Thread: Archive News - Iraqi Dinar Think Tank - 24/01/201 - 23/07/2011

Rep. Dennis Kucinich says shrink-wrapped cash sent to Iraq illustrates government misspending
Says the Defense Department shrink-wrapped $10.8 billion in American money, loaded it on 175 pallets and put it on a transport plane to Iraq where they passed out $100 bills and no one has any receipts.

Cleveland Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich blasts the Iraq war every chance he gets. With Republicans promising budget cuts now that they’ve taken control of the U.S. House of Representatives, it’s not surprising what’s at the top of Kucinich’s list of potential trims.

"To meet your stated purpose of protecting American taxpayers from waste, fraud and abuse, it is essential that you examine the Department of Defense and money wasted during unnecessary wars," Kucinich said in a Jan. 4 letter to Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, a California Republican.

Kucinich has also taken to television to make his case for Defense Department cuts. He alleged outrageous abuses during a Jan. 6 interview with Fox News anchor Jon Scott.

"Listen, when you can have a Defense Department that can shrink wrap $10.8 billion in American money, load it on 175 pallets and put it on a, on a transport plane and ship it to Iraq where they pass out $100 bills and no one has any receipts, when you know that kind of waste is going on, . . . we have concerns in this country that we have to start taking care of, and it's important that we track the misspending that's going on through the Department of Defense so that we can keep that money for the things we need at home," Kucinich said.

We thought it would be worth investigating Kucinich’s claim that the Pentagon loaded billions of shrink-wrapped U.S. dollars onto transport planes and flew them to Iraq, where these $100 bills were dispensed out without receipts.

Kucinich spokesman Nathan White said his boss’ claim stemmed from a February 2007 House Oversight Committee hearing conducted by the committee’s then-chairman, Henry Waxman of California, which examined massive shipments of U.S. currency to Iraq as part of the war effort.

A transcript of that hearing indicates the money at issue consisted of nearly $12 billion in cash that the Federal Reserve (not the Defense Department) sent to Iraq on C-130 cargo planes, mainly in shrink-wrapped packages of $100 bills, between May 2003 and June 2004. The money wasn’t U.S. tax dollars – it came from Iraqi oil sales that were put in a development fund for the Iraqi people. It was sent in cash because no banks or financial system existed in Iraq immediately after the U.S. occupation. Some of the money was used to stabilize the country by launching large public works programs to create jobs. Much of it was given to Iraqi ministries to pay the salaries and pensions of Iraqi civil servants who hadn’t had a paycheck since before the war. Although the Iraqi ministries lacked good payroll records, former Coalition Provisional Authority Administrator Paul Bremer told the committee that delaying their payments until better records were available would have been "demoralizing and unfair" to millions of Iraqi families, and "might well have exacerbated danger to the American soldiers on the ground."

"Under Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi government had been by far the country’s largest employer, providing about four out of five of all jobs," Bremer testified. "But for several months, since before the war, millions of Iraqi families had not received money owed them for civil service, salaries or pensions."

Special Inspector for Iraq Reconstruction Stuart Bowen, who was charged with auditing money sent to Iraq for reconstruction, told the committee that more should have been done to track how the money was spent. His auditors said nearly $9 billion was improperly accounted for. In a recent interview, he stressed that his findings didn’t mean all that money was used improperly, although his office found cases of graft that totaled in the tens of millions of dollars. He said 44 people have been convicted of crimes uncovered by his office.

"There were weak controls that made the money susceptible to waste and abuse," said Bowen. "The money was given to these interim Iraqi ministries who spent it and used it as they chose. The fact that it was Iraqi money didn’t in any way diminish our duty to make sure we carried out our fiduciary responsibilities. It was not well managed and not well accounted for."

Bowen’s office released an audit last year that found inadequate accounting for $8.7 billion of another $9.1 billion in subsequent shipments of Iraqi cash that the Defense Department sent to Iraq after January 2004. It found several cases of bribery, fraud and money laundering by U.S. officials that resulted in eight criminal convictions and $7.8 million in fines, forfeitures and restitution payments, the report said.

Kucinich’s spokesman did not respond to questions asking why Kucinich told Fox that $10.8 billion was at issue, when $12 billion was the amount discussed by Waxman’s committee. Bowen said he wasn’t familiar with any cases where $10.8 billion were shipped to Iraq on 175 pallets, as Kucinich claimed, though he applauded Kucinich’s advocacy for effective Iraq oversight.



"He is one of the reasons why the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction has been able to succeed in the last seven years of work," Bowen said of Kucinich.

• Kucinich is off-base in his tally of dollars sent to Iraq.

• He is correct, though, that it was shipped mainly as shrink-wrapped bundles of $100 bills and that the U.S. shipped immense amounts of cash to Iraq without properly overseeing its disposition.

• More significantly, the money he cited in his example was from Iraqi oil sales and belonged to the Iraqi people. That’s a critical fact that could easily give the listener a different impression.

Pentagon spending may be a legitimate place to look for budget cuts, but money misspent from this source could not be used "for the things we need at home."

For these reasons, we rate his claim Barely True.

http://www.politifact.com/ohio/state...ed-cash-iraq-/

Chairman of Iraq's National Dialogue discusses political process with President Talabani

The Chairman of Iraq's National Dialogue Council, Sheikh Khalaf al-Alayan, has conferred with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani on the course of the current political process in the country, according to a Presidential statement on Monday.

"Both sides have exchanged viewpoints on the course of the current political process and the general situation in the country, with Talabani reaffirming necessity to join hands together during this important phase, the phase of strengthening the platforms of political and security stability and achieving basic services for the citizens," the statement pointed out.

Alayan "had highly assessed the wise leadership of the President of the Republic, describing it as "the platform for all components of the Iraqi people," the statement said.

The Iraqi political process is witnessing continuous discussions among different Parliamentary blocs to select security ministers and to pass the draft-law on the National Council for Strategic Policies (NCSP), expected to be chaired by the Leader of al-Iraqiya block, Iyad Allawi.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1....&id=140673&l=1

Central Bank of Iraq criticizes the Federal Court decision which connects independent bodies under the chairmanship of Minister

Central Bank of Iraq, criticizing the decision of the Federal Court decision to link independent bodies under the chairmanship of cabinet and not under the chairmanship of the parliament, and that this constitutes a threat to the Iraqi funds.

The bank said in a statement issued on Monday and received a copy of the Sumerian News that "we have developed under the auspices of the government according to the Federal Court decision makes the Bank's assets abroad are subject to seizure by creditors."

The bank said that the independence that the "prescribed by law was and is still the only thing that guarantees are not exposed Iraq's financial resources abroad for procedures for the confiscation of international creditors," adding that "those goals do not necessarily coincide with the objectives of the executive branch."

The Bank continued to "stay away from the executive authority is required by the current phase and future as Ttlapth phase that followed the fall of the former regime," according to the statement.

The Federal Supreme Court issued a decision in January 18 this provides a link independent bodies referred to in the Iraqi constitution, including the Central Bank under the chairmanship of Prime Minister directly, not under the chairmanship of the House of Representatives, and the decision came at the request to show a link bodies of Cabinet Office submitted to the Federal Court in second week of December last year.

Iraq is still facing claims for compensation from the Kuwait war in 1990 was also faced with paying hundreds of millions of dollars in private suits in the United States as soon as he left the sanctions imposed by the United Nations under Chapter VII.

The leader of the National Alliance, Bahaa al-said in an interview for "Alsumaria News", the first on Saturday, said that "a disaster will be resolved on Iraq, when linked to independent bodies of the Cabinet," noting that "the Central Bank of Iraq is one of independent bodies, even if associated with prime minister, funds will be transformed into government money and this means that all of Iraq requests funds will book them and take these stocks are the billions of Iraqi currency. "

Has included a chapter IV of the Constitution of the Republic of Iraq for the year 2005, independent bodies within the articles (102-108) promised to the Constitution in Article (102) each of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Independent Higher Commission for Elections and the Integrity Commission, independent bodies operate under the control of the House of Representatives, and thus associated with these bodies the highest legislative authority in the Iraqi constitution, and is organizing its law issued by the Council of Representatives.

The earlier decision of the Federal Court of reactions by the political blocs in which he described the Kurdistan Alliance, last Thursday, the Federal Court decision to "not successful", adding that it could dilute the independence of these bodies. It also considered the Iraqi List, in the words of spokesman Haidar al-Mulla that the decision was a coup the Constitution, a claim the presidency of the Council of Representatives and leaders of political blocs to take a firm stand to protect democracy in Iraq,

The Supreme Judicial Council on the lips of his spokesman, Abdul Sattar Bayraktar that "the decisions of the court is bound by all the authorities not subject to appeal any decision of its decisions or to resolve the court and re-appointment of other persons," noting that "every point of consideration to any decision by the Federal Court from the standpoint of partisan or personal interests."

The text of the law set in 2004 by the U.S. civil administrator in Iraq Paul Bremaraly the independence of the central bank, the Bank was granted the task of ensuring price stability in the home and building a stable financial system, competitive and market-based view to promoting sustainable growth and employment and prosperity in Iraq.

The Iraqi Constitution refers in the door the fourth under the title (independent bodies) to a number of bodies and organs, Kdioan financial control, and Communications and Media Commission, and National Commission for de-Baathification, which replaced the Supreme National Commission for Accountability and Justice, as the Constitution defines the nature of their relationship to the House of Representatives or Council of Ministers.

http://www.alsumarianews.com/ar/1/16...-details-.html

CBI calls on the Federal Supreme Court to issue an interpretative decision shows its first

Called on the Iraqi Central Bank, on Monday, the Federal Supreme Court to issue a second resolution Legend explains its decision to link the first independent bodies, headed by cabinet and not under the chairmanship of the parliament, warning of the dangers it faces many of the country in the event of leaving the decision without explanation.

The adviser said the Iraqi Central Bank Governor appearance of Mohammed Salih in an interview with "Alsumaria News", "The timing of the decision the Federal Supreme Court attachment to independent bodies under the chairmanship of Minister, and not under the chairmanship of the parliament, was unfortunate and unambiguous non-constructive", urging to "issue a decision Legend shows central bank independence."

Saleh added that "the decision left without clarification, Sierdhana to the problems and many dangers lie in the mixing of government funds with the central bank money as a pretext for the creditors and the courts of Foreign Affairs, in particular we are in the stage of implementing Security Council resolution No. 1956 issued by the middle of last December, the process of lifting the immunity of funds Iraq after June next."
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The benefit of "We were surprised by the decision, the Federal Court is supposed to meet with the Governor of the Central Bank and the bank's board and get to know what will happen," adding that "the decision is binding and can not be overridden only amend the constitution through the parliament."

The central bank adviser that "the Bank seeks to protect the funds of the government under its umbrella, and when the parachute does not reveal this because there is protection," noting that "the independence of the central bank has given protection to assets and savings that are the Iraqi people."

Salih stressed that "the Iraqi Central Bank independent practice under the Act No. 56 of 2004", noting that "this independence implies that does not receive orders from the government or its organs in any way in the implementation of policies and tools, and not to lend the government reserves, and subject accounts for external auditing according to international standards. "

He said the central bank adviser that "the Bank is associated originally the House of Representatives and accountable to him, as stipulated by the Constitution in Article 103," between that "the law granting the central bank independence in achieving its objectives, and if he fails to achieve them is up to its accountability to Parliament", and called on "the Federal Court to a second resolution, the first explains the law and explains how central bank independence."

He said the process of the steps taken by the central bank towards the resolution in the case remained on what it is that "the Bank will move Bugetin First, the House of Representatives as the author of the right Bmsaelth front of him, namely the enacting of laws, expressing the wishes and goals of the people," explaining that "the Bank will also travel to the Iraqi government to discuss the matter calmly to ensure the best interest of the country."
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The leader of the National Alliance, Bahaa al-said in an interview for "Alsumaria News", the first on Saturday, said that "a disaster will be resolved on Iraq, when linked to independent bodies of the Cabinet," noting that "the Central Bank of Iraq is one of the independent bodies, even if associated with prime minister, funds will be transformed into government money and this means that all of the demands that Iraq funds will be asked to seizure of stocks of the Iraqi currency."

The earlier decision of the Federal Court of reactions by the political blocs in which he described the Kurdistan Alliance, last Thursday, the Federal Court decision to "not successful", adding that it could dilute the independence of these bodies, was considered as the Iraqi List, in the words of spokesman Haidar al-Mulla that the decision was a coup the Constitution, a claim the presidency of the Council of Representatives and leaders of political blocs to take a firm stand to protect democracy in Iraq.

For his part, the Supreme Judicial Council on the lips of his spokesman, Abdul Sattar Bayraktar that "the decisions of the Constitutional Court are binding on all authorities may not appeal any of them, or dissolve the court and re-appointment of other persons," noting that "every point of consideration to any decision issued by the Federal Court from the standpoint of partisan or personal interests. "

The text of the law set in 2004 by the U.S. civil administrator in Iraq Paul Bremaraly central bank independence, and the granting of the law, the Bank task of ensuring price stability in the home and building a stable financial system and competitive market-based view to promoting sustainable growth and employment and prosperity in Iraq.

http://www.alsumarianews.com/ar/1/16...-details-.html

Parliament Speaker and the Governor of the Central Bank Inaqachan seriousness the government's supervision of the Central Bank

Discuss Speaker Osama Nujaifi with Central Bank Governor Sinan al-Shabibi the importance of preserving the independence of the Central Bank of the seriousness of the situation the central bank under the supervision of the government.

A statement from the House of Representatives Tuesday Nujaifi discussed during a meeting Shabibi and economic adviser to the appearance of Mohammed Saleh has the Federal Court decision on independent bodies and the seriousness of the situation the central bank under the supervision of the government.

The statement added that Shabibi stressed that the resolution of Iraq will lose its responsibility to protect its assets and deposits abroad, and the independence of the Central Bank.

http://radionawa.com/ar/NewsDetailN....596&LinkID=158

Member of the Committee on Energy: The Committee seeks to approve oil and gas law

A member of the Oil and Energy Committee for the National Alliance MP Sheikh Dhari Ali Fayad of the priorities of work of the Commission was to endorse the oil and gas law and the districts of the national oil company.

Fayad said in a statement to the Agency by news Tuesday that the Committee will carry out the ratification of the law of oil and gas being one of the important laws that will govern the work of the oil sector in Iraq.

He added that the committee will be in quarters that the national oil company because of its positive significance for the advancement of the oil sector in the country, and support the Ministry of Oil of the recommendations and proposals and studies for this important sector, as well as cooperation with the Commission on Public Integrity to detect cases of corruption and waste of public money on this ministry.

He added that the hospitality of the oil and energy will need to rely on cadres of local professional and efficient to rehabilitate the oil sector and away from the cronyism and clientelism in it.

http://radionawa.com/Ar/NewsDetailN....598&LinkID=155

Ministry plans to increase oil production fields in the south to 6 million barrels a day the end of 2013

Ministry plans to increase Iraqi oil production from the southern fields to 6 million barrels per day, the end of 2013.

Deputy Oil Minister Ahmed sniffs in a press statement during his visit to the Japanese capital Tokyo, said Iraq plans to raise the capacity of the southern oil export facilities to five or six million barrels per day by the end of 2013 as part of the state plan for the OPEC member to boost production of crude ..

He sniffs We also plan to restore the northern region to its original capacity of 1.6 million barrels per day ..

The average exports from the southern fields is currently 1.5 million barrels per day.

http://www.ipairaq.com/index.php?nam...onomy&id=34877

Chairman of Iraq's National Dialogue discusses political process with President Talabani:

The Chairman of Iraq's National Dialogue Council, Sheikh Khalaf al-Alayan, has conferred with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani on the course of the current political process in the country, according to a Presidential statement on Monday.

"Both sides have exchanged viewpoints on the course of the current political process and the general situation in the country, with Talabani reaffirming necessity to join hands together during this important phase, the phase of strengthening the platforms of political and security stability and achieving basic services for the citizens," the statement pointed out.

Alayan "had highly assessed the wise leadership of the President of the Republic, describing it as "the platform for all components of the Iraqi people," the statement said.

The Iraqi political process is witnessing continuous discussions among different Parliamentary blocs to select security ministers and to pass the draft-law on the National Council for Strategic Policies (NCSP), expected to be chaired by the Leader of al-Iraqiya block, Iyad Allawi.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1....&id=140673&l=1

Originally Posted by Seaview

Member of the Committee on Energy: The Committee seeks to approve oil and gas law

A member of the Oil and Energy Committee for the National Alliance MP Sheikh Dhari Ali Fayad of the priorities of work of the Commission was to endorse the oil and gas law and the districts of the national oil company.

Fayad said in a statement to the Agency by news Tuesday that the Committee will carry out the ratification of the law of oil and gas being one of the important laws that will govern the work of the oil sector in Iraq.

He added that the committee will be in quarters that the national oil company because of its positive significance for the advancement of the oil sector in the country, and support the Ministry of Oil of the recommendations and proposals and studies for this important sector, as well as cooperation with the Commission on Public Integrity to detect cases of corruption and waste of public money on this ministry.

He added that the hospitality of the oil and energy will need to rely on cadres of local professional and efficient to rehabilitate the oil sector and away from the cronyism and clientelism in it.

http://radionawa.com/Ar/NewsDetailN....598&LinkID=155

Member of the Committee on Energy: We seek to approve oil and gas law

A member of the Oil and Energy Committee for the National Alliance MP Sheikh Dhari Ali Fayad of the priorities of work of the Commission was to endorse the oil and gas law and the districts of the national oil company.

Fayad said in a statement to the reporter (Agency news) said Tuesday that "the Commission will carry out the ratification of the law of oil and gas being one of the important laws that will govern the work of the oil sector in Iraq."

He added that "the Committee will be in quarters that the national oil company because of its positive significance for the advancement of the oil sector in the country, and support the Ministry of Oil of the recommendations and proposals and studies for this important sector, as well as cooperation with the Commission on Public Integrity to detect cases of corruption and waste of public money on this ministry."

He added that the hospitality "of the oil and energy will need to rely on cadres of local professional and efficient to rehabilitate the oil sector and away from the cronyism and clientelism in that."

He stressed "the need for the Commission's work to increase capacity for oil production and improve quality productivity and make the oil ministry and the Ministry for all Iraqis and all the sons of the homeland."

He was the former Iraqi Oil Minister Dr. Ibrahim Bahr al-Ulum had "called the House of Representatives to the amendments to the law of oil and gas before reading it within the Council in line with the changes in the oil sector in the country Kjlat licenses."

Uloum said in a press statement, "The oil and gas law which is expected to be discussed by the House of Representatives during the coming period requires careful review to ensure modifications are consistent with the changes in the reality of the Iraqi oil during the past four years."

The Bahr al-Ulum that "can not pass a law of oil and gas, the current formula, which started two years ago did not take into account the changes and developments that have occurred in fact, the oil, indicating that the law will organize the process of oil production and export mechanism and strengthen the relationship between Baghdad and Erbil."

The House of Representatives had previously failed to adopt the law of oil and gas because of the tyranny of political differences between Baghdad and Arbil, some of its paragraphs.

The oil contracts signed by the Kurdistan Regional Government with foreign companies of the most outstanding issues between Baghdad and Erbil, in the time that says the Iraqi Oil Ministry that the "contracts of the territory are illegal because they do not have the right by entering", and emphasizes the territorial Government that the Constitution conferred the right to conclude contracts.

And Iraq held two rounds of last year licenses to invest its oil fields resulted in the victory of several international companies of different nationalities to develop ten fields in different regions, established after Iraq in October, the third oil licensing round. Iraq seeks to access the oil produced within the next six years between 10 and 12 million barrels per day, in order to increase its exports of oil daily after obtaining approval from the Organization of the world's oil (OPEC).

http://www.ikhnews.com/news_view_7472.html

Iraq demands Jordan 114 million dollars for quantities of oil back in 2003

Demands that Iraq Jordan 114 million dollars for quantities of oil back in 2003. Quoted (the Arabs today) Jordanian source described as Balrafee level, that (the Iraqi government demanded Jordan nearly $ 114 million oil prices, crude and oil products back in 2003).

According to the paper that (the Iraqi Oil Ministry insisted, in the communications of an official with the Jordanian counterpart, request payment of prices, quantities of oil supplied to the Kingdom).

He noted that the paper (another claim Iraqi oil was valued at the end of last year).

Says Arabs today, that the Finance Committee of Iraq, retrieves the relevant funds outside Iraq, Jordan addressed - through the Iraqi embassy in Amman - to settle this debt.

The correspondence showed that the two sides discussed several times this debt, and agreed to settle the matter, but that did not pay the debt was not subject to any settlement.

And Jordan and Iraq signed a memorandum of supply of crude oil (Kirkuk) on 15 August 2008, and has direct download limited amounts of oil rose gradually to a rate of 9800 barrels per day in 2010.

Jordan and received between 2008 - 2010 nearly 5.5 million barrels of oil, at a discount of $ 18 including transport fares incurred by Jordan, which means that the value of discount ranging from 2-3% after costs, while covering the amount imported from Iraq, about 10% of the oil needs of the Kingdom.

http://www.ipairaq.com/index.php?nam...onomy&id=34869