ISW News Roundup - February 5, 2009

Iraq's Provincial Elections

CNN - Iraq nervously awaits results of elections, by Jomana Karadsheh

LA Times - Sunni rivals clash over elections in Iraq's Anbar province, by Monte Morin and Caesar Ahmed

Washington Post - Anbar Counts Votes, Sheiks Voice Defiance, by Sudarsan Raghavan

Reuters - Iraq PM bloc wins big in Baghdad and Basra, by Peter Graff and Waleed Ibrahim

Reuters - Maliki Iraq poll win would mark shift from religion, by Mohammed Abbas

New York Times - Iraqi Government Aims to Calm Tensions in Anbar Over Allegations of Election Fraud, by Sam Dagher

Aswat al-Iraq - Urgent/PM's list garners 38% of votes in Baghdad

Aswat al-Iraq - Parliament to select new speaker on Saturday

Aswat al-Iraq - IHEC announces 90% of election results

Aswat al-Iraq - Al-Maliki ready to form alliances in provincial councils

 

Iraq Security

Times Online UK - Al-Qaeda damaged by arrest of 'rape and suicide bomb' woman, by Deborah Haynes

Aswat al-Iraq - 2 security plans in Najaf, Karbala for Shiite occasion

Washington Times - Researchers rip Iraq death-toll study author, by Matthew Lee of AP

Associated Press - Officials: Suicide bomber kills 12 in Iraq's north, by Hadeel al-Shalchi

Aswat al-Iraq - Sadrists say loyalist killed, 20 arrested in Diwaniya

Reuters - FACTBOX: Security developments in Iraq, Feb 5

BBC - Deadly bombing at Iraq restaurant

Aswat al-Iraq - Khanaqin blast casualties up to 28

 

Afghanistan and Pakistan

Wall Street Journal - Russia Appears to Tie Afghan Help to Shift in U.S. Policy, from AP

Washington Times - Afghan war may enter new phase, by Eli Lake

Reuters - Afghanistan says foreign fighters coming from Iraq, by Sayed Salahuddin

Long War Journal - Taliban capture, release 30 security personnel in Swat, by Bill Roggio

BBC - Iraq militants 'in Afghan switch'

Washington Times - Democracy slow to come to Afghan women, by James Palmer

BBC - Fresh attack on Pakistan lorries

LA Times - Taliban burns 10 trucks on Afghanistan-Pakistan supply route, by Zulfiqar Ali and Laura King

LA Times - Police say bomb near Shiite mosque in central Pakistan kills 7 people, wounds 30, from AP

Times Online UK - 'Black Panthers' prepare to take out Taleban in Afghanistan, by Michael Evans

Reuters - India says Pakistan's spy agency linked to Mumbai raid planners

 

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Associated Press - Israeli navy: Lebanese aid boat impounded, by Steve Weizman

BBC - Israel seizes Gaza-bound aid ship

Reuters - Seized Gaza freighter docks in Israeli port, by Amir Cohen

Associated Press - Israel still dealing with international fallout, by Matti Friedman

LA Times - International Criminal Court to consider Gaza investigation, by Sebastian Rotella

New York Times - Agency Says Hamas Took Aid Intended for Needy, by Isabel Kershner and Taghreed El-Khodary

Reuters - Hamas to respond to truce proposals Saturday: Egypt

LA Times - Much at stake for Egypt in Palestinian-Israel talks, by Jeffrey Fleishman

Reuters - Israel admits its troops killed Gaza girls, by Joseph Nasr

Reuters - Hamas and Israel blamed for obstructing Gaza recovery, by Nidal al-Mughrabi

 

Region

Iran

Associated Press - Iraq elections a setback for Iran, by Robert H. Reid

Reuters - World powers welcome Obama's talk offer to Iran, by Marilyn Gerlach

Jerusalem Post - Russian official: Iran's Bushehr plant to be operational in 2009

Times Online UK - British Council pulls out of Tehran after 'intimidation'

Ex-Soviet States and Russia

Washington Times - Ex-Soviet states form rapid reaction force, by Vladimir Isachenkov of AP

Times Online UK - World Agenda: Russia builds its new empire with finance, not fear, by Tony Halpin

Wall Street Journal - Moscow Moves to Counter U.S. Power in Central Asia, by Alan Cullison and Yochi J. Dreazen

Kyrgyz Base

Associated Press - Kyrgyzstan: talks on US base continue, by Leila Saralayeva

Reuters - Kyrgyz parliament to vote on U.S. base next week, by Olga Dzyubenko

Defenselink Mil - Potential Closure of Manas Air Base Won't Disrupt Afghanistan Ops, by Donna Miles

New York Times - U.S. searches for Alternative to Kyrgyz Base, by Elisabeth Bumiller and Ellen Barry

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