Nouri al-Maliki news stories on Newser

US Suspects al-Qaeda Behind Syria Bombings

Mark Russell — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 06:59:59 CST

Al-Qaeda's Iraq branch is moving into the chaos in Syria, and is responsible for two recent bombings and most likely yesterday's bombing in Aleppo , US officials tell McClatchy . Intelligence reports seem to back up Syrian President Bashar al-Assad assertions—disputed by the opposition—that al-Qaeda has been involved in the...

With US Gone, Iraq Explodes

Kevin Spak — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 07:15:34 CST

Iraq has experienced a surge in violence since US troops left the country last month, with 327 people dying in explosions or assassinations by the Iraqi Ministry's official count. Bombings have hit Baghdad neighborhoods , Shiite pilgrims , and Sunni police, among other targets. "They are not arbitrary attacks. They are sending...

Another Iraq Suicide Blast Kills 53 Shiites in Basra

John Johnson — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 06:27:49 CST

Iraq's Sunni-Shiite tensions worsened yet again today when a suicide bomber killed at least 53 Shiite pilgrims marking a holy day, reports Reuters . The bomber, dressed as a police officer, struck at a checkpoint in Basra. No claims of responsibility yet, but it bears the hallmarks of Sunni-dominated al-Qaeda, which...

Despite Maliki Crackdown, US Still Selling Arms to Iraq

Kevin Spak — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:19:43 CST

The US is charging ahead with an $11 billion arms deal with Iraq, and has even delivered some of the promised fighter jets, tanks, and weapons—even though Nouri al-Maliki has blatantly failed to follow through on an agreement intended to ensure he would not marginalize his Sunni rivals. Indeed,...

Biden Tells Iraqis to Mend Fences —Like, Now

Neal Colgrass — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 14:32:22 CST

Joe Biden called Iraqi officials today, urging them to calm rising sectarian tensions after a bombing killed at least 63 people there earlier this week, the AP reports. Biden and other US officials have been phoning Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as well as Sunni and Kurdish leaders all week, asking...

VP: Maliki Pushing Iraq Toward Sectarian War

Dustin Lushing — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:48:43 CST

Sunni VP Tariq al-Hashemi today openly accused Nouri al-Maliki of trying to eliminate his political rivals and run Iraq like a "one-man-show," a move that Hashemi says is pushing the country toward sectarian war. The comments came during an interview with the AP, which notes that the escalating tension between...

63 Dead as Explosions Rip Baghdad

Mary Papenfuss — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 04:14:59 CST

At least 63 people have been killed as powerful explosions ripped Baghdad early today in the first major violence in Iraq since US troops left. Nearly 200 people were wounded as bombers believed linked to Al-Qaeda in Iraq targeted schools, grocery stores and government buildings, reports the New York Times...

Iraqi VP: I'm No Terrorist

Kevin Spak — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:40:05 CST

Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi vigorously denied the terrorism charges leveled against him yesterday , saying that Shiite-led security personnel had forced false confessions out of his personal guards. "I swear by God I didn’t do this disobedience against Iraqi blood, and I would never do this," he said in a...

Maliki Orders Iraq VP Arrested

Kevin Spak — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:06:05 CST

Nouri al-Maliki's government ratcheted up sectarian tensions in a big way today by issuing an arrest warrant for Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, Iraq's top-ranking Sunni official, on terrorism charges, the AP reports. Hashimi is accused of running a death squad that assassinated government and security officials, authorities said on state-run...