Iraq's cabinet Nov. 16 approved a security pact with the US that will allow American forces to stay for three years after their UN mandate expires at the end of the year. The decision follows months of negotiations and, pending parliamentary approval, would remove a major point of contention between Baghdad and Washington. Parliament's deputy speaker, Khalid al-Attiyah, said he expected the 275-member legislature to begin debating the document this week and vote on it by Nov 24.

Headlines from Iraq Nov. 12 were dominated by the re-opening of Baghdad's Two Imams Bridge, which links the Sunni district of Adhamiya and the Shi'ite area of Kadhimiya, and had been closed due to sectarian violence since 2005. (E.g. LAT) But on that same day, at least 23 people were killed in a string of attacks across Iraq. In the deadliest single attack of the day, a car bomb exploded, followed by another blast at a bus station in a working class district of Baghdad, killing 12 and wounding 60.

At least 28 people were killed—including women and schoolgirls—and dozens wounded in a triple bombing in a Baghdad market on Nov. 10, the deadliest attack to rock the Iraqi capital in months. The attackers first detonated a car bomb, blowing up a bus full of schoolgirls; minutes later a suicide bomber ran into the resulting crowd and blew himself up. A third explosion around 30 yards from the first two tore through the market moments later.

Via the Assyrian International News Agency (AINA), Nov. 4:

The Iraqi parliament voted on Monday, November 3rd on the issue of reserved seats for the Assyrians, Yezidies, Shabaks and Mandeans. The final vote of the Iraqi parliament is a huge disappointment for the mentioned communities in Iraq.

From the Iraq Freedom Congress (IFC), Nov. 6:

A letter to Mr. Barack Obama on his election as President of the United States of America
Greetings...
On behalf of the Iraq Freedom Congress, I would like to congratulate you on your success as President-Elect of the United States of America and say that we hope this can be the start of a new phase of U.S. policy toward the world, and Iraq in particular.

Two Iraqi insurgent groups called on president-elect Barack Obama to withdraw US forces from Iraq, an Internet monitoring service reported Nov. 7. Abu Omar al-Baghdadi of the Islamic State of Iraq said it would be better "for you and us" to "withdraw your forces," according to the SITE Intelligence Group. "You do not interfere in the affairs of our countries," he continued in an apparent reference to Muslim nations. "We, in turn, will not prevent commerce with you, whether it is in oil or otherwise."

A statement from the General Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq (GFWCUI), Oct. 27:

In Basra Thousands of Workers Take to the Street Against the Government Anti-Workers Policy
In a coordination effort with the Labor Unifying Bureau, thousands of workers from various industrial sectors took to the streets of Basra on October 27, 2008 marching towards the municipal building where the officials offices to denounce the ministry of Finance decrees that resulted in massive cut backs in workers salaries.

A statement from the Iraq Freedom Congress, Oct. 19:

Thousands of Workers Took To the Street against the Minister of Finance
US Troops and National Guards Surround the Event While the Labor Leaders Deliver Their Speeches
In a series of demonstrations led by workers of the Ministry of Industry against the Minister of Finance and government decisions that intend workers salaries cut back under terms of the International Monetary Fund, a massive demonstration was organized today October 19, 2008 in Firdaus Square in Baghdad, where thousands of workers have participated.