War on Terror - Iraq in 'civil war' as US on alert

Heightened security: Terror alerts in Boston

A new US report describes key elements in Iraq as tantamount to “Civil War”, Sky News has reported. Only a few segments of the report have emerged so far but it paints a grim picture as to how the US might turn the chaotic situation in the country around [BBC]. Also connected with America’s war on terror was a statement from US Defense Secretary Robert Gates which stated that the US was not planning for a war with Iran. Meanwhile Afghanistan saw renewed violence today with Taleban militants taking over the town of Musa Qala in the south of the country [BBC]. In Washington, there was a security alert near to the White House after a sniffer dog found something suspicious. But within 30 minutes of reports emerging, the all-clear was given. It comes two days after a terror alert in Boston shutdown parts of the city. That was due to a ‘guerrilla marketing campaign’. Several devices, which later turned out to be electronic boards displaying a cartoon character, were recovered by police. Some were initially destroyed in controlled explosions [Fox News].
A UK court is currently locking horns with the US over a tape said to be cockpit video from a US plane involved in a ‘friendly fire’ incident. The tape which had earlier been reported not to exist, later fell into the hands of the coroner overseeing the inquest of Matty Hull. He was in a convoy of tanks when they were hit by US fighter jets. Matty Hull was killed and four others were killed in the incident which occurred over four years ago. The US are refusing to release the tape [BBC].