ISW News Roundup - January 27, 2009

Iraq Elections

New York Times - Sectarian Divisions and Insurgents Threaten a Fair Election in an Iraqi Province, by Alissa J. Rubin

LA Times - Iraq: 'Secret plan' will prevent voter fraud, polling official says, by Monte Morin

LA Times - Iraqis skeptical about politicians ahead of vote, by Kimi Yoshino

Associated Press - Displaced Iraqis to cast ballots far from home, by Yahya Barzanji

Reuters - Corrected: Borders shut, cars banned for Iraq vote, by Waleed Ibrahim

Reuters - Religion or vote? Iraq Shi'ites wrestle with choice, by Mohammed Abbas

Defenselink Mil - Coalition, Iraqi Forces Confident In Election Security Efforts, by Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden

 

Iraq Security and Reconstruction

New York Times - Crash in Iraq Kills 4 U.S. Soldiers, by Sam Dagher

Reuters - Two U.S. aircraft crash in Iraq, four killed

Associated Press - Senior Iraqi official escapes roadside bomb attack, by Hamid Ahmed

Reuters - Security developments in Iraq, Jan 27

Defenselink Mil  - Reduced Violence Aids Iraq Reconstruction Efforts, General Says, by Gerry J. Gilmore

Washington Post - Iraq agrees to pay Kuwait Airways $300 million, from AP

Associated Press - Greece to help Iraq cultural reconstruction

Reuters - Iraq's Tareq Aziz, Chemical Ali face new trial

 

Afghanistan and Pakistan

New York Times - Afghan Prison Poses Problem in Overhaul of Detainee Policy, by Eric Schmitt

Wall Street Journal - Afghan Guards Confound U.S. Forces, by Yochi J. Dreazen

Associated Press - Analysis: Thinking small in troubled Afghanistan, by Anne Gearan

Associated Press -NATO: 3,000 US troops deploy near Afghan capital, by Fisnik Abrashi

Washington Post - NATO says 2 troops killed in south Afghanistan, by Noor Khan

Dvids Hub - 10th Mountain Division Troops Move Into Logar, Wardak Provinces, by Sgt. Amber Robinson

Defenselink Mil - U.S. Forces Will Engage More Heavily in Afghanistan, Biden Says, by John J. Kruzel

The Australian - Afghan troops boost flagged, by Mark Dodd and Debbie Guest

The Australian - Taking the fight to the Taliban, by Mark Dodd

Defenselink Mil - Afghan Military Academy Graduates First Class, from AFPS

New York Times - Pakistan: Bicycle Bomb Kills 5, from AP

BBC - New clashes 'kill 12' in Pakistan, by M Ilyas Khan

 

Israel-Hamas Conflict

New York Times - Gaza War Gives Bigger Lift to Israel's Right Than to Those in Power, by Isabel Kershner

Wall Street Journal - Bombing Kills Israeli Soldier Along Gaza Border, from AP

BBC - Israeli soldier killed near Gaza

Washington Times - Roadside bomb threatens Gaza truce, by Matti Friedman

Washington Times - Netanyahu wants to let West Bank settlements grow, by Mark Lavie

 

Region

Diplomacy

LA Times - Obama sends George Mitchell on Mideast peace mission, by Paul Richter

Washington Post - Obama says time ripe to resume Mideast peacemaking, by Firouz Sedarat and Lin Noueihed

Washington Post - Obama Voices Hope for Mideast Peace in Talk With Al-Arabiya TV, by Michael D. Shear and Glenn Kessler

Iran

Wall Street Journal - U.S. Envoy Predicts 'Direct Diplomacy' With Iran, from AP

Washington Post - The CIA Vs. the Mullahs, by Reuel Marc Gerecht

Syria

Associated Press - Syria wants dialogue with US without preconditions, by Bassem Mroue

Yemen

Wall Street Journal - Gunshots Fired Near U.S. Embassy in Yemen, from AP

Al Qaeda

Christian Science Monitor - Ex-Guantanamo inmates return to militancy in Yemen, by Carlyle Murphy

Long War Journal - Arabian Peninsula al Qaeda groups merge, by Jane Novak

MEK

New York Times - Europe Takes Terrorist Label Off Iranian Resistance Group, by Stephen Castle

Wall Street Journal - Iran Group to Stay on U.S. Terror List, by Jay Solomon

Secretary Gates

Associated Press - Gates faces Congress eager for Obama's war plans, by Anne Flaherty

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