Topic: Kirkuk

Bombers target Baghdad churches – again

Six churches were attacked within the past 24 hours, the first such attacks since the withdrawal of US combat troops from Iraqi cities.

In Iraq, twin bombings follow insurgent's renewed call to fight US

The attacks underscore the security challenges after the US withdrawal from cities, particularly in the volatile areas in the north.

Iraqis celebrate US troops' pullback

Amid a huge display of national pride, some expressed concerns that violence could spike again.

The Monitor's View: Iraq's next milestone: the Kurdish question

The survival of the country depends on bridging the Kurd-Arab divide.

US forces withdrawing from Iraqi cities will move instead to encircle them

The troops will form 'belts' around volatile cities like Mosul, where some fear gains in stability will be lost when US troops pull out on June 30.

Iraq: forgotten and in trouble?

Saturday's massive bomb in Kirkuk, combined with political gridlock, raises questions about how ready Iraq is for the withdrawal of US troops from cities by June 30.

Iraq pullout: Some US soldiers likely to stay behind in Mosul

As US prepares to withdraw troops from major cities, bombings in Baghdad and near Kirkuk have the country on edge.

Trepidation as US exits Iraq's cities

June's pullback is part of the phased withdrawal of US forces. Will it jeopardize hard-won security gains?

Spike in suicide attacks: Is Al Qaeda in Iraq coming back?

US intelligence officials do not see a reversal in security gains, but Iraqi political maneuvering could affect decisions to keep US troops in trouble spots.

My Iraq: a reporter's 20-year retrospective

The longest-serving Western correspondent in Baghdad tracks the lives of two Iraqi friends – from dinners under the moon and palms to the heartbreak of war.

Vice President Biden welcomes troops home -- Full text

Opinion: The US exit from Iraq: how to steer clear of danger

The strategy must focus less on elections and more on political bargains that promote a new Iraqi national compact.

The Monitor's View: Obama can't leave Iraq in the lurch

Despite his pullout schedule, he must still help Iraqis reconcile on two key issues.

As war ebbs, Europe returns to Iraq

France and Germany opposed the US-led invasion but are now eyeing new investments in the war-torn country.

Iraqi vote expected to bolster Maliki

Early returns from Saturday's provincial polls suggest that the Shiite prime minister's Dawa Party will be the big winner.

A momentous vote in Iraq after years of war

Polls open throughout most of the country for a provincial election that could shift the balance of power.

As US withdraws, will Al Qaeda in Iraq find new openings?

The Sunni insurgent group may strike back, but Iraq experts say it's unlikely they will ever achieve the level of power they once wielded.

As war winds down, will Iraq's progress hold steady?

Violence has plummeted and US forces are pulling back, but the year ahead will test the staying power of gains throughout the country.

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Maliki's tenure on ice as rift with Kurds widens

The Iraqi premier is increasingly at risk as cracks in his Shiite-Kurdish coalition grow in the waning days of the Bush administration, his other main ally.

The Monitor's View: Iraq's vote for independence

Its parliament should approve a pact on a 2011 US withdrawal to assert Iraqi sovereignty.

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US referees Iraq's troubled Kurdish-Arab fault line

At a flash point for violence, an Army general plays diplomat.

Iraq election law marks progress, opens political season

Provincial polls are now expected early next year and could bring about a political realignment across Iraq.