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Decade on, Iraq grappling with attacks and deadlock

March 20, 2013 07:30
Grappling with a spike in violence and a worsening political situation, Iraq on Wednesday marked 10 years since a US-led invasion that sought to establish a stable, democratic ally in the Middle East. The event was met with little fanfare in Baghdad, though, a day after a wave of bombings and gun attacks killed 56 people across the country, as some ministers began a cabinet boycott and officials delayed provincial polls.

Decade on, Iraq grappling with attacks and deadlock

March 19, 2013 23:45
Grappling with a spike in violence and a worsening political situation, Iraq on Wednesday marked 10 years since a US-led invasion that sought to establish a stable, democratic ally in the Middle East. The event was met with little fanfare in Baghdad, though, a day after a wave of bombings and gun attacks killed 52 people in the Iraqi capital as some ministers began a cabinet boycott and officials delayed provincial polls.

Obama hails troops in muted Iraq war anniversary

March 19, 2013 17:30
President Barack Obama marked the tenth anniversary of the Iraq invasion on Tuesday by paying tribute to the sacrifice of US troops, but steered clear of the debate over the war's aftermath. In a muted statement, issued on the eve of a visit to a Middle East much changed since his predecessor George W. Bush unleashed the 2003 war, Obama promised to support wounded American veterans of the conflict.

52 killed on eve of Iraq war anniversary

March 19, 2013 13:46
Attacks killed 52 in Iraq on Tuesday as some ministers began a boycott of government and officials delayed provincial polls, heightening tensions on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the US-led invasion. At least 20 explosions and multiple shootings also left more than 170 people wounded in the country's bloodiest day in more than six months, reflecting the brutal unrest and endless political crises that were sparked by an invasion that had aimed to build a democratic ally in the heart of the Middle East.

Decade on, Iraq far cry from pre-war vision

March 19, 2013 01:17
The US-led invasion of Iraq that toppled Saddam Hussein aimed to enshrine a liberal democracy in the heart of the Middle East but instead unleashed sectarian violence and endless political disputes. Launched with the stated goal of wiping out Saddam's stores of weapons of mass destruction, which were never found, the focus of the divisive war quickly shifted to solidifying Iraq as a Western ally in an unstable region. But the removal of Saddam gave Iraq's non-Arab neighbour Iran the opportunity to dramatically increase its sway in the country.

Home to foreign media, Iraq hotel gets makeover

March 19, 2013 01:15
Famous the world over for housing masses of foreign journalists during the US-led invasion of Iraq, the Palestine Hotel has since undergone a makeover and looks brand new. Now, all it needs are customers. From employees cleaning dust off the faux marble to guards waiting to guide visitors through a metal detector, the 18-storey property's two-year facelift has it talking a big game since it reopened last year. "We are a five-star establishment," hotel manager Fadhel Salman Hassan proudly declares. "We have 405 rooms, three bars."

Mixed feelings for general who led Australia in Iraq war

March 18, 2013 21:30
The general who led Australian troops in the Iraq conflict said Tuesday big mistakes were made by the United States in the post-Saddam Hussein era as he voiced mixed feelings about the war. Peter Cosgrove was chief of the Australian Defence Force in 2003 when then-prime minister John Howard committed 2,000 Australian troops in support of the US-led invasion.

Qaeda group claims Iraq attack ahead of anniversary

March 17, 2013 09:30
An Al-Qaeda-linked group claimed a brazen attack on a ministry and a bombing in south Iraq left 10 people dead Sunday as a study said at least 112,000 civilians were killed since the 2003 US-led invasion. Ahead of the anniversary of the invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein, the latest violence raises fresh questions about the security forces' ability to prevent attacks such as the March 14 assault on the justice ministry claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI).

Qaeda group claims Iraq attack ahead of anniversary

March 17, 2013 06:00
An Al-Qaeda-linked group claimed a brazen attack near Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone as a study published on Sunday said at least 112,000 civilians were killed during the 10-year Iraq conflict. Ahead of the anniversary of the US-led invasion that ousted Saddam Hussein, the latest reports raise fresh questions about the capabilities of the security forces to prevent attacks such as the March 14 assault on the justice ministry claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI).

Decade on, Blair adamant Iraq invasion was right

March 17, 2013 05:31
Tony Blair formed an unlikely alliance with George W. Bush to send British forces into Iraq, and 10 years on, the former prime minister is adamant he took the right decision. The Labour premier and the Republican US president were both convinced of the need to act against Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and his alleged weapons of mass destruction (WMD). However, these weapons never materialised and although Saddam was ousted within weeks of the March 2003 invasion, Iraq soon descended into chaos at the hands of insurgents and militia groups.
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