Anbar – News Stories About Anbar - Page 2

US Troops Rebuild With Old Enemies
in Iraq

Dec 30, 2007 5:23 PM CST

US Troops Rebuild With Old Enemies in Iraq

'Hard pill to swallow,' Marine says

(Newser) - Capt. Sean Miller keeps up an easy calm as he helps manage rebuilding efforts in Anbar province these days. But when an Iraqi contractor claimed he was promised money to bury Saddam's solders, the 32-year-old Marine captain lost it. "Those guys were trying to kill me,” Miller said....

Gates Nixes Marine Shift to
Afghanistan

Dec 6, 2007 5:48 AM CST

Gates Nixes Marine Shift to Afghanistan

Defense secretary says troops needed in still-volatile Iraq

(Newser) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates has rejected a proposal to shift Marine Corps soldiers from Iraq to Afghanistan, saying the situation is still too volatile in Iraq, reports the New York Times. The top general of the Marines met with Gates in Washington last week and presented a formal proposal to...

Sunni Chiefs Killed in Iraq Suicide Bomb

Nov 10, 2007 5:44 AM CST

Sunni Chiefs Killed in Iraq Suicide Bomb

5 leaders in fight against al-Qaeda in Diyala province dead in blast

(Newser) - A suicide bomber detonated his vest in a meeting yesterday of anti-al-Qaeda Sunni chiefs, killing five leaders in the battle to drive al-Qaeda from Diyala province, in central Iraq. The bomb went off in the home of Sheikh Faez al-Obeidi, 30 miles north of Baghdad; killed were the sheikh and...

Shiites Foil US Plans for Sunni Cop Shops

Oct 28, 2007 2:59 PM CDT

Shiites Foil US Plans for Sunni Cop Shops

Suspicion and 'highly sectarian' hiring thwart key US policy

(Newser) - Shiite officials are thwarting US attempts to train Sunni cops, crippling a key strategy aimed at slashing sectarian violence, the New York Times reports. Iraq has okayed Sunni neighborhood watch groups, but putting their old foes in uniform is another story. One US officer put it bluntly: Iraq officials "...

Iraqi al-Qaeda Group to Track Down 'Traitors'

Sep 15, 2007 11:31 AM CDT

Iraqi al-Qaeda Group to Track Down 'Traitors'

Islamic State of Iraq vows to kill those who align with US

(Newser) - Thursday's assassination of a Sunni tribal leader was the first in what an al-Qaeda front group warns will be the fate of all who cooperate with the US, reports the AP. The Islamic State of Iraq announced on Islamist websites that "special security committees" will track down "traitors"...

Sunnis Vow to Strike Back After Death of Tribal Leader

Sep 14, 2007 1:57 PM CDT

Sunnis Vow to Strike Back After Death of Tribal Leader

'Revenge on al-Qaeda,' mourners shout

(Newser) - The killing of a prominent Iraqi tribal leader and US ally will be avenged, angry Sunnis promised today, a day after the sheik died in a bomb attack. Thousands of Iraqis joined the funeral procession for Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, shouting, “Revenge, revenge on al-Qaeda.” The assassination of...

Bush Vows Modest Pullback in Wake of 'Success'

Sep 14, 2007 5:09 AM CDT

Bush Vows Modest Pullback in Wake of 'Success'

'Endless military presence' slammed by Dems

(Newser) - President Bush announced that 24,000 troops will return home by July 2008 in an address to the nation in which he touted advancements in Iraq. He termed the reduction "a return on success" that could be squandered by larger withdrawals. Troops could still be added, however, so the...

Key US Ally in Iraq Killed in Bomb Attack

Sep 13, 2007 11:25 AM CDT

Key US Ally in Iraq Killed in Bomb Attack

Sheik opposed Al-Qaeda, helped stabilize Anbar province

(Newser) - A key US ally in the fight against Al-Qaeda was killed in a bomb attack today in Ramadi. Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, the most influential of the Sunni leaders helping American and Iraqi forces fight the terror network, met with President Bush 2 weeks ago during his visit to Anbar...

Bush Drops
In on Iraq

Sep 3, 2007 7:28 AM CDT

Bush Drops In on Iraq

Prez makes surprise trip to Baghdad, will meet with Maliki, generals

(Newser) - President Bush landed today in Anbar Province, just west of Baghdad, for a surprise trip in advance of the September 15 status briefing on Iraq. Bush will meet with President Nouri al-Maliki, local officials and US generals including David Petraeus, CNN reports. The president was on his way to a...

Marine Not Guilty in
Iraqi Murder

Jul 19, 2007 4:32 AM CDT

Marine Not Guilty in Iraqi Murder

Nailed on kidnapping and conspiracy

(Newser) - One of a group of U.S. Marines charged with kidnapping and executing a suspected Iraqi terrorist was acquitted of premeditated murder at a court martial at Camp Pendleton, reports the San Diego Union Tribune. Cpl. Trent Thomas was found guilty of conspiracy and kidnapping. The verdict means he'll avoid...

14 Troops Killed in 2 Days

Jun 21, 2007 12:49 PM CDT

14 Troops Killed in 2 Days

5 soldiers dead after roadside bomb explosion; death toll hits 3,545

(Newser) - Fourteen American troops have been killed in Iraq over the past 2 days, bringing the US death toll to 3,545, with 68 fatalities in June. In the deadliest recent attack, five troops died today after a roadside bomb detonated under their vehicle in northeastern Iraq. Commanders attribute the worsening...

Surge Fizzles in Iraq

Jun 14, 2007 11:45 AM CDT

Surge Fizzles in Iraq

Troop buildup fails to curb violence

(Newser) - A new report shows no overall drop in bloodshed in Iraq despite the three-month-old troop surge. Violence has fallen slightly in Baghdad and Anbar province, where troops are concentrated, but a corresponding rise everywhere else more than compensates. And while sectarian killings have dropped slightly, civilian casualties are up, and...