Yahoo! News: Iraq

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• Pentagon chief Hagel out as IS war heats up
• Behind Hagel's ouster, tensions over Syria and Obama's team
• Frontrunners emerge for top Pentagon job
• Glass shattering? Flournoy tops Pentagon shortlist
• Iran nuclear talks: EU diplomacy finds a stronger voice
• AP Source: Hagel resigning as Defense secretary
• Hagel, under pressure, resigns as U.S. defense secretary
• Six years in, Obama gearing up to be a war president
• Could Obama choose a woman as next Defense secretary? One name tops list
• Hagel Departure Leaves Obama with Lame Duck on Defense
• Baghdad car bomb kills 8 people, fighting west of capital
• Saudi Arabia says Islamic State ordered attack on Shi'ites in al-Ahsa
• Islamic State group recruits, exploits children
• Saudi Arabia: Islamic State group linked to attack
• Who Will Replace Chuck Hagel?
• Iraqi troops take 2 towns from Islamic State group
• UK: 'Severe' terror threat requires new powers
• Strategist Bernstein sees more equity gains, likes high-yield munis
• How Chuck Hagel's Resignation Might Affect ISIS Fight
• Turkey, U.S. ease strains on Islamic State but differences remain
• In Iran, Muslim clerics vow to combat extremists
• Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to Step Down
• Chuck Hagel out as defense secretary. Bad fit from beginning?
• Defense Logistics Agency provides Thanksgiving Day meal to American military in West Africa
• The Daily Fix: Police Are Criticized After Fatal Shootings, Marion Barry Dies, and Upstate New York Braces for Floods
• Senator Rand Paul calls for declaration of war against Islamic State: NYT
• AP PHOTOS: Editor selections from the Middle East
• U.S., allies conduct 24 strikes on Islamic State in Iraq, Syria: CENTCOM
• Lantern Foundation President to Join Ecumenical Patriarchate Delegation in Constantinople for Official Visit with Pope Francis
• UK faces biggest terrorism threat in its history: minister
• UK faces biggest terrorism threat in its history - Theresa May
• Two Britons 'fighting alongside Kurds against IS group'
• UK police say terror threat 'has evolved', will last for years
• 2nd Czech government minister targeted with poison
• Egypt, the Most Important Arab Nation, Is an ISIS Target
• Insight - For many young British Muslims tug of peace is stronger than pull of war
• Police chief claims '4 or 5' terror plots foiled
• Hundreds attend memorial for US aid worker

Pentagon chief Hagel out as IS war heats up Posted: 24 Nov 2014 04:25 PM PST President Barack Obama announced the departure of US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Monday, with the White House under fire over perceived fumbling in its response to the Islamic State threat. Rapid advances by Islamic State jihadists in Syria and Iraq forced the Pentagon chief into managing a complex campaign, and Obama concluded Hagel was not the man for the task. The 68-year-old Vietnam war veteran joined Obama at the White House to confirm his departure. "When I asked Chuck to serve as secretary of defense we were entering a significant period of transition: the drawdown in Afghanistan, the need to prepare our forces for future missions and tough fiscal choices to keep our military strong and ready," Obama said.

Behind Hagel's ouster, tensions over Syria and Obama's team Posted: 24 Nov 2014 04:19 PM PST By Phil Stewart and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - From the moment he was appointed last year, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel had a troubled relationship with President Barack Obama's tight-knit White House national security team. As the bombing intensified in Iraq and Syria, so did his problems. U.S. officials with knowledge of Hagel's relationship with the Obama administration described increasingly uneasy ties between Hagel's Pentagon and the White House - although not between the two men themselves. ...

Frontrunners emerge for top Pentagon job Posted: 24 Nov 2014 03:01 PM PST A pair of frontrunners have emerged to take charge at the Pentagon after President Barack Obama announced the departure of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. If former under-secretary Michele Flournoy gets the nod, she would be the first woman to hold the role, and neither she nor former deputy secretary Ashton Carter have served in uniform. Now working as policy academics, Flournoy and Carter have been mentioned for years as possible Pentagon leaders.

Glass shattering? Flournoy tops Pentagon shortlist Posted: 24 Nov 2014 01:59 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — Michele Flournoy, formerly the Pentagon's policy chief and among President Barack Obama's more hawkish advisers, could be in line to become the first woman to lead the U.S. military after Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's resignation.

Iran nuclear talks: EU diplomacy finds a stronger voice Posted: 24 Nov 2014 01:48 PM PST High-stakes talks on Iran's nuclear program ended today without a deal. But for the European Union, the agreement to extend talks and set new deadline may mark a turning point for its young foreign policy arm – an entity that many had dismissed as ineffective.

AP Source: Hagel resigning as Defense secretary Posted: 24 Nov 2014 01:44 PM PST WASHINGTON (AP) — A senior administration official says Secretary of State Chuck Hagel is resigning from President Barack Obama's Cabinet.

Hagel, under pressure, resigns as U.S. defense secretary Posted: 24 Nov 2014 01:38 PM PST By Phil Stewart and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel resigned on Monday, leaving under pressure as President Barack Obama faces critical national security challenges, including fighting Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and revising plans to exit Afghanistan. It was the first major change to Obama's Cabinet since his Democrats were routed in midterm elections three weeks ago, and Republicans, who now control both houses of Congress, are looking for a new approach from the White house. ...

Six years in, Obama gearing up to be a war president Posted: 24 Nov 2014 01:17 PM PST Barack Obama's meteoric rise to the presidency probably wouldn't have been possible without his decision to stake out a strong position against the Iraq War while still an Illinois state senator in October 2002. In a speech in Chicago that month he warned of "a dumb war. A rash war. A war based not on reason but on passion, not on principle but on politics."

Could Obama choose a woman as next Defense secretary? One name tops list Posted: 24 Nov 2014 12:49 PM PST As speculation heats up about who will replace Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel now that he has announced his resignation, the front-runner could very well be the first woman ever to hold the job.

Hagel Departure Leaves Obama with Lame Duck on Defense Posted: 24 Nov 2014 12:45 PM PST Chuck Hagel has seemed the most unlikely of Defense secretaries almost from the days of his near-disastrous Senate confirmation hearings a year-and-a-half ago. His chief credentials were his service in ...

Baghdad car bomb kills 8 people, fighting west of capital Posted: 24 Nov 2014 12:04 PM PST BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A car bomb exploded in a market in northern Baghdad's Shaab neighborhood on Monday, killing eight people and wounding 22, police and medics said. Another bomb in the capital's southeast killed two people, sources said. They were the latest explosions to shake the mainly Shi'ite city. Many of the bombings have been claimed by radical Sunni Islamic State fighters who have seized control of large parts of north and west Iraq, as well as a belt of land around Baghdad. ...

Saudi Arabia says Islamic State ordered attack on Shi'ites in al-Ahsa Posted: 24 Nov 2014 12:00 PM PST DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has arrested the four main suspects in an attack on Shi'ite Muslims this month and believes it was ordered by Islamic State militants from abroad, the state news agency cited an Interior Ministry security spokesman as saying on Monday. Seven members of the Sunni-ruled kingdom's Shi'ite minority were shot dead in the Eastern Province district of al-Ahsa on Nov. 3 as they marked their holy day of Ashoura. ...

Islamic State group recruits, exploits children Posted: 24 Nov 2014 11:16 AM PST BEIRUT (AP) — Teenagers carrying weapons stand at checkpoints and busy intersections in Iraq's second-largest city, Mosul. Patched onto the left arms of their black uniforms are the logos of the Islamic Police.

Saudi Arabia: Islamic State group linked to attack Posted: 24 Nov 2014 10:47 AM PST RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Militants linked to the Islamic State group were behind a surprise attack this month that killed seven people in Saudi Arabia's eastern region, the kingdom's Interior Ministry said Monday.

Who Will Replace Chuck Hagel? Posted: 24 Nov 2014 10:32 AM PST Even before Chuck Hagel's resignation from the Defense Department became official, the names of a pair of longtime Pentagon veterans had already surfaced as top contenders to replace him as secretary: Michele Flournoy and Ashton Carter.

Iraqi troops take 2 towns from Islamic State group Posted: 24 Nov 2014 10:20 AM PST BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi troops backed by Shiite militiamen and Kurdish security forces recaptured two eastern towns from Islamic State group militants after fierce clashes, officials said Monday.

UK: 'Severe' terror threat requires new powers Posted: 24 Nov 2014 10:17 AM PST LONDON (AP) — Britain faces its greatest-ever threat from terrorism, the interior minister said Monday, announcing measures to control suspects, strengthen online scrutiny and prevent insurance companies from paying terrorist ransoms.

Strategist Bernstein sees more equity gains, likes high-yield munis Posted: 24 Nov 2014 10:02 AM PST NEW YORK (Reuters) - Longtime Wall Street strategist Richard Bernstein hasn't quite gotten used to investors' reactions when he tells them his favorite asset class for 2015 is the same as in 2014 - high- yield municipal bonds.

How Chuck Hagel's Resignation Might Affect ISIS Fight Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:32 AM PST Chuck Hagel's departure as Defense Secretary will probably have a minimal impact on the administration's three part strategy to fight ISIS in Iraq and Syria that is expected to take years. Hagel had raised questions about the strategy's lack of focus on the Syrian regime of Bashar al Assad, but not about the president's decision that American troops sent to Iraq will not serve as combat troops.Online supporters of the Islamic terror group ISIS have taken to Twitter to cheer the resignation of Chuck Hagel, claiming it was ISIS that forced him out. ...

Turkey, U.S. ease strains on Islamic State but differences remain Posted: 24 Nov 2014 09:27 AM PST By Nick Tattersall and Dasha Afanasieva ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey and the United States smoothed over some differences in the fight against Islamic State during a weekend visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, but the talks heralded little in the way of deeper military cooperation between the NATO allies. Turkey has been a reluctant partner in the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, refusing to take a frontline military role despite its 1,200 km (750-mile) border with Iraq and Syria and thereby intensifying Western concern that it is a weak link in the struggle against the insurgents. ...

In Iran, Muslim clerics vow to combat extremists Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:39 AM PST QOM, Iran (AP) — Muslim clerics meeting in Iran have vowed to counter extremists like the Islamic State group through mosques and Islamic teaching centers.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to Step Down Posted: 24 Nov 2014 08:29 AM PST Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is stepping down, senior administration officials confirmed today to ABC News.Flanked by Hagel and Vice President Biden, President Obama announced the Secretary's departure this morning from the White House's State Dining Room."Chuck Hagel has been no ordinary Secretary of Defense: As the first enlisted combat veteran to serve in that position, he understands our men and women like few others ," the president said. "He's been in the dirt and he's been in the mud. And that's established a special bond. He sees himself in them, and they see themselves in him. ...

Chuck Hagel out as defense secretary. Bad fit from beginning? Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:57 AM PST Chuck Hagel is out as secretary of Defense, according to news reports Monday morning. He's resigning under pressure, or in other words, getting fired with a bit of dignity.

Defense Logistics Agency provides Thanksgiving Day meal to American military in West Africa Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:38 AM PST PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American service members working to stop the spread of Ebola in West Africa may be away from home during the holidays, but they will still enjoy a Thanksgiving Day meal with all the trimmings thanks to the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support's Subsistence team.More than 2,700 pounds of turkey, along with 375 pounds of cranberry sauce and 700 pies will be served to military members deployed to Liberia and Senegal, the Subsistence customer service branch chief for the Europe and Middle East regions said. ...

The Daily Fix: Police Are Criticized After Fatal Shootings, Marion Barry Dies, and Upstate New York Braces for Floods Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:34 AM PST A grand jury will reconvene today in Ferguson, Mo., to decide whether police officer Darren Wilson will be indicted for killing 18-year-old Michael Brown. For Wilson to be charged with a crime, the jury must find probable cause. This is much lower than the standard for criminal conviction, which is guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Last week, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency in anticipation of protests if Wilson is not indicted.

Senator Rand Paul calls for declaration of war against Islamic State: NYT Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:27 AM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Rand Paul, a possible Republican candidate for president in 2016, is calling for a formal declaration of war against Islamic State militants who control parts of Iraq and Syria, the New York Times reported on Monday. In an interview on Saturday, Paul said his proposal would limit the duration of military action to one year and significantly restrict the use of ground forces, the Times said. ...

AP PHOTOS: Editor selections from the Middle East Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:18 AM PST Tensions soared in Jerusalem this week after a grisly attack on a synagogue, an Egyptian doctor was acquitted in the country's first female genital mutilation trial, and Lebanese demanded the release of family members captured by militants.

U.S., allies conduct 24 strikes on Islamic State in Iraq, Syria: CENTCOM Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:13 AM PST WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and its allies have conducted two dozen strikes against Islamic State militants since Friday, launching nine strikes in Syria and 15 strikes in Iraq, according to U.S. Central Command. In a statement on Monday, the U.S. military said the strikes in Syria near the border town of Kobani and Raqqa took out three of the militant group's fighting positions, targeted several staging areas and hit one of its headquarter buildings. In Iraq, the strikes hit targets near Mosul, Asad, Baghdad, Ramadi, Tal Afar and Hit. ...

Lantern Foundation President to Join Ecumenical Patriarchate Delegation in Constantinople for Official Visit with Pope Francis Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:06 AM PST BOSTON, Nov. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Lantern Foundation, a U.S.-based non-profit organization that provides financial support to Christian religious and community organizations globally, today announced that its Founder and President Fr. Emmanuel Lemelson is expected to join an official Orthodox Church delegation for the two day official visit of Pope Francis this coming week in Constantinople, Turkey. ...

UK faces biggest terrorism threat in its history: minister Posted: 24 Nov 2014 07:03 AM PST LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is facing the biggest terrorism threat in its history and has foiled around 40 major plots since suicide bombers attacked London in 2005, Home Secretary Theresa May said on Monday. The government would on Wednesday set out new laws to take on the militants, May added, including legislation making it easier for security services to track attackers online, and check if radicalized fighters were flying into Britain. ...

UK faces biggest terrorism threat in its history - Theresa May Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:45 AM PST LONDON (Reuters) - Britain is facing the biggest terrorism threat in its history and has foiled around 40 major plots since suicide bombers attacked London in 2005, Home Secretary Theresa May said on Monday. The government would on Wednesday set out new laws to take on the militants, May added, including legislation making it easier for security services to track attackers online, and check if radicalised fighters were flying into Britain. ...

Two Britons 'fighting alongside Kurds against IS group' Posted: 24 Nov 2014 06:02 AM PST London (AFP) - At least two Britons are among around 15 Westerners fighting in Syria alongside Kurdish guerrillas against the Islamic State group (IS), according to British media.

UK police say terror threat 'has evolved', will last for years Posted: 24 Nov 2014 05:10 AM PST London (AFP) - British police on Monday urged the public to be alert to potential terrorist activity as they said the threat of extremist attacks would last for several years.

2nd Czech government minister targeted with poison Posted: 24 Nov 2014 03:28 AM PST PRAGUE (AP) — An envelope mailed to the Czech Republic's finance minister contained poison, the second such case in a week, an official said Monday.

Egypt, the Most Important Arab Nation, Is an ISIS Target Posted: 24 Nov 2014 03:00 AM PST Egypt has historically been one of the most stable countries in the Middle East. Today, after the failed 2011 "Arab Spring" and shake-up of official power, Egypt's economy is crippled. The tourism industry ...

Insight - For many young British Muslims tug of peace is stronger than pull of war Posted: 24 Nov 2014 02:47 AM PST By Ahmed Aboulenein BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) - For some British Muslims, the path to jihad and the path to peaceful aid work can traverse much of the same terrain. From an office in Britain's second largest city, Waseem Iqbal and a friend are planning a trip to the Middle East. In Jordan, they will bring food packages for Syrian refugees. Iqbal, 27, chose charity work not violence. "How do you save innocents in Syria? By going into a war zone and getting yourself killed? Or by... bringing people water pumps, schools and food packages? This is what saves innocents," he said. ...

Police chief claims '4 or 5' terror plots foiled Posted: 24 Nov 2014 12:35 AM PST London (AFP) - Police have foiled four or five suspected terror plots this year, the country's most senior police officer said ahead of a week-long campaign to enlist the public's help in countering the threat.

Hundreds attend memorial for US aid worker Posted: 23 Nov 2014 05:05 PM PST INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An American aid worker behead by Islamic State militants in Syria was praised for his humanitarian work Sunday during a memorial service attended by hundreds that included readings from the Bible and the Quran.

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