One in Seven BBC Presenters and Actors to Be Black, Asian or Ethnic Minority under New Lord Hall Pledge

Lord Hall, the BBC's director-general, wants to extend the £145.50
annual fee in response to the growing popularity of the iPlayer 

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: BBC pledge to improve diversity will see one in seven of its presenters and actors being black, Asian or from an ethnic minority

One in every seven BBC presenters and actors is to be black, Asian or minority ethnic within the next three years, it has been announced, as Lord Hall pledges to improve diversity.

Lord Hall, the director-general, has promised 15 per cent of on-air BBC staff will be black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) by 2017, along with one in ten managers.

Speaking at the BBC’s Elstree Studios, he announced a new action group to help advise on the changes, including comedian Lenny Henry, athlete Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, and broadcaster Baroness Floella Benjamin.

Lord Hall said: “The BBC gets much right on diversity, but the simple fact is that we need to do more. I am not content for the BBC to be merely good or above average.

“I want a new talent-led approach that will help set the pace in the media industry. I believe in this and want our record to be beyond reproach. » | Hannah Furness, Arts correspondent | Friday, June 20, 2014

King Felipe VI Calls for 'New Spain' as He Is Sworn In

BBC: King Felipe VI has called for "a new Spain that we will build together" after being proclaimed head of state in a ceremony in parliament.

Earlier, King Felipe received the royal sash from his father, Juan Carlos, at the Zarzuela Palace near Madrid.

He acceded to the throne at the stroke of midnight after King Juan Carlos formally abdicated on Wednesday.

The proceedings have been kept low key, as many Spaniards are suffering economic hardship.

The swearing-in ceremony took the form of a proclamation rather than a coronation. It is the first royal transition in Spain since democracy was restored in the 1970s.

The new king, 46, swore an oath promising to uphold the constitution.

The speaker of the lower house of parliament, Jesus Posada, then proclaimed him king, declaring: "Long live Spain! Long live the king!"

In a speech to parliament, Felipe said he had "great hope" for the future of Spain and called for unity. » | Thursday, June 19, 2014

McCain: Obama Is Failing 'While Iraq Burns'

Jun. 19, 2014 - 5:47 - Republican lawmaker urges US action

Dick and Liz Cheney on the Need for American Leadership

Jun. 18, 2014 - 11:14 - How President Obama's policies are impacting the crisis in Iraq

Spain's Felipe VI, Righteous Son, Inherits a Shaken Monarchy

König Felipe VI. will seinem Land dienen

KRONEN ZEITUNG: Generations-wechsel in der spanischen Monarchie: König Felipe VI. ist als neues Staatsoberhaupt des Landes vereidigt worden. Der 46- jährige Monarch schwor am Donnerstag, die in der Verfassung festgelegten Aufgaben zu erfüllen. Er glaube an diese "große Nation", er liebe sie, "sie liegt mir am Herzen", sagte Felipe anschließend bei seiner Antrittsrede im Parlament in Madrid.

Felipe trat als jüngster König Europas die Nachfolge seines Vaters Juan Carlos an, der am Vortag nach fast vier Jahrzehnten auf dem Thron abgedankt hatte. "Ich werde immer das Allgemeininteresse im Auge haben", betonte Felipe in seiner Rede. Er werde loyal zur Verfassung stehen und bereit sein, zuzuhören, zu verstehen und Ratschläge zu geben, sagte der Monarch am Donnerstag. Als "Bürgerkönig" möchte er außerdem das angekratzte Image der spanischen Monarchie wieder aufbessern. » | AG/red | Donnerstag, 19. Juni 2014

König einer zerrissenen Nation

TAGES ANZEIGER – ANALYSE: Der Wechsel auf Spaniens Thron erfolgt in einer konfusen Zeit. Das Prestige der Monarchie ist zwar angeschlagen, doch es ist deutlich besser als jenes der politischen Parteien. Felipe VI. erhält viel Kredit, aber wohl nur für kurz.

Pomp wäre fürchterlich falsch. Sogar das Lächeln will fein kalibriert sein. Jede Geste kommt unter die Lupe, jedes Wort auf die Goldwaage. Wenn der Bourbone Felipe VI. heute, 19. Juni 2014, mit 46 Jahren in ­einer nachtblauen Generalsuniform mit Schärpe und roter Bauchbinde Spaniens Thron besteigt, ist es genau das: ein mühseliges Besteigen. Begleitet von bürgerlichen Zweifeln an der Monarchie. Observiert von einem Volk, das in der schweren Wirtschaftskrise das Vertrauen in alle zentralen staatlichen Institutionen verloren hat. Das Zeremoniell für den Thronwechsel wurde aufs Minimum reduziert. Staatsgäste sind keine eingeladen. Nicht einmal der Königs­vater wird dabei sein, wenn der Sohn im Madrider Congreso vor versammelten Abgeordneten und Senatoren den Eid auf die Verfassung ablegen wird. Das Protokoll sollte nicht überladen wirken. In Zeiten schmerzvoller Sparanstrengungen wäre Prunk schändlich. Vielleicht wäre er gar fatal. Doch das muss man Felipe nicht sagen. » | Oliver Meiler, Barcelona | Donnerstag, 19. Juni 2014

Saudi University Student Stabbed 16 Times in Fatal Attack

THE GUARDIAN: Essex police say Nahid Almanea was victim of 'brutal and savage attack' by killer they fear may still be in Colchester

A Saudi Arabian student was stabbed 16 times in a "brutal and savage attack" as she walked to university, detectives have said, as police continue to investigate whether the woman was targeted because she was wearing traditional Islamic clothing.

Nahid Almanea, 31, was walking alone to Essex University when she was knifed to death by a killer who police fear may still be on the loose in Colchester. » | Josh Halliday | Thursday, June 19, 2014

Iraq Crisis: Britain and US Must Not Meddle in Iraq, Warns Saudi Arabia

Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Saudi Arabia will oppose any US and British or regional intervention in Iraq against the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, the country's ambassador to London tells the Telegraph

In an article for the Telegraph, Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf al-Saud said the crisis in Saudi Arabia's northern neighbour should be sorted out between Iraqis alone as it was a product of the sectarian divisions in Iraq.

As Washington considers an Iraqi request to undertake air strikes against ISIS, which has seized a swathe of the north including Mosul, the second city, Prince Mohammed signalled that Saudi Arabia was implacably opposed to any new military intervention.

His comments can also be read as a firm statement against Iranian involvement in the Iraqi fightback. Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's special forces, has been reported active in Iraq assisting Shia Muslim militias.

"We oppose all foreign intervention and interference. There must be no meddling in Iraq’s internal affairs, not by us or by the US, the UK or by any other government. This is Iraq’s problem and they must sort it out themselves," Prince Mohammed wrote.

"Any government that meddles in Iraq’s affairs runs the risk of escalating the situation, creating greater mistrust between the people of Iraq – both Sunni and Shia." » | Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent | Thursday, June 19, 2014

Nigel Farage Joins Forces with Far-right Swedish and French MEPs

THE GUARDIAN: Ukip leader's group in European parliament includes party founded by white supremacists and ex-FN member

Nigel Farage has joined forces in the European parliament with a Swedish party that was founded by white supremacists, including a former member of the Waffen SS. In an apparent change of tack, after he pledged to avoid parties on the far right, the Ukip leader also invited a French MEP who was elected for Marine Le Pen's Front National last month to join his pan-European group in the parliament.

Ukip insisted last night that Farage had not broken his word because the two Sweden Democrat MEPs, Kristina Winberg and Peter Lundgren, were obliged to write a letter to the Ukip leader distancing themselves from their party's past.

Joëlle Bergeron, who left the FN two days after the European elections last month, also wrote to Emmanuel Bordez, the secretary general of Farage's Europe of Freedom and Democracy group, distancing herself from Le Pen's party.

But the Liberal Democrats last night attacked Farage's decision to allow such controversial figures into his group, which now has MEPs from seven EU member states – the minimum to form a group. A senior Lib Dem source said: "Regardless of your views on Europe, it is hard to see how British MEPs hanging around the European parliament with the dregs of the far right is going to be of any benefit to British jobs and growth." » | Nicholas Watt, chief political correspondent | Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Roma Boy Attacked in Paris: The Picture That Will Shock France

Darius was found in a supermarket trolley

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: François Hollande calls brutal gang assault on 16-year-old Roma boy 'unspeakable and unjustifiable attack on all the principles on which our republic was founded' Warning: graphic image readers may find distressing

It is the photo that will shock France.

Beaten to a pulp, dumped in a supermarket trolley and left for dead on the side of the road.

That was the fate of 16-year-old Darius, a Roma boy snatched from his family by a vigilante mob who accused him of burglary.

The teenager was in a medically induced coma on Wednesday in a Paris hospital, where doctors said it was not certain he would pull through after suffering multiple skull fractures.

But already this gruesome attack has sparked wide condemnation.

President François Hollande denounced it as an “unspeakable and unjustifiable attack on all the principles on which our republic was founded”. » | Rory Mulholland, Paris | Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Iraq Crisis: Cameron Says Islamist Threat Is 'UK Problem'

David Cameron announced extra humanitarian aid for Iraq
during Prime Minister's Questions

BBC: Ignoring the threat from Islamist extremism in the Middle East and parts of Africa will "come back to hit the UK", David Cameron has warned.

The prime minister told MPs that it would be wrong to think the crisis in Iraq was "nothing to do" with the UK.

Encouraging governments to be more inclusive and helping to "close down ungoverned spaces" would stop the conditions for terrorism flourishing.

Mr Cameron also announced extra humanitarian aid for Iraq.

The prime minister, who was chairing a meeting of the National Security Council on Wednesday, has ruled out military intervention in support of the government of Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, in response to attacks by Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) fighters.

'Patient'

The fighting between ISIS and Iraqi security forces, who are supported by Shia militias, has focused around the city of Baquba, 60km (35 miles) from Baghdad, the Iraqi capital, while Iraq's largest oil refinery is also under attack.

At Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Cameron said it was up to the Iraqi security forces to "push back" ISIS fighters and also urged the government to do more to reconcile Shia, Sunni and Kurdish groups.

"I disagree with those people who think this is nothing to do with us and if they want to have some sort of extreme Islamist regime in the middle of Iraq it won't affect us. It will," he told the Commons.

"The people in that regime, as well as trying to take territory, are also planning to attack us here at home in the United Kingdom." » | Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Espagne : la dernière révérence de Juan Carlos

le roi d'Espagne Juan Carlos abdique au profit de son fils, Felipe VI.

LE POINT: Le roi d'Espagne signe la loi permettant son abdication. Madrid en fleurs attend Felipe VI, qui deviendra officiellement à minuit son nouveau monarque.

C'est la dernière loi qu'il signera. Après 39 ans de règne, le roi d'Espagne Juan Carlos autorise sa propre abdication. Il laisse la place à son fils Felipe, qui prêtera serment jeudi dans une capitale fleurie pour l'occasion, héritant du lourd mandat de redorer l'image d'une monarchie discréditée. Affaibli par les ennuis de santé et usé par les scandales, Juan Carlos, âgé de 76 ans, laisse place à son fils, qui deviendra à 46 ans, dès la publication de la loi au Journal officiel, à minuit, Felipe VI, nouveau roi d'Espagne. Devant quelque 160 invités, l'ambiance sera à la solennité dans l'imposante salle des Colonnes du palais royal de Madrid pour la dernière cérémonie officielle de Juan Carlos, prévue à 18 heures. Durant cet acte "très court, lors duquel aucune parole ne sera prononcée", selon la Maison royale, Juan Carlos, qui marche avec difficulté, appuyé sur une béquille, signera la loi d'abdication devant son épouse Sofia, son fils Felipe et sa belle-fille Letizia, qui devient, à 41 ans, la première reine d'Espagne à ne pas avoir de sang royal. » | Source AFP | mercredi 18 juin 2014

Couronnement: Felipe VI devient roi d’Espagne ce mercredi à minuit

Felipe de Bourbon, nouveau chef d'Etat et des Armées, recevra
jeudi matin 19 juin, des mains de son père la ceinture de soie
rouge de capitaine général des Armées. (18 juin 2014)

TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE: Felipe de Bourbon va prêter serment jeudi devant les députés et sénateurs, lors d'une journée alliant sobriété et proximité avec les citoyens. C'est déjà à minuit, dans la nuit de mercredi à jeudi, qu'il doit devenir roi.

Car son père, Juan Carlos, aura déjà signé la loi autorisant son abdication, votée successivement par les deux chambres du Parlement. Elle sera dans la foulée publiée au Journal officiel.

Quelques heures plus tôt, l'actuel roi aura promulgué cette loi, dans le décor solennel de la Salle des Colonnes du Palais royal de Madrid, lors d'une cérémonie en présence de 160 invités. » | afp/Newsnet | mercredi 18 juin 2014

Isis rückt Richtung Bagdad vor

Cameron Calls On European Leaders to Publicly Back His Battle against Juncker

Jean-Claude Juncker at the Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Prime Minister urges his fellow leaders to express their 'interesting' views on European Commission presidential candidate Jean-Claude Juncker in public

David Cameron has hit out at European leaders who have failed to support him publicly in his efforts to block Jean-Claude Juncker becoming president of the European Commission.

In an apparent rebuke to Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, Mr Cameron suggested that European leaders have expressed scepticism in private about Mr Juncker’s appointment but have failed to nail their colours to the mast in public.

Mrs Merkel is thought to be pressing for Mr Juncker's appointment to be confirmed at a meeting of the European Council at the end of next week.

Downing Street believes that Mr Juncker, an arch-federalist, will make it more difficult for Mr Cameron to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with Brussels before holding an in-out referendum in 2017. The Prime Minister has previously warned that he could increase the chances of Britain leaving the EU.

This morning the Prime Minister made an eleventh hour call to the Matteo Renzi, the Italian Prime Minister who’s support is key to Mr Cameron’s effort to gather a blocking minority in the Commission’s voting system.

However there are fears that the Italian Prime Minister will decide to support Mr Juncker in return for concessions from European heavyweights of France and Germany.

Britain’s allies - including Sweden, the Netherlands and Hungary - are too small to meet the veto threshold. » | Georgia Graham, Political Correspondent | Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Kenya al-Shabaab Attack 'Was Led by White Man Speaking Fluent British English'

60 people were killed in Sunday night's attack on the
small coastal town of Mpeketoni

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: White man speaking 'fluent British English' led al-Shabaab attack in Kenya that left 60 dead, witnesses claim

A white man speaking "fluent British English" led suspected al-Shabaab commandos who ransacked towns in northern Kenya leaving 60 people dead, witnesses have said.

Several people in Mpeketoni, which was attacked by as many as 40 Islamist gunmen on Sunday, told The Telegraph that the gang's leader was pale-skinned and spoke English and Arabic.

One of the witnesses is a primary schoolteacher who speaks good English, unlike many people in the remote corner of Kenya near the Lamu archipelago that earlier this week became the country's latest terror target.

The accounts strengthened suggestions that the attackers were part of a well-trained team sent by al-Shabaab under the co-ordination of an experienced foreign jihadi now working with the Somali Islamists.

"I saw a white man who was speaking in fluent British English commanding the rest of the attackers," said Mary Gachoki, who lives in Mpeketoni. » | Mike Pflanz, Lamu | Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Inside Story: Who Is Behind Sri Lanka's Religious Violence?

Tensions are running high in the Democratic Socialist Republic after the worst acts of religious violence in decades.

Radikale Buddhisten in Sri Lanka greifen Muslime an »

A Country Implodes: ISIS Pushes Iraq to the Brink

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: The terror group ISIS has occupied vast portions of Syria and Iraq in the hopes of establishing a caliphate. The jihadists' success lays bare Iraq's disintegration and could ignite yet another civil war between Shiites and Sunnis in the country.

Masoud Ali, a tall, friendly man with a beard and green eyes, was a taxi driver in Mosul until a few days ago. He likes the desert, and he loves his wife and his yellow Nissan. He never paid much attention to politics until now. "Inshallah," he says. Whatever happens is God's will. But then fighters with the "Islamic State in Iraq and Syria," or ISIS, overran the city of two million.

An evening curfew has been in force in Mosul since last Monday, says Ali. He and his family heard gunshots near their apartment on Tuesday, and when Ali looked outside, he saw a dead body lying on the street. Then the rumors began. "They've occupied all government buildings and the airport," said a friend. "The power station and the water works, too," a neighbor added. There were television reports of banks being robbed, the release of thousands of prisoners and the confiscation of oil wells. A day later, Masoud Ali loaded his family into his car and stepped on the gas. As they drove away, they could see police uniforms and abandoned military vehicles in the ditch. Government troops, most of them Sunnis, had surrendered to the Sunni ISIS fighters.

Ali, like most residents of Mosul, is also a Sunni. He had heard the mayor calling for the citizens of Mosul to defend themselves against ISIS. "But why should I have defended myself?" he asks. "For the Shiite government? For Prime Minister Maliki, who oppresses the Sunnis?" He shakes his head. "The conflict has escalated because people in Iraq don't like the government anymore." » | Dieter Bednarz, Ullrich Fichtner, Katrin Kuntz, Christoph Reuter and Mathieu von Rohr | Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Karl Rove Discusses the Iraq Blame Game

Jun. 17, 2014 - 7:26 - Bush warned about dangers of pulling out of Iraq too soon

Britain a 'Petty' and 'Declining' Empire, Argues Chinese Paper

Chinese pundits have marvelled at how their "super salesman"
prime minister Li Keqiang has scored an audience with the
Queen, despite not being China's head of state

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: State-controlled tabloid says Britain "hypes" human rights issues because it is unable to accept Chinese superiority and suggests readers take pity on “old declining empire”

Britain is an “eccentric” and “petty” empire in decline that criticises China in order to mask its own deficiencies, a Chinese newspaper claimed on Wednesday as Li Keqiang, the country’s prime minister, began day two of his UK tour.

One day after the Chinese premier was welcomed to Britain by David Cameron and the Queen, the Global Times, a prominent state-run tabloid, slammed the country hosting Mr Li as a fading power that refused to accept its dwindling global influence.

“Britain’s national strength cannot be placed in the same rank as China now, a truth difficult to accept for some Britons who want to stress their nobility,” argued the tabloid, which is affiliated to the People’s Daily, the official mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party.

The British media “habitually” hyped charges of human rights abuses against China in order to hide this new reality, the editorial added. » | Tom Phillips, Shanghai | Wednesday, June 18, 2014

What Will Be Blair's Legacy In Iraq?

UK to Re-open Iran Embassy Says Hague

BBC: Foreign Secretary William Hague has said plans to re-open the British Embassy in Tehran are an "important step forward" in relations with Iran.

Mr Hague said the "circumstances were right" following an improvement in bilateral relations in recent months.

Full diplomatic relations with Iran were suspended after attacks on the British embassy in Iran in 2011.

The election of a new Iranian president and a deal on Iran's nuclear programme has led to renewed contacts this year.

The move comes as Iraqi forces are engaged in heavy clashes with Sunni Islamist militants across the country and amid reports that Iran is providing military assistance to its historic rival. » | Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Iraq Warns of ‘A Thousand Bin Ladens’ in SOS Plea to World for Help Stopping Isis Advance

THE INDEPENDENT: The Iraqi ambassador to the US has issued a desperate plea for international assistance dealing with the rise of Sunni militants across his country, warning that a failure to do so will lead to the emergence of “a thousand [Osama] bin Ladens”.

Comparing the threat to Iraq from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis) with that to Afghanistan from al-Qa’ida, Lukman Faily has told a number of US media outlets that he wants to issue “an SOS, not just for us, but for the whole globe”.

The ambassador’s comments come as President Barack Obama considers the intervention options available to the US, from drone strikes to providing Special Forces training.

And while Mr Faily agreed that Iraq does not need to see the US put “boots on the ground”, the immediacy of the threat means there is not time for “long discussions” as to which measures will be taken. » | Adam Withnall | Tuesday, June 17, 2014

North Korea: Kim Jong-un's Number Two Kim Yong-nam Wishes Queen Happy Birthday

THE INDEPENDENT: An isolated North Korea has appeared keen to develop ties outside of its notoriously tight network, after sending its best wishes to the Queen on her official birthday.

The birthday wishes were sent by Kim Yong-nam, the president of the Presidium of the Supreme Assembly of North Korea and the country’s second most powerful person, the official KCNA news agency reports.

"The message wished the queen good health and happ[iness] and the British people well-being and prosperity," the report said.

The KCNA also said the British embassy in Pyongyang marked the occasion with a reception attended by officials including the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade. » | Heather Saul | Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Were American Lives Wasted in Iraq?

Jun. 16, 2014 - 6:53 - Talking Points 6/16

Dinesh D'Souza on How Obama Has Transformed the US

Jun. 16, 2014 - 4:53 - Critics claim president's plan to change America has hurt the country

Former Navy SEAL Weighs US Options in Iraq

Jun. 16, 2014 - 3:39 - Insurgents continue to swarm into troubled nation

Irak : les insurgés prennent un poste-frontière à la frontière syrienne

LE POINT: Les insurgés, fidèles à l'Armée syrienne libre et au Front al-Nosra, contrôlent déjà le côté syrien de ce point de passage vers l'Irak.

Des rebelles syriens ont pris mardi le contrôle d'al-Qaëm, un poste-frontière entre l'Irak et la Syrie, ont indiqué des officiers de l'armée irakienne. Selon ces officiers, les insurgés sont fidèles à l'Armée syrienne libre (ASL, rébellion) et au Front al-Nosra, la branche syrienne d'al-Qaida, qui contrôlent déjà le côté syrien de ce point de passage. Al-Qaëm est l'un des trois postes-frontières entre l'Irak et la Syrie. Celui de Rabia, plus au nord, a été abandonné la semaine dernière par les forces irakiennes lors d'une offensive des djihadistes dans la province de Ninive. Il se trouve actuellement contrôlé par les forces kurdes. » | Source AFP | mardi 17 juin 2014

Radikale Buddhisten in Sri Lanka greifen Muslime an

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Häuser und Fahrzeuge wurden in Brand gesetzt, Moscheen zerstört - in Sri Lanka haben radikale Buddhisten die muslimische Bevölkerung angegriffen. Seit Sonntagabend starben vier Menschen. Das Auswärtige Amt rät Touristen, ihr Hotelgelände nicht zu verlassen.

Alutgama - Seit einigen Tagen greifen radikale Buddhisten in Sri Lanka die muslimische Bevölkerung an. Trotz einer Ausgangssperre in der Nacht zu Dienstag wurden erneut Geschäfte und Wohnhäuser angezündet. Das berichteten Polizei und Anwohner. Bei einem Angriff auf eine Farm in Alutgama starb mindestens ein Wächter. Seit Sonntagabend wurden damit insgesamt vier Menschen getötet. » | vek/AFP/dpa | Dienstag, 17. Juni 2014

Spanien: König Juan Carlos nimmt Abschied

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Ein Monarch dankt ab: Spaniens König Juan Carlos verabschiedet sich aus dem Amt. Trotz der bescheiden gehaltenen Zeremonie wollten Monarchie-Gegner demonstrieren - doch sie dürfen nicht.

Madrid - Für den Monarchen und seine Frau ist es das letzte gemeinsame Bankett: Spaniens König Juan Carlos und Königin Sofía nehmen Abschied vom Thron. Das Königspaar, 76 und 75 Jahre alt, lud am Dienstag die Repräsentanten der wichtigsten Institutionen des Staates zu einem Abschiedsessen in den Zarzuela-Palast. » | kes/dpa | Dienstag, 17. Juni 2014

Iraq Crisis: Fighting Moves Closer to Baghdad as Iraq's Biggest Oil Refinery Shut Down – Live

Nearly 300 American forces positioned in and around Iraq, Barack Obama tells Congress, as overnight Isis attack on Baquba - just 37 miles from Baghdad - repelled

Live feed here | Andrew Marszal | Tuesday, June 17, 2014

BBC3 'Free Speech': 'Can You Be Gay and Muslim?' Maajid Nawaz vs Abdullah al Andalusi

Maajid Nawaz/Asifa Lahore vs. Homophobic Muslim Women

Will ISIS Plan a 9/11-style Terror Plot against the U.S.?

Read the CBS News article here | Rebecca Kaplan | CBS News | Monday, June 16, 2014

Impeach Tony Blair: As Iraq Burns, Parliament Should Put This Deluded Liar On Trial, Writes Simon Heffer

Tony Blair appeared a self-serving fantasist with blood on his
hands when he was interviewed on Sky News

MAIL ONLINE: With allies of Al Qaeda running amok in Iraq and heading for Baghdad, the disastrous legacy of Britain's entanglement there with the invasion of 2003 becomes ever more blindingly obvious.

Obvious to everyone, that is, except the man who ordered it.

Seven years after leaving office, and 11 years after British troops flooded across the southern border, Tony Blair continues to cause outrage and bewilderment over Iraq.

Noting the eruption of the jihad there, Mr Blair professes that ‘we have to liberate ourselves from the notion that “we” have caused this. We haven't.'

Only a handful of American neo-conservatives, most of them discredited and seeking to protect their reputations, too, would agree with him. To most people, he appears a self-serving fantasist with blood on his hands.

Saddam Hussein was evil and vicious. However, the mixture of repression and corruption with which he governed meant Iraq was spared the Sunni-on-Shia violence that is tearing the country apart now, threatening the entire region and, with it, the security and prosperity of the West.

Some would question Mr Blair's sanity. Indeed, a former close friend, the novelist Robert Harris, did so only recently, suggesting he had a ‘messiah complex'.

It takes a rare politician to admit any error, let alone one based on a lie — the sexed-up ‘dodgy dossier' Mr Blair put before Parliament in March 2003 to support his contention that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction — which cost the lives of 173 British servicemen and six servicewomen. Read on and comment » | Simon Heffer | Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Tony Blair Is A 'Tragic' Narcissist With A Messiah Complex, Says Former Confidant And Author Robert Harris »

Governor George Clooney? Oscar Winner to Begin Political Career

SUNDAY EXPRESS: George Clooney is set to run for governor of California, following in the footsteps of fellow Hollywood stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronald Reagan, say friends.

Democrats want the suave actor to succeed incumbent Jerry Brown in the 2018 race and believe he could emulate Republican Reagan by eventually becoming president.

Clooney, 53, who is reportedly planning to marry British barrister Amal Alamuddin this summer, is said to be “fired up” at the prospect of a political career.

He is a huge contributor to the Democratic Party and has funded drone spying missions to investigate Syrian war atrocities. » | Mike Parker | Sunday, June 15, 2014

Iraq News: Tony Blair Airbrushing Role in Creating Isis in Iraq, Nick Clegg Says

Members of the Islam State of Iraq and Shaam (ISIS) with
senior commander Abu Waheeb

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Tony Blair is 'pretending' the 2003 invasion is not the current cause of Iraq chaos, Deputy PM says

Tony Blair is attempting to “airbrush” his role in creating the violence engulfing Iraq, Nick Clegg has said.

The former Prime Minister is engaged in a “pointless academic exercise” to “pretend” the 2003 invasion of Iraq did not contribute to chaos and bloodshed consuming Iraq today.

Jihadist fighters from ISIS, an al-Qaeda aligned force, have entered from Syria and seized a string of Iraqi cities, committing massacres of Iraqi Army prisoners.

Britain will not provide “frontline” military support to the Iraqi government but will provide "passive assistance" to the United States in the case of airstrikes, Mr Clegg indicated.


Asked at his monthly press conference whether Britain would allow the United States to use airbases or airspace, Mr Clegg said: “We will not be providing active, frontline military resources to any action taken.

"But of course we will talk to America about what can be done. We are not going to stand in the way of military action that is well-judged and well-targeted to try and reassert some semblance of order in Iraq. I am certainly not suggesting we rule out passive assistance, even if we are not going to embark on active assistance.”

Only the United States has the military capacity to strike in Iraq and Britain should not “pretend” that it can, Mr Clegg said. » | Matthew Holehouse, Political Correspondent | Monday, June 16, 2014

Obama Administration Weighs ‘My Enemy’s Enemy’ Foreign Policy with Iran

FOX NEWS: The Obama administration, unable to move the needle in the three-year-old Syrian civil war, now finds itself on the verge of moving toward a "my enemy's enemy" foreign policy with Iran in order to keep Iraq from falling apart next door.


The possibility of partnering with Iran to deal with a common foe -- a radical Sunni militant group bent on regional domination -- has immediately divided some of the Obama administration's toughest critics.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called the idea of an alliance of convenience with Iran the "height of folly."

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who typically is in lockstep with McCain on national security matters, on Sunday, though, likened it to the U.S. aligning with Stalin during World War II, because he "was not as bad as Hitler."

"The Iranians can provide some assets to make sure Baghdad doesn't fall," Graham said. » | FoxNews.com | Monday, June 16, 2014

Do Desperate Times in Iraq Call for Desperate Measures?

Jun. 16, 2014 - 6:06 - 'Special Report' anchor Bret Baier on US mulling talks with Iran

Gottesstaat wächst: ISIL eröffnet Terrorzelle in Jordanien

KRONEN ZEITUNG: Die Terrorgruppe Islamischer Staat im Irak und in der Levante (ISIL) hat nach eigenen Angaben seinen ersten Zweig in Jordanien eröffnet. Das meldeten islamistische Quellen, nachdem das jordanische Militär am Montag bekannt gegeben hatte, seine Truppen an der Grenze zum Nachbarland Irak zu verdoppeln.

Laut den ISIL- Quellen ist der jordanische Ableger bereits am Freitag eingerichtet worden. Die Zelle "Islamischer Staat in Jordanien" (ISJ) solle logistisch bei Waffen- und Truppenverschiebungen zwischen dem Irak und Syrien dienen. Sie soll rund 200 Mitglieder haben.

Ein ISJ- Mitglied verbreitete, es seien zunächst keine militärischen Aktionen gegen die jordanische Armee geplant. Aber "mit der Zeit" werde "Jordanien egal auf welchem Wege ein Teil des islamischen Kalifats", das ISIL in der Region anstrebt. » | AG/red | Montag, 16. Juni 2014

Bagdad attend avec angoisse l'assaut des djihadistes

De nouvelles recrues de l'armée irakienne paradent
dans une rue de Bagdad, samedi.

LE FIGARO: INFO LE FIGARO - La population de la capitale chiite irakienne se terre ou s'arme, en redoutant que des attentats préparent une offensive.

Dans la salle d'attente de l'hôpital Raphaël, au centre de Bagdad, Youssef fait comme si de rien n'était. «Pour l'instant, la situation est calme. Mais on est inquiet, on ne sait pas ce qui va se passer. On ne peut qu'attendre», confie ce jeune cadre, plutôt angoissé.

Comme lui, beaucoup d'habitants de la capitale, où le couvre-feu a été étendu de 22 heures à 6 heures du matin, retiennent leur souffle. Ils ont eu très peur de la fulgurante avancée des extrémistes sunnites, la semaine dernière dans les provinces du Nord. Ils ont maintenant le sentiment qu'un répit leur a été accordé avec la contre-offensive de l'armée régulière, qui contient les rebelles au nord de la capitale. Mais tous sentent confusément que ce n'est qu'une pause, avant l'assaut promis par les djihadistes sur Bagdad, centre de toutes les convoitises en Irak. » | Par Georges Malbrunot | lundi 15 juin 2014

Krise im Irak: Pentagon schließt militärische Kooperation mit Iran aus

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Reden ja, kooperieren nein: Das US-Verteidigungsministerium hat eine militärische Zusammenarbeit mit Iran im Kampf gegen Isis ausgeschlossen. Das Pentagon widerspricht damit Außenminister Kerry.

Washington - Das US-Verteidigungsministerium lehnt eine militärische Zusammenarbeit mit dem iranischen Regime im Kampf gegen die Terrorgruppe Isis ab.

"Es gibt überhaupt keine Absicht und keine Pläne, um Militäraktionen zwischen den Vereinigten Staaten und Iran zu koordinieren", sagte Pentagon-Sprecher John Kirby. "Es gibt auch keine Pläne für Konsultationen mit Iran über militärische Aktivitäten im Irak."

Möglich seien jedoch allgemeine Gespräche mit Teheran über den Kampf gegen Isis. In dieser Woche treffen sich Vertreter der USA und Irans in Wien zu neuen Verhandlungen über das Atomprogramm der Islamischen Republik. "Es ist möglich, dass es am Rande dieser Gespräche Diskussionen um die Situation im Irak gibt", sagte Kirby. "Wir haben in der Vergangenheit mit Iran auch über Afghanistan debattiert." » | syd/Reuters | Montag, 16. Juni 2014

UK Outlaws Isis, the Militant Group behind Iraqi Attacks

An image appearing to show militants from the Islamic State
of Iraq and Levant (Isis) with truckloads of captured soldiers

BBC: The Islamist militant group that has seized control of parts of Iraq has been outlawed in the UK.

The Home Office said it would be a criminal offence to associate with or give financial backing to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis).

The UK has ruled out a role in any possible military action but may give other support to the Iraqi government.

Nick Clegg has warned that the turmoil in Iraq and Syria is a "very direct threat" to the safety of UK citizens.

The deputy prime minister said the UK would not provide "active frontline military resources" to support any action taken against Isis forces but added that the UK would not stand in the way of "well judged, well targeted action to assert some semblance of order in Iraq". (+ video) » | Monday, June 16, 2014

Iraq Conflict: Militants 'Seize' City of Tal Afar

BBC: Sunni militants have seized the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar, officials and residents say.

Militants led by ISIS - the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant - captured key cities including Mosul and Tikrit last week, but some towns were retaken.

UN Humanitarian Chief Valerie Amos said there were reports of "major human rights violations", including summary executions of civilians.

The US says it may use drone strikes to halt the militants' advance.

"They're not the whole answer, but they may well be one of the options that are important," said US Secretary of State John Kerry.

The Pentagon said US officials were also open to holding direct talks with Iran over Iraq, but there was "no plan to co-ordinate military activity" between the two countries.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani earlier said he would consider co-operation if the US took action. » | Monday, June 16, 2014

Obama Must Admit to Failure in Iraq

Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden, in
Washington D.C. Tuesday, June 10, 2014.

HAARETZ: With Iraq's future pouring into the hands of either Islamic militants or Iran, the time has come for Obama to admit his foreign policy is utterly flawed.

The leader of the free world didn't look good after his statement to the media on Friday from the White House lawn. With the George H.W. Bush carrier group on its way to the Persian Gulf, U.S. President Barack Obama will soon have over 100 combat aircraft at his disposal around Iraq, including those based in Jordan and the Emirates, and close to 40,000 troops in various bases in the region. If needed, that number could be doubled at short notice. But when Obama admitted that "short term military action, including any assistance we might provide, won't succeed," he wasn't just making excuses.

The new situation in Iraq - where the forces of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), along with local Sunni militias, have taken control of wide swathes of the country's north-west - symbolizes the total failure of the Obama administration's military strategy over the last five and a half years. Obama is effectively out of military options. » | Anshel Pfeffer | Monday, June 16, 2014

Should the US Rescue Iraq?

Jun. 15, 2014 - 11:41 - House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Rogers weighs in

Did the Crisis in Iraq Catch Obama by Surprise?

Jun. 16, 2014 - 4:12 - Mixed messages from the president on global security

US Weighs Alliance with Iran to Counter ISIS, Boosts Presence in Gulf

FOX NEWS: The Obama administration reportedly is preparing to open direct talks with Iran on possibly cooperating to counter the Sunni militant force seizing large swaths of Iraq and threatening Baghdad, weighing an unlikely alliance in the face of a common foe.

Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday the administration was "open to discussions" with Tehran if they can help end the violence. He told Yahoo! News he would "not rule out anything that would be constructive."

The deliberations come as the U.S. moved more assets into the region. According to U.S. Navy officials, the USS Mesa Verde is moving into the Persian Gulf with about 500 Marines on board, to help in the event of an evacuation. » | FoxNews.com | Monday, June 16, 2014

Inside Story: Is Maliki Behind Iraq’s Sectarian Divide?

Shia volunteers answer a call to arms after Sunni rebels take over Iraqi cities.

The Slaughter That Shames Tony Blair: Outcry from All Sides over Former Prime Minister's 'Crusader' Call for a New Blitz on Iraq as the Country Descends into a Bloodbath

MAIL ONLINE: Tony Blair said current chaos in Iraq could have been avoided / The former PM suggested the West should have bombed Syria / Blair said it was 'bizarre' that Iraq War was blamed for violence / Also suggested inaction could lead to a terror attack in the UK / But his comments prompt avalanche of criticism from Left and Right / Former minister Clare Short said he was 'wrong, wrong, wrong' / Pictures have emerged showing the mass execution of government soldiers


Iraq descended to new depths of savagery yesterday – as Tony Blair washed his hands of all blame for the bloodshed.

With Islamist jihadists now in control of large areas of the country, appalling pictures emerged showing the mass execution of government soldiers by masked fanatics.

Dozens of terrified men in civilian clothes lie in a shallow ditch before being executed in cold blood by Islamist extremists.

The Iraqi Army deserters, some wearing football shirts, were taken to scrubland where they faced a firing squad of Al Qaeda-inspired insurgents.

But, to derision from Left and Right, Mr Blair insisted that the sectarian violence tearing the country apart had nothing to do with his own actions in supporting the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Instead, he blamed the West’s failure to bomb Syria last year – and called for fresh Western military action against both nations.

‘We have to liberate ourselves from the notion that “we” have caused this,’ the former Prime Minister wrote in an extraordinary essay. ‘We haven’t.’ Read on and comment » | Jason Groves | Monday, June 16, 2014

Edikt über den Gottesstaat: Mosul im Griff der Islamisten

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: In der irakischen Stadt Mosul haben die islamistischen Eroberer ein Dekret erlassen und damit begonnen, ihre Macht zu festigen. Wie ihre Herrschaft aussieht, kann man in Syrien studieren. Die Freude mancher Einwohner dürfte nicht lange anhalten.

Es sind Szenen, wie man sie im vergangenen Jahr in Syrien sah: Menschen feiern auf den Strassen den Einmarsch des Islamischen Staats im Irak und in Syrien (Isis). Jubelnd fahren sie in Autokorsos durch die Strassen der nordirakischen Millionenstadt und verteilen Süssigkeiten. Sehen kann man das in Videos, die im Internet zirkulieren. Dabei wissen auch die Bürger von Mosul, was auf sie zukommen dürfte. » | Inga Rogg, Istanbul | Sonntag, 15. Juni 2014

Iraq Conflict: Images Purport to Show 'Massacre' by Militants

BBC: The Sunni extremist group that has taken territory across Iraq has posted photos online that appear to show its fighters massacring Iraqi soldiers.

The army personnel are pictured being led away and then lying in trenches before and after their "execution".

Iraqi military spokesman Lt Gen Qassim al-Moussawi said the pictures were authentic and depicted events in Salahuddin province.

But the images' authenticity has not been independently confirmed.

The BBC's Jim Muir, in northern Iraq, says if the photographs are genuine, it would be by far the biggest single atrocity since the time of the American-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Their emergence came as the Iraqi government claimed to have "regained the initiative" against the offensive by Sunni rebels led by ISIS - the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.

Extremists captured key cities, including Mosul and Tikrit, last week, but several towns have now been retaken from the rebels. » | Sunday, June 15, 2014

'Islamists' Attack Kenyan Coastal Town

BBC: Suspected Islamist militants have attacked hotels and a police station in the Kenyan coastal town of Mpeketoni, military officials say.

Witnesses reported seeing buildings on fire and hearing gunfire in the town, which is near Lamu island.

It is not yet clear if there are any casualties.

Kenya has suffered a number of militant attacks since 2011 when its forces entered neighbouring Somalia to combat al-Shabab fighters. » | Sunday, June 15, 2014

Albanians Could Be On Their Way to Britain as David Cameron to Agree EU Move

Government would back Albania's plans to enter EU

SUNDAY EXPRESS: MORE than three million Albanians could be free to move over to Britain after David Cameron backed plans for the country to join the European Union.

Despite Cameron previously saying he didn't want poorer nations to join the EU, Government sources have confirmed Britain would back Albania's campaign to gain "candidate" status in a vote next week.

It comes after fresh unrest over Mr Cameron's pledge to get a grip on Europe.

Mr Cameron has previously said he wants EU rules in place to block movement from new EU countries until their average income is in line with western European nations.

During the last census, Albania had a population of 2,931,977, currently 17 per cent of whom are unemployed. The average monthly wage is £305. » | Helen Barratt | Sunday, June 15, 2014

Worlds Apart: New Sunnistan? 'We're Headed toward the Partition of Iraq' – Ex-US Ambassador to Iraq

Is Fundamentalism Undermining Faith : The Big Questions

Tony Blair Iraq Comments: Senior Labour Figures Distance Themselves from Former PM after He Refuses to Accept Blame for New Crisis

THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: Sources close to Ed Miliband refused to endorse Mr Blair’s analysis

Senior Labour figures rapidly distanced themselves from Tony Blair after he supported airstrikes on Iraq and Syria – and refused to accept that he should accept any of the blame for the crisis engulfing the region.

He defended his Government’s backing for the US-led invasion of Iraq, insisting it had been right to oust Saddam Hussein and urging military intervention to halt the advance of extremist Isis forces across the north of the country.

The former Prime Minister’s comments, in a blogpost on his website and a series of television interviews, opened fresh wounds within the party over the 11-year-old Iraq war.

Sources close to Ed Miliband refused to endorse Mr Blair’s analysis. One told the Independent: “What matters now is making the judgements rather than seeking to make points about what happened in the past.”

The shadow Foreign Secretary, Douglas Alexander, echoed the Coalition Government’s view that military action is not contemplated. He said: “The truth is that it is the Iraqis themselves who hold the key to resolving this crisis.” » | Nigel Morris | Sunday, June 15, 2014

Tony Blair on Iraq: The Andrew Marr Show

'Intervene in Iraq and Syria Or Britain Will Face Terror Attacks': Blair Warns UK Should Get Involved as He Defends Decision to Topple Saddam

MAIL ON SUNDAY: Former PM says Middle East terror will return to Europe if it's not faced fown [sic] / Calls for intervention in Iraq to stop ISIS terrorists taking Baghdad / Says biggest single threat for the UK is returning British jihadist fighters

Tony Blair this morning said Britain needed to take action in Iraq and Syria - or face terror attacks in at home.

The former Prime Minister said the UK needed to intervene to stop a 'total disaster'. He insisted that he was not calling for troops on the ground - but suggested the 'selective use of air power' was one option on the table.

Mr Blair said: 'If we don't deal with the Syria issue then the problems are not just going to be for Syria and for the region, the problems are actually going to come back and they are going to hit us very directly even in our own country.'

He added: 'If you talk to security services in France and Germany and the UK, they will tell you their biggest single worry today returning jihadists fighters - our own citizens by the way - from Syria.

'We have to look at Syria, and Iraq and the region in context. We have to understand what's going on there and engage.'

He said that didn't mean 'ground troops' but it we shouldn't 'wash our hands of it and walk away'.

Mr Blair's remarks this morning come as extremist fighters from the al-Qaida-inspired 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' bear down on Baghdad.

Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr show [sic] Mr Blair said an ISIS victory would be a 'total disaster and it mustn't be allowed to happen'.

He said: 'We are going to have to engage with it and if we don't then the consequences will come back on us.' » | Tom McTague, Mail Online Deputy Editor | Sunday, June 15, 2014

Iraq, Syria and the Middle East – An essay by Tony Blair: The civil war in Syria with its attendant disintegration is having its predictable and malign effect. Iraq is now in mortal danger. The whole of the Middle East is under threat. » | Office of Tony Blair | Saturday, June 14, 2014

Be More British Cameron Tells UK Muslims: PM Issues Powerful New Pledge To Combat Extremism

MAIL ONLINE: He plans to use 800th anniversary of Magna Carta to reassert British values / Prime Minister said it is time to stop being 'squeamish about Britishness' / He said refusing to accept British laws and the way of life is 'not an option'

Muslim clerics in the UK who inflame terrorism by denouncing free speech, equality and democracy will be opposed in a ‘muscular’ new defence of ‘British values’, David Cameron has pledged.

In a powerful intervention clearly aimed mainly at ‘preachers of hate’, the Prime Minister says the failure to stand up to such firebrands has ‘allowed extremism – both the violent and non-violent kind – to flourish’.

He plans to use the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta – 12 months from today – to reassert British values in a ‘Magna Carta for Modern Britain.’

It is time to stop being ‘squeamish about Britishness’ and tell everyone who lives here that refusing to accept British laws and the British way of life is ‘not an option’, Mr Cameron argues.

The Prime Minister will emphasise the commitment by insisting that Magna Carta becomes part of the school curriculum.

Downing Street stressed the Prime Minister’s comments, which come in an article in today’s Mail on Sunday, are aimed at all sections of the community, not just Muslims. However, they appear to signal a key change in the stance of successive recent governments, Tory and Labour, on this sensitive issue. » | Simon Walters | Saturday, June 14, 2014

Sternstunde: Sind wir heute vor Hitler sicher?

Chris Wallace on Political Fallout over Iraq Chaos

Jun. 13, 2014 - 8:40 - Lawmakers debate stepping into troubled country

Iraq Crisis: The Bare Faced ISIS Executioner Who Spreads Terror With His Open Killing

ISIS enforcer Shakir Wahiyib

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Shakir Wahiyib is a feared enforcer for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham who does not cover up his face in videos of his killings

In an army full of masked, black-clad figures, he is the one man who is never shy to show his face. But for those unlucky enough to cross him, the face of Shakir Wahiyib, a feared enforcer for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, is often the last they will ever see.

The star of a series of grisly jihadist videos, including one in which three men are executed after failing his "Quranic quiz", Wahiyib is one of the few publicly-identified leaders of the shadowy jihadist group that has swept through northern Iraq.

The movement, otherwise known as ISIS, generally instructs its followers to keep their faces masked to minimise the chances of them being tracked down by the Iraqi government. But while its commander-in-chief, Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi, is even said to disguise himself while meeting fellow commanders, Wahiyib has no such reservations. Showing considerable relish for his work, he grins for the lenses of jihadi cameramen he goes on the rampage with his masked underlings. » | Colin Freeman | Saturday, June 14, 2014

Iran Will "Consider" Joint Action with US in Iraq, Hassan Rouhani Says

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani addresses a press
conference in Tehran

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Iran's president has given the clearest hint yet that Tehran is prepared to cast aside 35 years of hostility in an alliance of convenience with the US to combat Sunni militants in Iraq

Iran will consider joining forces with the United States to combat Sunni militants in Iraq, Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian president, said on Saturday in the clearest sign yet that the Islamic Republic is ready to set aside its decades-old enmity with Washington.

The Iranian leader's cautiously worded remarks came at a news conference in Tehran amid rising speculation that the recent gains of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) could force the two adversaries to forge an alliance of convenience.

"All countries need to embark on joint effort regarding terrorism," Mr Rouhani said after being asked if Iran was prepared to cooperate with America in Iraq.

"At the moment, it's the government of Iraq and the people of Iraq that are fighting terrorism.

"We have not seen the US do anything for now. Any time the Americans start to take action against terrorist groups, we can consider that." » | Robert Tait, Middle East Correspondent | Saturday, June 14, 2014

Inside Story: What Future for the Monarchy in Spain?

Thousands want the monarchy abolished and the return of a republic after King's abdication.

Britain '51st State of US'? UK Seeks to Renew Pact with America on Nuke Data Exchange

Iraq Crisis Caught Obama Unprepared

YNET NEWS: Analysis: Obama says he's not ruling out any options, but no one is buying it anymore. As the Iraqi army abandons its posts to Islamists, the Obama administration is not left with many options.

US President Barack Obama was sitting in the Oval Office next to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott and tried to come up with an alibi for the astonishing events in Iraq that caught the White House with its pants down.

"Just because you say a war has ended, doesn't mean it's over," Senator John McCain, who lost the 2008 presidential elections to Obama, said mockingly. The promise to end the war in Iraq was one of the main campaign pledges that led Obama to the presidency.

Red with anger, House Speaker John Boehner yelled into the TV networks microphones, "It’s not like we haven't seen over the last five or six months these terrorists moving in, taking control of Western Iraq. Now they've taken control of Mosul. They’re 100 miles from Baghdad. And what's the president doing? Taking a nap!" » | Yitzhak Benhorin | Friday, June 13, 2014

Iraq Govt Blamed for Rebel Advance

Prince Turki Al-Faisal

ARAB NEWS: ROME: Prince Turki Al-Faisal, a former intelligence chief, has blamed the Iraqi government of Nuri Al-Maliki for the loss of wide areas of northern Iraq to militants, saying Baghdad had failed to stop them joining forces with former Baathists from the Saddam Hussein era. He said the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) insurgency should have come as no surprise.

“The situation in the Anbar area of Iraq has been brewing and boiling for some time and the Iraqi government seemed to be not only inactive in putting down the boiling temperature there but also in some cases seem to have been encouraging events there to spill over,” he told a meeting of the European Council on Foreign Relations in Rome. » | Agencies | Saturday, June 14, 2014

Amerika bleibt verantwortlich für den Irak

TAGES ANZEIGER – KOMMENTAR: Die inkompetente Planung der Nachkriegszeit und die vorschnelle Unterstützung von Iraks Premier Maliki haben grossen Anteil am derzeitigen Chaos.

Was im Irak schiefgehen konnte, ist schiefgegangen. Vor dem Einmarsch der US-Truppen 2003 haben uns die Kriegsbefürworter einen «Leuchtturm der Demokratie» im Mittleren Osten versprochen. Inzwischen sind die pessimistischen Szenarien der Warner eingetroffen: Der Terrorismus à la al-Qaida breitet sich aus, ein Krieg zwischen Schiiten und Sunniten steht bevor, und die Nachbarmächte erwägen, militärisch einzugreifen.

Dafür tragen die USA eine Mitverantwortung. Der Sturz Saddam Husseins war das eine. Fatal war jedoch die inkompetente Planung für die Nachkriegszeit. Dazu kamen folgenschwere Fehler wie die Auflösung der irakischen Armee: Die damals gedemütigten Offiziere, mehrheitlich Sunniten, führen heute die Isis-Extremisten in die Schlacht – es bleibt einfacher, einen Krieg zu gewinnen als den Frieden. » | Von Christof Münger | Samstag, 14. Juni 2014