Thread: Archive Latest News - Think Tank - 16/08/07 - 03/11/07

Woman leads bloc for first time in Kurdish parliament's history

Arbil - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 16 /09 /2007

Arbil, Sept 16, (VOI) – Kwistan Abdullah, the deputy in the Kurdish parliament's Green Bloc, was elected to lead the bloc, thus becoming the first woman ever to head a bloc in the Iraqi Kurdistan region's parliament since it was first established in 1992.

"Members of the Green Bloc, during a meeting with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) politburo, unanimously elected Abdullah to lead it in place of deputy Othman Bani Marani," Green Bloc member Khaman Zarrar told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).

"The change was to activate the bloc's performance inside parliament," she added.
The Green Bloc, affiliated to Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's PUK, has 40 out of a total 111 seats in the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan parliament.

The number of seats is the same obtained by the Yellow Bloc of Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barazani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). The remaining seats are occupied by other parliamentary blocs.

Aswat Aliraq

Daawa Party-Iraq Organization may pull out of UIC

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 16 /09 /2007

Baghdad, Sept 16, (VOI) – The Daawa Party-Iraq Organization may withdraw from the Shiite Unified Iraqi Coalition (UIC) if efforts to heal the rift within the Shiite alliance fail, the leader of the party, Abdul Kareem al-Anzy, said on Sunday.

The decision comes less than 24 hours after the defection of the Sadrist bloc from the UIC, the largest parliamentary bloc in the Iraqi parliament.

In statements to the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI), al-Anzi said that his party, which holds 13 seats in the 275-member parliament, will make every effort to "mend the rift within the coalition."

"If our attempts prove unsuccessful, we will seriously consider forming an alliance with the Sadr movement, al-Fadila Party, and others," al-Anzi added.

Al-Anzi held Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki responsible for the subsequent withdrawal of the coalition's components, claiming that divisions have reached the Islamic Daawa party, led by al-Maliki, and described the Sadrist bloc's defection as a "strike to the core."

"Al-Maliki made a strategic mistake when he joined the four-way alliance without consulting his coalition," al-Anzi noted.

The Islamic Daawa Party, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC), and the two main Kurdish parties formed a four-way alliance in mid-August that they said aims at backing the current Iraqi government following the withdrawal of some political blocs from the cabinet.

Aswat Aliraq

We will use divisions within UIC to withdraw confidence from al-Maliki's government-lawmaker

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 16 /09 /2007

Baghdad, Sept 16, (VOI) – More conflicts are expected to arise within the Shiite Unified Iraqi Coalition (UIC), the Sunni Iraqi Accordance Front (IAF) and the Kurdistan Coalition (KC), the leader of the secular National Dialogue Front (NDF), Saleh al-Motlaq, said on Sunday, describing the three blocs as "sectarian."

Such divisions will be used to withdraw confidence from Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government, al-Motlaq added.

"Those who seek to set up a national salvation front will benefit from al-Sadr movement's withdrawal from the Shiite coalition and call for a vote of no confidence against al-Maliki's government," al-Motlaq told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) by phone.

The statements come following the withdrawal of the Sadrist bloc from the Shiite coalition and the defection of the planning minister Ali Baban from the IAF two days ago.
Denying any intention to form an opposition front to what he described as the Shiite-Kurdish bloc, al-Motlaq said, "We want to set up a national salvation front, not an opposition front."

The Shiite Daawa Islamic Party, the Shiite Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC), and the two main Kurdish parties formed a four-way alliance in mid-August that they said aims at backing the current Iraqi government following the withdrawal of some political blocs from the cabinet.

Describing the withdrawal of some political blocs from the Shiite coalition as a "national awakening," al-Motlaq claimed that the formation of "sectarian blocs" will plunge the country into an abyss of violence.

The NDF holds 11 seats in the 275-member parliament.

Aswat Aliraq

Sadr appoints fresh political board

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Sunday , 16 /09 /2007

Baghdad, Sept 16, (VOI) – Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr instructed that a new political board should be appointed following the withdrawal of his group from the Shiite Unified Iraqi Coalition (UIC), an Iraqi legislator said.

"The new board will be headed by Liwaa Semesam, the minister of tourism & antiquities who withdrew from the government," Falah Shanshal, a member of parliament from the Sadrist bloc, or Iraqis loyal to Sadr, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) on Sunday.

Shanshal revealed no further details about the new board.

The Sadrists officially announced their resignation from the UIC on Saturday in Najaf.
"The bloc discussed and approved the decision," Saleh al-Ubaidi, the spokesman for the Sadrist bloc, said during a press conference.

The Sadrists currently hold 30 out of a total 275 seats in the Iraqi parliament.

Aswat Aliraq

Al-Qaeda in Iraq slowly finds itself with no future

In 2005, a violent conflict started between Albu Mahal and Al-Karabla, two major Sunni Arab tribes populating the remote area around Qaim in Anbar Province. One of these tribes supported Al-Qaeda in Iraq. Both tribes were hostile to the Americans and to the Iraqi government. The Americans and the Iraqi government assessed this to be a normal tribal conflict. Later developments revealed that neither Al-Qaeda in Iraq nor the Iraqi government nor the Americans recognized that it reflected a drastic change in the political dynamics that would shape the new phase of the Iraqi conflict.

Only a few months later, Al-Qaeda in Iraq assassinated tribal leaders in Anbar and Kirkuk provinces because they called on their followers to join the Iraqi security forces. In a letter from a local Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, he described those assassinations as having the anticipated intimidating effect. Al-Qaeda in Iraq went further by carrying out a suicide attack against a police recruiting station, killing dozens of recruits. It was at this point that the Americans made up their minds to support the tribes against Al-Qaeda in Iraq. The Iraqi government followed up on this effort. However, even then Arab countries did not anticipate the potentially significant political outcome of the conflict between the Anbar tribes and Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

It was only months later that a group of tribal leaders, supported by the Americans and the Iraqi government, publicly challenged Al-Qaeda in Iraq. They announced the formation of a tribal or salvation council with the primary objective of "liberating" Anbar from Al-Qaeda in Iraq. Sunni political parties and groups such as the Muslim Scholars Association (a hard-line Sunni organization that supports insurgents and refuses to participate in the political process), and the Al-Tawafuq front (the biggest Sunni political bloc in the Iraqi Council of Representatives) sharply criticized the members of this council and predicted its failure. They were mostly motivated by the threat posed by the salvation council to their position as sole representatives of the Iraqi Sunni community, of which the population of Anbar constitutes a principal component.

After months of clashes, it was clear that Al-Qaeda in Iraq was losing the battle in Anbar. Peace and stability were brought back to the province in almost no time. The success in Anbar has stimulated other tribes and groups to challenge and fight Al-Qaeda in Iraq in other parts of Iraq. Local tribes and insurgent groups like the Islamic Army and the 1920s Brigades in Sunni-dominated Baghdad districts, Salaheddin Province and Diyala Province entered the fight against Al-Qaeda in Iraq. By the fall of 2007, it was clear that there was a significant shift in the Sunni community position against Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

There are many reasons behind this shift. First, Iraqi culture and Islamic practice do not tolerate Al-Qaeda in Iraq's extremism and its narrow interpretation of Islam. True, at one point some distressed Sunnis welcomed Al-Qaeda in Iraq, but it was only a matter of months before they concluded that it was better to participate in a Shiite-dominated government than to be under Al-Qaeda in Iraq control.

Second, Al-Qaeda in Iraq's strategy is to incite sectarian violence in Iraq. The aftermath of the Samarra Golden Mosque blast in 2006 was ironic. Al-Qaeda in Iraq succeeded in that attack to provoke the Shiite Mehdi Army militia. But the latter's retaliation attacks proved to the Sunnis that although Al-Qaeda in Iraq could attack Shiites it could not protect the Sunnis from Shiite counterattacks.

Third, the sectarian attacks and counterattacks incited by Al-Qaeda in Iraq caused the Sunni areas to become isolated from Shiite areas, thereby damaging the Sunni economy. And lastly, military operations in Al-Qaeda in Iraq-controlled areas caused huge losses in property and nearly brought daily life to a halt.

Thus, the first conclusion that comes from the Anbar success against Al-Qaeda in Iraq is that the latter has no future in Iraq. Yes, it can exploit the presence of foreign troops and sectarian strife to gain support in some areas. Further, it can and deliberately has "engineered" sectarian strife to increase its support. Yet it cannot sustain itself for long in Iraqi society.

The second conclusion is that new local political leaders are emerging more quickly than many observers have anticipated. Sheikh Sattar, chair of the salvation council of Anbar, is playing politics now. He is trying to reach politically beyond Anbar. Some Arab countries like the United Arab Emirates, seeing this potential, are supporting him as a possible new player. Jordan sees in the success of the tribes in Anbar an opportunity to create a "moderate" Sunni buffer zone to shield it against the spillover of Al-Qaeda in Iraq in its direction and, incidentally, to stop any Shiite expansion toward its borders.

Although Sattar's background as a warrior is a matter of concern, he is nevertheless a member of the second generation of Iraqi politicians. The first generation played the sectarian game to rally support, whereas the second has earned respect for defeating Al-Qaeda in Iraq and providing security. But is this enough to meet the challenges of state-building? And can this new generation resist the temptation of seeking the support of neighboring countries and instead pursue its own interests?

Safa A. Hussein is a former deputy member of the dissolved Iraqi Governing Council. Prior to joining the transitional government he served as a brigadier general in the Iraqi Air Force and worked in the military industry as director of a research and development center. Currently he works in the Iraqi National Security Council. This commentary was first published at bitterlemons-international.org, an online newsletter.

The Daily Star - Opinion Articles - Al-Qaeda in Iraq slowly finds itself with no future

Al-Bayati confirms continue the dialogue between the coalition and Sadrien

Current patients not seeking to withdraw confidence from the government and Maliki will separate bloc in the House

Political affairs-16/09/2007

Baghdad \ file Press

Hours after the declaration of the current parliamentary bloc chest withdrawal from the Iraqi coalition consolidated, MP Abbas Al-Bayati stressed that dialogue is still continuing between the coalition and mass chest, while the trend chest today that the withdrawal trend from the list of "Iraqi coalition" does not aim to withdraw confidence the government stressed that the fundamental problem in Iraq is "occupation" American.

Replying to a question on the current efforts to withdraw confidence from the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Maliki said Sheikh Salah al Ubeidi spokesman trend chest in a press conference on Saturday evening, "this is not in our account but we take account that interested citizens and government services."

With regard to the return on its trend and return to the coalition Consolidated al Ubeidi said, "We do not expect that there would be irrevocably to the coalition", explaining that "there were some contacts as a matter of courtesy, there were serious attempts of understanding with us."

Asked about future projects of the current al Ubeidi said, "In the future we will deliberate steps will offer free support to any party."

The brigade Smeism head of the political office of Sadr announced Saturday evening mass withdrawal Trend patients led by the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr from the Shiite ruling coalition consolidated because of the lack of response to their demands.

For his part, President Nassar Al-Rubaie Chest bloc in the parliament in the same press conference that "all options are open before us and are important to decisions in the interest of the Iraqi people" unlikely form a new bloc.

Al-Rubaie said "We do not want the problem of dealing with the problem. Clusters current cause of the problem is we do not want to do-studied reactions. " He stressed that "the fundamental problem in Iraq is the occupation (American), the solution lies in the scheduling of the withdrawal from Golan and all stand with us in this demand hearts open to him."

For his part, declared President Hassan al-Shamri Virtue Party bloc in the parliament during the same press conference that "an exchange of views took place between morality and current patients were generally agree on things."

He added that "the near future will witness certain positions ... Trend chest and Virtue enjoy much involved that create ground of understanding in the future."

The Islamic Virtue Party withdrew one of the Shiite parties in the bloc to list the Shiite coalition consolidated last March of this parliamentary bloc led by Abdel Aziz Hakim.
Replying to a question on the work between Virtue and the trend to form a single bloc al-Shamri said, "The completion of projects for the formation of blocs Aytuagaf possible, but work to coordinate positions."

He added, "could prevent the issuance of certain laws that harm Iraqi citizens (...) It is possible in the future to crystallize front of the various components."

For his part, Abbas Al-Bayati member of the House of Representatives from the Coalition Iraqi leaders Sunday that the coalition will continue the dialogue with the bloc Chest will not close the door to dialogue for the return to the coalition bloc Chest, with the lead in the bloc said they would Chest independent bloc in the parliament.

Al-Bayati said in a press statement today that "bloc Chest is one of the central pillars of the coalition and its withdrawal would affect the composition."

Al-Bayati added that the "withdrawal of Chest bloc has a significant impact on the coalition, and its impact will be clear in the case wanted the coalition passing some laws in the House of Representatives, although the bloc chest did not go far n coalition and the coalition will call for the monitoring and evaluation of his career for the purpose of re-composition again, the basic facts on the new and necessary through listening to the masses denouncing him Calfdelh and chest. "

Al-Bayati denied that the coalition received a formal letter written by mass chest containing demands, it is assumed that the demands on leaders of the coalition, in the absence of response they withdraw, indicating that the bloc coalition Blansahab surprised and so quickly.

He pointed to a "problematic and the differences in views between the leaders of the coalition between the Bloc and chest on a number of issues, but can be resolved through dialogue, not through withdrawal, so we will immediately form a committee to discuss with the bloc chest and know the real reasons that led to the withdrawal."

He explained that "the coalition did not interrupt the dialogue with the bloc Virtue, and that all components of the coalition needs to make sure everyone frankness of their rights and Esthakkaktham, but this should be feasible and frank dialogue to move together in our journey that we started together."

And the impact of the withdrawal Sadrion to pass important laws in the House of laws such as oil, gas and accountability, justice and provincial assemblies elect Al-Bayati explained, "These laws are evolving political bloc by the Quadripartite addition to the Islamic Party, and that these leaders could secure a quorum in Parliament to pass the laws, and these laws need to be half plus one to provide a quorum present, and therefore may face some observations, and no doubt that the views of Block Chest important. "

It is noteworthy that the bloc Chest "30" seats in the House out of 275 seats is the total seats in the Iraqi parliament

Turkey loses ground in business with Iraq

Ercüment Aksoy, the president of the Turkish-Iraqi Business Council, which operates under the umbrella of the Foreign Economic Relations Council (DEİK), revealed that Turkey has not capitalized on business opportunities in the Iraq market.

He added that they are still losing business in Iraq. “There is something wrong if none of our ministers, not even the prime minister, have visited Iraq since 2003, even though many Iraqi ministers and the Iraqi prime minister have visited Turkey,” he said. Speaking to the Anatolia news agency on Sunday, Aksoy said there were erroneous reports in the media claiming that Turkish goods were boycotted in northern Iraq in lieu of a probable military intervention by Turkey in the region.

Aksoy said that exports to Iraq were around $1.25 billion up to the end of June 2007 and that exports for the whole year were expected to exceed $2.5 billion, excluding contract services and processed oil products. Aksoy emphasized that this quantity of exports was made de****e inconsistent actions by the Iraqi Trade Ministry. “The drought increased food prices significantly, but the Iraq ministry still tried to make purchases at the old prices and that’s why Iraq’s imports declined,” he said.

Aksoy said Turkish contractors have done a brilliant job in contracting business in northern Iraq, but now many rival firms have gone to northern Iraq from South Korea and India. “That’s how we started to lose our share in the market,” he said. He added that at least one Turkish minister has to visit Baghdad and that Turkish banks must open branches there to improve Turkey’s share in the Iraq market.

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/de...ay&link=122318

Did I miss something here? Was there a holiday or something today? No CBI Auction today?

Been away for awhile and may have missed it.......

Thanks.

There was an Auction yesterday apparently. Thoughts are maybe the CBI just forgot to publish it.

Iraq orders U.S. government's security firm out of the country in wake of killing

The Iraqi government Monday ordered Blackwater USA, the security firm that protects U.S. diplomats, to stop work and leave the country after the fatal shooting of eight Iraqi civilians following a car bomb attack against a State Department convoy.

The order by the Interior Ministry, if carried out, would deal a severe blow to U.S. government operations in Iraq by stripping diplomats, engineers, reconstruction officials and others of their security protection.

The presence of so many visible, aggressive Western security contractors has angered many Iraqis, who consider them a mercenary force that runs roughshod over people in their own country.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki late Monday and the two agreed to conduct a ''fair and transparent investigation'' and hold any wrongdoers accountable, said Yassin Majid, an adviser to the prime minister.

A State Department official confirmed the call but said he could not describe the substance.

But it was clear that the U.S. hoped the Iraqis would be satisfied with an investigation, a finding of responsibility and compensation to the victims' families - and not insist on expelling a company that the Americans cannot operate here without.

Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul-Karim Khalaf said eight civilians were killed and 13 were wounded when contractors believed to be working for Blackwater USA opened fire on civilians Sunday in the predominantly Sunni neighborhood of Mansour in western Baghdad.

''We have canceled the license of Blackwater and prevented them from working all over Iraqi territory. We will also refer those involved to Iraqi judicial authorities,'' Khalaf said.

He said witness reports pointed to Blackwater involvement but added that the shooting was still under investigation. One witness, Hussein Abdul-Abbas, said the explosion was followed by about 20 minutes of heavy gunfire and ''everybody in the street started to flee immediately.''

U.S. officials said the motorcade was traveling through Nisoor Square on the way back to the Green Zone when the car bomb exploded, followed by volleys of small-arms fire that disabled one of the vehicles but caused no American casualties.

American officials refused to discuss Iraqi casualties, nor would they confirm that Blackwater personnel were involved. They also refused to explain the legal authority under which Blackwater operates in Iraq or say whether the company was complying with the order.

Phone messages left early Monday at Blackwater's office in North Carolina and with a spokeswoman were not immediately returned.

The incident drew attention to one of the controversial American practices of the war - the use of heavily armed private security contractors who Iraqis complain operate beyond the control of U.S. military and Iraqi law.

''The Blackwater guys are not fools. If they were gunning down people, it was because they felt it was the beginning of an ambush,'' said Robert Young Pelton, an independent military analyst and author of the book ''Licensed to Kill.''

''They're famous for being very aggressive. They use their machine guns like car horns. But it's not the goal to kill people.''

On Monday, Iraqi officials were quick to condemn the foreign guards.
Al-Maliki late Sunday condemned the shooting by a ''foreign security company'' and called it a ''crime.''

Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani described the shooting as ''a crime about which we cannot be silent.''

''Everyone should understand that whoever wants good relations with Iraq should respect Iraqis,'' al-Bolani told Al-Arabiya television. ''We are implementing the law and abide by laws, and others should respect these laws and respect the sovereignty and independence of Iraqis in their country.''

Blackwater, a secretive North Carolina-based company run by a former Navy SEAL, is among the biggest and best known security firms, with an estimated 1,000 employees in Iraq and at least $800 million in government contracts.

Santa Barbara News-Press