BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — At a recent kindergarten graduation ceremony, young girls smiled behind their brightly colored princess dresses and the boys showed off their best dress shirts. They sipped on juice boxes, played on swings and jumped on and off seesaws.

It was a welcome relief from the war that surrounds them. But when these 5-year-olds spoke, it became apparent just how much the ongoing violence has affected them.

“I’m going to bomb, bomb, bomb the school with everybody in it,” said Omar Hussein, as he clutched a pink toy airplane. Read more

Obama Makes Vow to End Iraq Conflict

A woman’s tearful plea to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) to end the Iraq war momentarily caught him off guard Friday at a New Hampshire town hall meeting.
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6 suspects detained in Sadr City (Iraq) raid

Iraqi and U.S. forces detained six suspects in a raid and an airstrike Saturday on the Shiite slum of Sadr City that left one fighter dead and another wounded, the U.S. military said.

The raid was aimed at capturing the leader of an illegally armed group of more than 100 people suspected in kidnappings, killings, illegal checkpoints, rocket attacks and bombings against security forces and civilians in northeastern Baghdad, according to a statement. Read more