WASHINGTON –The first U.S. military unit scheduled to withdraw from Iraq under the Bush administration’s plan to reduce troop levels has left the war zone, a military spokeswoman said Friday.The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, a group of 2,200 Marines who were stationed in Anbar, have boarded a naval vessel and begun its trip home.
“The entire MEU [...]

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BASRA, Sept 28 (KUNA) — A suspect was killed and three police personnel were injured due to a search and storming operation conducted on Friday by police force in Iraq’s main southern province of Basra.
Early this morning, and according to intelligence reports, a joint security force had conducted a search and storming operation on a [...]

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PADOVA, Italy, Sept 28 (KUNA) — The Italian security authorities have arrested an Iraqi immigrant while trying to leave the country on suspecion of affilitaion with the outlawd al-Qaeda organization and masterminding terrorist operations in Iraq by using light tourist jets.
Carabinieri Military Police said in a statement that a special unit has arrested the Iraqi [...]

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ENFIELD Council’s leader has echoed calls from the head of the British Army to publicly welcome home troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Cllr Mike Rye said: “Enfield would be willing to work with the forces to do what it can to honour our troops.
“Perhaps the wars in Afghanistan, and certainly Iraq, are not popular. However, [...]

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Thousands of well-wishers lined Twin Cities streets Thursday to welcome home about 75 Bloomington-based soldiers from a 461-day deployment that included more than a year serving in Iraq.Inching down U.S. Route 51 from Redbird Arena to the Bloomington Armory, the Illinois National Guardsmen from the 33rd Military Police Battalion waved to crowds spilling off sidewalks [...]

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Geren Says Army Funding Crunch Coming
Army Secretary Pete Geren said Sept. 27 he’s frustrated that Congress is continuing to dither on approving the money he needs to run the service in 2008, with some reports indicating lawmakers might not be able to approve next year’s defense budget until January.
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Gates Expects to Approve [...]

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BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition forces captured a wanted suspected terrorist and detained six other suspects during operations Friday to disrupt al-Qaeda in Iraq operations in the Tigris River Valley.
Coalition forces captured a suspected terrorist in Bayji believed to be associated with al-Qaeda in Iraq and have a significant role in recent attacks in the city.  [...]

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BAGHDAD, Sept 28 (KUNA) — A US helicopter made an emergency landing yesterday in southern Baghdad after coming under enemy fire, the Multi-National Force (MNF) said Friday.
In a statement, the MNF said an Apache AH-46 came was attack using light weaponry on Wednesday, compelling it execute an emergency landing at a nearby US base in [...]

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IRBIL, Sept 27 (KUNA) — Police arrested nine people on the wanted security list and another nine suspects during a raid operation near Kirkuk, Iraqi police said on Thursday.
Iraqi police director of Al-Aqdyia area Sarhid Qader told KUNA that a joint police force along with an Iraqi military company conducted a raid and inspection operation [...]

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Four Red Cross staff, two of them foreigners, were held by unknown kidnappers Thursday as military officials announced two Danish soldiers were killed in a new attack by extremist Taliban fighters.
An overnight operation near the border with Pakistan, meanwhile, killed 18 Taliban, a provincial official said, adding there were some civilian casualties although he could [...]

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