ISW News Roundup - June 26, 2009
June 25, 2009 Roundup June 27-29, 2009 Roundup
Iraq
The Economist - Is it Getting Worse Again?
VOA News - Baghdad Market Blast Increases Tensions Before June 30 US Pullout from Iraqi Cities, by Edward Yeranian
New York Times - Premier Casting U.S. Withdrawal as Victory for Iraq, by Steven Lee Myers and Mark Santora
Associated Press - Motorcycle Bomb Kills 15 in Baghdad Market, by Kim Gamel
New York Times - Wave of Bombing Continues in Iraq, by Alissa J. Rubin and Campbell Robertson
Associated Press - Security Gains Stall in Baghdad, by Patrick Quinn
Washington Post - Corruption Tops Many Iraqi's Concerns, not Security, by Aseel Kami
Associated Press - Big Oil Poised for Return to Iraq, by Sinan Salaheddin
New York Times - Warily Moving Ahead on Oil Contracts, by Timothy Williams
Washington Post - U.S. Troops, Civilians to Become Less Protected on July 1, by Ernesto Londoño
Reuters - Oil Firms to Scramble for Iraq Deals on Live TV, by Simon Webb
Times Online UK - Iraqis Have Second Thoughts Over June 30 Date for US Troops to Leave, by Alice Fordham
AFP -US Troop Pullback to Test New US-Iraq Relationship, Lachlan Carmichael
Times Online UK - Sadr City Market Bomb that Killed 78 Heralds Return to Violence, by Alice Fordham
AFP - Iraq PM Slams Cleric's Death Calls
Christian Science Monitor - Tension Deepens Over Intent to Close Iraq's Camp Ashraf, by Jane Arraf
Afghanistan
Reuters UK - NATO to Start Offensive Soon in South Afghanistan, by Andrew Gray
AFP - NATO on the Offensive in Afghanistan: Dutch General, by Dan De Luce
Wall Street Journal - Power of the Poppy, by Kathy Gannon
Department of Defense - Southern Afghan Command to Enter 'New Phase' of Operations, by John J. Kruzel
AFP - US Troops Will Break Afghan Stalemate: UK Generals
VOA News - US Lawmakers Reject Amendment Calling for an Exit Strategy From Afghanistan, by Dan Robinson
AFP - Soldiers, Two Dozen Militants Killed in Afghanistan
Reuters - Britain Defends Army's Performance in Afghanistan
Associated Press - General: Troops Needed as Afghan Elections Near, by Lara Jakes
Reuters - Russia Says US-Led Forces Should Stem Afghan Heroin, by Dmitry Solovyov
Pakistan
VOA News - Top US Official Promotes US-Pakistani Relations, by Catherine Maddux
BBC - A Very Strange Taliban Burial, by Syed Shoaib Hasan
Long War Journal - Taliban Commanders Survive US Airstrike at Funeral, by Bill Roggio
Times Online UK - World Agenda: Pakistan and US Unite in Pursuit of Taleban Leader, by Jeremy Page
Reuters - Pakistani Violence Spreads to Kashmir, by Abu Arqam Naqash
BBC - Pakistan Troops Killed in Kashmir
Region
Iran
Reuters - Iranian Cleric Says "Rioters" Should be Executed, by Parisa Hafezi
New York Times - Authorities Rule Iran Election 'Healthy,' by Nazila Fathi and Alan Cowell
Associated Press - Academics Arrested for Meeting Mousavi, by Karin Laub
Washington Times - Iranian Protesters Avoid Censorship with Navy Technology, by Eli Lake
VOA News - Turkey Tries to Walk Line Between West, Iran, by Dorian Jones
Christian Science Monitor - Ahmadinejad Fires Up the Anti-American Rhetoric Again, by Scott Peterson
Israel/Palestine
Reuters - Israel Plays Down Reports of Imminent Gaza Deal, by Alastair Macdonald and Adam Entous
Washington Post - For Palestinian Forces, a Growing Role in West Bank, by Howard Schneider
North Africa
Associated Press - Al Qaeda Branch Says it Killed U.S. Aid Worker
Christian Science Monitor - US Sends Weapons to Somali Government, by Arthur Bright
Los Angeles Times - U.S. Giving Weapons Aid to Somalia Government, by Paul Ritcher
Russia
Reuters - First Top Russia-NATO Talks Set Since Georgia War, by Dina Kyriakidou