Transitional National Assembly (TNA) were
held in Iraq on 30 January 2005. Following these elections, the
Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) assumed office. The TNA was
charged with drafting Iraq's permanent constitution, which was
approved in a 15 October 2005 constitutional referendum. An election
under the constitution for a 275-member Council of Representatives
(CoR) was held on 15 December 2005. The CoR approval in the
selection of most of the cabinet ministers on 20 May 2006 marked the
transition from the ITG to Iraq's first constitutional government in
nearly a half-century.

Ireland
Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C.
Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were
finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014.
English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than
seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions
and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched
off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in
independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern
(Ulster) counties remained part of the UK. In 1948 Ireland withdrew
from the British Commonwealth; it joined the European Community in
1973. Irish governments have sought the peaceful unification of
Ireland and have cooperated with Britain against terrorist groups. A
peace settlement for Northern Ireland is being implemented with some
difficulties. In 2006, the Irish and British governments developed
and began working to implement the St. Andrew's Agreement, building
on the Good Friday Agreement approved in 1998.

Isle of Man
Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the
13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the
British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost
extinct Manx Gaelic language. Isle of Man is a British crown
dependency, but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government
remains constitutionally responsible for defense and international
representation.

Israel
Following World War II, the British withdrew from their
mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and
Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently,
the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending
the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories Israel
occ