Iraq

Backchannels
What the attacks in Iraq tell us [VIDEO]

Iraq's sectarian divisions are deep, militants both Sunni and Shiite still roam the landscape, and the US is no longer in a position to do much about it.
Why Iraqis in oil-rich Kirkuk want US troops to stay

US troops are due to leave Iraq by Dec. 31, but this province sees them as a key force for stability. Iraqi leaders agreed this week to begin negotiations that could keep some US troops longer.
Iraq's government shuts down amid 120-degree temps - and no A/C

Even Iraqi government ministries can't keep air conditioning on amid a summer electricity crisis. With the start of Ramadan today, observant Muslims are facing 14 hours without water.
US military officials in Iraq warn of growing Iranian threat

American military officials say the upcoming US withdrawal has emboldened Iranian-backed militias, which they blame for recent deadly attacks and allege are stockpiling weapons.
Iraqi deal in the works to suspend execution of Saddam-era officials

The indefinite hold on six planned executions of members of Saddam Hussein's regime could prevent a widening of political and sectarian rifts at a precarious time in Iraq.
Arab Spring crackdown damages Kurdistan's image as regional model

The US has long championed semi-autonomous Kurdistan as a democratic model for the rest of Iraq and the Middle East. But Kurdish leaders have violently shut down dissenters.
Backchannels
Iraq combat operations over?

June has been the worst month for US troops in two years. And violence is surging in Afghanistan.
Sadr followers send message to US: Don't try to stay

US troops are scheduled to leave Iraq by Dec. 31, but Prime MInister Maliki said he is considering seeking an agreement that would allow them to stay longer.
Iraq's Arab Spring: Protests rise against persistent poverty in oil-rich nation

Iraq claims to have the world's second-largest oil reserves, but 1 in 6 Iraqis live in poverty. Protests have already forced three provincial governors to resign.
Iraq's Maliki signals he may let US troops extend their stay

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said he may extend the Dec. 31 withdrawal deadline if at least 70 percent of Iraq's political leadership back the idea.
Iraqi Christians mark a restrained Easter

With violence still a threat, Iraqi Christians observed Easter from behind blast walls that have turned many churches into fortresses, or at home. At St. Joseph's in Baghdad, Monsignor Casha planned to urge parishioners to stay in Iraq and try to rebuild.
UN calls for Iraqi probe of attack on Iranian opposition group

A United Nations statement issued late Saturday said it expected an Iraqi government inquiry into the Iraqi military's deadly April 8 raid on a People’s Mujahideen Organization of Iran (PMOI) camp to be independent.
Senior US military official in Iraq advocates keeping some troops longer

The remarks, which included warnings of the increasingly volatile Middle East, follow renewed warnings by Moqtada al-Sadr that he would reactivate his militia if US forces extend their stay.
Iraq unveils refurbished palace where US soldiers once hung laundry

Ahead of the May 10-11 Arab League summit, Iraq has prepared suites, ballrooms, and manicured gardens in anticipation of receiving 22 invited heads of state.
On anniversary of Saddam's fall, Iraq's Sadr issues warning on US presence

Hardline Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr rallied thousands of followers Saturday. Their message: United States civilians as well as troops must leave by the end of the year.
A young woman's quest for true love in Baghdad

The eldest daughter of the Methboub family, which the Monitor has profiled since 2002, maintains her conviction that true love is possible in a society of violence and fixed marriages – despite her own bumpy road.
Iraqis stage 'day of regret' one year after celebrated elections

Iraq's coalition government has yet to fulfill Iraqi hopes and is on increasingly shaky ground. Iyad Allawi pulled out of a powersharing deal this weekend.
British security contractor Danny Fitzsimons gets life in prison for murder in Iraq

Danny Fitzsimons was sentenced to life in prison for shooting dead a British and an Australian co-worker, and wounding an Iraqi guard. It's the first case of a Westerner being tried in an Iraqi court.
Iraqis stage 'day of rage' despite government lockdown

Iraqi protesters burned or tried to storm government buildings from the southern port of Basra to the northern cities of Mosul and Huwaijah, where at least five were killed.
Iraq attempts to defuse huge protest planned for Friday

Iraqi officials warned that the protest, which organizers hope will draw 1 million people, could turn violent in what was widely seen as an attempt to limit turnout.
Iraqi officials bend to protesters' demands

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said he would personally oversee food rationing for the poor, while Baghdad's provincial chief promised to fire corrupt officials. A major rally is planned for Friday.
Iran opposition returns to streets, energized by Egypt

The Green Movement showed signs of revitalization Monday as tens of thousands of Iranians rallied and clashed with police.
Iraqis stage Valentine's Day protest over government corruption, poor services

The Valentine's Day protest came amid reports of a man in northern Iraq killing himself in an apparent copycat self-immolation – the same dramatic act that galvanized popular discontent in Tunisia.
US reports 20 percent drop in Iraq violence

US military commanders in Baghdad today said that Iraqi forces are making security gains as the US prepares to withdraw all its troops by year's end.
Refugees forced back to a still-violent Iraq, prompting criticism of European policy

Three days after Ali Jassim Mohammed returned to Baghdad to get documents for his Swedish residency application, he was caught in a bombing on his way to the passport office.