Japan's House of Councillors passed a bill Nov. 28 to end the nation's air force mission in Iraq. Japan withdrew its ground troops from Iraq in July 2006, but a Japanese unit stationed in Kuwait still provides air support for the Multi-National Force-Iraq. The bill, which passed 133-103, is supported primarily by the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)—and is not expected to pass the more powerful House of Representatives, dominated by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). (Jurist, Nov. 28)

Masked gunmen reportedly stormed the family home of a journalist associated with Saddam Hussein's party and critical of the Iraqi government, killing 11 relatives as they ate breakfast in a Baghdad neighborhood known as a Shi'ite militia stronghold Nov. 26. Dhia al-Kawaz, editor of the Asawat al-Iraq news agency, was in Jordan when his two sisters, their husbands and seven children aged 5 to 10 were slain in north Baghdad's Shaab district. The agency's Web site reported witnesses saying more than five masked men broke into the home and opened fire, then planted a bomb inside. The Interior Ministry said it had no information about the attack, and local police refused to comment. (AP, Nov. 27)

Both Sunni and Shi'ite opposition groups are criticizing the "declaration of principles" on long-term ties signed by US and Iraqi leaders Nov. 26, charging it would lead to "US interference for years to come." The Iraqi parliament will have to approve the agreement signed separately by President Bush and Prime Minister Nouri Maliki on Monday. The agreement sets a July 31, 2008 target date to formalize US-Iraq relations beyond the expiration of the renewable UN mandate authorizing the presence of US-led multinational forces in Iraq. The Sunni Association of Muslim Scholars said the Iraqi signatories would be looked on a "collaborators with the occupier." (BBC, Nov. 27)

At least 27 women have died in "honor killings" over the past four months in Kurdish Iraq, an official from the regional government said Nov. 26. Aziz Mohammed, human rights minister in the Kurdish administration, said 10 of the murdered women were from Arbil, 11 from Dohuk and six from Sulaimaniyah—the three provinces making up the Kurdish region. "We can say that the violence against women continues" in Iraqi Kurdistan, Mohammed said. He also said 97 women had attempted suicide by self-immolation during those four months.

Retired Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, former US commander in Iraq, gave the Democratic Party's weekly Saturday radio address Nov. 24, calling Bush's Iraq adventure a failure—while emphasizing he was not representing the party. Said Sanchez: "That failure continues today. At its base is the mistaken belief, despite years of evidence to the contrary, that victory can be achieved through the application of military power alone." The former commander is backing congressional Democrats who want $50 billion in additional war funding linked to the goal of US withdrawal by the end of next year. That legislation was blocked by Senate Republicans who want $70 billion for the war without conditions. Democrats voted down that measure, and no additional funds were approved before Congress left for its Thanksgiving break. (VOA, Nov. 24)

US Rear Admiral Gregory Smith accused Iran-backed "special groups" of being behind the bombing of a Baghdad pet market, which left 15 dead and 55 wounded Nov. 22. Two bombs hidden in a cardboard bird box exploded simultaneously at al-Ghazl market while it was crowded with people. The market's recent re-opening was hailed as sign of returning normalcy in Baghdad. "In raids overnight, Iraqi and coalition forces were able to identify and detain four members of a militia extremist group we assess as responsible for this horrific act of indiscriminate violence," Smith said. "Based on subsequent confessions, forensics and other intelligence, the bombing was the work of an Iranian-backed special groups cell operating here in Baghdad." However, Smith said there was "no evidence that the Iranian government ordered the attack."

From the New York Times, Nov. 21:

The American military is sending an Iraqi photographer for The Associated Press it accuses of aiding the insurgency into Iraq’s criminal justice system, according to the American authorities and The A.P.

Just as the Kurdistan crisis seemed to be de-escalating, come reports in the Turkish press that Turkish warplanes bombed three villages frequented by PKK guerillas in Iraqi territory near the border town of Zakho in pre-dawn raids Nov. 13. Officials are full of denials. Said Turkey's air force chief, General Aydogan Babaoglu: "Turkish air force planes have not engaged in any action across the border. There was no such thing. These reports are completely baseless." Said Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan: "All the operations that have taken place have been within the borders of Turkey, there have been no cross-border operations." Said Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell: "As far as we know, there were no cross border operations... no air strikes, as had been reported." But Jamal Abdallah, a spokesman for the Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq, was more equivocal: "Yesterday evening Turkish planes dropped flares on border areas near Zakho. We do not know the reason why they dropped flares. There was no air strike or bombing. But an abandoned police outpost was shelled."