Moscow, Tbilisi Clash Over Bases
Talks are bogged down on the closure date of two Russian bases on Georgian soil.
Talks are bogged down on the closure date of two Russian bases on Georgian soil.
Turkomans and Arabs object to Kurdish plans to draw oil-rich Kirkuk into a separate autonomous region of Iraq.
Few in the Middle East believe Washington seeks to intervene in Iraq for anything but self-interested reasons.
The Iraqi government highlights international support for peace, while declaring itself well prepared for war.
Bush and Blair's claim that war would be for the sake of the Iraqi people is belied by past experiences in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Kurds in northern Iraq are once again at risk from conflict, but hope for a change of regime in Baghdad.
Kurdish and US sources report Iraqi forces mobilizing at the frontiers of the Kurdish-controlled areas.
Given the huge risks, Riyadh will defer its decision on supporting a US-led war until the final moment.
Turkey is pressing the United States for guarantees to block a Kurdish federal entity in northern Iraq.