anbar

Brokering a Fragile Peace in Iraq

Oct 21, 2008
A key overlooked fact about the much-ballyhooed "surge is working" argument in Iraq is that the U.S. military actually paid some former insurgents $10 a day to help American troops keep the peace in parts of the country. But what happens when that setup changes in volatile regions like Anbar?

New McCain Gaffes on Iraq

Jul 24, 2008
Sen. John McCain didn't just get his cause-and-effect order wrong on the so-called surge strategy in Iraq, he also claimed in a CBS interview that the increased troop deployment and associated change in tactics protected a key Sunni sheik who helped lead the "Anbar Awakening." Problem? Said sheik was actually assassinated during the surge. Meanwhile, CBS is under fire for editing out these gaffes in its on-air presentation of the interview.
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Mission … Evolving

Sep 14, 2007
President Bush capped off his administration's weeklong campaign to convince America that the "surge" is working with a televised address on Thursday. Nestled among assorted pseudo-announcements and stale slogans was a telling pitch from a president who has repeatedly revised his motive for war: "Our mission in Iraq will evolve."

Bush Drops In on His Mideast Timeshare

Sep 3, 2007
The "What, me worry?" president paid a cheerful visit to U.S. troops in Iraq's Anbar province, an auspiciously timed trip (his third since the war began in 2003) that falls mere days before Congress is scheduled to hear Army Gen. David Petraeus' Iraq "progress" report. For another status report (read: reality check), follow this link.

Iraqis Sickened by Chlorine Gas Blasts

Mar 18, 2007
Following a toxic trend that began in late January, three Iraqi suicide bombers set off explosives Friday in Sunni-dominated Anbar province that were rigged to release chlorine gas. The three blasts, which killed two and sickened more than 350 with noxious fumes, occurred in areas where resistance to the insurgency has been growing lately.

Nightmare: Iraq

Nov 29, 2006
A classified Marine Corps report says that the US cannot defeat the insurgency in western Iraq Iran-backed Hezbollah is training Shiite militia members in Iraq, according to a U official.