Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabagh issued a statement today harshly criticizing Admiral Michael Mullen's recent warnings regarding Iraqi officials' criticisms of the terms of the latest draft Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). Al-Dabagh warned that the...
US Digs In as Iraq Voices SOFA Concerns
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen issued an unusually harsh warning to Iraq regarding the growing resistance to the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). Though he acknowledged that Iraq should engage in "a healthy debate" on the pact, he said he was...
Japan to Extend Naval Mission to Afghanistan
Japan's lower house of parliament approved a bill today to extend its naval refueling mission to landlocked Afghanistan. The bill will allow Japanese ships to continue refueling warships in the Indian Ocean past January 15. The bill is expected to be reject by Japan's...
Iraq’s SOFA: What Changed, What Didn’t, and What Iraqi Officials Are Saying About It
The Associated Press has obtained a copy of the latest draft of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) being negotiated between the United States and Iraq and has made available a collection of excerpts translated from Arabic into English. The excerpts provide specific...
Pakistan Under Pressure to Accept IMF Funding
Pakistan's financial crisis continues to worsen by the minute, with security problems and dwindling foreign reserves trashing the south Asian nation's credit rating and leaving them on the verge of bankruptcy. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari visited China last...
ElBaradei: Iran Nowhere Near Acquiring Nuclear Weapons
In an interview today, UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohammed ElBaradei said that Iran would be lacking key components for the production of a nuclear weapon even if they chose to do so. According to ElBaradei "they do not have even the nuclear material, the raw...
State Department Official Praises Pakistan Strikes, Cautions Against Peace Talks
Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher met with top Pakistani leaders today, praising the country's military offensives in its tribal areas. Boucher also lauded the government's effort to recruit local tribes to assist in fighting against militants. He said he...
US Presses Iraq on SOFA as Support Dries Up
In a speech in Baghdad, US Ambassador Ryan Crocker defended the latest draft of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) as "an important agreement that fully restores Iraq's sovereignty." But massive public opposition to the agreement has scared away political support...
Pakistani Opposition Figure: 1,500 Civilians Killed in Bajaur Operation
Sahibzada Haroonur Rashid, a high ranking official in the Jamaat-e Islami (JI) party from Bajaur Agency, claimed today that 1,500 civilians have been killed since Pakistan's military offensive in Bajaur began in August. He also condemned the operation for displacing...
Iraqi Ministry Declares End to Christians’ Displacement as Reports Continue
Ever the optimists, Iraq's Human Rights Ministry announced today that the displacement of Christians in Mosul has been over since Wednesday, when security forces took control of the city. A ministry official placed the overall displacement at 2270, far fewer than...