The U.S. military touts the relative security of Anbar — once one of the most restive areas in Iraq — after working with tribal sheiks to combat al-Qaida. But the rise of the sheiks has set off a new political conflict, and tensions still simmer beneath the surface.
Barack Obama says he's open to refining his Iraq policy. The Democrat says he'll use what he learns from military commanders on his upcoming trip to Iraq to tweak his position. He dismissed GOP accusations that he was reversing his position.
Residents of Hemet, Calif. know all too well about military casualties. They're not alone — that town's story has been repeated in rural communities across the country. We examine why soldiers from rural areas are more likely to die in combat and how voters in those areas see the Iraq war.
Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, a hulking and aggressive New Jersey native, has been picked to succeed the more cerebral and diplomatic David Petraeus as the top commander in Iraq this summer. Petraeus is being promoted to oversee the entire Middle East.
As part of the effort to restore security in Iraq, the American military has helped to revive an ancient tradition — the sheiks' council meeting. But those meetings have also become flashpoints for power struggles among the leaders. At least seven Americans have been killed recently in attacks at council meetings.
Earlier this week, the Army released its account of what went wrong after the United States invaded Iraq. A military historian who worked on the project and three officers interviewed for the project discuss it.
Anbar was once considered the most dangerous province in Iraq. Now, U.S. forces are planning to hand control of the province back to the Iraqi government. Maj. Gen. John Kelly, the commander of U.S. forces in western Iraq, talks about the handover.
Iraq's oil ministry has just opened the doors to several major western oil companies. It's been more than 36 years since companies like Exxon have had access to Iraq's oil fields. And down the road, Iraq's reserves could dramatically increase the world's oil supply.
Lawsuits will be filed in the U.S. on behalf of four Iraqis who say they were tortured at Abu Ghraib prison. The suits name employees of U.S. firms CACI and L-3 Titan. Lawyers have been meeting with their clients in Turkey to prepare the suits.
Iraq's Oil Ministry announced Monday that it is opening six prime oil-producing regions to long-term development by international oil companies. Iraqi opposition leaders have denounced the plans, saying they put the country's oil wealth into Western hands.
