Blair, however, stopped short of a full apology for the war, saying, "I find it hard to apologise for removing Saddam. I think, even from today in 2015, it is better that he's not there than that he is there."=
Two youth, who returned from Iraq, have said that militants there were usually 'soft' on Indians, at least as compared to Pakistanis.
On his first full day in office, President Barack Hussein Obama is set to roll out his new war strategy as he chairs a crucial meeting of his top military and national security advisers today at the White House.
But David Kay, who quit as chief weapons inspector, cleared the White House of using US intelligence agencies to build a case for war by creating a false impression of Saddam's WMD.
India's imports from Russia rose 64 per cent to $36.27 billion during the April-October period this fiscal on higher shipments of crude oil and fertiliser, according to the commerce ministry data. With this, Russia has become India's second-largest import source during the first seven months of this fiscal. The imports were $22.13 billion during April-October 2022.
More than 180 Indians returned early Monday from Basrah on a special flight of Iraqi Airways, taking the number of people who have come back from conflict-hit Iraq to over 3,500.
Among the dead were several women and children, the sources added.
'As we approach the elections, every effort must be made to provide incentives for the various Iraqi groups to participate in a national reconciliation process,' said UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
The minister's visit will also give India an opportunity to have first-hand assessment of evolving security situation in that region.
The CIA's bleak assessment was in sharp contrast to the optimistic picture painted by President George W Bush.
Addressing a join press conference with British PM Gordon Brown, US President Bush said that failure in Iran would send a message to the world that the US cannot be counted upon. He added that it was important to succeed in Iraq to defeat the Al Qaeda and to thwart Iran's 'ambitions' of acquiring nuclear weapons. Bush and Gordon both dismissed speculation that the relationship between the two was not as 'special' as that between Bush and former British PM Tony Blair.
Sabawi Ibrahim al-Hassan was number 36 on the US list of most wanted officials of the Saddam regime in Iraq.
Indian companies could get major sub-contracts in Iraq reconstruction projects worth $20 billion next year, according to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.\n\n\n\n
If parliament approves the request, Turkey would become the first major Muslim nation to contribute troops for the American campaign in Iraq.
Reports indicate that the US may hand over Fallujah to the newly formed Iraqi army.
Diego Maradona is on the brink of becoming coach of Iraq and wants to take the country to the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil, Argentine agent Hernan Tofoni said on Thursday.
The minister is expected to bring back the bodies by Monday.
Early indications put interim prime minister Iyad Allawi's outfit in second place with about 18.4% in the partial count.
The Booker Prize-winning author wants people to join a "non-violent resistance against a very violent occupation."
The families of nurses stranded in war-torn Iraq hint that they have been moved to Mosul; New Delhi says it's in touch with the nurses. Vicky Nanjappa reports
The country's new 275-member parliament also chose Shiite Islamist Adel Abdel Mahdi and outgoing Sunni president Ghazi al-Yawar as Talabani's deputies.
The Al Qaeda has called for a boycott of next month's elections in Iraq and endorsed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as his deputy in the country, according to an audiotape broadcast by Aljazeera.
Whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks has released nearly 400,000 secret American documents on Iraq war, calling it the "largest classified military leak in history", despite Pentagon's warning that it could endanger informants and reveal war strategy.
An ABCNEWS/Washington Post poll revealed that the US president's job approval rating fell to 50 per cent.
- Iraq's footballers brought a ray of comfort to the war-torn country by upsetting Portugal 4-2 in their opening game of the Olympic men's soccer tournament.
Iraq has been the scene of bitter battles and bloodshed for years, but the poignant photos you will see here show how life has moved on for Iraqis.
'It will make the world more peaceful and more secure,' he said.
As Iraq moves forward on the path of reconstruction and economic revival with the end of war and withdrawal of American forces from the country, it is expected to grow much faster than the two Asian giants, India and China, US President Barack Obama said on Monday.
Japan survived early pressure from Zico's Iraq to beat them 1-0 at home on Tuesday, taking a significant step towards qualifying for the 2014 soccer World Cup in Brazil.
Rediff.com takes a look at the most haunting images of the war that changed the destiny of two nations.
