Iraq, U.S. Advised To Avoid Offensive Against Militiamen
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BAGHDAD, Feb. 8 -- Iraqi and U.S. forces should not launch a military offensive against the militias -- most of them Shiite -- that are a major source of turmoil in Iraq, but should instead rely on nonviolent steps to bring militiamen into the political fold, according to an Iraqi report that draws...
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U.S. officials appear to differ over whether Moqtada Sadr's mahdi Army should be allowed to protect Shi'ite communities
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When an opportunity presents itself to weaken the Sunni insurgency, which is Iraq&#39;s biggest security threat, US forces and the interim Iraqi government must act on it, press the advantage and not wait for a more politically favorable moment.
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Security is deteriorating in southern Iraq as rival Shiite militias vying for power have stepped up their attacks after moving out of Baghdad to avoid U.S.-led military operations, according to the latest quarterly Pentagon report on Iraq released yesterday.
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U.S. Gen. David Petraeus said Thursday that insurgents in Iraq have sought to intensify attacks during a Baghdad security crackdown, which he predicted should not be at full strength until June.
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Iraqi forces will not be ready to assume full responsibility for their nation's security for years, and the U.S. military should be cautious in planning to reduce its 157,000-strong force in Iraq given past setbacks, the American general in charge of the teams that advise Iraqi forces warned...
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The new commander of U.S. troops in Iraq has warned that military force alone will not be enough to quell the country's violent insurgency.
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The second ranking U.S. military commander in Iraq said Wednesday that it is imperative to disarm militias, but that the Iraqi government must decide when it should be done.
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Rebel Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has ordered his militia to end attacks on U.S. and Iraqi government forces and will soon unveil plans to pursue his goals through politics rather than conflict, aides said Monday.
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U.S. officials in Baghdad fear that violence between Sunnis and Shi'ites in some areas will erupt into "ethnic cleansing" with the departure of U.S. forces, a government watchdog said on Thursday.
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Prime Minister Ayad Allawi made an unusually strong warning to Iraq's neighbors to crack down on insurgents infiltrating from their territory, saying Friday that Iraq's patience was wearing thin. Al-Qaida, meanwhile, claimed responsibility for a bold attack on U.S. troops.
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The Bush administration cautioned Iran on Wednesday against trying to influence the outcome of Iraq's election, reacting to fears that Tehran is trying to produce a Shiite-dominated Islamic government in Baghdad.
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Iraqi commanders are urging the Americans to go after Sunni targets as the first focus of the military push to secure Baghdad, displaying a sectarian tilt that is delaying full implementation of the plan to drive gunmen from the streets, U.S. officers say.
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Influential members of Muqtada al-Sadr's movement have urged the anti-U.S. Shiite cleric not to extend a cease-fire when it expires next month, officials said Monday, a move that could jeopardize recent security gains.
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Iraq said Tuesday it would shut its  land borders and bar traffic from getting close to voting  centers over the Jan. 30 polls to try to thwart attacks, as  insurgents targeted a Shi'ite party with a suicide bomb.
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Rebel Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr  has ordered his militia to end attacks on U.S. and Iraqi  government forces and will soon unveil plans to pursue his  goals through politics rather than conflict, aides said on  Monday.
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The US military in Iraq will move into insurgent-heavy &quot;no-go zones&quot; to stabilize them in advance of elections in January, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sunday.