A lively Baghdad, back from the dead Sep 22, 2008
On Karada Mariam, a street that runs over the Tigris River toward the Green Zone, the Serwan and the Zamboor, two kebab places blown up by suicide bombers in 2006, were crammed with customers. Farther up the street was Pizza Napoli, the Italian place shut down in 2006; it, too, was open for business. (International Herald Tribune)
Honeymoon in... Iraq? Sep 22, 2008
Article By: Iraq unveiled plans on Sunday for a multi-billion-dollar resort with spas, golf courses and a six-star hotel to revive a once popular honeymoon island on the Tigris river in Baghdad. Tourist board chief Hamud al-Yakuby said the organisation wanted to secure between $1- and $3-billion for the new development on al-A'arass island in the heart of the capital. (iAfrica.com)
Iraqis protest civilian deaths in US air strike Sep 20, 2008
The US military said the raid successfully targeted a senior operative of Al Qaeda in Iraq who was suspected of involvement in bombing attacks along the Tigris river valley. But Iraqi officials said the strike used excessive force, killing eight innocent members of one family. (Boston Globe)
NCT: LETTERS, Sept. 19, 2008 Sep 20, 2008
" That is pure socialism!2. Our REPUBLICAN administration did not merely provide bailouts or loan guarantees to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae - it took them over! It now owns those lending businesses! Pure socialism!3. Our REPUBLICAN administration did not merely provide bailouts or loan guarantees to AIG, it took an 80% ownership interest! It now has majority ownership of an insurance enterprise. Pure socialism!Democrats have never done anything remotely similar to this, but Republicans keep... (North County Times)
Bombing suspects killed, U.S. says Sep 20, 2008
He led a roadside bomb and suicide bomb network in the Tigris River Valley and would "brag about his victims," the military said. Troops surrounded a building where the suspect was believed to be hiding in Ad Dawr, a town 87 miles (140 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad, the military said. (CNN -- World)
* [BOOK REVIEW] Haunting words amid claims of victory Sep 14, 2008
Filkins describes the Tigris River Park, a US$1 ... Later, a pair of soldiers under his command go to prison for pushing two Iraqis into the Tigris River, one of whom drowned. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Officials try to lure backIraqi physicians Sep 8, 2008
Al-Hasnawi has floated the idea of turning Baghdad's Medical City, a five-hospital complex near the Tigris River, into a safety zone for visiting emigre specialists. He's even come up with a catchy name the "White Zone" similar to Baghdad's fortress-like "Green Zone" for international staff. (MSNBC -- International)
Officials: US kills 6 Iraqis in error Sep 4, 2008
BAGHDAD - US troops on boats in the Tigris river mistakenly killed six Iraqis yesterday in an exchange of fire between the two sides north of Baghdad, Iraqi officials said. The clash began when Iraqi troops at a checkpoint fired at approaching US military boats near Tarmiyah, 30 miles north of Baghdad, police and security officials said. (Boston Globe)
Petraeus Says US Combat Troops Could Exit Baghdad by July Sep 4, 2008
" The U.S. military now has about 16,000 combat troops in Baghdad.Petraeus says Iraq is a "dramatically changed country" from when he took command in February 2007. He says daily attacks in Baghdad have recently declined to less than five a day, in a city of seven million people.In another development, the International Monetary Fund says Iraq's economic prospects are improving as better security helps Iraqis to boost oil production and exports.An IMF statement issued Wednesday says Iraq also... (Voice of America)
* Violence is down in Iraq, but bombings continue Sep 4, 2008
Iraqi police, however, said that at least five small bombs explode on average each month near the intersection on the eastern side of the Tigris River. Less than two weeks ago, a pair of bombs exploded almost simultaneously near the same intersection, killing three civilians. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Baghdad touched by war, despite security Sep 3, 2008
According to Iraqi police, however, at least five small bombs explode on average each month in the area where the bombing occurred Tuesday: near the intersection on the eastern side of the Tigris River. Less than two weeks ago, a pair of bombs exploded almost simultaneously near the intersection, killing three civilians. (MSNBC -- International)
Baghdad plans to build giant Ferris wheel Aug 28, 2008
Iraq's Tourism Board also is seeking investors to develop a "romantic" island on the Tigris River in Baghdad that was once a popular honeymoon spot for newlywed Iraqis, the U.S. military announced this week. The project would including a six-star hotel, spa, an 18-hole golf course and a country club, the military said in a statement. (MSNBC -- International)
in Iraq to train, rebuild, learn Area residents among those helping Iraqis rebuild their lives, society Aug 24, 2008
John Smith (right) with Hussen Jowd, a butcher in Arab Jabour along the Tigris River south of Baghdad ... On one of his trips to meet with small businesses, he met Hussen Jowd, a butcher in Arab Jabour, along the Tigris River south of Baghdad. (Fredericksburg.com, VA)
Internet becomes Iraq's new matchmaker Aug 19, 2008
Assir lives in Qadissiya on the western bank of the Tigris River while Fadi's home is across the river in Zayune. Although only 10 kilometres separate them, travelling from one area to another can be a nightmare as the city and its 89 neighbourhoods are littered with roadblocks that can take hours to negotiate. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Technology)
US captures Iraqi 'al-Qaeda men' Aug 19, 2008
In Baiji, the US military said they captured a man wanted for his links to al-Qaeda's foreign terrorist and bombing networks in the Tigris River Valley. And in Mosul they said they detained two suspects connected with the movement of foreign militiamen into the country. (BBC News -- Africa)
For Iraqi rowers, being in Beijing is a victory in itself Aug 12, 2008
But to Nozad and Jebur who train on the Tigris River in war-torn Baghdad the margin did not matter. Their time and place were secondary to the journey they took to get here. (International Herald Tribune -- Sports)
Iraq, U.S. set up drinking-water station in Baghdad Aug 10, 2008
Filthy drinking water that is often contaminated by sewage that overflows into the Tigris River has raised fears of cholera and other diseases. Baghdad s network of aging pipes also suffers damage because impoverished and displaced Iraqis frequently tap into it illegally. (New Haven Register, CT)
Timeline: Deadly stampedes Aug 4, 2008
31 August 2005, Baghdad, Iraq: Up to 1,000 Shia pilgrims are trampled to death or drown in the Tigris river after rumours of a suicide bombing sparked panic. Many of the dead are women and children. (BBC News -- South Asia)
Glimmer of hope fails to cheer banned Iraqi athletes Jul 27, 2008
Big blow: Iraqs Haidar Nozad (right) and Hamzah Hussein dock their boat after a training session on the Tigris river in Baghdad on Friday. AFP. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- Sports)
Pack your bags for Baghdad? Iraq looks to tourism Jul 25, 2008
The loud boom of a roadside bomb targeting an Iraqi police patrol was audible along the Tigris river Sunday morning. One civilian was killed. (Carlisle Sentinel, PA)
Art of protest: Baghdad mural painters resist brush with Baghdad's religious rifts Jul 25, 2008
Still others depict stylized scenes from Arab myths and literature Scheherazad's tales is a favorite subject or wild nature such as galloping Arabian horses or boats on the Tigris River. Remarkably, none of the designs appear to have suffered any significant vandalism or the type of graffiti on the naked blast walls, such as the scrawled slogans and advertisements for businesses hidden behind the concrete. (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
00004000IRAQ NEWS Jul 22, 2008
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2008 - Coalition forces detained five suspected al-Qaida terrorists during operations in Mosul and the Tigris River Valley, military officials said. 07/14/2008. (DOD DefenseLINK)
Iraqi PM Supports Obama's Withdrawal Plan Jul 20, 2008
" The story of al-Maliki's backing of Obama's 16-month withdrawal plan is also embarrassing to the White House, which has curdled at talk of a timetable. But news of the interview was made even more pronounced when a White House staffer accidentally e-mailed a Reuters article about al-Maliki's comments to reporters, thereby giving it even more exposure than the German interview might have generated. A White House spokesman said, "It was a mistake," claiming it was intended to be part of an... (CBS News)
Newsweek: Living with 'peace' in Iraq Jul 20, 2008
At dusk, Iraqi families picnic in a thin stretch of park recently built on the banks of the Tigris River. A couple of blocks away, along lively Sadoun Street, sidewalk restaurants flame-roast chickens on long spits and a crowd of teenagers spills out of a bright new juice shop. (MSNBC -- International)
Al-Qaida in Iraq losing its relevance? Jul 18, 2008
He and his soldiers in Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division walked the area this week to visit a handful of farm families five miles east of the town of Latifiyah, not far from the Tigris River. And it's not just here. (MSNBC -- International)
Normal landings at Baghdad airport a sign of stability Jul 15, 2008
One recent night, a helicopter belonging to the Blackwater security group flew in circles over neighborhoods along the Tigris river. New Haven Register 2008. (New Haven Register, CT)
A Gentle Descent To Baghdad's Airport Jul 15, 2008
One recent night, a helicopter belonging to the Blackwater security group flew in circles over neighborhoods along the Tigris river. Al-Sabah, a state-owned newspaper, reflects the confidence of a government that has benefited from the U.S. troop surge in 2007, the revolt of Sunni groups against al-Qaida in Iraq and the withdrawal of many Shiite militia groups. (CBS News -- World)
Baghdad's Green Zone May Soon be Under Iraq Control Jul 14, 2008
The green zone of Baghdad, a highly fortified slice of American suburbia on the banks of the Tigris river, may soon be handed over to Iraqi control if the increasingly assertive government of Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, gets its way. A senior Iraqi government official said this weekend the enclave should revert to Iraqi control by the end of the year. (Fox News)
Drought threatens Iraq's crops, water Jul 13, 2008
In the capital, the Tigris river is at its lowest level since 2001, with yards of reeds exposed on each bank. Some irrigation canals to the north in Diyala province the country's most important bread basket are bone dry. (MSNBC -- Environment)
Baghdad to give once deadly airport road a facelift Jul 6, 2008
He said there were plans to build hotels on either side of the 20 km-long road and pump water from the nearby Tigris River to irrigate patches of grass and flowers. Until recently, such talk would have been laughable. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- News)
Baghdad restaurant returns to business with hope on the menu Jun 29, 2008
BAGHDAD - In late 2005, a suicide bomber stepped inside Qadori, a renowned restaurant nestled alongside the Tigris River and detonated his explosives-rigged belt. The blast killed seven employees and 22 customers and shattered a totem of Baghdad life. (Boston Globe)
Will the Calm in Baghdad Last? Jun 26, 2008
As the sun sets over the Jadriya bridge in central Baghdad, groups of young men jostle each other, laughing wildly on the sidewalk; their cars parked in a line that stretches from one side of the Tigris river to the other. In a country now in its fifth year of war, the sight may be unexpected. (Time.com)
U.S.-allied Iraqi politician kills 2 U.S. troops, wounds 4 Jun 24, 2008
"For decades, archaeologists have descended on Madain, an ancient town along the Tigris River that was home to the early cities of Seleucia and Ctesiphon. Since the U.S.-led invasion of 2003, however, Madain has been a breeding ground for sectarian tensions. At its worst, the bloodshed shut down most public life.In recent months, U.S. and Iraqi authorities have reduced the violence with an increased Iraqi military presence and the formation of U.S.-backed militias, known as awakening councils,... (Anchorage Daily News)
Big Gains for Iraq Security, but Questions Linger Jun 21, 2008
Baghdad residents in Abu Niwas Street park on the Tigris River. Violence in all of Iraq is the lowest since March 2004, but the improvements are fragile. (New York Times)
Al-Sadr Stronghold Seized Jun 20, 2008
Soldiers searched houses as police manned checkpoints and Soviet-era tanks guarded bridges over the Tigris River. The flood of troops, who had moved into position outside the city a week ago, had encountered no resistance as they moved in. (Fox News)
Baghdad: Car bomb kills at least 51, injures 75, police say Jun 18, 2008
The National Assembly building that was used by the Iraqi parliament under Saddam is in the Allawi district, about 500 yards away from the blast walls that form the perimeter of the Green Zone on the west side of the Tigris River. It was looted and burned in the chaos that followed the fall of Baghdad to U.S. forces in April 2003. (MSNBC -- International)
Iraq Closeup: The Next Battleground Jun 18, 2008
She found men playing dominoes into the late evening in a coffee shop along the Tigris River. Previously the game had been banned as un-Islamic and it was dangerous to stay outside past dark. (New York Times)
Iraq shows resolve after deadly car bombing Jun 18, 2008
But residents of Hurriyah said security around their neighborhood on the west side of the Tigris River had increased in recent days, with new blast walls erected at the entrance to the area and more police and military checkpoints. CONTINUED 1. (AL.com)
Sadr's followers vow to support security mission Jun 17, 2008
Iraqi troops have fanned out en masse in the Tigris River city of some 450,000 people, 200 miles southeast of Baghdad, erecting new checkpoints and stationing tanks and Humvees on bridges in preparation for the operation. But no fighting has been reported, in contrast to the fierce resistance that met the start of a government offensive in late March in Basra. (Boston Globe)
Iraqi parliament to start holding sessions outside US-protected Green Zone: deputy speaker Jun 17, 2008
The National Assembly building that was used by the Iraqi parliament under Saddam is in the Allawi district, about 500 meters (yards) away from the blast walls that form the perimeter of the Green Zone on the west side of the Tigris River. It was looted and burned in the chaos that followed the fall of Baghdad to U.S. forces in April 2003. (International Herald Tribune -- Sports)
Chinese eatery in Baghdad defies violence Jun 16, 2008
The Karrada district, with its once wealthy merchant homes on the banks of the slow-flowing Tigris River, does struggle with sectarian violence, but in recent months restaurants, fresh fruit and electronic shops have reopened. A lack of power remains a problem, routinely shutting off and leaving its owners sweltering in Baghdad's scorching heat. (Yahoo News -- Top Stories)
Bomb kills leader of Saddam Hussein's tribe Jun 11, 2008
The bomb detonated while he was driving near his home in the village of Ouja near Saddam's hometown of Tikrit on the Tigris River. The blast also killed two bodyguards, according to the police official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the assassination. (International Herald Tribune)
US raids target al-Qaeda in Iraq Jun 7, 2008
The leadership of the al-Qaeda in Iraq group has been degraded, the military said after the arrests in Baghdad, Mosul and the Tigris river valley. One of the 14 arrested in Mosul is believed to have been involved in car bombings and kidnappings. (BBC News -- Africa)
Turkey: Dam Project Fosters Development Strategy Debate Jun 5, 2008
Set in a strategic spot along the fabled Tigris River, the town of Hasankeyf has ancient ruins dating back to Assyrian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman times. Down by the river, Edip Ipek is busy building one of Hasankeyf s newest structures, a primitive wooden shack that will serve as a waterside restaurant for the tourists who come to visit during the summer. (EurasiaNet.org)
Iraqi Lawmakers: Security Talks With U.S. Have Stalled Jun 4, 2008
June 3: Passengers step off a small motorboat after they crossed the Tigris river in central Baghdad. BAGHDAD Lawmakers allied to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Tuesday that negotiations over a U.S.-Iraqi security pact and the future status of American troops in Iraq were stumbling, with "almost all points under dispute.". (Fox News)
DoD News Briefing with Ma... Jun 3, 2008
Now, the areas -- we're focusing outside of Sadr City on both the east and west side of the Tigris River, which -- as you're aware, it bisects Baghdad. Now we're going to continue to hunt these criminals, to locate and destroy their weapons storage areas, through targeted intelligence-driven raids. (DOD DefenseLINK -- News)
Reporters on the Job May 29, 2008
Timing is Everything: Staff writer Howard LaFranchi was impressed when he arrived in Baghdad in mid-April to see a refurbished and newly reopened park along the Tigris River in central Baghdad. But no one was using it. (Christian Science Monitor -- World)
Diplomats eyed for Iraq duty May 28, 2008
AFP - Getty Images fileThe new U.S. embassyislocated in theheavily fortified Green Zone, on the west bank of the Tigris River in Baghdad. . (MSNBC -- International)
A reporter returns to Iraq - and finds guarded optimism May 28, 2008
Baghdad - Walid Nahem sits at a small iron table with his nephew Haidar Karim, green grass under their feet, before them an expansive view of the fabled Tigris River silently wending its way through the Iraqi capital. It's still light enough to read Haidar's ninth-grade English lesson book, opened to a chapter on letter writing. (Christian Science Monitor)
Turkey revives stalled $32 billion GAP dam and irrigation project May 27, 2008
Hasankeyf, Turkey - Set in a dramatic gorge on the Tigris river, Hasankeyf's ruins date back to Assyrian, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman times. But a massive dam and irrigation project could submerge the whole town. (Christian Science Monitor)
Remembering Adrian Hike: 'A little easier every day' May 25, 2008
From left: Sgt. Adrian Hike, Sgt. First Class Michael Sampsell and Iraqi National Guardsman Fabib Aziz are shown near the Tigris River some 45 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq. Both Hike and Aziz have since been killed in action. (Sioux City Journal, IO)
National Guard flier returns after seven months in Iraq May 22, 2008
"We were flying back along the Tigris River when we started taking fire from the right and the left," Jolma recalls. "They were looking at us because we slowed down. We banked to the right and headed for the perimeter. Times like that can get scary, but we managed to land safely.". (OregonLive, OR -- News)
Shi'ite factions, officials sign truce May 13, 2008
In April, US forces moved into the southern third of Sadr City, from which shells were being aimed at their bases and the Green Zone, the fortified enclave across the Tigris River that houses the US Embassy and many government offices. The troops are sealing off the area with a 3-mile-long concrete barrier that is about 80 percent complete. (Boston Globe)
'Ghost city' Mosul braces for assault on last bastion of al-Qa'ida in Iraq May 13, 2008
Mosul, on the Tigris river, is inhabited by 1. 4 million people, but has been sealed off from the outside world by hundreds of police and army checkpoints since the Iraqi government offensive against al-Qa'ida began at 4am on Saturday. (Yahoo News -- Iraq)
Rocket Hits BBC Bureau in Baghdad May 10, 2008
At least five other rocket explosions were heard but U.S. authorities did not confirm any impacts in the Green Zone that houses the U.S. Embassy and much of the Iraqi government on the west side of the Tigris River. U.S. and Iraqi forces are building a barrier reaching up to 12-feet high to isolate Shiite extremists in the southern part of the Sadr City district, from where rocket or mortar strikes usually originate. (Fox News)
Iraqi Shiite militants fire rockets at Green Zone May 9, 2008
A sudden sandstorm has blanketed the capital, enabling the extremists to shell the Green Zone that houses the U.S. Embassy and much of the Iraqi government on the west side of the Tigris River. Alarms could be heard during Friday's attack, warning residents to take cover. (International Herald Tribune -- Sports)
Helicopter travel in Iraq May 7, 2008
I was supposed to leave the Green Zone on a Black Hawk flight bound for Forward Operating Base Falcon, just across the Tigris River. It was supposed to be a 10-minute flight, but instead the helicopter was in the air for almost half an hour and then landed in Camp Taji, a sprawling desert U.S. military base outside the city. (Salon)
Turkey: Discovery of 12,000-year-old Temple Complex Could Alter Theory of Human Development Apr 18, 2008
Director of a dig at Korpiktepe, on the Tigris River about 120 miles east of Urfa, Vecihi Ozkaya doubts the thousands of stone pots he has found since 2001 in hundreds of 11,500 year-old graves quite qualify as that. But his excitement fills his austere office at Dicle University in Diyarbakir. (EurasiaNet.org)
New U.S. embassy in Iraq ready Apr 12, 2008
The new U.S. embassy, stillunder construction, is seen from across the Tigris river in Baghdad last year. U.S. diplomats will begin moving into the fortified embassy next month. (MSNBC -- International)
US diplomats in Iraq to begin moving into new embassy in May (2) Apr 12, 2008
AP photo - A portion of the new U.S. embassy under construction is seen from across the Tigris river in Baghdad, Saturday, May 19, 2007. U.S. diplomats will begin moving into the mammoth new heavily fortified embassy next month after long delays in the 600 million project. (Helena Independent Record, MT)
Top Sadr aide killed; Baghdad hotel hit by missile Apr 12, 2008
The hotel, sited across the Tigris River from the Green Zone diplomatic and government compound, houses some international media but is largely vacant. The Associated Press, which has TV staff in the hotel, said none of its people were hurt. (Globe and Mail -- International)
ISF, CF join forces to ensure safety of local citizens Apr 11, 2008
Along the Tigris River, on one of the main routes in Kadhamiyah, the IA secured the tactical control point, which allowed freedom of movement for Coalition and ISF to push combat power into the fight at any given time ... pulls security while inspecting a checkpoint along the Tigris River in Kadhamiyah April 3. (KWTX.com, TX)
Women Tell Senators of Alleged Iraq Rapes Apr 10, 2008
Mary Beth Kineston told the committee she was raped by a fellow KBR employee, a Turkish national, in the cab of her truck at the dark Tigris river pumping station where she had to fill her truck by flashlight. "He pinned me down. I tried to fight so hard I hit the side of my arm so hard that it was black and blue for days," said Kineston. (ABC News)
Iran torpedoes US plans for Iraqi oil Apr 3, 2008
A bloody week of human killing on the Tigris River ended on Sunday. Details are sketchy, however, since they must come from non-Iranian sources. (Asia Times Online)
The other Iraqi civil war Apr 3, 2008
The Tigris River cuts the city in half. Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq and capital of Ninevah province, is (quietly) billed in Washington as being in the front line of the "war on terror" - more precisely, the war on al-Qaeda in the Land of the Two Rivers. (Asia Times Online)
