August, 2008

• 22 August

  Iraq wants U.S. troops deal to expire in three years

  BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq wants an agreement authorizing the continued presence of U.S. troops on its soil to expire in three years, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Friday.

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• 22 August

  U.S. says hopes for agreement with Iraq soon

  CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) – The White House on Thursday said the United States hoped an agreement extending the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq beyond 2008 would be reached soon.

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• 22 August

  Talk of Russia-Cuba ties seen as warning to U.S.

  HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuba and Russia have stirred memories of their Cold War alliance with recent talk of restoring “traditional” ties in what experts said was a warning to their old adversary, the United States.

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• 22 August

  In Ukraine, a pocket of Russia cheers on the troops

  SEVASTOPOL, Ukraine (Reuters) – Russian flags hung from balconies, many cheered the army sent to fight Georgian troops and the town planned a hero’s welcome for the ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

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• 22 August

  US disputes Russia’s claims of Georgia withdrawal

  Russia has announced its promised troop pullout from Georgia is complete. But Moscow’s definition of a withdrawal falls far short of what its critics are demanding. Russia says it will keep a permanent military presence in a large buffer zone bordering Georgia’s breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Tbilisi …

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• 22 August

  Georgia seeks cash for post-conflict reconstruction

  The Georgian government says it is looking for between one and two billion euros to rebuild after its 10-day border war with Russia. It has cost Tbilisi dear. It has seen Gori wrecked, the military port at Poti destroyed, and airbases and railway lines put out of action.

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• 22 August

  Russia says some NATO cooperation frozen

  MOSCOW (Reuters) – A senior Russian military official confirmed on Friday that Russia’s Defense Ministry had frozen some cooperation with the NATO military alliance and queried the merits of a U.S. Navy operation in the Black Sea.

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• 22 August

  Air strike kills 30 militants in Afghanistan

  HERAT, Afghanistan (Reuters) – U.S.-led coalition forces killed 30 militants, including a Taliban commander, in an air strike in west Afghanistan, the U.S. military said on Friday, but Afghan officials said there were also civilian casualties.

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• 22 August

  Georgia must join NATO: Shevardnadze

  TBILISI (Reuters) – Russia’s military campaign in Georgia has bolstered Georgians’ determination to join NATO, Eduard Shevardnadze, the man who helped end the Cold War and reconcile Moscow with the West, said on Thursday.

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• 22 August

  World Bank to assess damage from Georgia war

  WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A World Bank team will travel to Georgia on Friday to assess economic damage caused by the conflict with Russia and to discuss reconstruction plans, a senior bank official said on Thursday.

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