Charles Recknagel is standards editor for RFE/RL.
Saddam at his arraignment Saddam Hussein's arraignment on crimes against humanity has riveted the world's attention and observers and analysts continue today to consider how his court appearance went. But almost lost in all the attention on the former Iraqi leader are the 11 other top regime figures who also came before the judge yesterday. Reporters in the courtroom say that where Saddam was sometimes combative, his aides mostly sought to be self-effacing, as charges were brought against them. RFE/RL correspondent Charles Recknagel reports.
Saddam Hussein appeared before an Iraqi tribunal today and was charged with crimes against humanity. The proceedings took place under tight security and marked the first time Hussein has appeared in public since his capture by U.S. troops on 13 December 2004. As RFE/RL reports, today's arraignment is a key moment for Iraq's sovereign government, which officially took power early this week. The new government is looking to Hussein's trial to help build its strength and legitimacy in the eyes of the Iraqi public.
Reaction and comment continues to come in from world leaders following Washington's early transfer of political power to the Iraqi government yesterday. The reaction is favorable but, in many cases, stops short of U.S. assertions that Iraqis are now fully in charge of their own affairs.
With Washington's transfer of sovereignty today, Iraq's party leaders will get what they most want. That is, a mandate to run Iraq's civil affairs without oversight from the outgoing U.S.-led occupation authority. But will this freedom contribute to Iraq's stability or merely open the way for increased factional feuding? RFE/RL correspondent Charles Recknagel looks at the challenges in the first of a five-part series on Iraq's gaining sovereignty.
Many capitals are welcoming Washington's handover of power today to the new Iraqi government. The handover took place in a lightning ceremony in Baghdad after being moved forward two days from the widely expected date of 30 June. RFE/RL correspondent Charles Recknagel reports.
Kim Sun-il's family grieves his death In a little more than a month, three hostages have been decapitated in Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The almost identical pattern of the murders suggests that some extremist groups see beheading as a new weapon of choice in their war of terror against Washington and its allies. But why do they choose this particularly gruesome method?
Iran has seized three small British patrol boats and their eight crew members near its border with Iraq. Tehran says the boats entered its waters illegally, but Britain says they were in the area on a routine mission to train Iraqi police. There is no indication yet of whether or when the British boats and crew will be released.
Two car bombings that killed 41 people in the Baghdad region on 17 June highlight the fast pace of insurgent attacks as the 30 June handover date nears. Both the incoming sovereign Iraqi government and U.S. officials are vowing to improve security, but the next two weeks could see escalating threats.
Tehran is threatening to resume uranium enrichment if the UN's nuclear watchdog agency passes a resolution criticizing Iran for poor cooperation in opening its program to international inspection. The threat raises tension levels as the International Atomic Energy Agency meets this week in Vienna amid U.S. charges that Iran is seeking the capability to develop nuclear weapons.
Muqtada al-Sadr (file photo) There are increasing signs that radical Shi'a cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is evolving from an outlaw into a possibly influential politician. The cleric today ordered most of his armed supporters out of the southern Iraqi city of Al-Najaf. The possible end to the standoff in the Shi'a shrine city comes as Washington said yesterday it would not block a political role for al-Sadr in the future.
Plans for putting Saddam Hussein on trial are advancing as Iraq's prime minister says the United States will hand over the former leader to Baghdad within two weeks. But many questions about the trial remain, including when it will be held, how the Iraqi government will ensure security, and whether the proceedings will be internationally monitored to guarantee fairness.
Insurgents have attacked the Iraqi security force entrusted with keeping the peace in Al-Fallujah. The attack is surprising because the security force already includes some insurgents in its own ranks as part of the deal to end fighting with U.S. troops two months ago.
The United Nations has unanimously approved a resolution endorsing the upcoming U.S. handover of power to a sovereign Iraqi government. But will the transfer of sovereignty help to quell Iraqi insurgencies?
Al-Mahdi Army fighters (file photo) Iraq's interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi says almost all of the country's powerful militias have agreed to disarm and that their members will either go into state-controlled security services or return to civilian life. If fully implemented, the deal could mark a major step forward for efforts to rebuild Iraq as a civil society.
There are signs of progress toward ending the uprising by supporters of radical Shi'a cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in Al-Najaf even as the current truce there is repeatedly broken. Shi'a religious and political parties appear close to a new deal with al-Sadr that could see his supporters and U.S. forces withdraw from the shrine city soon.
The new prime minister, Iyad Allawi Iraq's new leaders have formed a government that includes new heads for many ministries. But like the president and prime minister, those in charge of the most powerful ministries are people closely linked to the outgoing U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council.
Differences appear to have broken out between the United States and Britain over how much political control a sovereign Iraqi government should have over foreign troops. British Prime Minister Tony Blair says sovereignty means foreign troops would need the Iraqi government's consent to launch attacks against insurgents in towns such as Al-Fallujah. But top U.S. officials say American troops must retain the authority to take actions to ensure security and defend themselves.
Shortly after the fall of Saddam Hussein, RFE/RL visited a school in Baghdad to learn how its teachers and students viewed the events. Now, as Iraq prepares for a sovereign post-Saddam government on 30 June, we returned to the school to ask again how much, or how little, life has changed.
The United States already has invested billions of dollars in Iraq's reconstruction and allocated many times that amount for future work. But the pace of change in Iraq has been fitful.
The assassination of the head of the Iraqi Governing Council has focused new attention on a body that is often said to have limited powers and popularity. How significant is the U.S.-appointed council, and why was it singled out for attack by insurgents now, just weeks before it is due to be dissolved?
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