The retired general who commanded the US Army’s 3rd Infantry Division when its tanks led the charge to Baghdad in 2003 says the initial war planning was flawed and probably contributed to the drawn-out conflict with insurgents in Iraq.

The US army has extended the deployment of thousands of soldiers in Iraq because of the increased attacks on coalition forces, dashing hopes the troops would be home by September.

ABOUT 250 leading Iraqis from across the political and ethnic spectrum held a US-sponsored meeting yesterday to launch a new democratic era after the end of Saddam Hussein’s rule.

Iraqi civilians have torn up and spat at portraits of Saddam Hussein in multiple acts against the Saddam regime in Baghdad today.