Iraq war – News Stories About Iraq war - Page 12

Blair Tells Iraq Inquiry
He'd Do It Again

Jan 29, 2010 9:36 AM CST

Blair Tells Iraq Inquiry He'd Do It Again

At the time, existence of WMDs in Iraq was 'beyond doubt'

(Newser) - Tony Blair mounted a spirited defense of Britain’s involvement in the Iraq war today, telling the Chilcot inquiry he would make the same choices now, based on the information he had then. “The crucial thing after Sept. 11 is that the calculus of risk changed,” the former...

Tony Blair
Faces Grilling
Over Iraq War

Jan 29, 2010 1:23 AM CST

Tony Blair Faces Grilling Over Iraq War

Ex-prime minister to be questioned on WMDs, promises to Bush

(Newser) - The decision to send British troops to join the US invasion of Iraq was by far the most controversial of Tony Blair's leadership, and his place in history may depend on how well he defends it today. The former prime minister will face 6 hours of grilling from inquisitors about...

31 Dead in 3 Blasts
Near Baghdad Hotels

UPDATED

Jan 25, 2010 8:29 AM CST

31 Dead in 3 Blasts Near Baghdad Hotels

Explosions hit popular district bordering Green Zone

(Newser) - Three large blasts have struck a hotel and restaurant district popular with Western journalists and businessmen along the Tigris River in Baghdad. At least 31 people have been killed and scores more wounded. The first blast struck at about 3:40pm, near the Sheraton Hotel, just across the Tigris River...

Biden: US
Will Appeal
Blackwater
Dismissal

Jan 23, 2010 1:35 PM CST

Biden: US Will Appeal Blackwater Dismissal

Vice president expresses his 'personal regret' for the case's outcome

(Newser) - Joe Biden said today the US will appeal a court decision dismissing manslaughter charges against five Blackwater guards involved in a deadly 2007 Baghdad shooting. Biden expressed his "personal regret" for the shooting and said the Obama administration was disappointed by the dismissal. "A dismissal is not an...

'Jesus Rifles' Draw Fire

Jan 18, 2010 6:20 PM CST

'Jesus Rifles' Draw Fire

US military firearms with coded messages raise issue of 'crusade'

(Newser) - A rifle scope commonly used by the US military is inscribed with references to the Bible. The scopes, made by Trijicon of Michigan, bear codes that refer to verses glorifying God and Jesus—even though the military, leery of being accused of waging a Crusade, bans proselytizing in Iraq and...

Obama's
First Year
in Numbers

DOW'S UP, AT LEAST

Jan 18, 2010 12:10 PM CST

Obama's First Year in Numbers

The Dow is up more than 2,600 points, at least

(Newser) - President Obama is about to celebrate—maybe that's not the right term—one year in office, and the AP takes a look at some numbers that have defined his inaugural turn around the sun.

The Dow: Perhaps the only clear victory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has risen from 7,

...

To Honor Troops, Stop Playing the
National Anthem

OPINION

Jan 11, 2010 5:17 PM CST

To Honor Troops, Stop Playing the National Anthem

Instead, read names of fallen service members

(Newser) - If you don't know anyone in the military, it can be shockingly easy to forget that the US has been at war for almost an entire decade. A good remedy would be making the cost, particularly in human terms, more visible, writes John Baldoni. He suggests that the national anthem...

David
Petraeus:
GOP's 2012
Dark Horse

BUZZING AROUND DC

Jan 5, 2010 9:39 PM CST

David Petraeus: GOP's 2012 Dark Horse

General considered rising star by key righty pundits

(Newser) - Looking for a “true dark horse” to win the Republican presidential nomination in 2012? Put your money on Gen. David Petraeus, the architect of the Iraq and Afghanistan war strategies, who’s soon to receive a big award from the conservative American Enterprise Institute, Paul Bedard writes for US ...

Hostage's Parents Slam
US 'Terrorist Deal'

Jan 5, 2010 2:34 AM CST

Hostage's Parents Slam US 'Terrorist Deal'

Dead man's dad opposes negotiating with kidnappers

(Newser) - The family of a British hostage who died after being kidnapped in Iraq have criticized the US for an alleged deal that reportedly released a terrorist prisoner in exchange for the freedom of one of their son's colleagues last week. Peter Moore was freed after militant cleric Qais al-Khazali was...

Afghanistan '09 Twice as Deadly as Iraq for US

Dec 31, 2009 1:22 AM CST

Afghanistan '09 Twice as Deadly as Iraq for US

Military expects further rise in casualties

(Newser) - This has been the first year since the Iraq war began that more Americans troops were killed in Afghanistan than Iraq, and next year is expected to be even worse. Some 319 American troops have died in Afghanistan this year, compared with 148 for Iraq, USA Today reports.

Army Historians Fault
Early Afghan War Strategy

Dec 30, 2009 5:51 PM CST

Army Historians Fault Early Afghan War Strategy

Forces were undermanned, and planning was shoddy

(Newser) - The US missed out on chances to stabilize Afghanistan early in the war because it devoted too few troops and too little planning to the conflict, write Army historians in an official chronicle of the conflict. "It should have become clear” in late 2003 “that the coalition presence...

The Lowest Points of the 'Decade of the Oligarchs'

aughts in Review

Dec 24, 2009 2:50 PM CST

The Lowest Points of the 'Decade of the Oligarchs'

Bush put US on path to banana republic status

(Newser) - The 2000s were dominated by George W. Bush and the new American oligarchy he represents, writes Juan Cole. He lists hit 10 lowest points of an awful decade:

“The constitutional coup of 2000,” in which “ugly racial and other low tricks” and a “far right-wing Supreme

...

US Commander
in Iraq Threatens
Court-Martial
for Pregnancy

Dec 20, 2009 4:54 PM CST

US Commander in Iraq Threatens Court-Martial for Pregnancy

Order applies to both women and men

(Newser) - The general in command of American forces in northern Iraq has instituted an order making court-martial a possible punishment for becoming pregnant—or for impregnating a service member or civilian employee. The policy, which covers both single and married personnel, has not been enforced; it applies only to situations in...

Dems Block
GOP War Bill
Filibuster

Dec 18, 2009 6:17 AM CST

Dems Block GOP War Bill Filibuster

Gates slams tactic to delay health bill

(Newser) - Senate Democrats beat back a Republican attempt to filibuster a huge Pentagon spending bill in a post-midnight session last night. Republican success would have forced the government to seek a new stopgap way to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, delaying health care legislation in the process. Three Republicans...

Former Gov. Gary Johnson Eyes Ron Paul's Shoes

ELECTION 2012

Dec 17, 2009 9:39 AM CST

Former Gov. Gary Johnson Eyes Ron Paul's Shoes

Republican with libertarian leanings could harness Tea Partiers

(Newser) - Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, hoping to catch the rising tide of Tea Party-style populist anger, has been polishing up his quirky libertarian bona fides for what looks like a run at the presidency in 2012. Though Johnson is cagey, he has made it clear he’s sticking with...

Blair: I Would've
Invaded Iraq Anyway

EVEN WITHOUT WMD

Dec 12, 2009 9:40 AM CST

Blair: I Would've Invaded Iraq Anyway

Even if he'd known there were no WMD, ex-PM wanted Saddam out

(Newser) - Tony Blair is unrepentant of his support for the Iraq war, telling a BBC interviewer that even if he'd known there were no weapons of mass destruction, "I would still have thought it right to remove him. I mean obviously you would have had to use and deploy different...

Gates Arrives
in Iraq in Wake
of Bombings

Dec 10, 2009 8:12 AM CST

Gates Arrives in Iraq in Wake of Bombings

US officials say spate of violence won't affect withdrawal plan

(Newser) - Robert Gates flew to Baghdad today for an unannounced visit, finding a city still reeling from the bombings that killed at least 127 people on Tuesday. The defense secretary is scheduled to meet with Nouri al-Maliki and other top officials, and to offer condolences to victims of the attacks. He’...

Obama: 'War Is
Sometimes
Necessary'

nobel acceptance speech

Dec 10, 2009 7:53 AM CST

Obama: 'War Is Sometimes Necessary'

Obama accepts peace prize by saying force morally justified

(Newser) - President Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize today with, paradoxically, a defense of war. Obama began his speech by acknowledging the controversy surrounding his reward, both because his accomplishments are slight and because of the wars he presides over. “We will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes,”...

Iraqi Shoe Thrower
Has to Dodge One Himself

Dec 1, 2009 6:05 PM CST

Iraqi Shoe Thrower Has to Dodge One Himself

Another man fires footwear of his own at Bush critic

(Newser) - The Iraqi journalist who famously chucked his shoes at George Bush got a taste of what it's like to be on the receiving end today. During a press conference in Paris to push his campaign for "victims of the US occupation," Muntadhar al-Zeidi had to duck when a...

Oil Giants
Bend to
Iraq's Terms

HARD TIMES IN BIG OIL

Dec 1, 2009 10:35 AM CST

Oil Giants Bend to Iraq's Terms

War for oil hasn't been too lucrative for American companies

(Newser) - If the Iraq war was fought for oil, it’s done little to enrich American oil companies, which are just now striking deals to service the country’s fields—and at far worse terms than they’d hoped. Most companies balked at Iraq’s initial service contract offers, refusing to...