Thread: Iraq/Dinar News up until March 18th Midnight ctz

Originally Posted by mewannapeg

IraqSide:Media
Daily Column
Iraqi Papers Mon: A Parliament on Vacation
Paper Critiques the Perks of Iraq's Deputies
By AMER MOHSEN Posted 1 hr. 45 min. ago
Az-Zaman
Az-Zaman
“A parliament of vacations and privileges” was Az-Zaman’s headline on Monday. The Iraqi newspaper published a critical review of the perks granted to Iraqi deputies and reiterated criticisms concerning the performance of the People’s representatives. The Iraqi deputies are currently enjoying a week-long vacation, in celebration of the Norouz (the Persian New Year, celebrated by Kurds and Zaraostrian minorities in Iraq.) The Norouz vacation follows a month-long halt in the activity of the Iraqi parliament, due to a succession of religious holidays. In addition to that, Az-Zaman said that sources had leaked that a “secret” session of the parliament last Saturday was in fact devoted to discussing the compensations and retirement packages of MPs.

What exacerbates the situation further, Az-Zaman reported, is the fact that many Iraqi deputies do not reside in Iraq, preferring the safety and comfort of neighboring capitals, “while the people toils in crises,” said a citizen interviewed by the paper. Other interviewees were outraged that the parliament can hardly achieve the quorum when it comes to discussing urgent and critical matters, but “when it came to (their) salaries and privileges,” the session was held with haste and efficacy.

The secretary-general of an association called “the coalition for democracy”, Raheem al-Sa'idi, went as far as to proclaim that sectarianism and patronage have voided the democratic process in Iraq. Al-Sa'idi argued that deputies can bluntly disregard their duties since they face no form of popular accountability, due to the “political deals, sectarianism and consociationalism; which have undermined real democracy in Iraq.”

On the other hand, a spokesman of the parliament told Az-Zaman that the rumors regarding Saturday’s session are false; claiming that the deputies were actually discussing “sensitive” issues that could not be made public.

Al-Mada published an op-ed by Jaleel Wadi discussing the new project to build a “trans-sectarian” front in Iraq, which aims to undermine the existing sectarian coalitions and the current cabinet. Wadi expressed suspicions as to the motives of the promoters of the “national front,” and supported al-Maliki’s policies. Wadi went as far as to identify the “political process” in Iraq with the Maliki government, insinuating that the proponents of the “national front” harbor intentions to “undermine the political process.” In the Iraqi political lingo, the “process” refers to the political institutions built following the American invasion.

An intensive debate is ongoing in Iraq to assess whether the current sectarian system should be seen as a guarantee for a stable polity or an instigator of sectarian tensions and violence. Al-Mada seems to be defending the former view. Again, it should be noted that al-Mada’s publisher, Fakhri Kareem, identified himself as a “secular” Marxist for most of his career.

In other news, al-Mada reported that the Association of Muslim Scholars has condemned the practice of exploding chlorine-filled tanks in civilian areas. Such attacks have killed and injured hundreds of Iraqi civilians in the last weeks, and the Association’s condemnation is notable because the Sunni organization is seen as generally sympathetic to the insurgency and to anti-government factions in Iraq.

In pan-Arab al-Hayat, an interview with a Sadrist leader revealed that the Sadr Current is threatening to depose al-Maliki’s government if pressures against the party persist, and if the building of an American base in Sadr City gets underway. Thamir 'abd al-‘Ameer told al-Hayat that if the government supports the building of the American base, “we will bring it down.” 'Abd al-‘Ameer went as far as to claim that the “entire political process may be threatened” by these hostile acts against the Sadrists.

With the challenge of 'Allawi’s growing “national front,” the government’s parliamentary majority is far more precarious than it was a year ago, which – potentially -- gives the constituents of the ruling coalition a larger influence over the bloc. The Sadrists’ threats against the government (which were a staple of political life in Iraq in the last year) are more credible now than ever before.

Finally, Az-Zaman reported that Sa'dun Hammadi, one the pillars of Saddam’s regime died in exile in Germany yesterday. Hammadi belonged to the first generation of Ba'this, he was involved in Arab nationalist activism since the late 1940’s. After returning from the US with a PhD from the university of Wisconsin, he participated in building the Ba'th institutions in Libya, Syria and Iraq. He filled several high positions in Iraq after the party’s ascension to power, including that of the oil minister, Prime Minister and Speaker of the National Assembly. Az-Zaman said that he was “the first Iraqi to join the Ba'th party.”

IraqSlogger: Iraqi Papers Mon: A Parliament on Vacation

If they don't agree on the HCL soon and bring in foreign oil companies that will ACTUALLY WORK they might as well forget it and go on permanent vacation and holiday.

BBC World News

I was listentingto BBC World news and all this week they are focusing in IRAQ with several guest speakers, including "Have your Say" Today.. Sunday.. the ex-Iraqi finance ministaer and minister of defence.. taking calls !!! Man.. I couldn't dial fast enough and my cell doesn't do international... but WOW... good questions were asked.. I wish I could have got thourgh.. I have a great question...

Anyway BBC World news... only half as good as Rolclub.

Linus

Poll : Iraqis prefer life away from Saddam Hussein
(Voice of Iraq) - 19-03-2007 shall Sotaliraq.com - ÕæÊ ÇáÚÑÇÞ


Demonstrations swept cities worldwide on the anniversary of the invasion of Iraq

London :> Middle East>
The eve of the war on Iraq, the fifth year, finds most Iraqis that their lives were better now than it was under Saddam Hussein, according to a British opinion poll published yesterday. Participated in the poll of more than 5000 Iraqis.
The poll revealed that more Iraqis are optimistic despite suffering from sectarian violence since the start of the invasion, led by the United States four years ago.

There Iraqi and one out of every four killed a member of his family, according to the poll conducted by the Foundation <Opinión Park Pznz>; In Baghdad, one in every four members of his family was one of abduction, one of every three said that one of the members of his family fled abroad. But when asked whether they would prefer to live under Saddam Hussein's former regime, or under the current rule Nuri al-Maliki, said that most things better for them now.

And see only 27% of those surveyed that there is a civil war in Iraq, compared with 61% say that it did not happen. The poll last month; There are two out of three believe that the military operations being carried out now will be tempted disarmament of the militias. He said more than half of those surveyed that security would improve after the withdrawal of the multinational forces.

It is likely to be officials in both Washington and London gratified by the poll conducted by <presiding Park Business>; Company, and British competent market research funded explored sector, which included 5019 of the Iraqis who were aged more than 18 years.

He said the 400 people who participated in the management of the poll in different parts of Iraq last month, they found that the sense of security among the residents of Baghdad had improved greatly since the poll, which was announced by the United States in January (January) the past that it would send additional troops to Iraq. And 49% preferred life under Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on life under Saddam, while 26% said that the situation was better in Saddam's era, and 16% said that the bad situation in the two cases. So, thousands of demonstrators in more than 50 cities in 20 countries slang in the huge protests that toured the streets of Washington and New York and cities in Hungary, Spain, Australia, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, South Korea, Chile, Sweden, Iraq and elsewhere, and criticized the decision to go to war and regarded as a thing.

These demonstrations and denounced the killing of more than 70 thousand civilians and 10 thousand soldiers and police officers from Iraq and the United States and eight allied countries. Thousands participated in a demonstration yesterday in New York to demand an end to the war in Iraq immediately after the American cities witnessed another major demonstrations to denounce the war.

The Organization <Uniting for Peace and Justice <(United immediately Pace & Jastes), which present themselves as the largest anti-war coalition in the United States, thousands participated in the march in large numbers in the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. According to a statement that the <National Movement Anti-war protest planned for the simultaneous unified Congress calling for an end to the occupation and withdrawal of American forces immediately>.

New Sticky for (Latest News) Iraq/Dinar "Think Tank" Has started with the March 19th post. Thank You.