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

Barham Salih : investment budget for the current year had made significant progress compared to last year. * المواطن/متابعة * Citizen / up
قار. Concluded workshop held in Baghdad recently to the need to overcome the problems and difficulties in the functioning of the implementation of projects investment budget for 2007 in the provinces of Babil, Wasit and Dhi Qar, Muthanna. وذكر د. The d. برهم في د. Barham Saleh, head of the Economic Committee of the Council of Ministers chaired meetings during the workshop that the range of implementation of the budget for the current year has achieved marked progress compared to the level of achievement in the last year of the same time period. Saleh acknowledged that there have been deficiencies and defects in the joints and numerous outlets across ministries and governorates allude to the action The bureaucratic mechanisms practiced by the government as well as the challenges of terrorism seeking to sabotage the country. He called for during the workshop, which was attended by ministers of trade, industry and municipalities, Housing and Construction and Water Resources and the number of agents and other service ministries, and a number of advisers in the Cabinet and ministries and heads of provincial assemblies and governors of the four provinces concerned, and called for the development of effective solutions that contribute to the speedy implementation of investment projects in those governorates stressing that de****e the huge allocations for the current budget, but it did not satisfy the need of these governorates of projects and services necessary because of such policies Macedonia. The investment budget for 2007 had identified 329 billion dinars. for Wasit governorate in the share of the Babylon province 266 billion dinars, 248 billion dinars for the governorate of Thi Qar, 113 billion dinars Muthanna governorate allocations amounts of development sections, as well as the investment budget of the ministries. The head of the Economic Committee of the Cabinet had listened to a detailed presentation by representatives of the provinces of Babil, Wasit and Muthanna Dhi Qar sources added to the overall conditions and needs in the sectors of electricity, industry and water resources, agriculture, health and other basic services. The proportion of achievement in every governorate regarding Moisentin investment of ministries and the development of the Territories. For his part, Minister of Trade d. Abdalvlah Sudanese limited storage capacity of the EU with regard to vocabulary ration card calling provincial assemblies and governors to intervene not seize some items on the ration card at the expense of other provinces. The Industry Minister Fawzi Hariri to a lack of specific financial allocations for the EU, considering that 21 billion dinars is not enough to invest in the company one of the companies, the Ministry of Industry pointing at the same time as announced previously identified allocations to support small enterprises registered in the Iraqi Industries Union and licensed by the industrial development and the draft of 1800 by $ 20 million

جريدة المواطن العراقية

Maliki says Baghdad seeks Paris'' support to Iraq''s democracy

Politics 8/20/2007 12:12:00 AM

BAGHDAD, Aug 19 (KUNA) -- Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki said Sunday Iraq sought France's contributions to support democracy established by the Iraqi people since the removal of Saddam Hussein.
Now that Iraqis have organized elections and elected representatives in the National Assembly and the formation of a government of national untiy, the Iraqis are still in need of the French support, Maliki said in a meeting with visiting French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.
Maliki said his government sought to build a state of law, enforces justice and equality among all, as well as cracking down on terrorists and illegal militias.
The Prime Minister said he believed the "military force is not the sole solution, thus the government of national unity opened doors of conciliation and still working to bring about all segments of the Iraqi people in the political process." Maliki hoped the French companies would contribute to the reconstruction of Iraq.
Kouchner said France was ready to provide all necessary backing for the Iraqi government and people to achieve stability with participation of all Iraqis.
Kouchner, who arrived here earlier today, underlined need of talking about the future of Iraq, as well as the democratic process, sovereignty and conciliation. (pickup previous) mhg.bs KUNA 200012 Aug 07NNNN
http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesP...75&Language=en

Food prices surge on delay of rations

The rationing system under which Iraqis get free basic foodstuffs is no longer functioning well and as a result food prices have skyrocketed recently.

The system was introduced by former leader Saddam Hussein to offset the impact of sweeping U.N. trade sanctions imposed for his 1991 invasion of Kuwait. In the years until his downfall in 2003, the system worked properly and is accredited of saving millions of Iraqis from starvation.

But since the arrival of U.S. invaders, the rationing program, as is the case with almost everything in Iraq, crumbled. The quality of food deteriorated and often Iraqis have had to go without certain items.

Under the system, each Iraqi is entitled to a certain amount of basic foods like rice, sugar, cooking oil, legumes, tea and flour.

But in the past two months many areas received almost nothing and others only got a portion of allocations.

And as a result food prices have soared due to increasing demand of food stuffs on the spot market.

Not every Iraqi currently receives the rations. More than two million Iraqis have fled the country to neighboring and the government is practically doing nothing to help them.

Baby formula which is part of the rations is now dearer than ever. A one-kilogram tin has shot to 11,000 dinars from about 2500. Vietnamese rice surged to 1,000 dinars from 500 and a kilogram of vegetable ghee to 2000 dinars from 750.

The local press has lashed out at Iraqi traders blaming them for the price hikes but traders say the government is to blame for failing to honor basic commitments.

“Markets move up in case of scarcity and when the government delays rations or reduces their quantity demand rises and prices follow suit,” one trader, refusing to be named, said.

Mohammed al-Jaber said he had not received his share of rations in the past two months.

“When I went to buy food for my family I found that prices are beyond my reach. I returned home empty-handed,” Jaber said.

Rajaa Hassoun did not get her full share and among the missing items was the formula for her baby.

“I don’t think average Iraqi families can make ends meet without rations. But families with babies suffer more when milk is missing and they cannot afford to get it from shops,” she said.

Hassoun Allawi relies almost exclusively on rations to feed his family. But in the past two months, he had not received his share of rice, cooking oil and milk. “Food is more challenging to us than security. And I hope the authorities realize that,” he said.

Azzaman in English

Iran and Iraq has signed 65 agreements since Saddam fall

TEHRAN, Aug. 19 (Mehr News Agency) – Iran and Iraq have signed about 65 cooperation deals since the fall of Saddam Hussein regime in 2003, Iran's Ambassador to Iraq Hassan Kazemi Qomi said on Saturday. "Since the fall of Saddam's regime Iran and Iraq have signed more than 65 cooperation agreements in different fields, mostly in industrial fields," Qomi told the Mehr News Agency on the sidelines of a visit to the 5th International Motor Expo in Mashhad by Iranian diplomats to foreign countries.

The ambassador added Iran and Iraq have a good cooperation in oil industry.

He pointed to the completion of a pipeline project which carries 350,000 barrels of oil from the Iraqi port city of Basra to Abadan in southern Iran per day.

He also said every day about 1,500 Iranian pilgrims visit holy shrines in Iraq which is expected to rise to 2,500 people.
On the security of Iran's pilgrims in Iraq, he said an Iraqi security company is tasked with providing security for the Iranian pilgrims under the supervision of the Iraqi government.

Iran and Iraq has signed 65 agreements since Saddam fall

Al Basrah Oil Terminal to be completed soon - Iraq

(MENAFN) A representative of the Gulf Region Division's oil sector announced that the division is nearing the completion of the Al Basrah Oil Terminal which is known as ABOT and is the country's main terminal for crude oil exports, IDP reported.

He further added that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has invested $67.5 million to rebuild the export facility which is situated fifty kilometers offshore in the Arabian Gulf and at the moment, 500,000 barrels leave the ABOT port daily.

It is worth mentioning that crude oil exports currently accounts for 97 percent of the governments profits and that the GRD has been working to develop country's ability to get its crude oil to international markets.

MENAFN - Middle East North Africa . Financial Network News: Al Basrah Oil Terminal to be completed soon - Iraq

U.S. general accuses elite Iranian forces of training Shiite fighters in Iraq

BAGHDAD: Members of an elite Iranian force likely to be designated a foreign terrorist organization by the Bush administration are crossing the border into southern Iraq to train Shiite fighters, a top U.S. general said Sunday.

Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, whose command includes the volatile southern rim of Baghdad and districts to the south, said his troops are tracking about 50 members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps in their area.

"We know they're here and we target them as well," he said, citing intelligence reports as evidence of their presence.

He declined to be more specific and said no Iranian forces have been arrested in his territory.

"We've got about 50 of those," he said, referring to the IRGC forces. "They go back and forth. There's a porous border."

The military has stepped up allegations against Tehran in recent weeks, saying it supplies militants with arms and training to attack U.S. forces, but Lynch's comments were the first detailed allegation that Iranians have been training fighters within Iraq's borders.

Iran denies the allegations and says it supports efforts to stop the violence.

The Bush administration is moving toward blacklisting Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as a "terrorist" organization, subjecting at least part of the entity to financial sanctions in a new move against the Islamic republic, U.S. officials said this week.

A decision has been made in principle to name elements of the corps a "specially designated global terrorist" group, but internal discussions continue over whether it should cover the entire unit or only its main military wing, the Al-Quds force.

Lynch, whose mission is to block the flow of weapons and fighters into the Baghdad area, said Sunni and Shiite extremists have become increasingly aggressive this month in a bid to influence the debate in Washington before a pivotal progress report on Iraq.

But he singled out the Shiite extremists as being behind an uptick in attacks using armor-piercing explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, which he said were largely assembled in Iraq from parts smuggled in from Iran. He also noted a marked increase in Iranian-rockets that have been increasingly effective against U.S. bases.

There has been an overall decrease in attacks against U.S. and Iraqi forces, as well as civilians, south of Baghdad, but 46 percent of those were being carried out by Shiite extremists, Lynch said.

"The real difference now is we've got to spend as much time fighting the Shia extremists as Sunni extremists," he said.

He also expressed concern that the attacks were increasingly effective because of Iranian training. He said the Iranian's were using remote houses and surrounding land to conduct training. He said his forces had destroyed at least one camp.

Lynch also said the military planned to erect six more checkpoints by Nov. 1 with the help of about 2,000 Georgian forces along the porous border with Iran to stop the smuggling of weapons.

He said no trucks have been caught smuggling weapons through the southern border region since the military began focusing on the area on June 20, but he expected that to change with the increase in border security.

"With the Georgians we can establish these checkpoints," he said. "We can block that Iranian influence."

He said about 1,200 people a day move through the Iran-Iraq border, most Shiite pilgrims visiting holy sites, but the Iraqi military plans to increase that number to 2,500 a day soon. He did not provide more details.

He also restated the U.S. claim that Iranian-made munitions were turning up in Sunni insurgent weapons caches as well, although he was unable to say if they were being provided by Iran, a predominantly Shiite country, or being bought on the black market.

He echoed recent military statements blaming rogue members of factions that have broken from radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army for the violence, saying Shiite extremists were battling for influence.

"There is an obvious attempt by Shia extremists to expand their footprint," he said.

"I believe that their motivation is primarily that they don't want an acceptable, functioning government of Iraq," he added. "I believe that a chaotic Iraq and a chaotic region would be in their interest and they're trying to keep that going."

U.S. general accuses elite Iranian forces of training Shiite fighters in Iraq - International Herald Tribune

Computer program reveals FBI, CIA edited Wikipedia entries

WASHINGTON, August 17 (RIA Novosti) - A new scanning program has revealed that the FBI and CIA have been editing Wikipedia entries on topics ranging from the Iraq war to Guantanamo.

WikiScanner, developed by CalTech graduate student Virgil Griffith, has traced editorial changes made to the online encyclopedia to FBI and CIA computers, including the removal of satellite imagery of the Guantanamo prison camp on the island of Cuba, where the United States has detained suspected terrorists since 2002, and redactions of articles on the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

The program revealed that the CIA edited entries about its former director, William Colby, altering details of his career, and that a graphic on casualties in Iraq was manipulated to downplay the figures.

A number of commercial companies were also found to have edited entries related to them, in clear violation of Wikipedia's editorial guidelines that disqualify people or organizations from editing articles that concern them directly.

However, a spokeswoman for Wikipedia's parent company, Wikimedia, said the online encyclopedia was in any event self-correcting, and that any misleading entries are usually quickly rectified.

The FBI did not have any comment, and the CIA insisted that all of its computers are used responsibly.

RIA Novosti - World - Computer program reveals FBI, CIA edited Wikipedia entries

Opinion Piece

A plan for Iraq

Next month, General David Petraeus, commander of US forces in Iraq, and Ambassador Ryan Crocker will report to Congress on the situation in my country.

I expect that the testimony of these two good men will be qualified and nuanced, as politics requires. I also expect that their assessment will not capture the totality of the tragedy - that more than four years after its liberation from Saddam Hussain, Iraq is a failing state, not providing the most basic security and services to its people and contributing to an expanding crisis in the Middle East.

Let me be clear. Responsibility for the current mess in Iraq rests primarily with the Iraqi government, not with the United States.

Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki has failed to take advantage of the Iraqi people's desire for peaceful and productive lives and of the enormous commitment and sacrifices made by the United States and other nations.

The expected "crisis summit'' in Baghdad is further evidence of the near-complete collapse of the Iraqi government.

The best outcome of the summit is perhaps a renewed effort or commitment for the participants to work together, which may buy a few more weeks or months of cosmetic political activity. But there will be no lasting political reconciliation under Al Maliki's sectarian regime.

Crisis

Who could have imagined that Iraq would be in such crisis more than four years after Saddam Hussain? Each month 2,000 to 3,000 Iraqi civilians are killed by terrorists and sectarian death squads.

Electricity and water are available, at best, for only five to six hours a day. Baghdad, once evidence of Iraq's cultural, ethnic and religious diversity, is now a city of armed sectarian enclaves - much like Beirut of the 1980s.

It is up to Iraqis to end the violence and bring stability, security and democracy to our country. I am working with my colleagues in parliament to build a nonsectarian majority coalition that will support the following six-point plan for a "new era'' in Iraq and replace through democratic means the current Iraqi government.

- Iraq must be a full partner with the United States in the development of a security plan that leads to the withdrawal of the majority of US forces over the next two years, and that, before then, gradually and substantially reduces the US combat role.

The United States is indispensable to peace and security in Iraq and the greater Middle East. But we owe it to America -and, more important, to ourselves - to start solving our own problems. This will not happen as long as the present government is in power.

- I propose declaring a state of emergency for Baghdad and all conflict areas. Iraq's security forces need to be reconstituted. Whenever possible, these reconstituted forces should absorb members of the sectarian and ethnic militias into a nonsectarian security command structure.

Empowering militias is not a sustainable solution, because it perpetuates the tensions between communities and undermines the power and authority of the state. A state has no legitimacy if it cannot provide security.

- We need a regional diplomatic strategy that increasingly invests the United Nations and the Arab world in Iraqi security and reconstruction.

Washington should not shoulder this diplomatic burden alone, as it largely has until now. Prime Minister Al Maliki has squandered Iraq's credibility in Arab politics, and he cannot restore it.

In addition, Iraq needs to be more assertive in telling Iran to end its interference in Iraqi affairs and in persuading Syria to play a more constructive role in Iraq.

- Iraq must be a single, independent federal state. We should empower local and provincial institutions at the expense of sectarian politics and an all-powerful and overbearing Baghdad.

Religion should be a unifying -not divisive - force in my country. Iraqis, both Sunni and Shiite, should take pride in their Islamic identity. But when religious sectarianism dominates politics, terrorists and extremists emerge as the sole winners.

- National reconciliation requires an urgent commitment to moderation and ending sectarian violence by integrating all Iraqis into the political process.

We should recognise the contribution of the Kurds and the Kurdistan Regional Government to Iraq's democratic future. Reconciliation requires the active engagement of prominent Iraqi Shiite and Sunni political and religious leaders.

Al Maliki has stalled the passage of legislation, proposed in March, to reverse de-Baathification. That proposal should be passed immediately.
- The Iraqi economy has been handicapped by corruption and inadequate security. We must emphasise restoration of the most basic infrastructure.

There can be no sustainable economic development and growth without reliable electricity, running and potable water, and basic health care. Over time, Iraq needs to build a free-market economy with a prominent role for the private sector.

It is past time for change at the top of the Iraqi government. Without that, no American military strategy or orderly withdrawal will succeed, and Iraq and the region will be left in chaos.

Eyad Allawi was interim prime minister of Iraq from 2004 to 2005

Gulfnews: A plan for Iraq

Economists : 100 BILLION DOLLARS future

They identified the problems of the Iraqi economy, unemployment, inflation and the weakness of the productive sectors

Source : Sabah Al-19/08/2007

Economists estimated the size of the investment required to rebuild Iraq's economic platform and hides at 100 billion dollars over the next five years.

A report in the preparation of economists and got "Economic morning," a copy of which was about the challenges facing the Iraqi economy in the low investments, such as high unemployment rates in the institutions, companies and labs offered for investment, high inflation and low gross domestic product, the deterioration of productive sectors because of limitations production lines and low levels of working hand Professional and complexity of the living and non-sectors to complement each other, the report said that the beginnings of deviation in the economic tracks started from 1980, where the collapse, which happened in all sectors, pointing to the oil sector has Matardh setbacks as a result of pressure and poor management, followed backward ways and methods in the exploration, production, export and use Recent scientific developments made him not Kadrali meet the local needs of the production, although it is a source Chairman of the financial resources of the state and the report identified a need oil sector to more than 15 billion dollars to rebuild its infrastructure.

The amount specified in the report could be available when it opened for investment by the new law on oil wealth, which hopes to provide opportunities for foreign companies to enter the giant formula direct investment this sector has enjoyed considerable investment opportunities by virtue of being more attractive to investors who prefer to enter the wealth and especially major companies World .. , Which has great potential and seek resolutions of preferential As is clear from the follow-up steps presentations across known companies supported by the State.

The report went on to the industrial sector and the output of goods and commodities that meet the needs of the general community affirming his completely paralyzed because of the disruption of most basic share referring to the modification of its manufacturing heavy towards servicing the former regime in the MIC with the 1980s and afterward, the report pointed to cases of financial and administrative corruption, which spread epidemic killer in that period, hinting that the achievements were attempts to appease some trends that did not exceed the special interests as the reason for a stunning decline in the industrial sector, the report says the presence of industrial capabilities in Iraq have good export capacities cement industries and petrochemicals, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, garments and beverages some gas and electrical industries.

The report expected the sector to attract multinational companies and businessmen and investors, especially in the safe areas.

Industrialists felt that the steps in this sector must be identified and mapped and the Itim investment in the sectors failed to create the appropriate atmosphere for investment and stimulate and stressed the need to take steps in the new industries and projects are for the first time taking the required guarantees, pointing out that the industrial sector is important and must be taken all the measures that contribute to the restoration of life in various ways.

The report indicated that the agricultural sector was not fared better than the former sectors, but as is 40% of the hands and contributes 30% of the national production, it was able to march through the years to achieve acceptable production rates Mayecher but it is negatively continue to follow patterns and mechanisms of action old saw battle for many the occasional customers by cross corner on the ground or pesticides were sold most of its projects which had spent large sums of money and people out of the secluded owners solve their stead real people supported by the State, and saw some sectors such as palm down sharply and the production of dates and poultry, eggs and cereal cultivation ..

Iraq and the fact that important agricultural country in the first degree, the sector was able to stand in the new obstacles facing at the present time may exceed those difficulties and to the opening of the market and the entry of agricultural goods from all countries of the world that has become threatened because, as we have Aimitlk basics Samoud production requirements, talk to him force to stand in those challenges.

A candidate sector to invest all share. Due to the availability of water and the presence of fertile land in addition to the market, which consumes most of its production to marketing any content This is the important thing in the production processes at the present time.

Agricultural experts called for the introduction of legislation to protect agricultural product and ensure support crop strategic thinking and scientific way in which the joints are investment, which achieved remarkable for reviving our methods of work in this sector.

License Iraq cope with the aspirations of 'MTV CNN' to be among the top 10 companies globally

Brak confirms further implementation of the commitments towards the Iraqi people.

Source : Qabas Kuwaiti-19/08/2007

Company announced MTV CNN-raised, that the license has won in Iraq amounted to 15 years, and cover all regions of Iraq, where will take effect as of the date of the conclusion of the license, which is expected to be formally signed August 30, 2007 and will pay the value of the license the Iraqi government in three installments'.
Brak
Commenting on this, the Executive Chairman of the Group MTV CNN Dr. Saad Brak 'has been very pleased to win a license 15 years in Iraq, a license which will allow us to continue to implement the promises and commitments we made to the Iraqi people since we started work in Iraq in December 2003.

This license will allow us to increase the pace of employment experiences of a group of MTV networks CNN and many in the process of expansion, to invest in expansion reflect positively on our clients and provide them with new services include all parts of Iraq '.

He added that Brak 'win affirms the company to launch mobile communications (or ATC) in the Middle East, as it is consistent with the aspirations of the company's efforts to become one of the 10 largest mobile communications companies in the world by 2011'.

Company pilot
The Brak 'that the MTV-raised CNN is the leading telecommunications company in the Iraqi market, where the share of the mobile communications market 40% thanks to the leaders of its subscribers, which includes 3.6 million common (until June 30, 2007), a'm prepayment rate 97% of that rule ', pointing out that the' MTV CNN-raised 'services are provided through effective communication technology advanced GPRS, a service which covers an area of 6000 km, thanks to the feet of the Company's investments exceeded 600 million dollars so far '.

Aldehoue
For his part, General Director of Company C-MTV raised on Aldehoue 'Indeed, we feel admiration and gratitude to the spirit of professionalism shown by the Iraqi authorities, the media and communications and Iraqi advisors throughout the proceedings and put licenses granted'.

Aldehoue view that 'this victory is a new certificate proving spearheading MTV CNN raised in the Iraqi market, as the company's commitment in Iraq's future in the long term', and added : 'What is important is that the other win this license will also facilitate the expansion of the company in Iraq, including the northern areas'.

He Statement 'MTV CNN' to the principle of community support is one of the objectives of the company MTV CNN-raised pledges, and through the company's eagerness to provide permanent jobs and new employment opportunities for Iraqi citizens. The average MTV-raised CIA currently employs more than 1500 Iraqi also receive appropriate training and self-development opportunities offered by the company. Also funded by the company and supports diverse and large number of organizations and cultural institutions and sports, such as the Central football team and all the Iraqi National Orchestra, in addition to a number of non-governmental organizations and health.

A statement by the company that 'winning those license enhance the stature of MTV CNN-raised pilot in Iraq and the place of the group as a whole the fourth largest operator of mobile phone services in the world thanks to its presence, which covers Africa and the Middle East, where the company's presence in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Sudan and soon in the Kingdom Saudi Arabia '.

He pointed out that the 'activity along the MTV group C in 21 countries will contribute to helping the company raised MTV CNN on making use of its human resources group and practice, where there is effectively in the five neighboring countries is Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia soon '.

According to the statement, the bank UBS Anfestmant UBS Investment Bank is the adviser who has played only company MTV CNN-raised in the proceedings of this deal.