Secretary of State John Kerry said he “made it very clear” to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki in a face-to-face meeting that “overflights from Iran” of Iraqi territory en route to Syria are ruining Iraq’s credibility as a viable US partner. Briefing reporters on March 24 during his visit to Baghdad—less than one week after the 10th anniversary of Operation Iraqi Freedom’s start—Kerry said he had a “very spirited discussion” with Maliki in which he emphasized that such overflights “are, in fact, helping to sustain” Syrian President Bashar al Assad’s regime, something that the United States considers “problematic.” Kerry said he told Maliki that “there are members of Congress and people in America who increasingly are watching what Iraq is doing and wondering how it is that a partner in the efforts for democracy and a partner for whom Americans feel they have tried so hard to be helpful . . . can be, in fact, doing something that makes it more difficult to achieve our common goals.” Kerry said he remained hopeful the two countries would “be able to make some progress on this.” (Kerry transcript)
LIVE: Caine Leads Global Toast to the Doolittle Raiders
April 17, 2026
Continuing a 80-year-long Air Force tradition started by Gen. Jimmy Doolittle and his fellow Raiders in 1946, the Air & Space Forces Association, Air Force and Space Force units, and AFA members around the world are raising a glass to the anniversary of the legendary Doolittle Raid.