Thread: Archive - Latest News Think Tank - 15/01/09 - 04/05/09

Opinion piece

Iraq Can Take Care of Itself

The premise that ethnic strife in Iraq should necessitate foreign military intervention is an absurd presumption. A democratic political process cannot be delivered on the back of a foreign battle tank. Iraq, a country of more than a hundred tribal groups, does not have a history of violence amongst its ethnic groups. Like elsewhere in the Middle East, tribal loyalties in Iraq are strong. But the logic of presuming future civil war or internal commotion in Iraq is an unfortunate misreading that recalls Lebanon and Vietnam in the 1970s, where American readings of the situation in both countries visibly failed in its Samuel Huntington-based logic. It is also an absurd interpretation of Germany circa WWII. Few recall that Hitler was elected by Germans after a massive economic meltdown of the Weimar Republic. Vietnam was a battle of contrasts and ideologies between two superpowers, whereas the case of Lebanon was a classic version of foreign interventions in a much invaded land that served as a theater for foreign disputes.

The Bush version of simplified facts challenged mostly foreign al-Qaeda jihadi extremists to a theater called Iraq so that Rumsfeld and Cheney could implement their stale personal views. When the challenge and invitation was accepted, the so-called War on Terror fell apart. Moreover, the supposed bad guy caveman character still remains unaccounted for.

The violence and insecurity in Iraq had nothing to do with Iraqi Shi’ite, Sunni, Kurds or Turkoman. These groups have always managed to work out their differences without the fanfare of skewed American press reports and hollow news shows produced by people that are eight to eleven time zones away from Iraq. These people intermarry, celebrate feasts and do business with each other. The Islamic Dawa Party and ISCI (formally called SCIRI) and the two main Kurdish parties in Iraq are frontrunners in adopting a civilized political process and the principles of democracy. The majority of Iraqis today understand both local and national affairs and respect the ballot box. They have been fielding candidates, adopting party platforms and attending lively debates in a parliamentary forum. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, probably the most influential man in Iraq, is one of the most enthusiastic supporters of this process and promotes settlement of disputes around a table. Even major Sunni regional powers such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt defy the United States and encourage Sunni groups to go back to their discussion table and refrain from violence.

The Baghdad Stock Exchange (BSE) is a market that has survived Saddam and an American invasion of Saddam’s Green Zone palace. Like its age old Souk counterpart, the BSE Index has gained a respectable 130% since the inauguration of Mr. Obama as president of the United States, half of which has been since last week when American withdrawal plans were announced. The Iraqi Dinar exchange rate against the U.S. dollar has gained some 12-17%. Admittedly, the capitalization and total trade volume of the stock exchange is a paltry sum compared to that of New York or London, but it is in line with other Middle Eastern economies. It signifies a great hope for the future of the country as it is funded by local money (as opposed to hot money from foreign hedge funds) and signals the homecoming of Iraqi exiles and a peaceful future.

The Middle East has changed. Like all others in the Middle East, Iraqis are simply tired of war, foreign interventions and skewed misinterpretations derived from poor, ill-informed thoughts of a few distant foreigners who are losing their reputation as the champion of the underdog. Iraqis simply wish to manage their own affairs without a formal, or de facto, oil for food program and will certainly remind the rest of the world that in the very least, Saddam’s declaration of the lack of WMD was in fact genuine. In all likelihood, Iraqis shall demand to be taken more seriously in the future.

But again, adventures in Lebanon and Vietnam, the rough Pakistan picnic currently in progress, and dare I say the failed War on ***** all show a poorly calculated set of probabilities, bad estimates and unguided implementation on the part of the United States.

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/p...of_itself.html

Dr. Ali Ettefagh serves as a director of Highmore Global Corporation, an investment company in emerging markets of Eastern Europe, CIS, and the Middle East.

Iraq to reach a final settlement with the airline

The Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the government agreed to pay $ 300 million for the airline الکویتیة in return for a "final and comprehensive settlement" of an ongoing dispute since 1990, following the invasion of the former regime of کویت.

And reiterated that the settlement include "file suits different Iraqi Airways and the state of Iraq and the airline الکویتیة compared with $ 300 million and will be notified to the Ministry of Justice to take the necessary action and the Ministry of Finance to provide the amount and method of payment and that the burden."

He added that the agreement was reached الکویت of the Emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, who شارک at the Economic Summit held in the Arab الکویت Monday.

The closest lines الکویتیة demanding the Iraqi lines, the amount of one billion and $ 200 million in compensation to the aircraft and equipment was looted during the invasion الکویت.

یذکر that الکویتیة Co. submitted a request for محکمة الکندیة Supreme کیبیک the summer of 2008, the arrest of 10 Bombardier aircraft ordered by the Iraqi lines in order to update its fleet.

Meanwhile, the countries decided to continue the search for missing miners since the second Gulf War in 1991.

تؤکد and the International Committee of the Red Cross said about 1500 people and الکویتیین of Iraqis and the Saudis are still missing.

To gifts, reveal the spokesman for the Iraqi مشترک reached an agreement to exploit the oil field is located on the border length of 240 کلم between the two countries through the application to a الشرکات do بذلک and sharing the proceeds.

http://74.125.79.132/translate_c?hl=...vOkhS31c1CMlLQ

Ministry of Finance: Over the past four years, the settlement of Iraq's debt with 59 countries, including 14 government creditors

A source in the Ministry of Finance that in the past four years, the settlement of Iraq's debt with 59 countries, including 14 government creditors from outside the Paris Club.

The source of the reporter "Iraq has settled 13000 claims a commercial amount of20,9 billion dollars."

He explained that Iraq since January 2009, the payment of the benefits of bilateral agreements signed with the creditor governments."

The United States, Malta, Cyprus and Hungary abolished the dues in full at Iraq.

http://74.125.79.132/translate_c?hl=...8PTxYDZGFD_iRA

Maliki: budget cuts threaten the reconstruction of Iraq

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said the move of the House to cut the budget for 2009 could threaten efforts to promote security through reconstruction and job creation.

He said that Maliki had hoped to approve the budget without amendment in order to move forward in the reconstruction process and to meet the needs of the Iraqi people.

He added that budget cuts may hamper efforts to increase the supply of electricity through supply contracts and a huge lift of Agriculture, the second largest sector of the economy from its dire.

http://74.125.79.132/translate_c?hl=...1VXMJO0V6JBupQ

Secretariat of Council of Ministers directed to facilitate the task of ****** companies

The secretariat of the cabinet ministries and non-related to the Ministry and all the provincial councils, to facilitate the task of the ****** phone companies in the fraud, the deployment of their networks.

A statement of the Secretariat of the Council of Ministers received a copy of the Tigris Radio on Sunday, the licenses granted to them is a national permits valid for the whole of Iraq.

The statement noted that the reason for guidance was due to the presence of obstacles to the work of these companies and the lack of cooperation with some government departments, so as not to allow them to erect towers inside the city.

http://74.125.79.132/translate_c?hl=...E0zyN_iY7-XQgg

Mobil is looking forward to role in Iraq's oil sector

Exxon Mobil Corp. says it in an ongoing dialogue with Baghdad to create an investment climate that allows them to become a major player in Iraq's energy sector.

Chief E.xecutive's / Exxon Mobil Corp / The company's ongoing dialogue with Baghdad to create an investment climate that allows them to become a major player in Iraq's energy sector.

Rex Tillerson, and through the hope that Iraq creates conditions that allow a company like Exxon Mobil have a significant role in the Iraqi oil industry. "

Tillerson pointed to Qatar as an investment to attract international oil companies which are companies and Exxon Mobil, the largest foreign investor in there.

http://74.125.79.132/translate_c?hl=...HfQ_2KVbfuRhVg

Amendments to Agricultural Bank is to increase amount of agricultural loans, the initiative

General Manager of the Agricultural Bank that the bank Mohammad Khafaji and harmony with the mechanisms of the agricultural work for the Iraqi government decided to transform the Office of the bank in terms of Aahimip to a branch of the Bank to absorb the momentum of the initiative of farmers to agricultural loans, the expansion in the provision of services targeted to them.

Khafaji said that the board of directors has decided to fund specialized agricultural requiring each borrower obtains a loan to the value (50) we have a million or more operating engineers, agronomists, doctors or veterinary graduates of agricultural schools and also decided that the amount of a loan to buy horsepower tug power (70) horsepower or over is (10) million dinars, and more than seventy to ninety-horse (15) million and more than 90 horse deserves the amount of (20) million. Khafaji pointed out that the Agricultural Bank will take part in the festival week will be marked by the Agriculture Ministry of Agriculture for the period from March 14 to 21 present during the presentation of the bank's activities within the agricultural initiative of the Iraqi government.

http://74.125.79.132/translate_c?hl=...aWGy4QbyqNVi6g

Baghdad calls for British lines & the opening of flights from London airports to the Iraqi

Met with Minister of Transport, Amer Abdul-Jabbar, the British Ambassador Christopher Prentice in Baghdad at the headquarters of the Ministry of Transport.

During the meeting, and review the prospects of joint cooperation between the two countries and ways to improve them.

The minister stressed that there will be ongoing meetings with the British side to promote bilateral relations, and directed the formation of a joint working group to prepare for the World Investment Conference to be held in London, and this team will examine the offers and investment projects presented by the British side in the development of the transport sector in Iraq.

For his part, praised Berntz Ambassador to the Ministry of Transport on the speed of response and great interest and seriousness to invest in and benefit from the potential of the private sector. During the meeting the minister to call the airlines to open the British lines and flights from London airports to Iraq, especially after the recent developments in the Iraqi airfields which encouraged a lot of airlines fly to airports in Iraq.

http://74.125.79.132/translate_c?hl=...nItgbGg7AIk7hw

Clinton due in Baghdad in coming days

Al Hayat Newspaper reported that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will arrive to Baghdad in the few coming days to discuss US President Barack Obama’s plan over Iraq and the plan to accelerate US Forces withdrawal from the country. Foreign Relations committee member Sami Al Askari affirmed that the issue of withdrawal will be the main headline of discussions during Clinton’s visit. He added that the government plans to evoke the strategic framework agreement given its major importance to Iraqis. Al Askari denied Iraq government’s mediation between Tehran and Washington.

http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Iraq-News...ming-days.html

Amr Moussa due in Iraq next week

In an exclusive statement to PUKmedia website correspondent, the secretary general of the Arab league Amr Moussa said that there are private arrangements with the Iraqi government regarding his visit to Iraq in the next week.

His visit aims to activate the Arab League role in strengthening the security and achieving the national reconciliation in Iraq.

Regarding the League’s steps to carry out the Arab reconciliation before the Arab Summit in Doha, Moussa said “there are great efforts, and the Arabic reconciliation is going on now.”

Moussa emphasized “the Arab League is defending the Arab interests from the ocean to the gulf. These interests must be respected. The secretariat general of the Arab League informed Morocco and all the Arab countries regarding this issue.”

Bearing in mind that secretary general Amr Moussa delayed his visit to Iraq for several times due to the recent Arab problems like Gaza issue, Sudan events, the economic summit in Kuwait and other commitments.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...=9763&Itemid=1