WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- The drop in violence in Iraq was due in large part to a special program the U.S. military used to kill terrorists, a book by journalist Bob Woodward indicated.

ANKARA, Turkey, July 18 (UPI) -- Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Babacan hosted U.S. and Iranian diplomats in Ankara Friday to discuss, among other things, developments in Iraq.

ANKARA, Turkey, July 17 (UPI) -- Turkey, a relatively new player in the game, has stepped up efforts to help resolve the international standoff over Iran's nuclear program, a top official says.

WASHINGTON, July 15 (UPI) -- A GOP lobbyist and fundraiser with close ties to the White House has quit a Homeland Security Department advisory committee following allegations of influence peddling and quid pro quo donations to the Bush presidential library.

WASHINGTON, July 14 (UPI) -- Homeland Security officials are looking into allegations that a member of the department's advisory council offered to arrange meetings with senior administration officials in exchange for a large donation to the Bush presidential library.

WASHINGTON, June 26 (UPI) -- The United States will lift some sanctions against North Korea, now that Pyongyang has taken steps toward denuclearization, a White House aide said Thursday.

WASHINGTON, June 25 (UPI) -- U.S. congressional leaders are pressing the Bush administration to block deals to be signed between the Iraqi federal government and the world's largest oil companies and to cancel deals between the Iraqi Kurdish region and smaller U.S. oil firms.

LONDON, June 15 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush arrived in Britain Sunday to meet with Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Iran and global climate change.

BERLIN, June 9 (UPI) -- When U.S. President George W. Bush visits Europe for the last time in his presidential career this week, no demonstrators will line his path. It's not that Bush all of a sudden has become popular -- he simply is too lame of a duck to be worth the trouble.