The all-encompassing headline of the year:

Iraq, Saudi Arabia restore ties, two hostages executed, aircraft strike house in Fallujah

Saudi Arabia and Iraq restored diplomatic ties after a 13-year hiatus, as militants executed two hostages and threatened a third and unidentified warplanes struck a house in Fallujah.

A national conference billed as a milestone towards democracy in Iraq was meanwhile postponed from Saturday to mid-August at the request of the UN, which said it wanted more time to involve groups reluctant to attend, officials said.

NATO diplomats failed to resolve differences over the alliance's pledge to train Iraqi security forces, but officials said a breakthrough could come on Friday.

There *might* be a connection between these events and the possibility of neighbouring states providing troops.

maybe. might be. possibly.

/sarcasm off.