NPR Topics: Iraq

Feds To Drop Charges Against Blackwater Guard

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:57:00 -0500

The Justice Department intends to drop manslaughter and weapons charges against one of the Blackwater Worldwide security guards involved in a deadly 2007 Baghdad shooting, prosecutors said in court documents Friday.

Iraqi Election Plans In Limbo After Veto Of Key Law

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:32:00 -0500

A top Iraqi official vetoed the country's election law Wednesday, throwing plans to hold parliamentary elections in January into disarray. The move could unravel hard-won compromises, and it could complicate U.S. efforts to withdraw U.S. combat troops next year.

Fun? In Baghdad? A Theme Park Seeks A Comeback

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:31:00 -0500

During the time of Saddam Hussein, Iraqi families flocked to Baghdad Island, a sprawling, once-popular Baghdad amusement park. Destroyed by looting after the 2003 U.S. invasion, the park is now undergoing revitalization, with the help of the U.S. Army.

Was Iraq 'Worth It'?

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0500

Ernesto Londono, Baghdad bureau chief for The Washington Post, looked to the city of Samarra to answer the question: Was the Iraq war worth it? Samarra appears to be a surge success story, but it remains deeply divided along Sunni and Shia lines.

Gates Blocks Release Of Detainee Abuse Photos

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:35:00 -0500

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has blocked the public release of any more pictures of foreign detainees abused by their U.S. captors, saying their release would endanger American soldiers.

Some Scars Only Doctors See

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:56:00 -0500

Veterans of the war in Iraq experience effects that are not always obvious. Sometimes their problems are only visible to doctors like Natalie Mariano, who for the past five years has worked at the Veteran Affairs Primary Care Center in Hyannis, Mass.

Galbraith's Actions May Hurt Independent Advice

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500

Former U.S. ambassador Peter Galbraith denies there were conflicts of interest when he advised the Kurdish government about their constitution. He says the Kurds knew about the business relationship he formed with a Norwegian oil company a year later. Nonetheless, some experts worry Galthraith's actions will make it more difficult for Americans to give advice independently without the suspicion of profit.

Iraqi Shiite Party Spends Millions On Mausoleum

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500

Incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is hoping for a repeat of last January's provincial elections — that's when Iraqi voters rejected overtly religious parties and turned to his more secular slate. Luckily for him, those religious parties don't seem to have gotten the message. One of the largest Shiite religious parties is spending millions on an Iranian-style mausoleum to its fallen leaders. It's by far the biggest construction in the city of Najaf, but residents say they'd rather see the money spent on services.

Adviser Sees No Conflict In Kurdish Oil Deals

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500

Former U.S. diplomat Peter Galbraith talks to Melissa Block about accusations of conflicts of interest when he advised the Kurdish government about the drafting of Iraq's Constitution. He says that when he entered a business relationship with a Norwegian oil company, the Kurds knew about the relationship, and there was no conflict of interest.

Iraq Panel Proposes National Elections For Jan. 21

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:35:00 -0500

Iraq's electoral commission submits a proposal to hold national elections five days after the previously scheduled date. Parliament cleared the way for the national poll when it passed a crucial election law Sunday night after weeks of political haggling.

Election Law Passes In Iraq, Setting Up National Vote

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:01:00 -0500

Iraq's parliament ended weeks of debate Sunday and passed a long-delayed law paving the way for the planned January election to go forward, sidestepping a crisis that could have delayed the U.S. troop withdrawal.

Rough Road For Military Families With Special Needs

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:09:00 -0500

Deployments are usually hard on families. Spouses must become single parents for months on end, managing households with little outside help. These challenges become even more daunting for families with special needs children.

'Big Oil' Returns To Redevelop Iraq's Oil Fields

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500

In the six years since the U.S. invasion, Iraq's oil production has hardly matched the level under Saddam Hussein. Iraq's oil minister had been harshly criticized, but this week the world's largest oil companies signed multi-billion dollar deals to redevelop Iraq's oil fields. What's most impressive is that the oil minister got the companies to accept Iraq's conditions and terms.

Smugglers In Iraq Have A New Trade: Corpses

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:11:00 -0500

Stalled for 30 years by invasion, war and rebellions, the flow of corpses from outside Iraq to the Shiite holy cemetery in Najaf has resumed. But plenty of risk remains as traffickers share the country's borders with drug smugglers and other criminals — a price they're willing to pay for the hefty compensation.

Dissident Iranians Live In Limbo In Iraq

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:15:00 -0500

A group of Iranian dissidents living in Iraq since the 1980s poses a dilemma for the U.S. government. The Mujahedeen-e Khalq organization was given U.S. military protection in 2003 after the American-led invasion of Iraq, but now the Iraqi government wants it out. The trouble is that the Iranians don't want to leave.

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