Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Pentagon lifts ban on women in combat
• Troops: Women should meet same standards as men
• Afghan bombing helped shape Panetta's views on women in war
• Absent but omnipresent, Chavez a powerful symbol
• As Pentagon Opens Up Combat Positions to Women Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Community Services Discuss Unique Needs of Female Combat Veterans
• As Pentagon Opens Up Combat Positions to Women, Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Community Services Discuss Unique Needs of Female Combat Veterans, especially as they Return Home from Deployments
• Women in combat: Good to go if they meet standards
• Fidelity strategist: Market used to DC gridlock
• Women could serve in combat in Afghanistan
• The USO Draws Hundreds of Troops and Their Families to "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" Screening at MCAS Miramar
• Rights groups call on Iran to stop execution of Arab activists
• Women Warriors Talk About the Lifting of the Ban on Direct Combat Roles
• Could North Korea hit the US with a missile?
• Panetta: Women are integral to military's success
• Ex-POW Lynch: Rule on women in combat 'good news'
• Kerry’s Task: Closing the Arab ‘Pandora’s Box’
• All These Objections to Women in Combat Are Dumb
• It's Official: Women Will Serve in Combat
• Kerry’s Main Task: Closing the Arab ‘Pandora’s Box’
• Panetta to Announce End of Direct Combat Exclusion for Women
• Panetta says women in combat is a strength
• UPDATE: Do women have a constitutional right to serve in military combat?
• Think Women Haven't Been in Combat Situations Already? The History of Crossdressing Soldiers
• Military has to decide which combat jobs for women
• China, Russia, U.S. raise Mediterranean naval focus
• UN fund pays out $1.3 billion compensation for Iraq's Kuwait invasion, total tops $40 billion
• UN Kuwait invasion fund pays out $1.3 billion
• Diaz Reus & Targ Law Firm Hires Associate Attorney Ahmand Johnson
• The Note's Must-Reads for Thursday, January 24, 2013
• Insight: In Amenas attack brings global jihad home to Algeria
• The war on terror isn't over. Here's how America can win it
• Now that women can serve in combat roles, military chiefs will have to defend any exceptions
• Ending U.S. combat ban will even career playing field, servicewomen say
• 5 silliest reactions to women in combat

Pentagon lifts ban on women in combat Posted: 24 Jan 2013 04:41 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Thursday lifted a longtime ban on women serving in front-line combat positions, taking a historic step toward gender equality in the U.S. military after 11 years of war in which women were increasingly present on the battlefield. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, signed an order at a Pentagon news conference rescinding the rule that prevented women from serving in direct combat jobs. "They serve, they're wounded, and they die right next to each other. ...

Troops: Women should meet same standards as men Posted: 24 Jan 2013 04:30 PM PST SAN DIEGO (AP) — During her time in Iraq, Alma Felix would see her fellow female soldiers leave the Army installations where she worked at a desk job and head into combat with their male counterparts. But many returned home feeling that few knew of their contributions.

Afghan bombing helped shape Panetta's views on women in war Posted: 24 Jan 2013 04:21 PM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three years before he lifted the U.S. military's ban on females in front-line combat, Leon Panetta grew acutely aware that women in senior positions were already risking - and losing - their lives when a would-be informant blew himself up at a CIA base in Afghanistan. Panetta was CIA director at the time of the December 2009 attack in Khost, Afghanistan, and two women -- including one who headed the CIA base -- were among the seven Americans killed. ...

Absent but omnipresent, Chavez a powerful symbol Posted: 24 Jan 2013 03:18 PM PST CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — While Venezuela's sick president recuperates from surgery behind closed doors in Cuba, at home he is more visible than ever.

As Pentagon Opens Up Combat Positions to Women Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Community Services Discuss Unique Needs of Female Combat Veterans Posted: 24 Jan 2013 03:06 PM PST Female military service members and veterans face varied challenges when they return from active duty, like their male counterparts, but especially when it comes to issues of unemployment, homelessness and sexual traumas. As the Pentagon announced yesterday its decision to formally open up combat positions to women, representatives from Dixon Center and it's partner Easter Seals commend the policy move and express urgency about the unique needs women veterans face upon returning home from military service. ...

As Pentagon Opens Up Combat Positions to Women, Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Community Services Discuss Unique Needs of Female Combat Veterans, especially as they Return Home from Deployments Posted: 24 Jan 2013 03:06 PM PST CHICAGO, Jan. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Female military service members and veterans face varied challenges when they return from active duty, like their male counterparts, but especially when it comes to issues of unemployment, homelessness and sexual traumas. As the Pentagon announced yesterday its decision to formally open up combat positions to women, representatives from Dixon Center and it's partner Easter Seals commend the policy move and express urgency about the unique needs women veterans face upon returning home from military service.(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire. ...

Women in combat: Good to go if they meet standards Posted: 24 Jan 2013 02:54 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Women in the military must have the same opportunities as men to take on grueling and dangerous combat jobs, whether loading 50-pound artillery shells or joining commando raids to take out terrorists, defense leaders declared Thursday as they ordered a quarter-million positions open to service members regardless of gender.

Fidelity strategist: Market used to DC gridlock Posted: 24 Jan 2013 02:27 PM PST Has the stock market finally entered a comfort zone?Consider that the Standard & Poor's 500 index on Thursday climbed above 1,500 points for the first time since December 2007. Fourth-quarter earnings ...

Women could serve in combat in Afghanistan Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:12 PM PST As the nation's top defense officials signed a memo Thursday lifting the ban on women in combat, more details have begun to emerge about the Pentagon's plan to officially put female troops on the front lines – from how quickly it could happen to what the physical requirements might be.

The USO Draws Hundreds of Troops and Their Families to "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" Screening at MCAS Miramar Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:52 PM PST The critically acclaimed Cartoon Network series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" along with its director Dave Filoni, producer Cary Silver and cast recently descended on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and entertained hundreds of servicemen and women with a special USO screening spectacular. Complete with a base tour, visit to the flight line, debut of a 25-minute exclusive episode and Q&A sessions with audience members followed by autograph signings, the "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" USO visit with troops was a big success. ...

Rights groups call on Iran to stop execution of Arab activists Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:18 PM PST LONDON (Reuters) - Two rights groups urged the Iranian judiciary on Thursday to quash death sentences against five members of Iran's Arab minority and halt their executions on grounds of torture and unfair legal proceedings. London-based Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, which is based in New York, said in a statement the five had been sentenced last year on terrorism-related charges because of their links to a banned cultural institute that promoted their Arab heritage. ...

Women Warriors Talk About the Lifting of the Ban on Direct Combat Roles Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:03 PM PST The brief announcement from the Pentagon on Wednesday that the military would be lifting its ban on women serving in direct combat roles has reignited the controversy about the role of women in the United States military. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta will be making a formal announcement in the near future. We spoke with some current and former women warriors about their opinion of the change.

Could North Korea hit the US with a missile? Posted: 24 Jan 2013 11:57 AM PST Could North Korea hit the United States with a ballistic missile? Could it mount a nuclear warhead on the tip of that missile?

Panetta: Women are integral to military's success Posted: 24 Jan 2013 11:18 AM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, in lifting a ban on women serving in combat, said women have become integral to the military's success and have shown they are willing to fight and die alongside their male counterparts.

Ex-POW Lynch: Rule on women in combat 'good news' Posted: 24 Jan 2013 10:54 AM PST MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Former prisoner of war Jessica Lynch calls it good news for the U.S. military that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says women can serve in combat roles.

Kerry’s Task: Closing the Arab ‘Pandora’s Box’ Posted: 24 Jan 2013 10:26 AM PST In her dramatic testimony on the Wednesday, outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton appeared to concede, at long last, what Mitt Romney and many Republicans tried to argue during the 2012 presidential campaign: Al-Qaida is not close to being defeated; quite the contrary, it has been reborn.

All These Objections to Women in Combat Are Dumb Posted: 24 Jan 2013 10:06 AM PST Wednesday's reports that the Pentagon would end the ban provoked a lot of reactions from pundits. I also have friends who served in the infantry in Iraq who joined some truly epic Facebook threads, with reactions ranging from "I'm just worried how many of my brothers might die before this PC policy is found to be flawed" to "I guarantee I can find a stronger more competent woman than [redacted name of less competent soldier] any day." Credit where credit's due: the Army guys had better thought-out worries than the pundits. ...

It's Official: Women Will Serve in Combat Posted: 24 Jan 2013 09:48 AM PST The secretary of Defense Announced the Change at a Briefing

Kerry’s Main Task: Closing the Arab ‘Pandora’s Box’ Posted: 24 Jan 2013 09:46 AM PST In her dramatic testimony on Wednesday, outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton appeared to concede, at long last, what Mitt Romney and many Republicans tried to argue during the 2012 presidential campaign: al Qaida is not close to being defeated; quite the contrary, it has been reborn. "The Arab Spring has ushered in a time when al Qaida is on the rise," she told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in hearings on the 9/11 Benghazi attacks. ...

Panetta to Announce End of Direct Combat Exclusion for Women Posted: 24 Jan 2013 09:36 AM PST Speaking anonymously, a senior defense official said on Wednesday that the Pentagon would be lifting the rule against women being assigned to direct combat roles. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey will make the official announcement. The policy change will allow the military services to begin planning their implementation of the decision. Modern warfare has brought more women than ever to the front lines, where there were front lines, and into combat.

Panetta says women in combat is a strength Posted: 24 Jan 2013 07:25 AM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Allowing women to serve in combat roles will strengthen the U.S. military's ability to win wars, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday, shortly before his official announcement of the landmark change.

UPDATE: Do women have a constitutional right to serve in military combat? Posted: 24 Jan 2013 07:16 AM PST Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is expected to announce on Thursday that women in the military can take positions in direct ground combat, in some circumstances. This update to a Constitution Check from May sheds light on the legal case for women serving in military combat.

Think Women Haven't Been in Combat Situations Already? The History of Crossdressing Soldiers Posted: 24 Jan 2013 06:21 AM PST The military ban on women in combat is coming to an end. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced the overturning of a 1994 Pentagon rule that restricts women from artillery, armor, and infantry jobs.

Military has to decide which combat jobs for women Posted: 24 Jan 2013 06:12 AM PST The Pentagon's decision to lift the ban on women serving in combat presents a daunting challenge to top military leaders who now will have to decide which, if any, jobs they believe should be open only ...

China, Russia, U.S. raise Mediterranean naval focus Posted: 24 Jan 2013 03:17 AM PST PORT SAID, Egypt (Reuters) - Egypt has seen no shortage of empires come and go, from its own ancient civilizations to those of Greece, Rome, Britain and France. Now, it is among the outposts of the latest Mediterranean power: China. Situated at the northern end of the Suez Canal, the Port Said Container Terminal is one of the busiest in the region, vital for shipments not only to Egypt but also much of Europe and the Middle East. Like several other key ports in the region - including Piraeus in Greece and Naples in Italy - it is now partially owned by China. ...

UN fund pays out $1.3 billion compensation for Iraq's Kuwait invasion, total tops $40 billion Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:46 AM PST GENEVA - The U.N. panel that settles claims for damages from victims of Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait has paid out another $1.3 billion — bringing the total so far to $40.1 billion.

UN Kuwait invasion fund pays out $1.3 billion Posted: 24 Jan 2013 01:41 AM PST The U.N. panel that settles claims for damages from victims of Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait has paid out another $1.3 billion — bringing the total so far to $40.1 billion.The U.N. Compensation Commission ...

Diaz Reus & Targ Law Firm Hires Associate Attorney Ahmand Johnson Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:14 AM PST Johnson will concentrate his practice in the areas of entertainment and sports for the Miami, Florida based full-service itnernational law firm.Miami, Florida (PRWEB) January 24, 2013 Diaz, Reus & Targ, LLP, has hired Associate Attorney Ahmand Johnson, announces Global Managing Partner Michael Diaz, Jr. Diaz, Reus & Targ, LLP is a full-service international law firm focusing on trade, customs, financial, commercial and corporate transactions, sports and entertainment, tax, immigration, business and corporate litigation, and arbitration matters. ...

The Note's Must-Reads for Thursday, January 24, 2013 Posted: 24 Jan 2013 12:01 AM PST The Note's Must-Reads are a round-up of today's political headlines and stories from ABC News and the top U.S. newspapers. Posted Monday through Friday right here at www.abcnews.com Compiled by ABC News' Jayce Henderson, Amanda VanAllen and Jordan Mazza GUN CONTROL ABC News' Arlette Saenz:...

Insight: In Amenas attack brings global jihad home to Algeria Posted: 23 Jan 2013 11:06 PM PST LONDON (Reuters) - A photo circulating on jihadi online forums says it all: a plane flying into the Eiffel Tower with September 11 written in Arabic in red letters alongside. The French military intervention in Mali and an Islamist militant attack on the In Amenas gas plant in Algeria in which at least 38 workers died have re-energized international jihad. These events also closed a loop which many thought had frayed over recent years linking North African insurgents with al Qaeda's central leadership and ideology. ...

The war on terror isn't over. Here's how America can win it Posted: 23 Jan 2013 10:35 PM PST After more than a decade of fighting, many Americans are weary of war. But we can't stop now

Now that women can serve in combat roles, military chiefs will have to defend any exceptions Posted: 23 Jan 2013 10:07 PM PST WASHINGTON - The Pentagon's decision to lift the ban on women serving in combat presents a daunting challenge to top military leaders who now will have to decide which, if any, jobs they believe should be open only to men.

Ending U.S. combat ban will even career playing field, servicewomen say Posted: 23 Jan 2013 08:04 PM PST (Reuters) - A Pentagon decision to lift a ban on women in front-line combat roles will remove an obstacle that stymied women's careers but had little meaning on modern battlefields with no clear front lines, U.S. military women said on Wednesday. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is expected to formally announce on Thursday that he will lift the policy that excluded women from units whose main job is to engage in combat, U.S. defense officials said. ...

5 silliest reactions to women in combat Posted: 23 Jan 2013 05:30 PM PST It's going to take a while before the Defense Department truly integrates women into the hundreds of thousands of combat positions that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta opened to them Wednesday. Each Service and combatant command will have the opportunity to assess the social and financial costs of the policy change, and it's safe to say that a number of jobs will remain closed to women in the United States. ...

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