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The cemetery in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf, called the Valley of Peace, holds the remains of millions. It's the coveted final resting place for Shiite Muslims from around the globe. The site is considered auspicious because it is next to the tomb of Imam Ali, the Prophet Muhammad's son-in-law and the man Shiites believe to be his true heir.
Two female suicide bombers strike crowded pet markets in the deadliest day in Baghdad in months.
A clearer picture of troop levels may come when Gen. David Petraeus briefs lawmakers in the spring.
January 31, 2008 · The American military is trying to improve conditions at Camp Bucca, a prison camp in southern Iraq, including its family visitation program. They see the effort as an opportunity to win over the most disaffected Iraqis and the people closest to them.
Health Care
January 31, 2008 · Concussions and other minor head injuries may have long-lasting implications for soldiers injured in Iraq. New research indicates a very high rate of these soldiers later experience post traumatic stress disorder.
January 31, 2008 · The city of Najaf is poised to become a center of political and economic power as other cities in Iraq languish. But some Iraqis are wary of Iran's influence in the Shiite holy city.
World
January 29, 2008 · Iraqi officials have sent more military equipment to the northern city of Mosul to help stabilize the area. Meanwhile, five more U.S. soldiers were killed there Monday. Can anything get al-Qaida out of the city?
January 29, 2008 · Iraqis have fanned out across the world to escape violence at home. Many women say they were the targets of militias intent on imposing a fundamentalist brand of Islam.
January 29, 2008 · Most everyone in Iraq has suffered because of violence, but the lives of women have been, perhaps, affected the most. Women's rights groups report that in the past six months, more than 100 women have been killed in the city of Basra for wearing make-up or what is deemed Western clothing.
January 29, 2008 · Baghdad may be calmer, but in many outlying areas of Iraq, insurgents pose a persistent threat. One Army unit's offensive against al-Qaida fighters in a village along the Tigris River highlights new efforts to secure rural Iraq.
January 27, 2008 · The U.S. military surge in Iraq has brought American soldiers to parts of the country where they haven't operated much in the past — areas that had become sanctuaries for insurgent groups.
January 24, 2008 · A "declaration of principles" that sets the foundation for the future of America's involvement in Iraq is raising questions on Capitol Hill about how long the U.S. commitment there will last.
January 23, 2008 · Despite security improvements in Baghdad, wounds are hard to heal, and fears of more sectarian bloodshed remain. Two years ago, as thousands of Shiite pilgrims crossed the bridge over the Tigris River, gunfire sparked panic and a stampede that killed more than 900 people. The bridge has been closed since then.
January 23, 2008 · In 2004, the battle for Fallujah came at a huge cost. Many of the al-Qaida militants escaped to fight another day, and Fallujah was largely destroyed. The United States had promised that reconstruction would begin immediately. It didn't. But it is happening now.
January 18, 2008 · Iraqi ground forces say their units are under strength and that better weapons are needed. They say they need U.S. to stay for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Iraq's minister of defense doesn't have much positive to say about Iraq's army either.