Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• IRAN MAY BE READY TO LOOK WEST ONCE AGAIN
• US anger as Afghanistan releases 65 'insurgents'
• Second trial ordered for U.S. Marine in 2006 death of Iraqi
• US-Afghan ties so discordant, even vow to sign security deal hits a sour note
• Russia tells West it's time for common ground on Ukraine – or else
• Obama, Jordan’s king, hold stag California summit on Valentine’s Day
• Gunmen seize part of Iraq town, historic Baghdad market burns
• Sunni militants overtake part of Iraqi town
• Water for Power
• Linklater's family saga, 12-years to make, captivates Berlin
• Sunni militants overtake part of town in NIraq
• Iraq turns to Sunni tribes, but distrust remains
• Coast Guard reduces use of live animal training
• Sunni Islamists overrun Iraqi town after seizing city
• VA urged to form registry of roadside bomb victims
• UN concerned over situation in Iraq's Fallujah
• Jordan terror-suspect cleric Qatada 'supports' Lebanon bombings
• UN says concerned over situation in Fallujah
• Oil below $100 after weak US retail sales
• In a blow to US, Afghanistan releases suspected Taliban detainees
• Islamist insurgents seize parts of north Iraq town
• Four al Qaeda Groups Gunning for the United States
• Officials: Bomb blasts kill 5 people in Baghdad
• Russia says EU relations facing 'moment of truth' over Ukraine
• Curbs shut US drone makers out of export markets
• Today in History
• UN diplomat: Russia tables rival Syria resolution
• Bombs kill at least 17 across Iraq: police and medics
• Australian soldier receives top military honor

IRAN MAY BE READY TO LOOK WEST ONCE AGAIN Posted: 13 Feb 2014 03:30 PM PST Iran was once again in the news, and a figure of threat and dread no less than the Ayatollah Khomeini was in Paris, preparing to head back to Iran to take power. With a leader like Khomeini, who had been in exile in Najaf, Iraq, under the rule of the U.S.-supported Shah, it would, I presumed, be extremely difficult to get in touch with him. We had overthrown some of the country's best leaders and kept Khomeini from power all during his exile. They gave me the Ayatollah's number at once.

US anger as Afghanistan releases 65 'insurgents' Posted: 13 Feb 2014 02:30 PM PST Scores of alleged Taliban fighters walked free from an Afghan jail Thursday, triggering condemnation from the United States, as President Hamid Karzai accused Washington of "harassing" his country's judicial authority. The decision to release the prisoners further worsened the bitter relationship between Kabul and Washington as US-led foreign troops prepare to withdraw after 13 years of fighting militants. US officials said those released from Bagram prison were responsible for killing NATO and Afghan soldiers as well as civilians. "Afghanistan is a sovereign country.

Second trial ordered for U.S. Marine in 2006 death of Iraqi Posted: 13 Feb 2014 02:12 PM PST By Marty Graham CAMP PENDLETON, California (Reuters) - A U.S. Marine facing a second-court martial in the 2006 death of an Iraqi civilian was ordered on Thursday to stand trial in August, and said afterwards that he was eager to put his legal troubles behind him. Sergeant Lawrence Hutchins III was formally advised of the charges against him during a hearing at the Camp Pendleton Marine Base in California, but did not enter a plea as he seeks to have a new defense team appointed. Hutchins, 29, told reporters following the hearing that he and his wife, Reyna, who is pregnant with the couple's third child, "just want this to be over and behind us" after some eight years in court. Since 2006, I have not been in charge of my life" Hutchins was the leader of a squad of Marines who planned a mission aimed at stopping militants' use of improvised explosive devices in the village of Hamdania, Iraq, in the early morning hours of April 26, 2006.

US-Afghan ties so discordant, even vow to sign security deal hits a sour note Posted: 13 Feb 2014 01:54 PM PST In a further sign of just how far relations have deteriorated between President Hamid Karzai and the United States, the Afghan leader is letting it be known his country plans to sign a security deal with the US – he apparently just can't bring himself to have the Americans be the first to know. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier announced to the Bundestag Thursday that Mr. Karzai assured him during a weekend meeting in Kabul that the security agreement for a post-2014 American military presence in Afghanistan will go into effect. "I was pleased that Karzai said very clearly that Afghanistan would in any case sign" the accord, Mr. Steinmeier told the lower house of the German Parliament. Afghanistan holds presidential elections in April – the first time Afghans will elect someone other than Karzai to the presidency since the Taliban were deposed in 2001.

Russia tells West it's time for common ground on Ukraine – or else Posted: 13 Feb 2014 01:11 PM PST Relations between Russia and the European Union are facing "a moment of truth" over the deepening crisis in Ukraine, and could be wrecked by the "us or them" tactics of Western diplomats trying to sway Ukraine's political choices, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Thursday.  But implicit in Mr. Lavrov's commentary, published in the Moscow daily Kommersant, is the germ of a proposal that Moscow and the West should agree to step back from the fray in Ukraine. Regardless, Moscow would likely bristle at any future Ukrainian integration with Europe at Russia's expense, say experts.  To date Moscow has refrained from overt displays of political interference as Ukraine has been rocked by massive pro-Europe demonstrations.

Obama, Jordan’s king, hold stag California summit on Valentine’s Day Posted: 13 Feb 2014 12:43 PM PST Jordan's King Abdullah II has been in Washington since Monday. Why is he meeting with President Obama in California?

Gunmen seize part of Iraq town, historic Baghdad market burns Posted: 13 Feb 2014 12:39 PM PST Tikrit (Iraq) (AFP) - Gunmen seized part of a northern Iraqi town and nearby villages Thursday, while bombs killed at least seven people at a historic Baghdad market and set it ablaze, officials said. The takeover in and around the Salaheddin provincial town of Sulaiman Bek comes as gunmen control all of one major city and part of another in the western province of Anbar in a stand-off that has lasted for weeks and displaced hundreds of thousands of people. The Sulaiman Bek violence began when militants armed with light and medium weapons attacked army positions and overran the town centre early on Thursday, local official Talib al-Bayati said. Some called over mosque loudspeakers for residents to leave, Bayati said, adding that soldiers subsequently surrounded the area and exchanged fire with militants.

Sunni militants overtake part of Iraqi town Posted: 13 Feb 2014 11:13 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — Sunni insurgents affiliated with an al-Qaida local franchise took over part of a town in northern Iraq on Thursday, compounding the challenge facing the Shiite-led government as it battles for control of a volatile province west of Baghdad.

Water for Power Posted: 13 Feb 2014 11:04 AM PST LONDON, Feb. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Reportbuyer.com just published a new market research report: Water for Power Overview Water and power are inseparable. Water is the 'working fluid' for the thermal power industry – the largest industrial user of water in the world. So, it goes without saying that this growth will create huge global opportunities for the water sector - and we show you why the biggest opportunities will be in water and wastewater treatment. ...

Linklater's family saga, 12-years to make, captivates Berlin Posted: 13 Feb 2014 11:03 AM PST By Gareth Jones BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. director Richard Linklater's "Boyhood" which portrays an American family over a 12-year-period as the two children mature into young adults has emerged as a leading contender for the top award at this year's Berlin film festival. More than 160 minutes long, the film delighted viewers at Thursday's showing at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival and drew glowing praise at both the post-screening news conference and on social media. Linklater, best known for his romantic trilogy "Before Sunrise", "Before Sunset" and "Before Midnight", said it was a "leap of faith" to embark on such a long-term project. Everything about it was just unlike anything I've ever experienced." The film focuses on Mason, played by Ellar Coltrane, from about the age of 6 until he leaves for college at 18.

Sunni militants overtake part of town in NIraq Posted: 13 Feb 2014 10:24 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — A local official says Sunni insurgents have taken over part of a town in northern Iraq, compounding the challenge facing the Shiite-led government as it battles for control of a volatile province west of Baghdad.

Iraq turns to Sunni tribes, but distrust remains Posted: 13 Feb 2014 10:03 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi officials have begun recruiting thousands of Sunni fighters on the government payroll, supplying weapons to other volunteer tribal fighters and pledging millions of dollars in aid to restive Anbar province as they try to beat back extremist Sunni jihadi militants.

Coast Guard reduces use of live animal training Posted: 13 Feb 2014 09:40 AM PST NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The Coast Guard won't use as many live animals for its combat medical training after an animal rights group showed a goat's legs being removed with tree trimmers.

Sunni Islamists overrun Iraqi town after seizing city Posted: 13 Feb 2014 08:22 AM PST By Ahmed Rasheed and Ghazwan Hassan BAGHDAD/TIKRIT, Iraq (Reuters) - Sunni Islamist insurgents took over much of a northern Iraqi town on Thursday and laid siege to its town hall, weeks after militants seized a whole city from the country's Shi'ite-led government. The mayor of Sulaiman Pek, trapped in the building, identified the gunmen as members of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a Sunni group which was also involved in the takeover of the city of Falluja.

VA urged to form registry of roadside bomb victims Posted: 13 Feb 2014 08:15 AM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Roadside bombs have killed nearly 3,600 military service members and wounded 34,000 others in Iraq and Afghanistan.

UN concerned over situation in Iraq's Fallujah Posted: 13 Feb 2014 08:06 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — The United Nations said Thursday it is concerned over the plight of civilians caught up in fighting in Iraq's besieged city of Fallujah, occupied by al-Qaida-linked militants and other Sunni insurgent groups since late December.

Jordan terror-suspect cleric Qatada 'supports' Lebanon bombings Posted: 13 Feb 2014 07:53 AM PST Jordanian Islamist cleric Abu Qatada, on trial for terrorism, said Thursday he supports a string of Al-Qaeda-linked bombings against the powerful Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah because it backs the Syrian government. "I support the bombings in Beirut. The leader of Hezbollah (Hassan Nasrallah) sent fighters to Syria to back the regime. He is responsible for those killed in Lebanon," Abu Qatada told reporters at the state security court in Amman.

UN says concerned over situation in Fallujah Posted: 13 Feb 2014 07:32 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — The United Nations said Thursday it is concerned over the plight of civilians caught up in fighting in Iraq's besieged city of Fallujah, occupied by al-Qaida-linked militants and other Sunni insurgent groups since late December.

Oil below $100 after weak US retail sales Posted: 13 Feb 2014 06:33 AM PST The price of oil fell back below $100 a barrel Thursday as fresh U.S. data showed a fall in retail sales and a larger-than-expected rise in stockpiles of crude.

In a blow to US, Afghanistan releases suspected Taliban detainees Posted: 13 Feb 2014 06:06 AM PST The Afghan government released 65 detainees today that US officials say are responsible for attacks on US and NATO troops. Rep. Howard McKeon (R., Calif.), the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said the release would be in "direct contravention" of a U.S.-Afghan agreement on detentions.

Islamist insurgents seize parts of north Iraq town Posted: 13 Feb 2014 05:25 AM PST Sunni Islamist insurgents took over parts of a town in northern Iraq on Thursday, local officials said, gaining further ground against the Shi'ite-led government in Baghdad, which has also lost control of another city. The mayor of Sulaiman Pek said the militants belonged to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a Sunni group that was involved in the takeover of the city of Falluja last month and is also active in neighboring Syria. "They are from the Islamic State of Iraq: we know them from the black flags they are flying... We demand the government intervene to help us". Sunni Islamist insurgents including ISIL have been regaining ground in Iraq over the past year, but the takeover of Falluja on January 1 marks the first time they have openly held territory in years.

Four al Qaeda Groups Gunning for the United States Posted: 13 Feb 2014 03:15 AM PST Late last month, the U.S. military fired a series of missiles into southern Somalia, aiming to take out a leader of al-Shabaab, the radical Islamic movement with ties to al Qaeda. This follows an October raid by Navy SEAL Team Six, who attacked al Shabaab militants in the Somali coastal city Barawe. These attacks are in response to al Shabaab's September siege of Westgate Mall, a shopping center in Nairobi popular with westerners. This incident put al Shabaab on the map, and made them a target of the U.S. military.

Officials: Bomb blasts kill 5 people in Baghdad Posted: 13 Feb 2014 01:54 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi officials say simultaneous bomb blasts at a Baghdad market have killed at least five people.

Russia says EU relations facing 'moment of truth' over Ukraine Posted: 13 Feb 2014 12:41 AM PST Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday blasted the West for meddling in Ukraine, saying that Europe's relations with Russia were facing the "moment of truth" over the crisis. "You could say that the relationship between Russia and the European Union has reached a kind of moment of truth," Lavrov wrote in a lengthy article published in the Kommersant daily. "It was an unpleasant surprise to discover that in the minds of EU and US officials, the 'free' choice of the Ukrainian people has already been made and means only a 'European future'," Russia's foreign policy chief wrote. The ex-Soviet nation of 46 million people has been in chaos since November when President Viktor Yanukovych ditched a historic EU trade and political pact in favour of closer ties with Moscow, stunning pro-EU parts of the population and sparking violent protests.

Curbs shut US drone makers out of export markets Posted: 13 Feb 2014 12:16 AM PST SINGAPORE (AP) — Military brass shopping at Asia's biggest defense expo this week have drones high on their to-buy list. But for U.S. manufacturers including General Atomics, which makes the Predator hunter-killer, there's one problem: they can only sell to a few countries because of tight export restrictions.

Today in History Posted: 12 Feb 2014 09:01 PM PST Today is Thursday, Feb. 13, the 44th day of 2014. There are 321 days left in the year.

UN diplomat: Russia tables rival Syria resolution Posted: 12 Feb 2014 08:05 PM PST UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia presented a rival U.N. resolution on the humanitarian crisis in Syria to key Security Council members after saying they would veto a Western and Arab-backed measure threatening sanctions against Syria, a U.N. diplomat said late Wednesday.

Bombs kill at least 17 across Iraq: police and medics Posted: 12 Feb 2014 07:22 PM PST At least 17 civilians and soldiers were killed in car and roadside bomb attacks across Iraq on Wednesday, police and medics said. No group claimed responsibility for any of the attacks, but Sunni Islamists and other insurgents have been regaining ground in a violent campaign to destabilize Iraq's Shi'ite-led government. In the deadliest incident, six soldiers were killed when a roadside bomb exploded near their patrol in the town of Mussayab, 60 km (40 miles) south of Baghdad, police and medical sources said. A mortar attack in the same town killed one civilian, police said.

Australian soldier receives top military honor Posted: 12 Feb 2014 05:49 PM PST SYDNEY (AP) — An Australian special forces soldier who died under heavy fire in Afghanistan will be awarded the British Commonwealth's highest military honor, drawing praise on Thursday from the nation's prime minister for his heroic courage and devotion.

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