Thread: Iraq/Dinar News until 5/23/07 Midnight CST

Iraq's al-Sadr harbors ambitious plans
By HAMZA HENDAWI and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writers
Tue May 22, 2:59 PM ET



BAGHDAD - From hiding, possibly in Iran, U.S. nemesis and radical anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is believed to be honing plans to sweep into the power vacuum made all the more intense by news that his chief Shiite rival has lung cancer. And he's betting the U.S. won't keep its troops in Iraq much longer.

Al-Sadr aides and loyal lawmakers have told The Associated Press the cleric's ambitions mean he will avoid taking on the Americans militarily as he did in 2004, when his Mahdi Army militia fought U.S. forces to a standstill.

Instead, the 33-year-old cleric plans to keep up the drumbeat of anti-American rhetoric, consolidate political gains in Baghdad and the mainly Shiite south, and quietly foster even closer ties with neighboring Iran and its Shiite theocracy.

The strategy is based in part on al-Sadr's belief that Washington will soon start pulling out troops or draw them down significantly, leaving behind a huge hole in Iraq's security and political power structure, al-Sadr's associates said.

Iraqi Defense Minister Abdul-Qader al-Obeidi told reporters Monday that Iraq's military is drawing up plans in case U.S.-led forces leave the country quickly.

"The army plans on the basis of a worst-case scenario so as not to allow any security vacuum," al-Obeidi said. "There are meetings with political leaders on how we can deal with a sudden pullout."

It was unclear whether al-Obeidi was referring to routine contingency planning, or if his remarks reflected a new realization among Iraqi leaders that the days of American support may be numbered.

Al-Sadr also believes, his associates said, that Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government may not last much longer, given its failure to improve security, services and the economy. A government collapse is certain to be followed by a political realignment in which the Sadrist movement stands a good chance of emerging as the main player. Al-Sadr's loyalists have 30 of parliament's 275 seats.

The six lawmakers and aides spoke to the AP in separate interviews over the past week. Several agreed to speak of the movement's future only on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss strategy with outsiders. They stuck to broad outlines, declining to be drawn into specifics.

"We gave the government a historic opportunity, but al-Maliki did not use it and that's why we are preparing for a state led by the Sadrist movement," said an al-Sadr political aide who is among those who spoke on condition of anonymity. "An Islamic state led by the Sadrists is our future," he said.

The impact of such a plan — if implemented — would be far reaching.

An Iraq with ultra-radical Sadrist Shiites holding dominant power would seek to curb U.S. influence and bolster the influence of clergy-ruled Iran throughout Iraq and possibly outside its borders in the Sunni Arab heartlands of Saudi Arabia, Syria and Jordan.

It also could deepen the Shiite-Sunni divide and unleash a wave of Shiite militancy with offshoots joining forces with like-minded groups, such as Lebanon's Hezbollah.

Al-Sadr is said by U.S. officials to have been in Iran since he dropped out of sight some three months ago and is widely believed to be increasingly relying on Iran as the main sponsor of his movement.

After weeks of claiming the cleric was back in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf, his backers now concede al-Sadr is, in fact, in Iran.

"Without Iran, the U.S. can crush the Sadrist movement," said Vali Nasr, a prominent U.S.-based expert on Shiite affairs. "When you have 50,000 to 60,000 fighters, you need a sponsor like Iran," said Nasr, alluding to the reported strength of the Mahdi Army.

Moving closer to Iran now would be a timely tactic since Tehran's main Iraqi client, the Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq, is widely thought to have forged closer ties with the United States and used a key party conference this month to adopt a new creed stating its commitment to Western values like human rights and democratic rule.

The Supreme Council's leader, Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, has been diagnosed with lung cancer and is in Iran for chemotherapy treatment. His illness removes from the scene, at least temporarily, a major al-Sadr rival.

Al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militiamen have frequently fought with the Council's own private army — the Badr Brigade — in southern Iraq, an oil-rich region where the two groups compete for dominance.

A preview of a Sadrist-led Iraq can be found in Sadr City, a crowded Baghdad district where some 2.5 million Shiites live under the virtual governance of the Sadrists and the Mahdi Army.

Islamic Sharia courts operate freely in the neighborhood. Girls as young as 7 are forced to wear the Muslim veil. Stores selling alcohol have been forcibly shut. Religious punishments, like flogging those who violate Islam's ban on alcohol, are routine.

"We want an Islamic system," said Nassar al-Rubaie, a Sadrist lawmaker. "We want a presidential system that will produce someone with a power similar to that of a Muslim caliph."

Much of the Sadrists' resolve to create an Islamic society, according to the lawmakers and aides, has to do with the movement's strong messianic convictions. In Shiite terms, this translates into making society sufficiently pure for the return of the so-called Hidden Imam, a descendant of Islam's Prophet Muhammad who disappeared as a child in the 9th century. Shiites believe he will return one day to bring justice to Earth.

"The hidden imam is our savior," said Amer al-Husseini, a cleric and a senior aide to al-Sadr in Baghdad. "We need to prepare for his return, both ideologically and practically."

To that end, al-Sadr yanked his five ministers from al-Maliki's unpopular government last month and ordered his Mahdi Army militia to go underground while the U.S. military stages what is likely to be its last major bid to quiet the capital.

Sadrist lawmakers, meanwhile, are pushing to have parliament adopt a decision demanding a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S.-led foreign troops.

Al-Sadr, from his Iranian exile, also has made overtures to the once-dominant Sunni Arabs of Iraq.

On Tuesday, Sadrist lawmakers met with Sunni Arab tribal leaders leading a fight against militants from al-Qaida in Iraq in the western Anbar province. In a joint statement, the two sides called for local elections to be held soon and for Iraq's rival political blocs to rise above their differences.

"We believe that the Sadrist movement is an independent and nationalist movement that we are ready to cooperate with," said Omar Abdul-Sattar, a lawmaker from the Iraqi Islamic Party, the nation's largest Sunni group.

But a Sadrist-led push to introduce a strict version of Islam in Iraq would be a bitter pill to swallow for Sunnis who account for about 40 percent of the population. Most Sunnis — Arab and Kurd alike — disapprove of the dominant role by the clergy in Shiism and view some Shiite rituals, like self-flagellation, as idolatry.

Nor is the Sadrist theology especially popular among other Shiites in Iraq.

Shiites living in areas under Mahdi Army control often complain of the heavy-handedness of the militiamen in enforcing Islamic tenets but grudgingly accept their sway because they see them doing a better job than security forces in protecting their neighborhoods from attacks by Sunni militants.

Nevertheless, Sadrist lawmakers Ghofran al-Saadi and Saleh al-Aujaili said the movement plans to vigorously contest the next local elections to wrest control of provincial councils from rival Shiite groups that benefited from the Sadrists' decision not to take part in the January 2005 vote. The Sadrists fielded candidates only in the parliamentary part of the election.

Holding local elections is one of several policy benchmarks that Washington wants al-Maliki's government to meet to ensure continued U.S. support, but no date has been set yet.

"We have a huge popular base and we are not going to let that go to waste," al-Saadi said. "We have a duty to meet the aspirations of our supporters."

Iraq's al-Sadr harbors ambitious plans - Yahoo! News

Originally Posted by oldskiier

It's gona pass this next week !!!!




راقيةStart enlarged meeting between the delegation and the Iraqi government Kurdstan

(صوت العراق) - 22-05-2007(Voice of Iraq) - 22-05-2007
ارسل هذا الموضوع لصديقSend this topic to a friend

.Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, this morning, Mr. Najirfan Barzani, head of government territory Kurdstan.
.And then began an expanded presence of the ministers of oil and finance between the Iraqi delegation and the Iraqi government Kurdstan.
.It is noteworthy that the head of government territory Kurdstan who heads the delegation of political and administrative Kurdstan found several days ago in Baghdad to discuss a number of issues, including oil and natural wealth and permanent Iraqi constitution addition to a number of political and administrative matters.

Following a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, head of the territorial government of Kurdstan, Mr. Najirfan Barzani told reporters that the delegation territory Kurdstan visiting Baghdad to coincide with the year before the formation of the Iraqi government headed by Maliki and congratulated the occasion. The added Mr. Barzani they Nigervan : "touched during their meeting with al-Maliki to the law and the distribution of oil revenues as well as a number of other issues. We have established joint committees to resolve outstanding issues ". The President of the territorial government expressed optimism resolving those issues.

.In his statements, through Mr. Barzani expressed Najirfan supporting the government of the territory Kurdstan Maliki government.

In another part of his statements, Mr. Barzani Nigervan Kurdstan doors that open to tourists coming from other parts of Iraq, especially with the start of the tourist season in Kurdstan, head of the territorial government rejected any obstacles illegal obstacle to that.

Translated version of http://www.sotaliraq.com/

Thanks Oldskiier, another good piece of news posted today, certainly makes a person optimistic.

Interesting,

Sadr's mug needs to be added to the Saddam most wanted deck of cards in my opinion, he is pure trouble and must be terminated.

Good luck and health to all, Mike

Originally Posted by Offshore-Wealth.com

Interesting,

Sadr's mug needs to be added to the Saddam most wanted deck of cards in my opinion, he is pure trouble and must be terminated.

Good luck and health to all, Mike

Agreed Mike. I said that along time ago. If I'm not mistaken, powers that be thought there might be an uprising if they did that. I think we should've rolled the dice. Hard to tell if members of his militia are good guys with a bad influence for a leader or just genuinely bad guys no matter what. I still don't think it's too late for him to have a party of one with a laser guided smart bomb

This article is from last month - checked archives - can't find it posted. Thought it an interesting read. Glad to know CBI investing Reserves.

Khaleej Times Online - UAE investors to establish banks in Iraq


UAE investors to establish banks in Iraq
(Wam)

5 April 2005


ABU DHABI — An Iraqi official has disclosed that intensives contacts are under way with UAE investors for the establishment of private or joint stock banks in Iraq.
Dr. Sanan Al Shabibi, Governor of the Central Bank, said that the negotiations might yield fruit in form of one or more Gulf banks in Iraq, pointing out that UAE and Gulf investors had shown great concern in benefiting from the tremendous opportunities provided by the Iraqi banking sector. He said that the Iraqi central bank has invested its $5 billion reserves in external markets, which are considered a basic step for marinating stability of the Iraqi dinar, adding that the movement of the Iraqi currency would depend on the entry or exist of Iraq of foreign currencies.
.

weird, i just posted this and poof! it disappeared, see i can do it again.....

was welcomed by economists and citizens.



المركزيةNew procedures to the Ministry of Trade restore life to the central markets -Haider Al-Rubaie
بما .Amina accustomed to shopping in supermarkets for nearly twenty years, as it believes that the goods and products sold in those markets Menachev be good as well as lower prices compared to what it is in the local markets.




..Adds Amina Officer in the Ministry of Health .. المحلية .The central markets formerly one of the most important shopping outlets for me and other workers in the state, because most of what is sold in those markets electrical equipment and household materials and foodstuffs different specifications are good and not for the tradition that we trust them and we buy many of those markets, in addition to the licenses are sold materials compared to the domestic market, particularly durable goods and household .. says Amina meters also wish to revert those markets in the current circumstances, where the majority of what is sold in the local market are the same specifications, materials and low unwanted as well as higher prices.
سابقا.The state secretary up like the rest of the state workers who re-running defense of life to the company of the central markets, which is considered by many one of the most important outlets for citizens at competitive prices, as was the case previously.
..There are in Iraq approximately forty markets centrally deployed in all provinces, and in Baghdad alone there are eight markets, and more than 6600 employees in the company's public markets of central low salaries because of the adoption of this company is self-financing ..
لذلك.I have therefore taken the Ministry of Trade recently to activate these commercial facilities task through privatized Obie these markets, or find the right partner who can restore life to those markets seconds.
.Where the Minister of Trade days before the necessity of activating these markets because of its many positive aspects to the benefit of all citizens and employees in particular, through any suggestions in these markets of goods and materials sold for less than it is in the local markets.
واشار .The Sudanese farmer Abdel this regard to the need to invest buildings central markets through research and coordination with investors from home and abroad, the requirement that the work be like and followed up by the ministry through the quality control and laboratory materials to be supplied from abroad.
.He said the Sudanese also that the coming period will witness a number of actions to revitalize the central markets, after the agreement on the options will be worked out. Explaining formation of a committee comprising a number of experts and spe******ts to examine the reality of central markets in terms of possibilities available to them and their operation and the possibility of rapidly after granting the company the amounts frozen in the Ministry financial and launch materials in warehouses grapevines, which reach such ***** to very large sums owners of the company.
وقد .The ruling of this matter very much by economists and businessmen who are regarded as an important step towards creating a competitive atmosphere between the central markets, which are supervised by the State and local commercial markets, stating that the result will benefit to the entire citizenry that the price of many items will be reduced in addition to the bad goods disappear from the markets gradually Baghdad, especially if the central markets offering goods and specifications Menachev good.
ويقولالمباعة.He says economic researcher Ismail : The Ministry of Trade to take this step a long time ago, especially after the passage of the new Iraqi investment law, which allows the Ministry to seek foreign or local investors to activate some of its facilities, He adds there Ismail numerous benefits of activating the role of supermarkets Perhaps in the forefront of assisting many segments of society, especially the staff on shopping and prices must be competitive. in addition to that based on those markets undoubtedly will discuss the materials and commodities-quality, and here comes the role of the Ministry of Trade that must take permanent control on the functioning of the central markets even after lease or find an appropriate partner to control prices and quality of materials sold. .Ismail also says : that of the positives to restore life to central markets is to energize the spirit of competition between these markets and the local markets, and the result would be a decrease in local market prices, especially after it is put useful materials and commodities in supermarkets and at appropriate prices, as well as the most relevant material specifications bad sold in markets local gradual extinction event will start work supermarkets because it will inevitably import of all that is good and proper.
من .For their part, a number of businessmen willing to participate in the full rehabilitation of those markets if they are officially, stressing the ability of those markets to take the lead the rest of the commercial market, if done properly and under the supervision and control of the Ministry of Commerce, says Sam Jabbar _ a businessman _ that all the conditions are in favor support supermarkets Introduction In those circumstances are not including people's confidence to be bought from local commercial markets of various materials are mostly the same specifications and bad Menachev bad, contrary to the absolute confidence that it attaches citizen of the central markets feel they are being managed by the state .. The Jabbar recovered a large number of businessmen enter as partners in this vital project, which gives the citizen shopping safely away from security fears because the majority of these markets are protected and one entrance.

Translated version of http://www.alsabaah.com/

PNA, 23 May 2007

President of Kurdstan region meet with Ashraf Qazi

President of Kurdstan region, Mr. Massoud Barzani, in Salah Eddin summer resort today, Ashraf Qazi, representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in Iraq. During the meeting has been assessing the political, administrative and security situation in Iraq and its relations with the territory Kurdstan. The head of the territorial exchange with Ashraf Qazi views for the advancement of the political process and stabilization in Iraq.

The meeting dealt also to the Iraqi Permanent Constitution and Article (140) and the oil. In this context, Mr. Massoud Barzani stressed the commitment of the people Alkordi Bentvez Article (140), refused to postpone the article is totally groundless. The meeting covered in the other existing relations between the United Nations and Iraq, territory Kurdstan.

KRG, Kurdistan Regional Government

Aswataliraq , 23 May 2007

Adnan Mufti : not in the Kurdish leaders flexibility in federal issues and the application of Article (140)

The representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in Iraq, on Tuesday, he met with Kurdish leaders to discuss constitutional amendments in the future Iraqi constitution, said Adnan Mufti, head of the Kurdistan Parliament did not have the Kurdish leaders flexibility in the federal issues and the application of Article 140 of the Constitution.

Mufti explained in a joint press conference in Arbil, Tuesday, with Ashraf Qazi, representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in Iraq that "with regard to key issues, we do not have the flexibility, especially democracy and federalism and the application of Article 140 of the Constitution." He added : "With regard to expanding the political process to include all the parties we are with them."

Paragraph 140 of the current Iraqi constitution will be the normalization of the situation in Kirkuk to the Kurds and Turkmen citizens displaced to their areas of origin, and re-entrants to the Arab citizens of the central and southern governorates in the time of the former regime added to the original, The conduct of a comprehensive census is beyond decide in a referendum to maintain the fate of the citizens to preserve and whether to join the Kurdistan region.

"The Mufti continued "We discussed with the representative of the Secretary-General Rule oil law, and informed him of our readiness to show full cooperation for the success of the political project in Iraq."

The Iraqi Parliament is currently discussing draft of a controversial law on the distribution of the proceeds of natural resources in Iraq, especially the oil and gas between the provinces and territories.

Meanwhile, the representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in Iraq, Ashraf Qazi, that he met Kurdish leaders in the Kurdistan region and discussed with them the forthcoming constitutional amendments, expressing optimism on the success of the process of drafting constitutional amendments.
The International Committee of the competent Iraqi Parliament from all parliamentary blocs to discuss amendments to the current Constitution aid from the United Nations, and is supposed to submit these amendments to the Parliament for approval and then hold a referendum in order to recognize it.

The new judge stressed that the role of United Nations mission is to provide advice and cooperation with the Iraqis, said : "We have no special agenda us."

The judge noted that he discussed the role with the Kurdish leaders (Ionami) of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq to support the institutions of the territorial government, announcing the continuation of the mission to provide support to these institutions.

The representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations that he told greetings of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon to the President of the Kurdistan region Masoud Barzani, congratulating him on the occasion of the anniversary of the Declaration of formation of the Kurdistan unified government.

KRG, Kurdistan Regional Government

SAWA, 23 May 2007

Deputy Kurd shows a U.S. pressure on all parties to complete the oil law

The deputy said the bloc Kurdistan Alliance Mahmoud Othman said that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki met yesterday with the head of government of the Kurdistan Ngervan Barzani and his accompanying delegation in Baghdad to continue negotiations and talks on the oil and gas.

The deputy pointed Othman said in an interview with "Radio Sawa" to the presence of U.S. pressure on all parties to complete the oil, revealing the visit of an American delegation to the Kurdistan region to reach an agreement on the distribution of oil and gas, pointing out that the head of government of the Kurdistan met in Baghdad, American and British delegation before meeting al-Maliki.

Othman explained that negotiations between Maliki and the Barzani in Baghdad continued, pointing out that the issue of funding forces would also s on the table talks.

He reviewed the deputy Mahmoud Othman, the most important points to be considered by the parties on the law of oil and gas, explaining that the discussion would deal with how to deal with resources and how to control, pointing out that there are four oil supplements to the law, regarding the competence of the National Oil Company, and the drilling of new oil wells

KRG, Kurdistan Regional Government

Originally Posted by shotgunsusie

the only problem with IRAQ UPDATES articles is they were taken from other papers and sometimes are 2 weeks old. please note this when reading and posting these articles.

Hi Sgs and All, I appologize. I thought I saw this news posted before too, but wasn't sure.....Sorry again.