Thread: Iraq/Dinar News. 09/05 to 01/14/07

Originally Posted by aceman

Is anyone getting this when they refresh?


The server clientlogin.platinumservermanagement.com at Server Management Client Login requires a username and password.

Yes me too, am receiving this pop-up. I did a search on my system and it could not find it anywhere. Wheeeeew, I thought it was my system. Admin please fix this pop-up.


Thanks,
Hkp

Sorry if this has already been posted!!!!

Iraqi dinar continues its surge
09/01/2007
Source: American Thinker

The Iraqi dinar continues its recent surge, now up 11% from its early September value. As anyone familiar with financial markets knows, it is not in their nature to go in one direction indefinitely, so we must be prepared for a reverse move at some point.


However, this move up, coming as it does at a time of apparent crisis, is one tile in the mosaic of Iraq that may be pointing to success for our venture there. We do not want to get panicked by apparently negative events - the violence we see in the press and that is unmistakably a significant part of the Iraqi mosaic - and miss other, less photogenic trends that may ultimately be more important. If the Iraqi economy is improving, as the value of the dinar may be suggesting, this would be an enormous positive, even if it is occurring in the midst of great violence.


http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=2908

Dinar-Excited

Bush Plan for More Troops May Be `Last Chance' to Salvage Iraq

By Ken Fireman

Jan. 10 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush's new infusion of U.S. forces into Iraq likely represents a final opportunity to salvage the increasingly unpopular and costly war, supporters acknowledge.

``This may not be our last chance, but it's as near to the last chance as anything I can think of,'' Senator John McCain, an Arizona Republican who supports more troops, said in a speech at Washington's American Enterprise Institute last week.

The addition of as many as 20,000 troops, which an adviser says Bush will announce late today in a televised address, will be used primarily to revive a strategy that its backers say has never gotten a fair chance: Clear, hold and build.

The new troops' central mission will be to help clear areas in Baghdad and Anbar province in western Iraq of insurgents and sectarian militias and then stay to hold those areas, giving the economic aid that is also part of the plan a chance to work.

The Americans will work in concert with Iraqi security forces. Decisions about both the numbers and the timing of U.S. troop deployments will be tied to Iraqi performance and actions, said Philip Zelikow, a former top aide to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who helped craft the Bush plan.

McCain and other advocates say Bush's plan may provide a crucial requirement for any political or economic progress: security against the mounting violence that has brought Iraq to the brink of civil war and caused Shiites to turn to militias for protection.

`Mainstream Insurgency'

``The political solution isn't available yet because we haven't brought the mainstream insurgency to heel,'' said retired Army General Jack Keane, who has advised the administration on its new plan.

Shiites have ``waited two and a half years for the United States'' and Iraqi forces to protect them, Keane said at the same AEI event where McCain spoke. ``And it was very evident in '06, after the mosque bombing and the assassination squads, that we could not do it.''

Skeptics doubt that 20,000 more U.S. troops will make a difference almost four years into the conflict and say that concentrating forces in one area may simply lead to an upsurge of violence elsewhere. They say the plan postpones the day when an embattled Iraqi government must stand or fall on its own --and that the inevitable result of adding U.S. forces into the midst of such internal conflict will be more casualties.

``We'd get a lot more Americans killed and wounded,'' Representative Jim Marshall, a Georgia Democrat and a former Army Ranger who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, told reporters earlier this week. ``We need greater security, but it should be Iraqis, the people who speak the language and drink the water and know the people, who take the lead.''

U.S. deaths in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion exceed 3,000, and the annual cost of the war, projected to be $170 billion in the current fiscal year, now exceeds that of the Vietnam conflict at its height, when adjusted for inflation.

Support for Bush's handling of Iraq fell to 26 percent in a Jan. 5-7 USA Today/Gallup poll released yesterday, down from 30 percent in October.

Change in Procedure

Some analysts said the new plan will require a difficult change in operating procedure for U.S. forces.

``I'm a little skeptical'' that American troops are ``really capable of going out and living in these neighborhoods and pitching our tents, staying round the clock, patrolling on foot,'' said James Dobbins, a former U.S. diplomat in Afghanistan who now heads the Washington-based International Security and Defense Policy Center of the Rand Corp., a public-policy research organization.

``We're in large base camps where they can go back and watch television between patrols,'' Dobbins said in an interview. ``We're not living in these neighborhoods. We're not dispersed in a manner that would be required for this kind of activity. So adjusting to a real counter-insurgency tempo and lifestyle is going to be very difficult.''

Rejected Ideas

In opting to push more U.S. forces onto the bloody Iraqi chessboard, Bush is rejecting the views of a bipartisan commission, Democratic and Republican lawmakers and senior military officers such as his outgoing Iraqi commanders, Army Generals John Abizaid and George Casey.

Abizaid, the retiring head of U.S. Central Command, publicly opposed a troop increase during testimony to a Senate committee on Nov. 15. Casey, currently commander of all U.S. forces in Iraq and slated to be Army chief of staff, has also expressed reservations.

``The president has re-taken control of Iraq strategy,'' said Fred Kagan, a resident scholar at AEI who also advised the administration on its Iraq review. ``For too long, I think, the administration has allowed military leadership that was clearly on the wrong track to continue driving in the wrong direction.''

Another adviser, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said as many as five brigades, or roughly 20,000 soldiers, are being readied to deploy to help clear Baghdad and Anbar of insurgents and keep them from returning.

Timing Decision

The adviser said that while these soldiers might be made available to support the new mission, the administration hasn't made a final decision to send all of them to Iraq immediately. A readiness to deploy the additional troops will depend on whether a number of conditions are met, the adviser said.

Zelikow, who until November served as counselor to Rice, said one condition will be an Iraqi willingness to commit forces to the fight.

``We're only going to invest decisively if the Iraqis are taking the lead in actions, not just words, that make it clear that our investments in troops and money will be successful,'' Zelikow said. ``That's true for Baghdad and elsewhere.''

Several analysts said such linkage is important because of past Iraqi failures. For example, a joint U.S.-Iraqi effort last year to quell violence in Baghdad was hampered because only two of six promised Iraqi battalions showed up.

Iraqi Effort

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced his own security crackdown in the capital and said his troops would lead the effort, the Associated Press reported on Jan. 6. Yesterday, U.S. and Iraqi forces fought insurgent forces and staged raids in central Baghdad.

Supporters of the troop buildup say their biggest concern is that Bush, in an effort to minimize political opposition, provides inadequate resources to accomplish the mission.

``The worst thing that could happen here is that there be some kind of attempt to resolve this pivotal moment'' with a compromise, ``rather than doing what is right and has the highest prospect of succeeding in Iraq,'' said Senator Joseph Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut.

Opposition Emerges

Many Democratic lawmakers, and some Republicans, have announced their opposition to a troop increase. Senator Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, said yesterday he would offer legislation capping the number of U.S. troops in Iraq at their current level of about 132,000.

Dobbins, the Rand analyst, said he suspects supporters of the buildup are raising the issue of inadequate resources in order to cover themselves in case of failure.

``They're saying, `We're going to have to go back and do this the right way,' and it may be too late for that,'' Dobbins said. ``It might well have worked three years ago. It's not clear that, in the limited application being talked about, it will have an impact now.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Ken Fireman in Washington at [email protected]

Last Updated: January 10, 2007 00:05 EST

Iraq — facing challenges and achieving progress in 2007



Jordan Times - 10/01/2007




(Menafn-JordanTimes) By Kim Howells

At the end of 2006, the foreign secretary [Margaret Beckett] outlined her expectations of a gradual handover to the Iraqi government of security responsibility in the southern provinces where British forces are present. The beginning of 2007 is an apt moment to examine how this handover is progressing.

The levels of violence remain high in areas like Al Anbar, Diyala and parts of Baghdad. Great challenges confront those who are seeking national reconciliation. It is possible, when faced with such huge tasks, to lose sight of the very real progress which is being achieved in other parts of Iraq.

Two of the four provinces where British troops were operating have already been passed over to Iraqi control: Muthanna and Dhi Qar. Early indications suggest that Iraqis have done an excellent job of maintaining order and continuing the process of reconstruction in these regions. Coalition forces stand ready to help if necessary, but this has so far not been required.

Al Najaf was handed over in December, demonstrating the success of the principle of timing such transitions when the circumstances are right and the Iraqis are ready, rather than being pushed into abiding to the artificial dictates of a rigid timetable.

Our work to train Iraqi forces has borne fruit. Time and time again, Iraqis are demonstrating their willingness and ability to take the lead. The saying that "the people of Mecca are the most knowledgeable of the twists of their streets" has never been more applicable: as the training and readiness of these forces moves forwards, Iraqis are showing that they are the most capable people to be ensuring security and stability for themselves.

In Maysan, which we hope will be ready for transition very soon, security responsibility is already mainly in Iraqi hands. The capability of these Iraqi forces was amply demonstrated in Maysan's provincial capital, Al Amarah, recently when disturbances were brought under control by Iraqi troops without any need of direct UK assistance. Much of the credit for the smoothness of the transition process so far can be attributed to the commitment of other troops working in cooperation with the British in these southern provinces, including Australians, Japanese, Italians, Danes and Romanians.

Basra, however, is a very different story. There are much greater security challenges facing British and Iraqi forces there, and reliable reports that the police have been infiltrated by militias. We are well aware of these difficulties. In recent months we have been engaged in an Iraqi-led operation of unprecedented scale, Operation Sinbad, designed to create the conditions for Iraqis to take full responsibility for the city and bring militias under control.

The operation has taken place over a number of phases, district by district, so as to restore order, deal with politicised or criminal elements within the police forces and undertake comprehensive reconstruction. So far, the operation has progressed well, and significant areas of the city are already enjoying better conditions.

The joint Iraqi-UK operation on Christmas Day, in which Iraqi and British forces worked together to close down the Serious Crimes Unit (SCU) of the Basra police force was an important step. The SCU had developed a notoriety across Basra for alleged links to some of the worst crimes and it was seen by many as no more than a death squad in official garb. Many of the prisoners who had been held by the SCU showed signs of torture and mistreatment. The Iraqi justice system says it is committed to documenting and investigating all of this and bringing those culpable to justice. That is a challenge that must be faced by any civilised nation.

Fighting police corruption and infiltration by militias, the UK has worked hard to support police and prison reform in southern Iraq. We have trained over 10,000 Basra police officers and 680 prison officers, emphasising the need to respect human rights.

The ongoing disbandment of the SCU and the arrest of many of those associated with it sends out an important message: the worst perpetrators of violence against ordinary people are not beyond the law and both the coalition and Iraqi forces are serious about dealing severely with them.

Iraqi authorities are increasingly better equipped to tackle militia violence, stamp out corruption and reform their administration, at local and national level. This is no easy task, but it is vital for the country's future.

A significant problem for Basra is unemployment. How tempting it must be for someone who has no way to feed his family to accept generous amounts of money to fire rockets, plant roadside bombs or join a death squad. This is why Britain has been investing substantial amounts of development assistance in economic activities like replanting date palms and reinvigorating the dilapidated oil industry.

Over the past decade, Basra — which had been a keystone in Iraq's oil industry with it's refineries and ports — had become terribly run down and incapable of producing a fraction of its potential oil exports. Basra should be a wealthy, prospering city, generating employment, investment and growth. It is deeply frustrating that the security situation and repeated attacks against the region's industrial and civilian infrastructure have stalled progress.

But much has been achieved. By summer 2007, the UK will have added or secured electricity generating equivalent to a 24-hour supply for a million people and improved access to water for around a million people in southern Iraq. Job creation programmes are providing more than 1.8 million employment days for unskilled workers, helping to raise household incomes. Over 3,000 women and young people in the south have been trained in business and enterprise skills. As well as replacing 200km of water mains in southern Iraq, the UK has worked hard to train engineers to rebuild their infrastructure.

Tackling these structural problems is an important factor in drying up the sources of recruitment for militias and terrorists funded by those who do not see the vision of a strong, prosperous and united Iraq as being in their interest.

2007 is a hugely important year for Iraq. It is the year where Iraqis themselves, with the full support of the coalition, Arab states and the international community must distance themselves from the spectre of continued sectarian conflict and unite their efforts to work towards a reinvigorated, strong and united Iraq — a democratic state with a representative and inclusive government that puts the interest of its people as its highest priority.

Despite the very obvious challenges and obstacles to achieving this noble aim, the vast majority of Iraqis want the peace, security and opportunity to create for themselves and for their brothers and sisters a better life. These brave people deserve our support.



The writer is British minister of state. This article is reprinted with permission from the British embassy in Amman.

albawaba.com middle east news information::More US troops head to Iraq

Al-Bawaba - 1 hour ago

More US troops head to Iraq

Posted: 10-01-2007 , 06:32 GMT

The first of up to 20,000 additional U.S. soldiers will go into Iraq by this month's end under President Bush's new war plan, a senior defense official disclosed Tuesday. Moving first into Iraq would be the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, which is now in Kuwait.

There are already about 132,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.

Details of a gradual military buildup emerged a day before Bush's planned speech to the nation. According to the AP, Bush is also expected to call on friendly Mideast nations to boost their aid to Iraq but will ignore the recommendation of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group that he include Syria and Iran in the efforts to halt Iraqi bloodshed, said the official.

Bush is expected to link the troop increase to promised steps by the Iraqi authorities to build up its own military, ease the country's sectarian tensions, increase reconstruction and enact a plan to distribute oil revenues among the country's religious sects.

Australia not asked for more Iraq troops - Breaking News - National - Breaking News

The Age - 58 minutes ago

Australia not asked for more Iraq troops

January 10, 2007 - 10:59AM

As the United States prepares to send up to 20,000 more troops to Iraq, Australia wasn't asked nor did it offer to bolster its commitment to the war-ravaged nation.

A day before he sells his new Iraq strategy to the American public, US President George W Bush phoned Prime Minister John Howard to brief him on his plans.
Making good on a November promise to consult Mr Howard before any announcement, Mr Bush spent 20 minutes on the telephone explaining his strategy, which is widely expected to include a commitment of up to 20,000 extra combat soldiers.

Mr Bush also gave his assessment of the deteriorating security situation in Iraq, where coalition forces went to war nearly four years ago.

The new war plan, to be sold to the US in a prime time television address scheduled for 1300 AEDT Thursday, is reportedly set to include the extra troops, benchmarks on political reconstruction for Iraq's government and a new jobs program designed to boost the country's embattled economy.
The Australian government has already indicated it has no plans to increase its current commitment.

Australia has around 1,400 personnel in the Middle East, including 800 based inside Iraq.

By comparison, the US has a 140,000-strong force in Iraq.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, who is heading to Los Angeles for Tourism Australia's "G'Day USA" Australia Week initiative, said Australia's deployment wouldn't be affected by what the US was doing.

"The (US) president didn't make any requests for additional Australian troops or any additional Australian resources and nor did the (Australian) prime minister offer additional Australian troops or Australian resources," he told ABC Radio.

"Our particular commitment will remain as it is and won't be affected by the statement the president's going to make."

Mr Downer would not reveal any details of the conversation between the two world leaders other than to say Mr Bush had "consulted" Mr Howard.

"Obviously we are not going to foreshadow what the president has said before he makes his announcement, but he has consulted the prime minister," he said.

Mr Downer said the US understood Australia's decision not to increase its own troop numbers.

"We do have a small contribution that we make in Iraq but of course we have other deployments as well in places like the Solomon Islands and East Timor and Afghanistan, so there obviously is a limit to what we reasonably can do," Mr Downer said.

"The Americans understand that."

Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd believes now is an opportune time for Mr Howard to outline to the Australian people his future strategy on Iraq, particularly his timetable for troop withdrawal.

"The challenge for Mr Howard is to make clear to the Australian people what is the strategy for winning the Iraq war," he said.

"I ask this question: what are Mr Howard's benchmarks for future success? What has to be achieved in order to justify a reduction or a withdrawal of coalition and Australian troops?"

Labor is promising to immediately begin discussions to set a withdrawal timetable if it wins the next federal election.

"If Labor is elected to government at the end of 2007, we would initiate discussions immediately with our American ally and agree on a timetable to withdraw ... Australian combat troops," Mr Rudd said.

"We said we'd do that within a reasonable timeframe so that we wouldn't leave our American ally immediately in the lurch."

The 839 daily currency auction was held in the Central Bank of Iraq day Wednesday 2007/ 1/10so the results were as follows :

Details Notes
Number of banks 12 -----
Auction price selling dinar / US $ 1315 -----
Auction price buying dinar / US $ ----- -----
Amount sold at auction price (US $) 43.715.000 -----
Amount purchased at Auction price (US $) -----
Total offers for buying (US $) 43.715.000 -----
Total offers for selling (US $) -----

Announcement No.(839)

D.G. of Foreign Exchange Control

The 839 daily currency auction was held in the Central Bank of Iraq day Wednesday 2007/ 1/10so the results were as follows :
Details Notes
Number of banks 12 -----
Auction price selling dinar / US $ 1315 -----
Auction price buying dinar / US $ ----- -----
Amount sold at auction price (US $) 43.715.000 -----
Amount purchased at Auction price (US $) -----
Total offers for buying (US $) 43.715.000 -----
Total offers for selling (US $) ----- -----

Notice Anything missing????
this was a snap shot I took minutes ago and the 2nd one I took months ago
NO IRAQI CURRIENCY LINK

Originally Posted by Treater

Announcement No.(839)

D.G. of Foreign Exchange Control

The 839 daily currency auction was held in the Central Bank of Iraq day Wednesday 2007/ 1/10so the results were as follows :
Details Notes
Number of banks 12 -----
Auction price selling dinar / US $ 1315 -----
Auction price buying dinar / US $ ----- -----
Amount sold at auction price (US $) 43.715.000 -----
Amount purchased at Auction price (US $) -----
Total offers for buying (US $) 43.715.000 -----
Total offers for selling (US $) ----- -----

Wow! 57,485,225,000 Dinars removed today.