ailments, according to a statement issued by a family spokesman. "Mr. Bush has improved to the point that he will not need any special medication when he goes home, but he will continue physical therapy," Dr. Amy Mynderse, the doctor in charge of Bush's care, said in the statement, issued by Bush spokesman Jim McGrath. ...

Syria bombs Damascus suburbs to keep rebels out Posted: 14 Jan 2013 11:40 AM PST BEIRUT (AP) — The Syrian government bombed areas around Damascus on Monday as part of its push to keep rebel fighters out of the capital, leaving many children among the dozens killed, anti-regime activists said.

Back in Afghanistan, Karzai shifts tone on US troop immunity Posted: 14 Jan 2013 10:41 AM PST A diplomatic dance has commenced between the US and Afghanistan over a US request for legal immunity that would enable a contingent of American troops to stay on beyond 2014.

Factbox: Discovering Mali, the Hard Way Posted: 14 Jan 2013 10:22 AM PST The French are frequently satirized in the U.S. as being pacifist and compromising, but this is not so. At least they didn't feel the need to get U.N. permission to conduct bombing raids northern Mali over the weekend, reported by CNN and an Associated Press article posted on the NPR web site.

Court: Escape from Greek lockup was justified Posted: 14 Jan 2013 09:53 AM PST THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — A group of illegal immigrants was justified in escaping from a police lockup last year because of the miserable conditions in their overcrowded cell, which was filthy, ridden with disease and had no running water, a Greek court has ruled.

Iraq says it freed hundreds of inmates Posted: 14 Jan 2013 09:32 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq has begun setting free hundreds of inmates, officials said Monday, offering a concession to Sunni protesters demonstrating against the country's Shiite-led government.

Department of Arizona, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Partners with Excelsior College to Provide Pathway to College Degree Posted: 14 Jan 2013 09:16 AM PST The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Arizona has signed an education agreement with Excelsior College that will allow VFW members and their spouses/domestic partners to pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees for reduced tuition and fees.Albany, New York (PRWEB) January 14, 2013 The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Arizona has signed an education agreement with Excelsior College that will allow VFW members and their spouses/domestic partners to pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees for reduced tuition and fees. ...

Karzai: US troop immunity up to Afghan elders Posted: 14 Jan 2013 09:02 AM PST KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Afghan president said Monday that a meeting of the nation's elders should convene to decide whether U.S. troops staying in the country after 2014 would be immune from prosecution under Afghan law.

Iraq frees prisoners in gesture to ease Sunni protests Posted: 14 Jan 2013 08:37 AM PST BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's government has released more than 300 prisoners held under anti-terrorism laws as a goodwill gesture to try to appease Sunni Muslim demonstrators who are staging protests against Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. Three weeks of demonstrations, mainly in Sunni-dominated Anbar province, have evolved into a tough challenge for the Shi'ite premier, increasing worries that Iraq could slide back into the sectarian confrontation of its recent past. ...

France says Diabaly falls to Malian insurgents Posted: 14 Jan 2013 07:17 AM PST BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — Despite intensive aerial bombardments by French warplanes, Islamist insurgents grabbed more territory in Mali on Monday and got much closer to the capital, French and Malian authorities said.

Five Best Monday Columns Posted: 14 Jan 2013 06:40 AM PST Antonio Villaraigosa in Politico on immigration reform Early signals suggest that President Obama will push for comprehensive immigration reform in his second term. If he needs any suggestions, Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa would be glad to bend his ear. "An immigration policy that allows us to grow together and not apart is the moral and economic imperative of our time," Villaraigosa writes, offering a six-point plan that he believes would not only make immigration policies more fair, but would also boost the nation's economy. ...

Mali Islamists counter attack, promise France long war Posted: 14 Jan 2013 05:12 AM PST BAMAKO/PARIS (Reuters) - Al Qaeda-linked Islamist rebels launched a counter-offensive on Monday in central Mali after four days of air strikes by French warplanes on their strongholds in the desert north, promising to drag France into a long and brutal Afghanistan-style ground war. France intensified its air raids on Sunday using Rafale aircraft and Gazelle attack helicopters to pummel training camps at the heart of the vast area seized by rebels in April, while pouring hundreds of troops into the capital Bamako. French planes were in action again on Monday. ...

French widen bombing campaign, enter Central Mali Posted: 14 Jan 2013 04:12 AM PST BAMAKO, Mali (AP) — French military forces on Monday widened their bombing campaign against Islamic extremists occupying northern Mali, launching airstrikes for the first time in central Mali to combat a new threat as the four-day-old offensive continued to grow.

Jailed Kurdish militant leader to meet brother after killings Posted: 14 Jan 2013 03:34 AM PST ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Jailed Kurdish militant chief Abdullah Ocalan was to be visited by his brother in prison on Monday after the killing of three Kurdish activists in Paris cast a shadow over nascent peace talks he is conducting with Turkish authorities. The dialogue, which Turkish media reports say have yielded a framework for full negotiations, began after Ocalan called on hundreds of PKK inmates to end a hunger strike last November, an appeal issued through his brother. ...

Are half of House Republicans really willing to let the U.S. default? Posted: 14 Jan 2013 02:40 AM PST Economic suicide is a real option for scores of lawmakers, says Politico

Syria Displacement Crisis Worsens as Protracted Humanitarian Emergency Looms Posted: 14 Jan 2013 02:10 AM PST IRC report calls aid levels for Syria crisis insufficient and spotlights forsaken urban refugees and ongoing sexual violence as issues that need urgent attentionNEW YORK, Jan. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nearly two years into Syria's civil war, the region faces a staggering humanitarian disaster, requiring the international community to urgently scale up planning and funding for what is certain to be a long-term regional crisis, says the International Rescue Committee's Commission on Syrian Refugees. ...

What Obama's Missing in Afghanistan Posted: 14 Jan 2013 12:48 AM PST As America's longest war winds down, there is a giant hole in Washington's thinking where a strategy should be. Despite the hopeful talk that came out of his summit in Washington with Afghan President Hamid Karzai last week, President Obama is in danger of losing control of South Central Asia entirely, sacrificing a decade's worth of blood and treasure as he begins his second term. Most of the focus now is on how rapid the U.S. troop drawdown will be. But the bigger problem for Obama is the absence of a U.S. diplomatic vision for the region—and a diplomat to execute it.

Two Air Force Pilots Run Marathon at North Pole, Raise Funds for Children of Fallen Special Operators Posted: 14 Jan 2013 12:08 AM PST Two combat-tested Air Force pilots will run a marathon at the North Pole to support the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.Tampa, FL (PRWEB) January 14, 2013 Two combat-tested Air Force pilots on a mission to provide college scholarships for the surviving children of fallen special operations soldiers have secured spots on an expedition to run a marathon at the North Pole.Air Force Capt. Kevin Johnson and Nolan Peterson will travel to the top of the world in April and, once the conditions are right, run 26. ...

''Homeland'' captures TV drama Globes, ''Girls'' gets comedy nods Posted: 13 Jan 2013 09:39 PM PST BEVERLY HILLS, California (Reuters) - Post 9/11 psychological thriller "Homeland" was the big winner of the Golden Globe awards for television drama on Sunday for the second season running, while brash newcomer "Girls" and its struggling New York 20-somethings took home top comedy honors. "Homeland" won best drama and best actor honors for Damian Lewis who plays a returning Iraq veteran turned by al Qaeda, and a best actress award for Claire Danes in her role as a bipolar CIA agent. ...

Brent rises to near $111 on supply worries, econ revival hopes Posted: 13 Jan 2013 09:37 PM PST SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Brent crude rose to near $111 a barrel on Monday as fears of disruption of supply from the Middle East resurfaced amid growing optimism for a revival in demand growth as the world's biggest economies show signs of steady recovery. A plunge in oil exports from Iraq due to bad weather, a bomb attack on the convoy of its finance minister, escalating attacks in Syria and an exercise by Iran's navy in the strategic Strait of Hormuz have all revived supply fears. ...

Mali: one African war France could not avoid Posted: 13 Jan 2013 09:35 PM PST PARIS (Reuters) - Just as its leaders were defining a new "hands-off" strategy for Africa, France has been thrust onto the front line of one of the continent's riskiest battlefields deep in the desert of Mali. President Francois Hollande's backing of air strikes to halt Islamist rebels advancing on the capital Bamako raises the threat level for eight French hostages held by al Qaeda allies in the Sahara and for the 30,000 French expatriates living in neighbouring, mostly Muslim states. It could also trigger an attack on French soil. ...

France Telecom to push further into Africa's high-growth markets Posted: 13 Jan 2013 09:32 PM PST LONDON (Reuters) - France Telecom wants to expand its presence in fast-growing African mobile markets by entering Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso and Mauritania. Elie Girard, the group's head of strategy and development, said plans for Africa also included seeking to sign management contracts with telecom groups in Libya and Algeria. He said no talks on acquisitions were currently underway, but Africa and the Middle East were a priority for growth. ...

Author L. Craig Williams Takes a Look at the Events of World War II and its Meaning for the Future Posted: 13 Jan 2013 09:02 PM PST Thought-provoking book combines the elements of psychology, morality, history, theology and faithScarsdale, NY (PRWEB) January 14, 2013 Peace as they say is an elusive dream. Man's daily life is consumed with violence – shootings at a high school, war in Iraq, the evening news, murder mysteries and television shows. The general public is overwhelmed with violence, and the growing societal hunger for vicarious violence is little understood. It is the primary pestilence of this age—not pollution, not drugs, not AIDS. ...

Waltz wins supporting-actor Globe for 'Django' Posted: 13 Jan 2013 05:58 PM PST BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Christoph Waltz has won the supporting-actor Golden Globe for his role as a genteel bounty hunter who takes on an ex-slave as apprentice in "Django Unchained."

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