Kurdish Institute of Paris

July 23, 2008 | By ALISSA J. RUBIN

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Parliament approved legislation on Tuesday to govern provincial elections, but Kurdish lawmakers boycotted the session, vowing to force the measure to be rewritten, and probably delaying the balloting for months.

22 July 2008

The Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives has committed an unconstitutional act by violating the manifesto of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, when today he organized a secret vote in the Council. This is a blatant violation of the Council's internal regulations and is a coup against the Iraqi constitution and the consensus political system prevalent in Iraq since the overthrow of the former regime in 2003.

Summary: In a departure from its traditional foreign policy, Turkey is now becoming an important player in the Middle East. Turkey's growing concern over Kurdish nationalism has brought Ankara closer to the governments of Iran and Syria, which also contend with restive Kurds at home. Although troubling, this shift could be an opportunity for Washington and its allies to use Turkey as a bridge to the Middle East.

July 16, 2008 | By CAMPBELL ROBERTSON

BAGHDAD — The entire bloc of Kurdish lawmakers walked out of Iraq’s Parliament on Tuesday to protest a proposed provincial election law, contending that part of it was unconstitutional.

July 15, 2008 | By Laura King, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

The 86 accused in the indictment face terrorism-related charges. They are said to be ultranationalist secularists who wanted to drive out the Islamist-rooted ruling party.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY -- In an explosive case that reflects political turmoil fueled by this country's religious-secular divide, Turkish prosecutors on Monday brought charges against 86 people for allegedly trying to overthrow the government.

Friday, July 11, 2008 | By Gareth Jenkins

On July 10 Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Baghdad in the first official visit to Iraq by a Turkish head of government since 1990 and only the second by a regional leader since the U.S. invasion and occupation of the country in 2003.

July 14, 2008 | Op-Ed Contributor | By BARACK OBAMA

CHICAGO — The call by Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki for a timetable for the removal of American troops from Iraq presents an enormous opportunity. We should seize this moment to begin the phased redeployment of combat troops that I have long advocated, and that is needed for long-term success in Iraq and the security interests of the United States.

Saturday, July 12, 2008 | Chris Cobb

Our experiences with multiculturalism, federalism, power sharing, just a few of the role models, Iraqi minister says.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Mr. Zebari's Message

SEN. BARACK OBAMA told Iraq's foreign minister this week that he plans to visit the country between now and the presidential election. We think that's a good thing, not because Sen. John McCain has been prodding the candidate to do it but because it will give Mr. Obama an opportunity to refresh his badly outdated plan for Iraq. To do that, the Democrat needs to listen more to dedicated Iraqi leaders like Hoshyar Zebari, the foreign minister -- who, it seems, didn't hold back during their telephone conversation.

16 June 2008 | By Suzanne Presto | Irbil

A group of American tourists just wrapped up a two-week trip to Iraqi Kurdistan. Local tourism officials say they are the first American tour group, and only the second tour group ever, to travel through northern Iraq's Kurdish region. Suzanne Presto joined the tourists in the region's capital, Irbil, on the last evening of the trip and has this report.