Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The United States has suspended the delivery of military aircraft to Iraq. Officials said the administration of President Barack Obama has rebuffed Iraqi requests for the combat aircraft after concluding that the Iraqi military was not capable of securing these platforms amid the advance of Islamic State of Iraq and […]
Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The United States has proposed a restructuring of the Iraqi military. Officials said the administration of President Barack Obama drafted a plan to form an Iraqi military limited to border operations. The officials said the military would reflect the cantonization of Iraq into Sunni, Shi’ite and Kurdish enclaves. “In our […]
Special to WorldTribune.com BAGHDAD — Iraq has formed units to recapture a key city from Islamic State of Iraq and Levant. Officials said the government of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki has approved the formation of units meant to contain more than 10,000 soldiers to recapture Mosul. They said the units consisted of Sunnis and […]
Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — Iraq’s military has lost confidence in its command. A leading U.S. commander said the Iraq Army collapsed because of a loss of loyalty and confidence. U.S. Army commander Gen. Raymond Odierno said the politicization of the Iraqi military eroded the trust of its rank-and-file and led to the Army flight […]
Special to WorldTribune.com Thomas Friedman’s article is a reflection of an inverted world where minor, secondary characters are villains, where genuine villains never appear at the scene, and people are united by good intentions and ties of friendship. By Alexander Maistrovoy “Arsonists and Firefighters”. This is the title of Thomas Friedman’s article, which is referring […]
Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has been bracing for an Al Qaida campaign to close down Iraq’s largest airport. U.S. military sources said they expect Al Qaida’s Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant to target Baghdad International Airport. The sources said ISIL has determined that the airport marked a lifeline for […]
Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — Iraq has acknowledged that Islamic State of Iraq and Levant captured a former chemical weapons facility. The government of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki has informed the United Nations that ISIL seized a CW production plant of the former regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. In a letter to UN […]
Special to WorldTribune.com BAGHDAD — Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has overcome military forces to reach the edge of the Iraqi capital. Security sources said ISIL, which now calls itself Islamic State, has reached the outskirts of Baghdad. They said ISIL units, attacking from three sides, were battling the Iraq Army within 15 […]
Special to WorldTribune.com BAGHDAD — Iraq, despite foreign military support, continues to struggle against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Officials said more than 5,000 troops have tried to invade the capital of the northern province of Salah Eddin, captured by ISIL on June 11. The officials said the Iraq Army force was backed […]
Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — Iraq was expected to employ foreign pilots for its new fleet of Su-25 fighter-jets, a report said. The Royal United Services Institute asserted that the Iraq Air Force lacked the pilots and maintenance capability for the new Su-25 aircraft provided by Russia. In a report, the London-based institute said the […]