Special Coverage: War on Iraq

One Fifth of Iraq Funding Goes to Private Contractors

Willam Fisher, IPS News. September 6, 2008.
If spending continues at the current rate, the U.S. will have spent 100 billion dollars on military contractors in Iraq by the end of the year.

From the blogs

Bush's White House Spying on Iraqi Prime Minister

by Amanda, Think Progress

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino wants to make it clear, the White House IS NOT denying spying on Maliki.

U.S. Troops Kill Six Iraqi Security Forces

by Staff, Middle East Online

The military says it was a case of "mistaken fire."

Abu Ghraib's Torture Museum = Pure Propaganda

by Fatih Abdulsalam, Azzaman

The Iraqi government's plan to reopen Abu Ghraib, including a museum of crimes committed under Saddam is revisionist history.

Baghdad Getting Only Half of Needed Water Supplies; Iraq Approves Oil Deal with China

by AlterNet Staff, AlterNet

First Saddam-era deal approved; UNICEF blasts Iraqi government for not investing in drinking water.

Vets for Peace Demonstrate Against Fellow Veteran John McCain

by Jeremy Scahill, Democracy Now!

On the eve of the Republican National Convention, Vietnam veterans protested the war in Iraq and spoke out against "war hero" John McCain.

Dutch Intelligence: U.S. Strike on Iran Likely 'Within Weeks'

by Joshua Holland, AlterNet

Intelligence agency shared info on potential targets with the CIA.

U.S. Contractor in Iraq, KBR, Accused of Slavery

by Satyam, Think Progress

A Washington law firm has filed a lawsuit against KBR alleging their involvement in human trafficking, forced labor and slavery.

In Wake of Deadly U.S. Airstrike, Jeremy Scahill Questions Dems on Obama's Afghanistan Policy

by Jeremy Scahill, Democracy Now!

As Democrats rally in support of candidates who want an escalation in Afghanistan, the 7-year old war is claiming more lives than ever.

The Maliki Surge: Iraq's PM's Power is Growing

by Staff, Think Progress

It would be a tragedy if 4000 Americans and tens of thousands of Iraqis died simply to establish another U.S.-enabled tyranny in the Middle East.

Obama: Tell IVAW "Yes We Can"

by Liliana Segura, AlterNet

While official rhetoric in Denver ignores the party's failure to end the war in Iraq, one group of vets is not backing down.

As Vets Take to the Streets to Protest the War, McCain Snubs IVAW at the RNC

Liliana Segura, AlterNet. September 6, 2008.
"War hero" McCain voted against healthcare funding for veterans in 2003, '04, '05, '06 and '07. Now veterans are confronting him on his record.

The VA Continues to Abandon Returning Vets

Joshua Kors, The Nation. September 4, 2008.
"Supporting the troops" only applies until they actually come home from war.

Spinning Iraq for a GOP Victory

Patrick Cockburn, Independent UK. September 3, 2008.
With an eye on the presidential election, the White House is working to create the impression that the war is ripe for U.S. victory.

How the Bush Administration Underestimated Nouri al-Maliki

Gareth Porter, IPS News. September 2, 2008.
Signs that the Iraqi PM's stance on U.S. withdrawal is hardening is undermining Bush's plan for indefinite occupation.

In the Shadow of the RNC, War Resisters Convene to Stop the War

Sarah Lazare, AlterNet. September 1, 2008.
At the Veterans for Peace conference, IVAW member Harvey Tharp discusses the war, the election, and why he resigned in protest over the war.

U.S. Forces to Hand Over Anbar Province to Iraqis

Middle East Online. August 30, 2008.
Citing stronger domestic security forces and a need for troops in Afghanistan, a U.S. general says control will be handed over in "just a few days."

Sadr Announces Suspension of Mahdi Army "Indefinitely"

Middle East Online. August 29, 2008.
The powerful Shiite cleric, who first announced a ceasefire last summer, says the Mahdi Army will carry out cultural activities instead.

The Dangerous Consequences of Recruiting Nazis to Serve in Iraq

David Holthouse, Hate Watch. August 29, 2008.
The U.S. military appears to be teaching a skinhead with genocide on his mind how to become a tactical bomb maker.

Standoff with Police as Iraq Vets Demand to Meet with Obama Campaign

Alex Kane, Jessica Lee, Indypendent. August 28, 2008.
With no reply from Obama to their letter asking him to endorse their goals, IVAW marched to the Pepsi Center to demand that their voices be heard.

Democrats: Don't Make Afghanistan Your War

Katrina vanden Heuvel, The Nation. August 28, 2008.
Biden, Obama, and the Dems are rallying to escalate the war in Afghanistan. But trading one war for another would be catastrophic.

Half of Baghdad Lacks Drinking Water

Kareem Abed Zair, Azzaman. August 28, 2008.
Amid soaring temperatures, Baghdad's Water Authority says three million people in Baghdad have no access to running water.

Sectarian Clashes Flaring Up as U.S.-Backed Operations Target Sunnis

Ahmed Ali, Dahr Jamail, IPS News. August 27, 2008.
A military operation that was said to target al-Qaeda has instead targeted Sunni Muslims, creating new sectarian tensions.

Maliki the Nationalist? Don't Buy It.

Robert Dreyfuss, The Nation. August 26, 2008.
In his demands for a U.S. troop withdrawal, the Iraqi PM is hardly the tough negotiator the media makes him out to be.

Looking Back at Five Years of Bush's Wreckage in Iraq

Chalmers Johnson, Tomdispatch.com. August 26, 2008.
Bush's supporters see the global war on terrorism as a "clash of civilizations" -- yet the civilization we are destroying in Iraq is part of our own.

Iraqi Refugees Spurn Government Call to Come Home

Azzaman. August 25, 2008.
"Iraq has turned into something like a no man's land," one refugee says. "It no longer belongs to its people."

War Resister Robin Long Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison

Sarah Lazare, Courage to Resist. August 25, 2008.
Long, an Iraq War resister deported from Canada last month, was sentenced to 15 months of prison and dishonorable discharge.

The Three Dumbest Neocon Predictions Since the Disaster in Iraq

John Dolan, AlterNet. August 25, 2008.
Nothing seems to keep the Neocons from losing respectability. Here are three contenders for the dumbest Neocon predictions post-Iraq.

U.S. Accused of Killing 76 Civilians in Afghanistan Airstrike

Jonathon Burch, Independent UK. August 24, 2008.
Most of the casualties were women and children; the deaths sparked demonstrations and a condemnation by Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Afghan President Pardons Men Convicted of Gang Rape

Kate Clark, Independent UK. August 24, 2008.
President Hamid Karzai has pardoned three men who were found guilty of brutally raping a woman in the northern province of Samangan.

Joe Biden Is a Key Fighter in Dissolving Bush's 'Terror' Myths

Andy Worthington, AlterNet. August 24, 2008.
Biden doesn't have clean hands when it comes to Iraq, but he's been a leader in re-establishing the rule-of-law in Bush's terror war.

Biden, Iraq and Obama's Betrayal

Stephen Zunes, Foreign Policy in Focus. August 24, 2008.
The choice of Biden calls into question whether Obama's offering a "change we can believe in."

U.S.-Iraqi "Security Agreement" a Distraction as Conflicts Continue to Simmer

Robert Dreyfuss, The Nation. August 22, 2008.
A debate over McCain's claims of "victory in Iraq" is one Obama can win if he hits hard.

Robin Long, War Resister Deported from Canada, Faces Trial This Week

Sarah Lazare, AlterNet. August 21, 2008.
The first war resister to be deported from Canada since the Vietnam War faces court-martial and three years in jail. Who is next?

Almost Half of Iraqi Adults Are Unemployed

Anna Badkhen, Truthdig. August 20, 2008.
"If you don't have money to pay bribes, you can't get a job," says one mechanical engineer. "I'd drive a garbage truck; I'd do anything,"

How Many More Iraqis Can You Throw Behind Bars Without Trial?

Fatih Abdulsalam, Azzaman. August 19, 2008.
Among the U.S.'s most vociferous criticisms of Saddam's regime was its practice of inhumane, summary arrests. Now it is guilty of the same.

How Close Are Iraq and the U.S. to Reaching a Forces Agreement?

Mina Al-Oraibi, Asharq Al-Awsat. August 18, 2008.
Iraqi and American officials are reportedly close to reaching an agreement on U.S. forces -- but there are some contradictions in their statements.

U.S. Holding Thousands of Prisoners with Alleged Terror Ties in Iraq

Basil Adas, Gulf News. August 15, 2008.
The U.S. has refused to provide any information about the prisoners or abide by an amnesty law issued by the Iraqi government.

How Much "Meddling" Is Iran Actually Doing in Iraq?

Omid Memarian, IPS News. August 14, 2008.
As the U.S keeps accusing Iran of arming Shiite militias, Iraqi officials are ignoring its claims in favor of diplomacy with neighboring governments.

The Long War: How Many Iraqs and Afghanistans Lie Ahead?

Andrew Bacevich, Tomdispatch.com. August 14, 2008.
The Pentagonization of the United States shows no sign of slowing down.

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IWPR

Providing hands-on training, extensive reporting and publishing, and support for local media, the Institute for War and Peace Reporting works to build democracy at the frontlines of conflict.

IVAW

Iraq Veterans Against the War calls for immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces in Iraq, reparations for the Iraqi people, and full benefits and adequate healthcare for returning servicemen and women.

No More Victims

One of the most effective ways to combat militarism is to focus on direct relief to its many victims. No More Victims connects American communities with war-injured Iraqi children and their families.

Courage to Resist

Tens of thousands of service members have resisted illegal war and occupation. Courage to Resist is a grassroots organization devoted to supporting GI resisters and their families.