Following President Jalal Talabani’s rejection of the no-confidence petition, supporters of the motion met in Arbil to reevaluate plans to remove Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki from office. Few attacks were reported today; however, mortar fire in Baghdad left dozens killed or wounded. Overall, at least 11 Iraqis were killed and 38 more were wounded.
read moreIraq: Kurdish Politician Predicts No Regime Change: 11 Killed in Attacks
Qadir Aziz, general secretary of the Kurdistan Future Party, said that he doubts a no-confidence vote will take place because of disunity and lack of support from the U.S. Meanwhile, at least 11 Iraqis were killed and 7 more were wounded in the latest violence. Also, a series of bomb and mortar attacks against oil pipelines failed to stop the flow.
read moreChanges at Parchin Suggest an Iranian Bargaining Ploy
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Western governments acted this week to escalate their accusations that Iran has "sanitized" a site at its Parchin military complex to hide evidence of nuclear weapons work, showing satellite images of...
Bringing the Battlefield to the Border
Why Obama Will Free Jonathan Pollard
Jason Ditz vs. Richard Perle Debate Drones in Pakistan
This week BBC hosted a short debate between our news editor Jason Ditz and prominent neocon Richard Perle, on the subject of drone strikes in Pakistan. To listen to the audio, click here. Below is the transcript: Host: Now last night we were reporting a US drone...
Amnesty Calls on Iraq To Halt Executions; 12 Killed in Attacks
Following yesterday’s announcement of a Saddam aide’s execution, Amnesty International again called on the Iraqi government to end capital punishment. At least 12 Iraqis were killed and 17 more were wounded in the latest violence.
read moreYou Cannot Be Serious, Redux
Attacking Iran Likely Counter-Productive, Think Tank Warns
While a nuclear-armed Iran would pose significant new challenges to the United States and Israel, a military attack by either country to prevent Tehran from developing a weapon could well prove counter-productive, according to a major new report released here...
