ISW News Roundup - January 27, 2009
Iraq Elections
New York Times - Sectarian Divisions and Insurgents Threaten a Fair Election in an Iraqi Province, by Alissa J. Rubin
LA Times - Iraq: 'Secret plan' will prevent voter fraud, polling official says, by Monte Morin
LA Times - Iraqis skeptical about politicians ahead of vote, by Kimi Yoshino
Associated Press - Displaced Iraqis to cast ballots far from home, by Yahya Barzanji
Reuters - Corrected: Borders shut, cars banned for Iraq vote, by Waleed Ibrahim
Reuters - Religion or vote? Iraq Shi'ites wrestle with choice, by Mohammed Abbas
Defenselink Mil - Coalition, Iraqi Forces Confident In Election Security Efforts, by Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
Iraq Security and Reconstruction
New York Times - Crash in Iraq Kills 4 U.S. Soldiers, by Sam Dagher
Reuters - Two U.S. aircraft crash in Iraq, four killed
Associated Press - Senior Iraqi official escapes roadside bomb attack, by Hamid Ahmed
Reuters - Security developments in Iraq, Jan 27
Defenselink Mil - Reduced Violence Aids Iraq Reconstruction Efforts, General Says, by Gerry J. Gilmore
Washington Post - Iraq agrees to pay Kuwait Airways $300 million, from AP
Associated Press - Greece to help Iraq cultural reconstruction
Reuters - Iraq's Tareq Aziz, Chemical Ali face new trial
Afghanistan and Pakistan
New York Times - Afghan Prison Poses Problem in Overhaul of Detainee Policy, by Eric Schmitt
Wall Street Journal - Afghan Guards Confound U.S. Forces, by Yochi J. Dreazen
Associated Press - Analysis: Thinking small in troubled Afghanistan, by Anne Gearan
Associated Press -NATO: 3,000 US troops deploy near Afghan capital, by Fisnik Abrashi
Washington Post - NATO says 2 troops killed in south Afghanistan, by Noor Khan
Dvids Hub - 10th Mountain Division Troops Move Into Logar, Wardak Provinces, by Sgt. Amber Robinson
Defenselink Mil - U.S. Forces Will Engage More Heavily in Afghanistan, Biden Says, by John J. Kruzel
The Australian - Afghan troops boost flagged, by Mark Dodd and Debbie Guest
The Australian - Taking the fight to the Taliban, by Mark Dodd
Defenselink Mil - Afghan Military Academy Graduates First Class, from AFPS
New York Times - Pakistan: Bicycle Bomb Kills 5, from AP
BBC - New clashes 'kill 12' in Pakistan, by M Ilyas Khan
Israel-Hamas Conflict
New York Times - Gaza War Gives Bigger Lift to Israel's Right Than to Those in Power, by Isabel Kershner
Wall Street Journal - Bombing Kills Israeli Soldier Along Gaza Border, from AP
BBC - Israeli soldier killed near Gaza
Washington Times - Roadside bomb threatens Gaza truce, by Matti Friedman
Washington Times - Netanyahu wants to let West Bank settlements grow, by Mark Lavie
Region
Diplomacy
LA Times - Obama sends George Mitchell on Mideast peace mission, by Paul Richter
Washington Post - Obama says time ripe to resume Mideast peacemaking, by Firouz Sedarat and Lin Noueihed
Washington Post - Obama Voices Hope for Mideast Peace in Talk With Al-Arabiya TV, by Michael D. Shear and Glenn Kessler
Iran
Wall Street Journal - U.S. Envoy Predicts 'Direct Diplomacy' With Iran, from AP
Washington Post - The CIA Vs. the Mullahs, by Reuel Marc Gerecht
Syria
Associated Press - Syria wants dialogue with US without preconditions, by Bassem Mroue
Yemen
Wall Street Journal - Gunshots Fired Near U.S. Embassy in Yemen, from AP
Al Qaeda
Christian Science Monitor - Ex-Guantanamo inmates return to militancy in Yemen, by Carlyle Murphy
Long War Journal - Arabian Peninsula al Qaeda groups merge, by Jane Novak
MEK
New York Times - Europe Takes Terrorist Label Off Iranian Resistance Group, by Stephen Castle
Wall Street Journal - Iran Group to Stay on U.S. Terror List, by Jay Solomon
Secretary Gates
Associated Press - Gates faces Congress eager for Obama's war plans, by Anne Flaherty