Iraq Condemns Syria Raid; Seeks Renegotiation of Security Accord

Iraqi government spokesman Ali Dabbagh on Tuesday backed off his earlier support for the US raid into Syria. He said that the Iraqi constitution forbids third parties to use Iraq as a staging ground for attacks on other countries. It is not clear whether Dabbagh was just issuing a pro forma condemnation or whether the Shiite government in Baghdad has gotten new information suggesting that the raid was problematic in some way. Ordinarily the al-Maliki government is delighted to see Sunni fundamentalist guerrillas targeted.

Daniel Levy has further insights on the US raid into Syria.

Aljazeera English provides amateur video of the US raid into Syria, along with Syrian official reaction.



Turkey launched air strikes against Kurdish guerrillas of the PKK based in northern Iraq.

McClatchy reports that the Iraqi cabinet has made some changes in the draft security agreement with the Bush administration. US officials are quoted as saying it is unlikely Washington will accept the changes. The cabinet members in Baghdad are convinced that without these changes, parliament will reject the agreement. One new provision gives Iraq authorities the right to decide whether a US GI accused of wrong-doing was on- or off-duty at the time. (On-duty US soldiers would have immunity from prosecution in Iraqi courts; off-duty ones would not).

The Red Cross warns of a growing humanitarian crisis in Iraq, much of which lacks clean water.

Iraqi trash may, when burned, be releasing toxic elements, harming the public.