Iraq's national security adviser said on Friday he strongly opposed any military attack on Iran and, in contrast to the Bush administration's policy, said the option should not even be considered.
US President George W. Bush said Friday he was strongly opposed to partition of Iraq and renewed his support for embattled Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
As of Friday, Oct. 5, 2007, at least 3,813 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes seven military civilians. At least 3,105 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers.
The order by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice came a day after Congress voted to bring all U.S. contractors in the Iraq war zone under the jurisdiction of American criminal law.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday tightened control of US private security firm Blackwater's operations in Iraq following the recommendations of a probe into a Baghdad shootout last month.
Iran has significantly escalated its involvement in Iraq, "raising the heat" by supplying more sophisticated weaponry that is used against U.S. targets and undermining progress made by the U.S. troop increase, Iraqi National Security Adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie said today.
General Raymond Odierno, the number two leader of US forces in Iraq, said in an interview published Friday that he will recommend that the five Iranians that US forces detained in Iraq in January should not be released.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has ordered an overhaul of U.S. Embassy security practices in Iraq, tightening government oversight of diplomatic convoys escorted by private security contractors following the Blackwater USA shooting incident in which 13 Iraqis were killed in Baghdad.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ordered the implementation of three steps to bolster the accountability of private security firms in Iraq, including the Blackwater USA.
A federal court judge has temporarily blocked a court-martial scheduled for an Iraq war objector. The second court-martial of Army 1st Lt. Ehren Watada had been scheduled to start Tuesday. The first ended in a mistrial in February.