Iraqi Govt Slams US Statement on Security Pact

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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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