The Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is on the first-ever visit by an Iranian leader to Iraq.  Mr Ahmadinejad has received a ceremonial welcome to Baghdad and met the Iraqi president Jalal Talabani, who has described the visit as historic.  He says his trip marks a new chapter in relations, two decades after the end of their bitter war.  Iraqi prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, says the landmark visit is a signal to neighbouring Arab countries to boost their ties with Baghdad.  伊朗總統艾哈邁迪內賈德展開在伊拉克首都巴格達的歷史性訪問獲得紅地氈式歡迎，他先後與伊拉克總統塔拉巴尼及總理馬利基會面形容此行揭開兩伊關係新篇章，有利區內合作。兩伊在八十年代爆發八年激戰造成一百萬人喪生，艾哈邁迪內賈德是近三十年來首位到訪巴格達的伊朗國家元首，標誌伊朗擴大在伊拉克的影響力。 

Ahmadinejad Begins Landmark Visit  3/02  SB120444577777405861
Ahmadinejad's Iraq Trip Highlights Iran's Influence  3/01  SB120442309397905803
ElBaradei's Real Agenda  2/26  SB120397682815491767  SB120389990086289395
Ahmadinejad Wants U.S. to Apologize  2/23  SB120369149245585841
Iranians Scheme to Elude Sanctions  2/13  SB120286605982864009

Read more on Nuclear Standoff with Iran

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Read more on Gaza conflict

Palestinian Leader Halts Talks With Israel  3/03  SB120439078455105597
The Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has formally suspended all contacts with Israel in protest against its strikes on the Gaza Strip (3/01-02) that have killed nearly 70 people.  He says the Israeli government bears sole responsibility for hindering the peace process.  Israel says it's acting in self-defence to curb constant cross-border rocket attacks by militants and has threatened to intensify its ground and air campaign despite allegations it's using excessive force.

George W Bush makes his first visit to Israel and the West Bank as president (1/08-16), visiting seven Mideast countries in his effort to advance peace between Israelis and Palestinians and to rally Gulf Arabs against Iran. The president promised the Saudis and other Gulf countries more arms, while praising their modest progress towards giving their people more of a democratic say. 

President Bush says "there's a hope" that as a result of his conversations this week with Saudi King Abdullah, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries "would be encouraged to authorize an increase in [oil] production."  1/16  SB120038045873090955
Bush announced a sale of sophisticated arms to Saudi Arabia.  The deal for smart-bomb technology is part of a USD20bln package to three Gulf states and is an important element in the US's strategy against Iran.  Washington and its allies are using a probe into a 1994 terrorist attack in Argentina that killed 85 to keep pressure on the Iranian regime.  1/15  SB120036443529090243
In Iran Reversal, Bureaucrats Triumphed Over Cheney Team  1/14  SB120027737099687613
Bush, on Mideast Trip, Shifts Focus to 'Justice'  1/14  SB120022706687586625
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will meet today (1/15) for what Abbas called the most serious peace talks in seven years on sensitive issues.
Bush Faces Wall of Arab Ire   SB120002441257983219
Bush Meets With Abbas, Predicts Completion of Peace Treaty by 2009  1/10
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Bush aims to revive mideast peace talks though emphasis has shifted from a deal before he leaves office to a "vision" for a future Palestinian state.  Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed to begin work on "final-status" issues of a peace agreement.  Curbing Iran's regional ambitions will loom large after a stand-off last Sunday (1/06) in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.  In Tehran (1/11) UN atomic watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei discusses Iran's nuclear ambitions on a visit coinciding with Bush's Mideast trip.  Iran promised (1/13) the chief UN nuclear inspector that it would answer remaining questions about its past atomic activities wihtin one month.  SB119987847325777815 
Rockets from Lebanon Strike Israel Ahead of Bush's Visit  1/08 SB119978257160674519
Bush May Add Lebanon, Iraq To Stops on Trip 1/05 SB119948460221168549
U.S. Officials Differ Over Iran  2007/12/26  SB119862996947649885
美國總統喬治布殊星期二啟程出訪中東多國，包括首度到訪以色列及巴勒斯坦會唔以巴領袖。布殊在每周電台講話表示，會鼓勵以巴解決棘手問題從而達成和平協議，他對中東前景感到樂觀；布殊又說，會敦促阿拉伯領袖支持以巴談判、抗衡伊朗的侵略野心，又指中東和平對反恐戰成敗至關重要。布殊此行亦會在以色列會晤中東特使貝理雅，之後轉往科威特、巴林、阿聯酋、沙特阿拉伯與埃及。

Arab nations, including Syria, endorsed the head of Lebanon's army as that nation's president, raising hopes a political crisis will end soon.  (2008/1/06)

2006nov06 Saddam Hussein is sentenced to death by hanging. He is found guilty of crimes against humanity for the execution of 148 Shiite men and boys from the town of Dujail.
2003dec13 Iraq's deposed leader Saddam Hussein is captured by American troops. The former dictator was found hiding in a hole near his hometown of Tikrit and surrendered without a fight.
2003apr09 The fall of Baghdad.
2003mar19 President Bush declares war on Iraq.
2002jan29 In President George W. Bush's state of the union speech, he identifies Iraq, along with Iran and North Korea, as an "axis of evil." 

War in Iraq

1991feb24–28 Ground forces invade Kuwait and Iraq, vanquish the Iraqi army, and liberate Kuwait. President George H. W. Bush declares a cease-fire on the fourth day.
1991jan16-17 The Persian Gulf War begins when Operation Desert Storm launched by a U.S.-led coalition of 32 countries under the leadership of U.S. Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf.
1990aug02 Iraqi troops invade Kuwait. Saddam Hussein justifies the attack by blaming Kuwait for falling oil prices that harm the Iraqi economy.
1988aug20 Iran-Iraq war ends in a stalemate. An estimated 1.5 million died in the conflict.
1980sept22 The bloody eight-year Iran-Iraq war begins. The main issue is control of the Shatt al Arab waterway, an essential resource providing for water and transportation that runs along the border of both countries.

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