Thread: Archive Latest News - Think Tank - 15/04/08 - 26/08/08

agreed Mike....that has been the problem all along....with everything the U.S. has given them[money,troops,training ,etc] they should be way ahead of where they are....they[the Iraqi Government] like it this way....they keep ripping off billions and billions of dollars while they do like they have a disagreement in parliament...including delays on critical votes that would benefit their people....thats why they keep postponing the voting on all these laws..they don't give a Rat's A** about their people..its to see how much they can steal before they pass these laws...including Maliki...long time ago he should have been run out as PM....i think someone put the clamp to him lately thou...it seems like he is starting to finally try to get it together...time will tell...IMHO...Pat

Hi Mike,

How do you people in the US put up with this?
You tax payers are sending your good tax dollars (that could be used in your country) to Iraq.

I'm sick about it too.





Interesting,

Anyone catch 60 minutes this past Sunday on Iraqi government? All I can say is WOW, corruption is 100 times worse than anyone thought, billions and billions of dollars missing from every ministry, it seems to be a race to rip off as much as possible and see who ends up with the most. Sad situation for sure, and the only person who was complaining was chased out of country by Maliki. Guess they are no different than all the other gov. leaders in the world.

Good luck to all, Mike

Originally Posted by ahill

Hi Mike,

How do you people in the US put up with this?
You tax payers are sending your good tax dollars (that could be used in your country) to Iraq.

I'm sick about it too.





Interesting,

Anyone catch 60 minutes this past Sunday on Iraqi government? All I can say is WOW, corruption is 100 times worse than anyone thought, billions and billions of dollars missing from every ministry, it seems to be a race to rip off as much as possible and see who ends up with the most. Sad situation for sure, and the only person who was complaining was chased out of country by Maliki. Guess they are no different than all the other gov. leaders in the world.

Good luck to all, Mike

Well if someone announced that they are coming into my home and tear it up to make themselves some profit, well, since I provided the home, then I
want the lions share if possible. At least I would try to get it.


Maceman

Originally Posted by 67 warrior

Morning SV, just thinking about the current situation in country. I have long held that we must have a HCL in place and Security (by Iraqi's) before any real improvement in the value of the IQD. Seems that both of these are fast becoming a reality. Any thoughts? Over the past year or two, my hopes of any RV have become somewhat jaded. But lately, the Old Warrior Spirit has renewed itself. I think the latest bombings are a last gasp to make headlines. JMO.. The Iraqi Army has done a pretty good job lately and I think this has a lot to do with the positive feelings coming out of Iraq.

Hope you have a Great weekend. Warrior

Good morning Warrior,

Looks like the HCL is on the verge of going through (fingers crossed) and I think security is still a problem but they are getting there. Lots of good things coming out of Iraq, gas deals being done too. I personally have a hard time getting my head round a large overnight RV but would be glad to be pleasantly surprised, until then I'm sticking with gradual appreciation, but I do think that might start to speed up soon. Exciting times ahead, thats for sure.

PM returns home

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki returned home to Baghdad on Saturday winding a three-day visit to the Belgian capital Brussels, a source close to the Iraqi cabinet said.

"Maliki and his accompanying delegation arrived in Baghdad today after wrapping up a visit to Brussels," the source told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI).

Maliki had arrived on Friday at the airport in Arbil, the capital of the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region, after his plane could not land in Baghdad due to bad weather conditions and sandstorms hitting the Iraqi capital.

Maliki met with Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barazani to discuss a host of issues pertaining to Iraq.

A cabinet media source had said that Maliki flew on Tuesday to Brussels at the head of a government delegation.

"Maliki is accompanied by a number of ministers, including Minister of Oil Hussein al-Shahrestani, as well as government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh. The prime minister is visiting Brussels at the invitation of the European Commission chief to visit the European Union (EU) institutions and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)," the source told VOI.
The source did not give further details.

Dabbagh had said on Sunday that Maliki would head for Brussels leading a delegation of political, security and oil officials for talks with the EU president and members to strengthen political, military and economic relations.

"During the visit, a contract would be signed between Iraq and EU states to invest gas in Iraq," he said.

Aswat Aliraq

Rice to avoid Iran in Iraq neighbors meeting

We have no plans to meet with Iranian officials in Iraq’s neighbors conference in Kuwait. That’s how US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice summed up her stand regarding talks with Tehran on Iraq mainly after US accusations pointed to the involvement of Iranian regime in Basra latest events.

“Iran must end malign actions that interfere in Iraq's affairs, undermine Iraq's government and harm or murder innocent Iraqis”, Rice said.

Rice noted that she will pressure Arab neighboring countries to support the government of Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki and protect it against Iran’s negative influences. She added that she will push in Kuwait for greater support from Iraq’s neighbors.

“Iraq's fellow Arab states must fulfill their promises to increase their engagement with Iraq's government and people. That includes establishing embassies in Baghdad and exchanging ambassadors”, Rice said. “Iraq should be fully reincorporated into the Arab world,” she added. US Secretary of State called on Saudi Arabia to use its influence on some Iraqi parties to participate effectively in the current political process.

Iraq’s neighbors third conference is due in Kuwait on Tuesday attended by Iraq’s neighboring countries and UN Security Council permanent members as well as the G8.

Rice to avoid Iran in Iraq neighbors meeting | Iraq News | Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network

Provincial law faces hindrances along way

Head of Higher Elections Commission Faraj Al Haydari warned of problems facing provincial elections clarifying that the interference of neighboring provincial districts and the issue of displaced inside and outside Iraq as well as stalled approval of provincial law are all non-motivating factors to hold elections scheduled in October. Al Haydari called on government, Parliament and political blocs to work hard on overcoming these problems. He urged Parliament to ratify the law as soon as possible as the commission has set timetables to accelerate the issuance of the law.

For his part, coalition senior leader MP Abbas Al Bayati told Al Hayat Newspaper that the Parliament will start next week to discuss provincial law adding that Parliament has set mid next month as a final deadline to ratify the law. Al Bayati noted that the constitutional amendment committee held major meetings with UN experts to agree on the final version of the draft bill.

However, member of the regions committee in Parliament MP Taysir Al Mashhadani added that the Parliament will start discussing the law next week expecting the debate to be long on account of rows between political blocs. According to Al Mashhadani, disputes are centered over three points, the first is about the electoral system mainly regarding open or closed lists, second is about the share allocated to women in provincial councils while the third point is centered on the percentage of representation of sects and small components such as Turkmen, Assyrians and Christians.

Provincial law is a key law which would determine the nature of the electoral system in the country as implementing the law would result of forming three regions in preparation to implement federalism next year.

Provincial law faces hindrances along way | Iraq News | Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network

Kurdistan Alliance calls to adopt first draft of Oil and Gas Law

Kurdistan Alliance members stressed the necessity of adopting the first draft of oil and gas law submitted by Parliament last February instead of the amended version by State Shora council in order to be discussed inside the Parliament. Politicians noted that Kurds’ rejection to the amended version is due to the reduction of Kurdistan’s investment share from 18 to 5%.

Kurdistan Alliance calls to adopt first draft of oil and gas law | Economics News | Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network

Iraq pumps about 430,000 barrels a day of Kirkuk crude oil

A maritime source reported that Iraq pumps about 430,000 barrels a day of Kirkuk crude oil via oil pipeline. The source added that Iraq has maintained an uninterrupted flow for about a month adding that Kirkuk’s crude oil stocked in Turkish Ceyhan port reached 5.4 million barrels.

Iraq pumps about 430,000 barrels a day of Kirkuk crude oil | Economics News | Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network

Ministry to purchase weapons worth $2.6 billion

The Ministry of Defense has allocated $2.6 billion for the purchase of weapons for the Iraqi armed forces, the army’s chief of staff said.

Gen. Babaker Zaibari said the sum is earmarked to “equip Iraqi troops with modern weapons.”

Zaibari said the ministry would spend an additional $595 in the coming six months on the reconstruction of military camps and headquarters in Iraq.

The ministry is reported to be one of Iraq’s most corrupted institutions set up following the U.S. invasion of 2003.

There are reports of billions of dollars that have gone missing and for which the ministry books have no records.

One multi-billion dollar deal is reported to have involved the purchase of outdated weapons from Serbia.

Asked about the Serbian deal, Zaibari skirted the issue of corruption, saying that his ministry’s role in it was “consultative” though the weapons that arrived landed in the ministry’s warehouse and depots.

Azzaman in English