Iraq

(AFP) A summary article looking at Turkey's recent threats to the Kurds. Takeaway: "Turkey is not bluffing."

(I'm really not sure of the underlying politics. In May, you have the Islamic backed Erdogan likely to rewin PM, but the powerful generals and much of the population (300,000 protest) want a return to more secularism. So, is the growing talk about Iraqi Kurds a preelection ploy to undermine Erdogan?)

(Iraqslogger) Petraeus' letter to the troops about the deployment extensions.

(WaPo) US holds 18,000 Detainees in Iraq. ("The average stay in these detention centers is about a year.")

(WaPo) A long article on a contractor's shooting of civilians and the questions of what law, if any, cover contractors.

(Reuters) A senior Sadr official, "Our withdrawal from the government is now inevitable and might take place in a matter of days."

(AP) Two British helicopters crashed in midair killing two Brits north of Baghdad near Taji. "I can't talk about the particular mission they were involved in, but we do have units operating as part of the coalition across Iraq."