Blog post

News Summary 10 July 2008
Posted by IAVA Staff on July 10

Today's News Summary

Iraq

The Bush administration's quest for a deal with Iraq that would formally authorize an unlimited American troop presence there well beyond President Bush's tenure appears to be unraveling. U.S. troops in Iraq are facing new rocket-propelled bombs used by suspected Shiite militiamen, adding to the array of weapons used against the American military there. Iraqi security officials say a suicide car bomber has killed at least two people and wounded at least four others in western Baghdad. Iraq's combat troops will be almost fully formed by the middle of 2009, according to the senior U.S. Army officer who led the training of Iraqi security forces. Violence claimed the lives of at least 20 Iraqis on Wednesday, including eight who were killed in a suicide attack against Iraq's top military commander. Security developments in Iraq on Thursday.

Afghanistan

From a desert outpost northwest of Las Vegas, elite fighter pilots journey to a war zone in Afghanistan, some 7,500 miles away. NATO's commander in Afghanistan has asked the alliance to send surveillance planes to the country to help the battle against insurgents, an official said on Thursday. Pakistan's government has reached a new peace agreement aimed at stopping a militant group from threatening the northwestern city Peshawar.

Washington

A House panel Thursday approved six measures to overhaul health care services administered by the Veterans Affairs Department. A bill aimed at helping low-income veterans avoid homelessness passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday by a 214-9 vote. Families of service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan will no longer be slapped with a bill if the member owed money to the Veterans Affairs Department for education benefits he never got a chance to use.

Other Military News

Iran tested more missiles in the Gulf on Thursday, state media said, and the United States reminded Tehran that it was ready to defend its allies. If, someday, there are T-shirts sold in Iraq that read, "the United States invaded our country and all we got were these crappy tanks," here is the explanation for what happened. An American soldier who refused to re-deploy to Iraq was granted a last-ditch reprieve from deportation Wednesday.Â Delaware is about to make history for military children when it becomes the 10th state to sign an interstate compact that could dramatically improve educational opportunities and transitions for military kids on the move.

GI Bill

Just a week after President Bush signed off on a new GI Bill, Ohio has upped the ante by announcing that it will offer in-state tuition rates to those who attend college in the Buckeye State.