Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• WARRIORS OF DEFEAT
• Gates on Iraq: 'I do have hope'
• Lessons in Gates memoir on civilian-military ties
• Gates: White House 'should go look in the mirror'
• Ex-U.S. soldier who wanted to help al Shabaab sentenced to prison
• Jordan Islamists slam US envoy over dabke folk dance
• UN's Ban urges Iraq to address 'root causes' of unrest
• ICRC urges Syria aid access as clashes halt polio immunisation
• GOP banks on anti-Obama mood in key Arkansas race
• Attacks kill 26 in Iraq during UN chief's visit
• What Syrian rebel infighting means for Assad
• Anti-Obama mood hurts Dems in Arkansas Senate race
• Car bombs kill at least 25 people in Iraqi capital
• Syrian women demand voice at UN-brokered talks
• Jihadists seize Syria town, execute 60
• Fighting halts polio vaccination in northern Syria
• Iraq PM rebukes UN chief on execution moratorium
• IAEA gains more Iran access, but not enough for bomb probe
• Commentary: Congressional Problems Boil Down to Career Politicians
• Bomb kills 6 in Iraq during UN chief's visit
• NGAUS: Guard and Active Units Are 'Interchangeable'
• Al-Qaida-linked group ousts rivals from Syria town
• Stimson Center Report Says U.S. and Japan Would Benefit By Working Together to Strengthen Their Alliance
• Pope calls for renewed political will to end Syrian conflict
• Iraq's Maliki to revive Sunni militia role against al Qaeda
• UN seeks $6.5 bn to tackle Syrian 'humanitarian crisis'
• Al Qaeda’s Renaissance
• Amid crisis in Anbar, UN chief visits Iraq
• Why Iran Is Now Obama’s Best Middle East Bet
• Pope calls for Korean reconciliation, Syria peace

WARRIORS OF DEFEAT Posted: 13 Jan 2014 03:00 PM PST WASHINGTON -- The great majority of Americans have so turned off the news from Iraq that most are doubtless not even cognizant that al-Qaida has retaken the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi and hoisted their ugly black pirate's flag there. One can almost here people saying, "Now, if we could only get out of Afghanistan, too!"

Gates on Iraq: 'I do have hope' Posted: 13 Jan 2014 02:04 PM PST The former defense secretary tells Katie Couric Iraq can still recover after a recent surge in sectarian violence.

Lessons in Gates memoir on civilian-military ties Posted: 13 Jan 2014 01:44 PM PST A new memoir by former Defense Secretary Robert Gates helps illuminate the difficulty a democracy and its military have in keeping the peace – with each other. Despite a long history of civilian rule over the military, the United States still grapples with maintaining trust between elected leaders and the top brass – and resolving the values that each brings to their respective roles in safeguarding the country. Mr. Obama now stands in good company. In 2010, Obama let go Gen. Stanley McChrystal over published complaints that seemed to criticize the president.

Gates: White House 'should go look in the mirror' Posted: 13 Jan 2014 12:42 PM PST Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates pushed back against critics who suggested he should have sat on his memoir about his years in the Obama administration, insisting his tell-all is not a "betrayal" of Obama.

Ex-U.S. soldier who wanted to help al Shabaab sentenced to prison Posted: 13 Jan 2014 12:38 PM PST A former U.S. soldier who admitted to trying to help the al Shabaab militant group, an al Qaeda affiliate in Somalia, was sentenced to seven years in prison on Monday, the Justice Department said. Craig Baxam, 24, of Laurel, Maryland, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Baltimore after pleading guilty to destroying records that might be used in a terrorism investigation, the Justice Department said in a statement. Baxam, who had been trained in intelligence and cryptology while in the Army, was arrested by Kenyan police in December 2011 as he tried to cross the border into Somalia to join al Shabaab.

Jordan Islamists slam US envoy over dabke folk dance Posted: 13 Jan 2014 12:36 PM PST Jordan's Islamists on Monday criticised the US ambassador in Amman for taking part in a dabke folk dance at the inauguration of a project, describing it as "shocking behaviour." Following the opening of a $140 million (100 million euro) US-funded project in the northern governorate of Irbid last Thursday, envoy Stuart E. Jones joined officials and women in dancing a Jordanian dabke. "It was shocking behaviour for Jordanians who know very well that America and the Zionist entity (Israel) are two sides of the same coin," the opposition Islamic Action Front party, the political arm of the kingdom's Muslim Brotherhood, said in a statement. Performed at weddings, parties and similar occasions, Dabke is a traditional dance in Arab countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Turkey as well as Israel and the Palestinian territories.

UN's Ban urges Iraq to address 'root causes' of unrest Posted: 13 Jan 2014 12:17 PM PST UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged Iraqi leaders to address the "root causes" of a surge in bloodshed as security forces clashed on Monday with gunmen in violence-racked Anbar province. But Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, standing next to Ban at a joint news conference, insisted the Anbar unrest was not due to internal problems, and that dialogue with militants was not an option. The UN chief's visit to Baghdad comes just months ahead of general elections, at a time when Iraq is suffering its worst spate of unrest since 2008 and on a day when attacks killed 23 people.

ICRC urges Syria aid access as clashes halt polio immunisation Posted: 13 Jan 2014 11:40 AM PST The situation in Syria is "catastrophic," the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross warned on Monday, urging "actions that translate into greater field access" for aid. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organisation (WHO) meanwhile condemned the interruption of polio vaccinations in Raqa province, where rebels and jihadists are fighting. In a statement after a three-day visit to Syria, ICRC president Peter Maurer said most of the country's population was being affected by the conflict. "It is beyond dispute that the humanitarian situation in Syria is catastrophic," he said.

GOP banks on anti-Obama mood in key Arkansas race Posted: 13 Jan 2014 11:09 AM PST GILLETT, Ark. (AP) — Sen. Mark Pryor, who shares the best-known political name in Arkansas aside from Clinton, is testing how far a Democrat can go in a state where President Barack Obama is deeply unpopular and Republicans are on a winning streak.

Attacks kill 26 in Iraq during UN chief's visit Posted: 13 Jan 2014 11:03 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — Fresh violence killed at least 26 people Monday in Iraq, where the U.N. chief was on a visit urging leaders to tackle the issues driving fighting in a western province where the army is in a standoff with al-Qaida-linked fighters.

What Syrian rebel infighting means for Assad Posted: 13 Jan 2014 10:48 AM PST The campaign by a loose alliance of Syrian rebel groups to crush the Al Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) in northern Syria could have far-reaching implications for the unity of the armed opposition and the fight against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Mr. Assad may rejoice at the sight of his enemies fighting each other, evidence perhaps of further disarray within the opposition. But the campaign against ISIS (also sometimes known as ISIL) appears to demonstrate improved coordination and unity among leading rebel groups, which could make them a more formidable fighting force when their full attention shifts back to the regime. The Assad regime could then face an Islamist-dominated, battle-hardened, coordinated, and unified rebel opposition better able to confront the Syrian Army and its allies than at present.

Anti-Obama mood hurts Dems in Arkansas Senate race Posted: 13 Jan 2014 10:39 AM PST GILLETT, Ark. (AP) — It's voters like Jammy Turner who give Republicans hope of ending an Arkansas political dynasty and taking control of the U.S. Senate this fall.

Car bombs kill at least 25 people in Iraqi capital Posted: 13 Jan 2014 10:25 AM PST Four car bombs killed at least 25 people in Shi'ite Muslim districts of Baghdad on Monday, police said, in violence that coincided with a visit to the Iraqi capital by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Although no group claimed responsibility, the bombings appeared to be part of a relentless campaign by al Qaeda-linked Sunni Muslim militants to undermine Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's Shi'ite-led government. The deadliest attack occurred in the mainly Shi'ite neighborhood of Shaab in eastern Baghdad where a car bomb exploded in a commercial area, killing 11 people and wounding 28. Gunmen also attacked a checkpoint in southern Baghdad, killing three policemen and wounding four, police said.

Syrian women demand voice at UN-brokered talks Posted: 13 Jan 2014 10:00 AM PST GENEVA (AP) — A group of Syrian women demanded Monday that the U.N. appoint a gender adviser and make other efforts to reflect their voices at Geneva peace talks aimed at ending the country's civil war.

Jihadists seize Syria town, execute 60 Posted: 13 Jan 2014 09:57 AM PST The jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has seized a town in Syria's Aleppo province, and executed 60 people in other areas, a monitor said on Monday. The advance by the group in the country's turbulent north comes after 10 days of fighting pitting moderate and Islamist opposition forces against the Al-Qaeda-inspired organisation that has killed nearly 700 people. "ISIL on Monday seized control of the town of Al-Bab, northeast of Aleppo city, and took dozens of civilians and fighters prisoner," said Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The two-day wave of air strikes killed 50 people, said the Observatory.

Fighting halts polio vaccination in northern Syria Posted: 13 Jan 2014 09:57 AM PST By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - Heavy fighting has prevented health workers from getting polio vaccine to an estimated 100,000 Syrian children in the northeastern province of Raqqa, United Nations aid agencies said on Monday, appealing for access. The crippling infectious disease was confirmed in 17 children in Syria in October, the first outbreak there since 1999. A nationwide campaign was launched in November to vaccinate some 2 million Syrian children under five each month until May. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) condemned the halt of the immunization campaign in Raqqa province due to intense fighting in Syria's civil war.

Iraq PM rebukes UN chief on execution moratorium Posted: 13 Jan 2014 09:51 AM PST Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Monday publicly rebuked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's call for the country to halt executions while standing beside him at a joint news conference. Despite widespread calls for a moratorium due to major problems with the country's criminal justice system, Iraq executed at least 169 people last year, its highest such figure since the 2003 US-led invasion, placing it third in the world, behind just China and Iran. "I have urged the prime minister and Iraqi government to put (a) moratorium on (the) death penalty," Ban said in response to a question during the news conference with Maliki in Baghdad. "We respect UN decisions and human rights, but we do not believe that the rights of someone who kills people must be respected," Maliki said.

IAEA gains more Iran access, but not enough for bomb probe Posted: 13 Jan 2014 08:41 AM PST By Fredrik Dahl VIENNA (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog's increased access in Iran to monitor a landmark agreement with world powers still falls short of what it says it needs to investigate suspicions that Tehran may have worked on designing an atomic bomb. It is also a far cry from the wide-ranging inspection powers the International Atomic Energy Agency had in Iraq in the 1990s to help unearth and dismantle Saddam Hussein's clandestine nuclear program after the first Gulf war. Nevertheless, the IAEA will see its role in Iran expand significantly under the November 24 interim accord between the country and the six major powers, the implementation of which will start next Monday. Since the deal is only preliminary, the IAEA and its investigation may gain more prominence in later talks on a final settlement of the decade-old dispute over Iran's nuclear program, but it remains to be seen how far it will go.

Commentary: Congressional Problems Boil Down to Career Politicians Posted: 13 Jan 2014 08:38 AM PST Congress' approval ratings are near record lows, with just 12 percent of Americans saying the House and the Senate are doing a good job, according to a mid-December Gallup poll. Yahoo News asked voters to compare and contrast their representative with Congress as a whole and to indicate why they like, or dislike, one over the other. However, now I view our political system as nothing more than ambitious men and women looking to keep their status quo. As a resident of California's 50th district, I am represented by Duncan D. Hunter.

Bomb kills 6 in Iraq during UN chief's visit Posted: 13 Jan 2014 08:19 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi officials say a car bomb exploded on a commercial street in northern Baghdad, killing at least six people.

NGAUS: Guard and Active Units Are 'Interchangeable' Posted: 13 Jan 2014 08:13 AM PST WASHINGTON, Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Guard Association of the United States today released the following statement by retired Maj. Gen. Gus L. Hargett Jr., the NGAUS president: "The Army chief of staff disparaged the Army National Guard last week by telling reporters in Washington, D.C., that, essentially, the Army National Guard just isn't good enough to be relied upon more in the future. "The precise term used was the Army National Guard's 'capabilities are not interchangeable' with the active-component Army, but his message was loud and clear to 350,000 members of the force nationwide. "Beyond being disrespectful and simply not true, the comment runs counter to the public statements of countless active commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last 12 years who have lauded the contributions of the Army National Guard.

Al-Qaida-linked group ousts rivals from Syria town Posted: 13 Jan 2014 07:55 AM PST BEIRUT (AP) — Fighters from an al-Qaida-linked group expelled rival rebels from a northern Syrian town after heavy clashes Monday, then quickly moved to eliminate any pockets of resistance by setting up checkpoints on major roads and conducting house-to-house raids in search of opponents, activists said.

Stimson Center Report Says U.S. and Japan Would Benefit By Working Together to Strengthen Their Alliance Posted: 13 Jan 2014 06:46 AM PST WASHINGTON, Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A Stimson Center report issued today says the United States and Japan would both benefit by jointly initiating a pragmatic and collaborative approach to modernize and strengthen their alliance at a time when U.S. defense spending cuts are worrying Japanese government and military leaders. "The Japanese fear that U.S. defense budget cuts may weaken America's ability and determination to continue its commitment to defend Japan against military attack, despite the Obama administration's announcement of a foreign policy 'pivot' to the Asia-Pacific region." The United States and Japan should engage in frank discussion on how their fiscal circumstances could affect their alliance. U.S. defense officials should be more forthcoming in private conversations with their Japanese counterparts about the difficult budget choices America faces.

Pope calls for renewed political will to end Syrian conflict Posted: 13 Jan 2014 06:16 AM PST By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Monday called for renewed political will to end the conflict in Syria and lamented a "general indifference" to the plight of refugees around the world. "Sadly, there is a general indifference in the face of these tragedies, which is a dramatic sign of the loss of that sense of responsibility for our brothers and sisters on which every civil society is based," he said.

Iraq's Maliki to revive Sunni militia role against al Qaeda Posted: 13 Jan 2014 06:07 AM PST By Suadad al-Salhy and Alistair Lyon BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, in a striking change of course, is embracing the Sunni Muslim tribal fighters whose role in combating al Qaeda he had allowed to wither after U.S. troops left two years ago. Al Qaeda-linked militants, feeding off widespread Sunni resentment at perceived mistreatment by his Shi'ite-led government, swept into the cities of Falluja and Ramadi two weeks ago in an embarrassing setback to Maliki. Maliki has used al Qaeda's resurgence to muster foreign support for his government, which has otherwise disappointed the United States and allies by moving close to Iran and its failure to forge consensus with the once-dominant Sunni minority. "We are happy that the whole world stood by us in an unprecedented way," the 63-year-old Maliki, who has been in office since 2006, told Reuters on Sunday.

UN seeks $6.5 bn to tackle Syrian 'humanitarian crisis' Posted: 13 Jan 2014 05:23 AM PST The UN, facing its "worst humanitarian crisis" in decades, is seeking a whopping $6.5 billion (4.7 billion euros) to aid Syrians affected by war at a donor's conference in Kuwait City Wednesday. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon will chair the one-day ministerial-level Second International Pledging Conference for Syria, which will be opened by Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah. UN Secretary General and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator Nigel Fisher has told Kuwait's official KUNA news agency that the funds will be used to aid some 13.4 million Syrians whom the United Nations estimates will be affected by the Syrian civil war by the end of 2014.

Al Qaeda’s Renaissance Posted: 13 Jan 2014 02:45 AM PST With the fight for Fallujah, Al Qaeda has roared back to life in Iraq—a scenario that could easily repeat itself in Afghanistan and Pakistan if the U.S. isn't careful.

Amid crisis in Anbar, UN chief visits Iraq Posted: 13 Jan 2014 02:34 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — The U.N. chief has arrived in Baghdad as an unprecedented standoff is underway between Iraqi troops and al-Qaida-linked militants in western Anbar province.

Why Iran Is Now Obama’s Best Middle East Bet Posted: 13 Jan 2014 02:30 AM PST The full question being, "What now that the Middle East spins like a dervish and the Obama administration has lost its grip on every major issue in the region?" No. 1 on a useful list, an opportunity lying four-square before Secretary of State Kerry as we speak: Take a big stride past three decades of simplistic presumptions and recognize the Iranians as sharing a common interest in restoring order (we cannot say "maintaining" at this point) in a region that is top-to-bottom reinventing itself.   There is the Syria conflict, Lebanon's renewed fragility, the going-nowhere talks on the Israeli–Palestinian question, the new dictatorship in Egypt, the drift in U.S.–Saudi relations, and, of course, the region's descent into Sunni–Shiite sectarian animosity.  The Middle East is becoming Middle Eastern: The dynamic belongs to the region now, not to any outside power—not Washington, not Moscow.

Pope calls for Korean reconciliation, Syria peace Posted: 12 Jan 2014 04:19 PM PST Pope Francis on Monday urged reconciliation on the Korean peninsula and voiced hope that talks in Geneva next week will kick off a peace process in Syria. "I wish to implore from God the gift of reconciliation on the peninsula, and I trust that, for the good of all the Korean people, the interested parties will tirelessly seek out points of agreement," Francis said in a speech to the Vatican diplomatic corps. Francis also expressed grave concern about the humanitarian situation in Syria and said urgent aid should be allowed to reach all parts of the country. In this regard, I express my hope that the Geneva 2 Conference, to be held on 22 January, will mark the beginning of the desired peace process," he told the ambassadors.

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