top news - "iraq"

U.S. diplomats will begin moving into the mammoth new, heavily fortified embassy in Baghdad next month after long delays in the $736 million project - and not a moment too soon.

Ryan Crocker, U.S. ambassador to iraq, says that progress is being made in iraq, but he warns of Iranian attempts to influence iraq through militia groups. This week, Crocker and Gen. David Petraeus testified on Capitol Hill about the state of the Iraqi government.

As the curfew on Sadr City was set to be lifted, a Moqtada al-Sadr associate is killed, threatening Shi'ite violence

Abu Haider is the leader of a Mahdi army cell in Sadr City. His best friend from childhood, Hassan, works for iraq's national police. The story of their complex friendship shows the difficulty for U.S. and Iraqi forces to disentangle the 'good guys' from the 'bad guys' in the militant stronghold.

As Petraeus and Crocker offer sober assessments of iraq, one question arises: Why is the war's cost being transferred to future generations?

A relative and key follower of radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr is shot dead in the Iraqi city of Najaf.

U.S.-backed Sunni neighborhood watches are eager to become official members of the Iraqi security forces. The United States is spending millions to retrain the former insurgents, hoping to keep them productive members of society.

One of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's senior aides was assassinated Friday in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf, officials said.

President also says he plans to attend Olympics to support athletes.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday that he is confident the United States will have fewer troops in iraq next year.