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From Al Jazeera

Iraq’s prime minister has for the first time publicly called for a US troop withdrawal timetable.

Nuri al-Maliki said on Monday that a military agreement the two countries are negotiating should include provisions for the withdrawal of American troops.

In a meeting with Arab ambassadors in the United Arab Emirates on Monday, al-Maliki said Iraq had proposed a short-term interim memorandum of agreement rather than the more formal status of forces agreement the two sides have been negotiating.

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From Al Jazeera

One person has died and at least 30 others have been injured by a series of small bombs planted in the southern Pakistan city of Karachi.

The six devices went off within an hour of each other on Monday evening in different locations of the port city in Sindh province.

A provincial police officer said bomb disposal teams had been sent to determine the nature of the devices.

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From Al Jazeera

Israeli forces have blockaded the Palestinian West Bank village of Ni’lin.

Troops encircled Ni’lin on Sunday to prevent foreigners from joining protests against a network of razor-wire fences and concrete barricades that cut into occupied Palestinian land.

“The protests have been getting more violent, and that is what we’re trying to stop,” an Israeli army spokeswoman said.

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From Al Jazeera

At least 20 people, mostly police officers, have been killed in a suspected suicide attack in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.

The attack on Sunday was near a police station several hundred metres from a rally marking one year since a deadly raid on the Lal Masjid (Red Mosque).

“The whole event at the mosque went smoothly but then the suicide bomber targeted the security,” Rehman Malik, the interior ministry chief, told reporters at the scene.

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From Reuters.com, by Daren Butler

Istanbul - Four Iraqi men are suing U.S. military contractors who they say tortured them while they were detained in Abu Ghraib prison, according to lawsuits being filed at U.S. federal courts on Monday.

The lawsuits allege the contractors committed violations of U.S. law, including torture, war crimes and civil conspiracy.

The scandal over the treatment of detainees at Abu Ghraib unleashed a wave of global condemnation against the United States when images of abused prisoners surfaced in 2004.

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From Financial Times   By Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington

The US military cannot locate hundreds of sensitive nuclear missile components, according to several government officials familiar with a Pentagon report on nuclear safeguards.

Robert Gates, US defence secretary, recently fired both the US Air Force chief of staff and air force secretary after an investigation blamed the air force for the inadvertent shipment of nuclear missile nose cones to Taiwan.

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From IHT.com, by Scott Shane
In a makeshift prison in the north of Poland, Al Qaeda’s engineer of mass murder faced off against his Central Intelligence Agency interrogator. It was 18 months after the 9/11 attacks, and the invasion of Iraq was giving Muslim extremists new motives for havoc. If anyone knew about the next plot, it was Khalid Shaikh Mohammed.

The interrogator, Deuce Martinez, a soft-spoken analyst who spoke no Arabic, had turned down a CIA offer to be trained in waterboarding. He chose to leave the infliction of pain and panic to others, the gung-ho paramilitary types whom the more cerebral interrogators called “knuckledraggers.”

Martinez came in after the rough stuff, the ultimate good cop with the classic skills: an unimposing presence, inexhaustible patience and a willingness to listen to the gripes and musings of a pitiless killer in rambling, imperfect English. He achieved a rapport with Mohammed that astonished his fellow CIA officers.

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From IHT.com, by Andrew E. Kramer

Four Western oil companies are in the final stages of negotiations this month on contracts that will return them to Iraq, 36 years after losing their oil concession to nationalization as Saddam Hussein rose to power.

Exxon Mobil, Shell, Total and BP — the original partners in the Iraq Petroleum Company — along with Chevron and a number of smaller oil companies, are in talks with Iraq’s Oil Ministry for no-bid contracts to service Iraq’s largest fields, according to ministry officials, oil company officials and an American diplomat.

The deals, expected to be announced on June 30, will lay the foundation for the first commercial work for the major companies in Iraq since the American invasion, and open a new and potentially lucrative country for their operations.

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From Al Jazeera 

Al-Maliki had said last week that talks with the US on the long-term pact had reached a “dead end”

A controversial deal on the long-term US military presence in Iraq will not include immunity for US contractors working in the country, the Iraqi foreign minister has said.

Speaking exclusively to Al Jazeera, Hoshyar Zebari said on Monday that the US had accepted the demand and it would be stated explicitly in the agreement.

“There would be no immunity whatsoever for private contractors because of what we’ve gone through with them in the past and because of the sensitivities for the Iraqi people,” he said.

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From Blackwater Release, By Dana C. Richardson

The Blackwater Worldwide Defense of Liberty Medal recognizes employees and independent contractors of Blackwater Worldwide and other Prince Group companies who are killed, wounded or have demonstrated extraordinary bravery and courage in the service of their country.

On May 23rd 2008, Blackwater Worldwide held the first of a series of award ceremonies aimed to honor the dedication and service of Blackwater personnel wounded in action. 10 private security contractors received recognition during the ceremony at Blackwater Worldwide Headquarters in Moyock, North Carolina. Erik Prince, CEO and founder of Blackwater, presented medals and an award certificate to each contractor. More than 300 people attended this ceremony including Blackwater employees, special guests, community members, along with medal recipient’s friends and family members. The guest of honor was WWII veteran, Lt Col. Richard Suehr and his wife Ruth Suehr. The event was a quiet one as this was not a public recognition of sacrifice as the names of the recipients that were honored were not released to the media.

Erik Prince presented “The Blackwater Worldwide Defense of Liberty Medal” to each of the ten independent contractors. The front of the medal features the Blackwater logo, which exemplifies Blackwater’s core values and principles, surrounded by the inscription “Service in Defense of Liberty.” The back of the medal is a rendition of the central stained glass window of the Blackwater Chapel, depicting Michael the Archangel with the raised sword, stepping on the head of evil personified, with the inscription, “Sérviam,” which is Latin for “I will serve.” The Blackwater Worldwide Defense of Liberty Medal recognizes employees and independent contractors of Blackwater Worldwide and other Prince Group companies who are killed, wounded or have demonstrated extraordinary bravery and courage in the service of their country. The medal symbolizes the extraordinary fidelity and essential service of those employees and independent contractors who are an integral part of our nation’s “Total Force,” regardless of whether or not they serve under the Department of Defense and who otherwise contribute to the defense of liberty. “I thank each and every one of you for your many sacrifices and for your distinguished, selfless service,” Erik Prince stated.

These men exhibited extraordinary heroism and sustained serious injury while serving under contract to the United States government and Blackwater Worldwide. Part of their citation read, “Their gallantry, leadership and commitment to mission accomplishment greatly contributed to the success of America’s diplomatic and military efforts to defeat terrorism worldwide. Their services and sacrifices are in keeping with the finest traditions of national service and reflect distinct credit and honor upon their selves, their family, Blackwater Worldwide, The United States of America, and their fellow teammates.” After the ceremony, guests and employees talked and shook the hands of the men who were wounded, offering their words of thanks for their sacrifices. Several award recipients stated they felt honored to be able to come home alive, and served their country. Others stated that it was nice to receive recognition for their battle wounds, but they would rather be with their teams overseas and serve their country again.

Freedom and liberty are not innate rights; they are great gifts that have to be earned, protected and defended at all costs.” President Bush once stated, “….men who knew the cost of freedom and were willing to pay that cost so others could live free.” More than 750 contractors have been killed in Iraq, according to Department of Labor statistics, and almost 8,000 injured. The figures include Americans, Iraqis and other nationalities employed under U.S. government contracts. Many served side by side with American troops, lived in the same harsh conditions, and braved small arms and mortar fire along with roadside bombs. Wounded contractors and military soldiers have similar problems dealing with injuries that include searing grief, difficult recoveries and unanswered questions.