InfoAnda - British troops out of Iraq by end of 2009: Iraqi official

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

New woe for Vatican as usher linked to prostitution | | 4 March 2010
Gameworld: Videogames get set to go on vacation | Technology | | 27 November 2008
Amid Split Rumors, Prince Albert Weds Charlene Wittstock | 5 July 2011

Even Google scales back on holiday fun | Technology | | 21 November 2008

">Forum Views () ">Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : British troops out of Iraq by end of 2009: Iraqi official

Navigation Primary Navigation Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Secondary Navigation Africa Europe Latin America Middle East North America Search Search: British troops out of Iraq by end of 2009: Iraqi official AFP - Saturday, November 15 BAGHDAD (AFP) - - All British troops will be out of Iraq by the end of next year and a controversial Iraq-US security pact is likely to be approved by Baghdad this weekend, Iraq's national security adviser said Friday. Radical anti-US Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, meanwhile, announced the activation of a new militia against the American "occupier," and urged Muslim countries to join in protests against the proposed security accord. Baghdad has been racing to secure separate agreements with both Britain and the United States to replace the UN mandate currently governing the presence of foreign troops in the country, which expires on December 31. "By the end of next year there will be no British troops in Iraq. By the end of 2009," security adviser Muwafaq al-Rubaie said, adding that negotiations between London and Baghdad on the pull-out had begun two weeks ago. In an interview with AFP, Rubaie was upbeat on prospects of the Iraqi cabinet approving the military accord with Washington this weekend. "I honestly believe we have reached now a very good text... And this text will secure the complete, full, irrevocable sovereignty of Iraq," said Rubaie, who is also Baghdad's chief negotiator on the security pact. "I believe, I hope, that the council of ministers will pass the new text Sunday and (then) it will be passed on to the parliament." A British defence ministry spokesman in London said in response to Rubaie's comments that Britain has "no timetable" for the withdrawal of its roughly 4,000 troops in Iraq, the vast majority of whom are based in the southern city of Basra. "At the minute, we have no timetable," the spokesman told AFP. "We are hopefully making progress, we have made progress in Basra, and we are on course to meet the (British) prime minister's fundamental change of mission in 2009," the spokesman said, reiterating previously stated plans. Iraq's cabinet was expected to vote on the so-called Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), a wide-ranging US military pact some time this weekend. The two sides have been wrangling over the document for months. Rubaie insisted however that the agreement Iraq sought with the British was simpler and would not take as much time to complete. "It will be a much shorter agreement with the UK," Rubaie said. "And it progresses quite nicely. It's much shorter and much simpler." He added that by the middle of next year there would be a "dramatic" reduction of British troops. In July, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown indicated he wanted to cut the number of Britain's troops in the violence-wracked country but ruled out a timetable for their withdrawal. Iraq has seen dramatic improvements in security over the past year as US and Iraqi forces have allied with local tribal militias to flush insurgents and militias out of vast swathes of the country that were once ungovernable. The reducation in violence has also been partly attributed to an order by cleric Sadr at the end of August 2007 to his thousands-strong Mahdi Army, a Shiite militia, to observe a ceasefire. On Friday, however, Sadr indicated that at least part of the militia would be reactivated. "I repeat my demand that the occupier leaves our beloved Iraq without any bases and without any accord," Sadr said in a statement read at Kufa, south of Baghdad, by Sheik Salah al-Obeidi, his spokesman. "As long as the (American forces) remain I will support the resistance, and especially the Brigades of the Promised Day," he added, referring to a militia he said he activated to resist the "occupier." The Shiite cleric, who is believed to be living in Iran, also appealed for a "universal demonstration... against the accord and hopes that all Islamic nations support prayers and protests in their countries." Iraq's leading Shiite Muslim cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Husseini al-Sistani, meanwhile made it clear on Friday that he will leave it to the government to decide on the controversial US military pact. "The Guide (Sistani) called for general elections which produced the country's government and the parliament," a religious official close to Sistani told AFP on condition of anonymity. "It is their constitutional responsibility to decide on the agreement." Email Story IM Story Printable View Blog This Recommend this article Average (0 votes) Sign in to recommend this article » Most Recommended Stories » Related Articles: World Iraqi envoy sees US remaining ally under ObamaAP - 2 hours 7 minutes ago High court to rule when judges must bow outAP - 2 hours 15 minutes ago Mass. lawmaker accused of harassing women resignsAP - 2 hours 16 minutes ago Jonesboro shooter gets more prison time in Ark.AP - 2 hours 26 minutes ago Retail sales sink as Dems seek auto industry loansAP - 2 hours 3 minutes ago Most Popular – World Viewed Ancient 4,300-year-old pyramid discovered in Egypt Bin Laden is isolated, focused on his own security: CIA Earth would be heading to a freeze without CO2 emissions Britney Spears's son hospitalized: statement China mulls crackdown on lip-synching View Complete List » Search: Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular

Other News on Friday, 14 November 2008
Renewed flare-up of violence around Gaza
American University takes root in northern Iraq
Thai crisis likely to resume after royal funeral | International |
Court refuses to free Lockerbie bomber due to cancer
Foreigners shot in Pakistan, U.S. missiles hit militants | International |
Suspected US missile strike kills 10 in Pakistan: officials
Eurozone sinks into recession for first time
EU, Russia seek to put ties back on track | International |
OPEC to hold special meeting in Cairo on November 29
Dexia posts 1.54 billion euro loss
India Kashmir votes in test for New Delhi rule | International |
World leaders gather for crisis summit
EU's Solana says new contacts with Iran possible | International |
Wildfire destroys 70 homes in California
Scottish court refuses to free Lockerbie bomber
HK enters recession for first time in 5 years
Adulterated milk kills six tribal children in India | International |
Nissan to further cut production in Japan
US mil: soldier dies of noncombat causes in Iraq
Videogame makers predict jingle bells at registers | Technology |
S&P cuts Pakistan ratings as debt crisis loomss
Lawmaker plans bill on Web neutrality | Technology |
China says it might work with IMF on global crisis
Japan ready to lend $100B to IMF bailout fund
UK couple in real-life divorce over virtual affair | Technology |
Sumitomo Mitsui first-half profit plunges 51 pct
OPEC to hold special meeting in Cairo on November 29
China shares extend gains on stimulus plan
Taiwan dollar off 2-wk low on US$ selling, exporters
Nissan cuts production further in Japan
S.Korea won turns down on econ fear, risk aversion
CSI fans unhappy about William Petersen exit: poll | Entertainment |
Wildfire devastates celebrity enclave near L.A. | Entertainment |
Resurgent U.S. dollar a challenge for concert biz | Entertainment |
Gaza violence flares again as UN food handouts stop
Rockets from Gaza strike deep into Israel
World asked to help craft online charter for religious harmony
Somali Islamists approach Mogadishu, impose sharia | International |
Air France pilot strike causes major disruption
Key Shiite clerics warn Iraqi gov't about US pact
Zimbabwe opposition shuns power-sharing government | International |
Google giving voice to iPhone Internet search
Opel asks for German public loan guarantees
Counting the dead gets more complicated in Iraq
West queries IAEA aid for Syria during atomic probe | International |
Tech sector facing most job cuts since 2003: report
Indian probe lands on moon, sends images
Crime threatens Chavez vote in Venezuela slums | International |
British troops out of Iraq by end of 2009: Iraqi official
'Second Life' ends first marriage for British man
Britain's Prince Charles turns 60
Explosive charge thrown at EU mission in Kosovo | International |
Speculation Obama will choose Clinton as top diplomat
Nokia sees cellphone, gear market falling in 2009 | Technology |
Top Iraq official upbeat over US, British pull-out pacts
US shares fall on weak sales data, Europe climbs despite recession
Facebook pulls Italian neo-Nazi pages after outcry | Technology |
Court refuses to free Lockerbie bomber due to cancer
Japan 'worried' foreign investors may withdraw capital, says official
Obama considers Clinton for secretary of state: reports
Crisis forces carmakers to confront problems in China
Pakistani rupee ends steady despite rating downgrade
WRAPUP 1-Foreigners shot in Pakistan, US missiles hit militants
Crude falling despite news of another OPEC meeting
Charlize Theron named U.N. peace messenger | Entertainment |
OPEC calls special meeting amid calls for output cut
Justin Timberlake's NY restaurant sued over wages | Entertainment |
Stars watch horrified as luxury Calif. homes burn | Entertainment |
Ex-Guns N'Roses drummer seeks rehab, and his old job | Entertainment |
Author recalls how Schindler's List was written | Entertainment |
Reality turns harsh for former Idol participant | Entertainment |
Lizzie McGuires Hilary Duff to get own TV show | Entertainment |
UK photo show documents death, revolution in Iran | Entertainment |
US military says 10 insurgents killed in Afghanistan
Iraqi envoy sees US remaining ally under Obama
In shift, Microsoft sells software online
U.N. troubleshooter starts talks on Congo crisis | International |
Endeavour speeds toward space station
Obama rumored to favor Clinton as top diplomat
Official history lifts a veil on US code-breaking agency
Sri Lanka army says seizes entire west coast | International |
Space shuttle Endeavour blasts off towards space station
China to spend $59 bln on airports by end-2010 | International |
Taiwan's fiscal deficit to widen on econ-boosting moves
G20 to agree to reform roadmap, stimulus efforts
More than 100 homes gutted in wealthy California enclave
S.Korea agrees to guarantee banks' foreign loans
US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,197
IMF head welcomes Japanese cash offer
Japan PM to urge removing toxic assets from balance sheets
Madonna appeals to fans to donate to Malawi school | Entertainment |
Crude continues decline despite signals from OPEC
Barry Manilow tackles '80s on fourth decade set | Entertainment |
David Letterman gives boost to country singer | Entertainment |
Convicted rapist seeks stardom in reggae world | Entertainment |
Stars watch horrified as luxury Calif. homes burn | Entertainment |
Reality turns harsh for former Idol participant | Entertainment |
California blaze 'like Armageddon' says actor Lowe
Rock band the Killers embrace pop on new album | Entertainment |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01