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

Originally Posted by ourhouse37

I don't know about everyone else, but I think I've got "dinar thread fatigue". I simply can't read another million word article or heartfelt, hopeful posts. The roller coaster is giving me an upset stomach. Addicted as I am, I think I'm going to take a couple of days off, like the very wise Adster, and figure that what will be will be. Maybe I'll hear the news on NPR. (sorry Danny! They're a lot closer to center than you think.)
Love and blessings to all of you.

I hear ya.. today was especially tiring for me... I keep thinking I really don't want to read all the same concerns that we have already come to terms on.. but then I don't want to miss anything that might be new and valuable... and being its all mixed together.. I keep reading and my stomach keeps churning..
I have noticed that when a question, post, or concern surfaces.. then over a few pages.. the conern is addressed and we all calm down and I feel good.. then someone pops in and apparently hasn't read the past few pages and brings up the same concerns all over again and we are off and running again... wish we could have a "faq" section that maybe we could
ask them to read before they post... or if they post and its already answered refer them to the answer...not complaining just trying to find a
solution to help calm the ride... and my stomach.. I think I'll try and
take some time and see if I get the shakes...

12 July 2006 (Baghdad: Al Sabah newspaper)
The Higher Economic Committee of the Council of Ministers has completed the study of a new law prepared by the Ministry of Trade and designed to encourage foreign investment in Iraq.

The Minister of Trade, Dr. Abdul Falah AL Soudani, said in a press statement that the Economic Committee has undertaken a detailed study of the law, adding some items and abolishing others. He said that the Council of Ministers has taken into consideration the opinions and ideas of all Ministries and that a draft will be submitted to the National Assembly for discussion, voting and ratification.

The Minister said that the new law will open the door to foreign investment in an organized fashion and allow Iraq to obtain new technology and assistance in the building of the economy’s infrastructure, which has suffered negatively from the impact of wars, bad policies and the arrival of foreign troops.

He called upon all concerned parties to examine the draft and give their opinion in order that a solid law may be devised.

12 July 2006 (Baghdad: Al Sabah newspaper)
Dr. Abdul Falah AL Soudani, the Minister of Trade, has said that the Ministry is on the verge of adopting measures designed to regulate the entry of goods into Iraq, in order to deal with the negative effects resulting from this movement, which affects security, industry and the economy.

In a statement to AL Sabah, the Minister disclosed that present procedures for the import of goods lead to money laundering and the use of these monies in the financing of terrorism. They also result in the entry of large quantities of low quality items. The statement urged the need for action and the control of imports.

The Minister highlighted the fact that ideas for the regulation of imports are being studied in line with the basic needs of the country and in order to support the local economy by assisting local products to compete with foreign goods. He noted that regulations have already been in place since the nineteen sixties.

AL Soudani confirmed the Ministry’s willingness to encourage Iraqi traders to activate the export of surplus items not required by the local market, and said that the Ministry is also working toward encouraging Iraqi industrialists to export their products, mentioning the existence of a special Ministry of Trade office responsible for the development of the private sector.

Sorry i don't have a link for this article:

Dollar and the dinar competed for the hearts of Iraqi
8:15:00 GMT on Monday 10 July 2006
Muhammad Qasim



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Muhammad Qasim from Baghdad : Dealing in the US dollar, has emerged in Iraq after the end of the Iran-Iraq war in clear terms the value of three-three and a half before the Iraqi dinar. But repeated wars and economic blockade making dinar in a steady decline has lost purchasing value compared to the US dollar and other foreign currencies to the price before the fall of Saddam's regime to 2,428 dinars for every one dollar.

We have tried the former regime in Iraq to the value of the Iraqi dinar, by not only do business in Iraqi dinars Non-US dollar deal. But this did not succeed because the Iraqis have an advantage if you to comment something will never leave as is the case with a certain model of car or other goods.
The issue of opening up the banking offices of a departure from the law and is prohibited at the time when Saddam has been hunted down and imprisoned scores of currency dealers. But after the fall of the US dollar was unprecedented boom in the Iraqi street in all areas and all the joints and other vital. , and the distribution of staff salaries initially accumulated in the US dollar, have had a significant impact on the spread Lailav as he (Ahmed), a member of one of Alozar T.

Paper paper
Then spread the offices of the banking companies and assignments that deal all the foreign and especially the dollar, most people have turned their money into dollars for the sake of theft Vbamkank converting large amount of several to Rzmat Papers numbered Lattaadi fingers handwritten reservation in place and when navigating the most popular markets, among others, that everyone speaks paper paper is not new currency but that Aldolaraloahd called in the terminology traders and dealers currency (Ech), is the word Persian mean one (Wik), the paper variants have Iraqis feminization yucca also , and one hundred dollars to be called (paper) and ten thousand dollars to be called (book) or (intensity), used these words ease and brevity.

Kidnapping
- The majority of kidnappings against innocent people today are required to ransom by kidnappers quantity (books)
- Bashir says : Upon the fall of Baghdad occurred looting and pillaging as everyone knows, the banks and banks the lion's share in the robbery by criminals who were released before the war after months of the amnesty These banks contain large amounts of hard currency were stolen reason for the proliferation of today.
The opening of Iraq's borders with the neighbouring countries plays a large role in the business dealings with Iraqi traders often the American dollar, The majority of foreign investment companies in Iraq, such as telecommunication companies, and corporate security and protections given salary instructed US dollar.
- The increased travels with Iraq's neighbours thresholds religious and recreational trips also deal Jordanian dinar and the Syrian lira and the Iranian Altoman but the dollar remains at the forefront of foreign currency in circulation today in Iraq.

Dinar tries
Iraqi dinar, which found itself ever second day when Iraqis seeking to regain its position by maintaining the previous level, which had arrived since the fall of the former regime and was 1480 per dollar. It has helped the decision new edition difficult to forge in place dinar Iraqi] hope to achieve new Finance Minister promise that piece a few days ago that the equivalent of the Iraqi dinar dollars or dollars and a half, so Baht zeroes three for example in the price of the dollar 1 dinars 480 fils after the 1A and 480 dinars.






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1 : The number of responses





18:39:17 GMT on Monday 10 July 2006
Allah Karim



Iraqi expatriates

God willing, this thing happen .... This dream of every Iraqi that the Iraqi dinar was back together ... Secretary O worlds



kudos to whoever can make any sense of this! LOL....read this a zillion times and still can't make heads nor tails of it.

12 July 2006 (Baghdad: Al Sabah newspaper)

D. Bata became Khalifa Hilal
Monetary policy is one of the most prominent economic policies aimed at achieving economic stability and the stabilization of exchange rates, which increase the strength of the national economy and effectiveness to meet the economic challenges, The Iraqi Central Bank has succeeded in achieving the large reserve of foreign exchange. The stabilization of the exchange rate of the Iraqi dinar against the major currency transaction (the dollar)

Is necessary and appropriate, The Lamzadat foreign currency held by the Central Bank of Iraq played an important role in maintaining an appropriate level of the exchange rate and stabilization, When no pressure on exchange rates, the central bank is tightening monetary policy and narrowed, including lifting Mdlat interest on deposits in Iraqi dinars, and to allow greater flexibility in the management of monetary policy. The Bank has taken several steps to expand the list of tools available to the monetary policy, Coverage of reserve required to cover government deposits, and the granting of facilities on deposits that mature in a short period of time in order to allow banks to manage liquidity in a more effective manner. and reducing the risks of liquidity to the Central Bank.

The monetary sector in the economy of the Central Bank, commercial banks and other financial institutions. It is the only sector among the four main sectors covered by the national accounting, which consists of the real sector. and the central government and the monetary sector, the external sector. The objectives of monetary policy to achieve economic growth and reduced unemployment rates, the stability of prices of goods and services, and the stability of exchange rates in the case of a floating exchange rate, and improve the balance of payments.

These objectives are achieved through the tools of monetary policy direct and indirect, to the last control in the budgets of public CBE tools while targeting direct control of the balance sheets of commercial banks such as a credit ceilings and determine interest. The instruments of direct allocation to the efficient use of resources, reducing the effectiveness of investment and the multiplicity of exchange rates.

The structural stability of the current rates of exchange have been granted an opportunity for rebuilding the Iraqi economy and its growth, Although prices have not fully stabilized, This is due in part to instability and the nature of security and political conditions throughout Iraq. Within this context, the Central Bank of Iraq has succeeded in collecting the reserve at a high level of foreign exchange. requires the stabilization of the exchange rate of the Iraqi dinar against the dollar is appropriate and required at the current stage. In support of this structure, the Central Bank of Iraq is ready to provide the required amounts of foreign currency on the basis of the maximum rate of daily auctions.

To allow greater flexibility in the management of monetary policy, Central Bank of Iraq has taken a number of steps to expand the list of tools available to the monetary policy, and the granting of the Reserve Bank is required to meet the government deposits, a critique of the years 2005 and 2006 set the perceptions about the growth in the demand for the currency and the currency in circulation and expectations about economic growth and inflation.
In order to improve the governance and transparency of the Central Bank of Iraq. The Iraqi government commissioned a company (Ernst and Young) global review of operations and the financial statements of the Central Bank to monitor the economic performance and analysis of the essence of the monetary policy pursued by the Central Bank of Iraq in this area with a view to achieving the targets and goals of the monetary policy in Iraq ...
An expert in the Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation

http://translate.google.com/translat...006-07,GGLR:en

Wednesday 12th July, 2006

OPEC output up, thanks to Iraq
Big News Network.com Tuesday 11th July, 2006 (UPI)

The world oil cartel boosted its output last month by 200,000 barrels per day to 29.95 million barrels per day, thanks largely to Iraq.

The Platts report, released Tuesday, found that production from Iraq's northern fields, linked by pipeline with a Turkish port, increased 160,000 barrels per day, or 80 percent of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Nations' June increase.

Strikingly, three OPEC members saw big drops in their daily output during June.

Indonesian production averaged 531,000 barrels under its 1.451 million-barrel quota. Iran claims to be able to pump more than 4 million barrels, although it admits it has had problems selling heavier crudes such as Soroush and Nowruz, but the survey showed Iranian production at 3.79 million barrels in June, 320,000 barrels below Tehran's 4.11 million-barrel quota. Venezuelan production, which has never recovered after the crippling 2-month oil strike of the winter of 2002-03, fell to 2.55 million barrels, which is 673,000 barrels below its quota.

John Kingston, global director of oil at Platts, said, Iraq now looks like it will be regularly exporting crude from the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=495f9f7924fde11a

Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad At CSIS The Center For Strategic & International Studies
Washington, DC
July 11, 2006


Thank you, Zbig, for this very, very kind introduction. Many of you know that the Twelver Shia speak of certain individuals whom believers should seek to imitate, calling them the marjaiyya. To many of us who are playing policy roles but who have academic backgrounds, Zbig, you are a source for imitation. I also want to thank CSIS for giving me this opportunity to share my assessment of the situation in Iraq and my view on the way ahead, as well as to engage in some questions and answers.

I will give my bottom line up front. I believe Americans, while remaining tactically patient about Iraq, should be strategically optimistic. Most important, a major change – a tectonic shift – has taken place in the political orientation of the Sunni Arab community. A year ago, Sunni Arabs were outside of the political process and hostile to the United States. They boycotted the January 2005 election and were underrepresented in the transitional national assembly. Today, Sunni Arabs are full participants in the political process, with their representation in the national assembly now proportional to their share of the population. Also, they have largely come to see the United States as an honest broker in helping Iraq’s communities come together around a process and a plan to stabilize the country.

Moreover, al Qaeda in Iraq has been significantly weakened during the past year. This resulted, not only from the recent killing of Zarqawi, but also from the capture or killing of a number of other senior leaders and the creation of an environment in which it is more difficult and dangerous for al Qaeda in Iraq.

These are fundamental and positive changes. Together, they have made possible the inauguration of Iraq’s first ever government of national unity – with non-sectarian security ministers, agreements on rules for decision making on critical issues and on the structure of institutions of the executive branch, and a broadly agreed upon program. They have also enabled political progress that resulted in the recent announcement by Prime Minister Maliki of his government’s National Reconciliation and Dialogue Project.

However, at the same time, the terrorists have adapted to this success by exploiting Iraq’s sectarian fault line. A year ago, terrorism and the insurgency against the Coalition and the Iraqi security forces were the principal sources of instability. Particularly since the bombing of the Golden Mosque in February, violent sectarianism is now the main challenge. This sectarianism is the source of frequent tragedies on the streets of Baghdad. It is imperative for the new Iraqi government to make major progress in dealing with this challenge in the next six months. The Prime Minister understands this fact.

Today, I will discuss the status of these efforts, noting the achievements we have attained and the further steps we intend to take in partnership with the new Iraqi government.

Enhancing Iraqi Unity to Contain and Defuse Sectarian Violence

Containing sectarian violence will require political and security steps. On the political track, several steps are needed to enhance unity among Iraqis.

First of all, Iraqi leaders must build a consensus to address several issues that arise out of the new constitution. Because Sunni Arabs were underrepresented in the assembly that drafted the constitution, the document provided a fast-track amendment process under the new, fully representative national assembly. One of the central and difficult issues will be the constitutional provisions governing future federalization of Iraq – that is, the process, timing, and rules for creating federal regions beyond the Kurdish area.

The constitution also requires the assembly to enact the legislation to govern the development of the country’s oil and gas resources, including the role of the national government in allocating revenues.

Another constitutionally mandated action involves the creation of a commission to review de-Baathification. There is agreement among most Iraqis that there have been excesses in this process. The right approach is to subject those who committed crimes under the previous regime to the judicial process and to achieve reconciliation with those who were Baathists but who did not commit crimes.

Second, beyond these constitutionally driven issues, the new government’s efforts to enhance the unity of the Iraqi people will be channeled through Prime Minister Maliki’s National Reconciliation and Dialogue Project. This is a bold initiative, which puts all of the toughest issues on the table for resolution.

The central goal of the national reconciliation project is to bring insurgent elements, who are currently in the armed opposition, into the political process. Many insurgents have fought the Coalition and the Iraqi government as a result of misplaced fears that the United States was seeking to occupy Iraq indefinitely or was motivated by a sectarian agenda. Now many are considering the pursuit of their goals by means of other than violence. Also, a greater sense of realism has set in among Iraqi political leaders. Sunni Arab leaders are realizing that nostalgia for their past dominance is not the basis for a realistic political strategy. Shia Arab leaders are coming to see that seeking vengeance against other groups for Saddam’s crimes or attempting to exclude Sunni Arabs from playing a role in government is not a realistic option. Consequently, a growing understanding exists that reconciliation with most elements of the current armed opposition is both possible and essential for stabilizing Iraq, as evident from the fact that some insurgents have asked to be armed by the Iraqi government in order to fight the foreign terrorists.

As the Iraqi government and reconcilable insurgents come together, the question will arise of granting amnesty to those who have committed violent acts in the current conflict. Iraqi leaders understand that every war must end and that ending wars inevitably requires amnesties of some kind. A broad amnesty was issued at the end of the American Civil War. Many other recent internal conflicts have ended with broad pardons or amnesties. Recent examples include El Salvador, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, South Africa, Angola, and Indonesia. Afghanistan has implemented a process to allow all but a few former Taliban to renounce their past and to reintegrate into Afghan society.

I understand that some in the United States reacted negatively to the concept of granting amnesties. We will work with Iraqi leaders to find the right balance between reconciliation and accountability and to ensure that the sacrifices of those who died or were injured in the liberation of Iraq are honored. There will not be a double standard that grants amnesty to those who killed soldiers in the Coalition but not to those who killed Iraqis. The American people can rest assured on that point. The biggest honor for soldiers and civilians who sacrificed to end the threat from Saddam’s regime and to liberate the Iraqi people is for the cause of a democratic Iraq to succeed and for those Iraqis who initially fought this change to accept the new order.

Building Effective Security Forces and Establishing Enduring Security

In parallel with political efforts, the Iraqi government, with the support of the Coalition, must increase the effectiveness of Iraq’s security forces and adjust our security operations to meet the challenge of controlling sectarian violence. This will require adjustments and new efforts in six areas.

First, the Iraqi government and the Coalition will continue to improve Iraq’s security forces. In the last twelve months, Iraqi security forces have grown from 168,000 to more than 265,000. By the end of this summer, about 75 percent of Iraqi Army battalions and brigades will be leading counterinsurgency operations, with the Coalition playing only mentoring and supporting roles. By the end of the year, all Iraqi Army units are expected to be in the lead in their operations. Nevertheless, there is still much work to be done. Iraqi units must be fully manned, and the Iraqi army and particularly the police need to achieve higher levels of readiness. We are also implementing plans to accelerate the evolution of the Iraqi Army from a light force that is dependent on the Coalition for logistics and combat support into a heavier force that not only can take on well-armed enemy units more effectively but also can operate with less reliance on the Coalition. We will also have to maintain a long-term commitment to developing effective military leadership, as well as to working with the Iraqi government on the progressive modernization of their forces.

Second, there is a need for measures to ensure that Iraq’s security institutions are capable of winning the confidence of all Iraqi communities – a confidence that Iraq’s forces must secure if they are to be instruments for curbing sectarianism. Unfortunately, there have been instances in which Iraqi forces gave way to or even cooperated with sectarian militias. To counter this problem, Prime Minister Maliki, as well as Minister of Interior Boulani, has made the reform of the Ministry of Interior, including the purging of sectarian forces from the police, a top priority. It is vital that these changes take place as quickly as possible. The Coalition will assist through interim measures, such as increasing the vetting of recruits and embedding advisers with police units, to have an immediate impact in the conduct of the police. Also, General Casey and I have worked with Iraqi leaders to create a joint group to assess the capabilities and requirements of Iraq’s security forces and to monitor such critical issues as the reform of the Ministry of Interior.

Third, as this institutional foundation is strengthened, the Iraqi government will be in a position to reestablish the state’s monopoly on force, which is a central task of state building. Prime Minister Maliki understands – and is committed to undertaking – the next steps that are essential to the completion of this task. The need to demobilize unauthorized armed groups, including militias, is a critical part of this. Although this will be politically difficult, the new Iraqi government understands that it is necessary, both to stabilize Iraq and to reduce sectarian violence. Iraqi leaders, with Coalition support, are developing a program for the demobilization and reintegration of unauthorized armed groups, which will be implemented as insurgent activities diminish as part of the reconciliation process. As the Prime Minister undertakes this challenge, he can count on American support.

Fourth, the Iraqi government and the Coalition will take advantage of reconciliation efforts to weaken and destroy the terrorists and other irreconcilable elements. Prime Minister Maliki understands the importance of reaching out to the maximum extent to groups who are willing to lay down their arms, provided that they accept the new democratic Iraq and fully cooperate in helping target those who persist in engaging in terrorism. We support this view because it will help to reduce the violence in Iraq and support other measures to defeat the terrorists.

A chasm has been developing between al Qaeda and those Sunni Arabs in Iraq who have been part of the armed opposition. Previously, many Sunni Arab insurgents saw al Qaeda’s operations as beneficial for their own cause. Now, the Sunni Arabs increasingly understand that the terrorists are not interested in the future of Iraq and that al Qaeda’s leaders see Iraqis as cannon fodder in an effort to instigate a war of civilizations. More and more, Iraqi Sunni Arab insurgents reject this cynical game. Osama bin Laden’s specific denunciation of Sunni Arab political leaders, such as Vice President Tareq Hashami, and recently captured documents indicate that al Qaeda’s leadership know that they are losing ground as a result of Iraq’s reconciliation process. They know that if reconciliation goes further and begins to hollow out the Sunni Arab armed opposition, it is a mortal threat to their terrorist movement.

Fifth, as political reconciliation proceeds, the Coalition and the Iraqi government will carry out a series of focused stabilization operations to develop enduring security in major cities, particularly Baghdad. General Casey is leading the Coalition’s effort to adjust the military strategy to focus on containing sectarian violence. Our stabilization operations will build up Iraqi forces in an area, while at the same time working with local leaders to implement programs to improve local governance and jump start economic development. A key requirement for Iraqi forces will be to go after those groups engaged in sectarian violence. Iraqi forces, with Coalition support, must establish an environment that poses sufficient risks to deter militant sectarians from launching attacks.

Sixth, the Coalition will be able to adjust its forces as Iraqi security forces stand up and as the security situation improves. Both the Iraqi government and the Coalition agree that the goal is for Iraq to stand on its own feet in terms of providing for its own security and that dangers exist in going too fast or too slow in drawing down Coalition forces. General Casey and I are discussing with the Iraqi government the formation of a joint commission to work towards the conditions-based withdrawal of Coalition forces. This will complement the joint commission on the transfer of security responsibilities, which has already produced an agreement on the first transfer – in Muthanna Province – to take place on July 13. This action demonstrates that as Iraqi security forces are ready to succeed in securing an area, responsibility for it will be turned over to them. This process will be based on continuing assessments of the security situation and Iraqi capabilities to handle it. If current progress remains on track, the Coalition will be able to continue its drawdown of forces.

Mobilizing Increased Regional and International Support

Besides ending sectarian and terrorist violence, Iraqi leaders have before them other opportunities and challenges, each of which can be used to support Iraqi efforts to stabilize their country. One opportunity that Iraqis are taking advantage of is the positive shift in regional and international assessments of Iraq’s future.

More and more countries see the political change that has taken place in Iraq as enduring and even beneficial. At the regional level, several countries, including Saudi Arabia are encouraging Sunni Arab insurgents to move toward reconciliation. This is part of a process of regional reconciliation, which is leading to an improvement in relations between Iraq and other Arab states. An indication of this positive development is the recent series of visits by Prime Minister Maliki to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. These visits included potentially significant agreements for investment and assistance.

In addition, a number of countries and firms, including major energy companies, have approached the Iraqi government, proposing to increase their involvement in Iraq, to make investments in important Iraqi economic sectors, and to commit to binding contracts. These developments represent a shift, reflecting a calculation that the new Iraq is increasingly likely to succeed.

The Iraqi government has secured an agreement for the United Nations to co-chair a process to develop a compact between Iraq and the international community. Under this compact, Iraq will commit to specific goals and timelines for economic and other reforms in exchange for commitments for assistance from Coalition allies, the IMF, the World Bank, and other nations, including those who may have opposed Iraq’s liberation but who now have a stake in seeing a prosperous Iraq. We will support this effort. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Robert Kimmit, will lead the U.S. government’s engagement in this process, as well as State Department Counselor Phillip Zelikow.

However, at the same time, we have to be candid in acknowledging the challenge posed by a few countries, such as Syria and Iran. Tehran has played a role in providing extremist groups with arms, training, and money. The Iraqi government is increasingly concerned about Iran’s destabilizing actions. Iran must decide whether it is irreconcilably opposed to a stable, strong, and democratic Iraq. If Iran persists in its unhelpful actions, the Iraqi government, as well as the United States and other friends of Iraq, will need to consider necessary measures to deny to Tehran the ability to undertake destabilizing policies.

Realizing Iraq’s Economic Potential

All of the efforts to stabilize Iraq, both internally and internationally, will be bolstered by the new Iraqi government’s efforts to realize the country’s economic potential and to increase economic opportunity for the Iraqi people. There is a huge gap between Iraq’s economic position and its potential. Iraq used to have one of the most prosperous and advanced economies in the Middle East. Under Saddam, mismanagement and wasteful spending on military conflict threw away those advantages.

To recover, Iraqis must do much for themselves to set their economic house in order – and they are. They have made an important down payment on the reduction of counterproductive subsidies for gasoline and other fuels. They are also picking up a major share of the cost of sustaining their security forces. The Iraqi government is in the process of drafting new legislation to encourage domestic and foreign investment. It has also tapped into international expertise to assist its own experts in drawing up new hydrocarbon laws, a necessary first step in developing its oil and gas sectors. And as a signal of its intentions to move beyond the old thinking that kept Iraq from participating in the international economy, legislation to open the fuel retail sector to market prices and international players has been put before the national assembly for its consideration before its August recess.

The Iraqi government’s new economic team, led by Prime Minister Maliki and Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh, have the right priorities. They have emphasized increasing oil production, improving basic services, developing a safety net for the poor, and promoting investment. They understand the need to diversify the economy, particularly by jump starting the housing and agriculture sectors. They are prepared to move forward in privatizing viable state-owned enterprises, establishing a modern financial and banking sector, and investing in needed infrastructure in transportation, communications, and health. Prime Minister Maliki understands the importance of curbing corruption, both by undertaking reforms to increase transparency and reduce opportunities for abuses and by strengthening institutions to fight corrupt practices. The United States and other friends of Iraq will help the new government to deliver results in these areas to the Iraqi people.

Conclusion

In my remarks, I have explained the path to success in Iraq – the actions that the Iraqi government, the United States, and other members of the Coalition see as the keys to achieving the strategic goal of a stable and representative Iraq. The Iraqis are going through a difficult transition, simultaneously facing the challenges of state and nation building while also fighting vicious terrorists. Iraq’s leaders have committed themselves to a course of action that can succeed. None of the steps in this strategy are easy, but all of them are doable.

I want to end by saying a word on the importance of succeeding in Iraq. I am aware of the dangers of staying too long in Iraq, as well as the risks of leaving too soon, before success is ensured. A precipitous Coalition departure could unleash a sectarian civil war, which inevitably would draw neighboring states into a regional conflagration that would disrupt oil supplies and cause instability to spill over borders. It could also result in al Qaeda taking over part of Iraq, recreating the sanctuary it enjoyed but lost in Afghanistan. If al Qaeda gained this foothold – which is the strategy of the terrorists – it would be able to exploit Iraq’s strategic location and enormous resources. This would make the past challenge of al Qaeda in Afghanistan look like child’s play. Finally, a precipitous withdrawal could lead to an ethnic civil war, with the Kurds concluding that the Iraqi democratic experiment had failed and taking matters into their own hands and with regional powers becoming involved to secure their interests.

Whatever anyone may have thought about the decision to topple Saddam – whether one supported it or not – succeeding in Iraq is now essential to the future of the region and the world. Most of the world’s security problems emanate from the region stretching from Morocco to Pakistan. Shaping its future is the defining challenge of our time. What happens in Iraq will be decisive in determining how this region evolves. Therefore, the struggle for the future of Iraq is vital to the future of the world.



Thank you.

http://iraq.usembassy.gov/iraq/20060...lzad_csis.html

, post, or concern surfaces.. then over a few pages.. the conern is addressed and we all calm down and I feel good.. then someone pops in and apparently hasn't read the past few pages and brings up the same concerns all over again and we are off and running again... wish we could have a "faq" section that maybe we could
ask them to read before they post... or if they post and its already answered refer them to the answer...


Admin,
It has also occurred to me that a subject search function could be very helpful within this forum for people like marlecastle who are new to the drill. Also for we who have been at it for a while, but don't have time to sift back through thousands of letters for a bit of pertinent info. I'm no techie, and have no idea how that would happen, but hats off to those who do!
As you can see, I was able to stay away for, oh, maybe 8 hours or so? Gotta sleep sometime I guess.
p.s. those arabic to english translations are just a hoot. better than a show.

Great pipshurricane,

That says it all, a good compilation of where Iraq is today vs. yesterday, and things are happening faster than all the experts ever imagined, and that is good for all of us. Getting closer and closer, and as we all now know, meeting in DC at end of month should indicate final piece of puzzle is in place. Why else would Maliki again want to meet with Bush? With enactment of investment law going into force in August, follows logics again, and that is what we want to see, logical steps.

Good luck to all, Mike