Maliki rejects nomination of Al-Abadi for prime minister
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has resisted calls from the U.S. to relinquish power as three candidates, including President Fouad Massoum's nominee, vie for the position. Maliki on Sunday threatened legal challenges against Massoum for not nominating him. Separately, countries are offering weapons to Iraqi Kurds, who retook two towns after U.S. airstrikes on Islamic State militants. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (8/11), Bloomberg (8/11), The Associated Press (8/11)
Iraq Nominates New Leader as Defiant Maliki Musters Troops
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/12/world/middleeast/iraq.html?_r=0
Kerry Pulls U.S. Support for Maliki as Militants Gain
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-10/obama-s-call-for-new-iraq-government-suffers-setback.html
APNewsBreak: US sending arms to Kurds in Iraq
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_UNITED_STATES_IRAQ