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

First Read: Biden's Iraq Resolution Passes

From NBC’s Ken Strickland

In a strong rebuff to the Bush Administration on Iraq, the Senate overwhelming approved a plan by Biden that essentially calls for breaking Iraq into three sections: Kurd, Sunni, and Shia. While the amendment is nonbinding, it's the first measure to pass, (vote was 75-23,) that goes against the administration's war strategy.

Biden's chief co-sponsor was Brownback. Fellow candidates Clinton and Dodd also supported the plan. Obama and McCain did not vote.

In a news conference after the vote, Biden said his plan is consistent with the Iraqi constitution which calls Iraq to be made up of "a decentralized capital, regions, and governorates, and local administrations." Biden says this plan illustrates how to "end this war in a way that we are able to ultimately to bring our troops home and leave a stable Iraq behind... [that] is consistent with the Iraqi constitution." He described it as "pushing on an open door."

The bipartisan measure also calls on the five permanent members of the United Nations and members of the international community to convene a conference to help the Iraqis set up the federal regions. "We all agree... it's time to make Iraq the world's problem, not just ours."

Republican Senator John Warner, instrumental and influential in almost all things related to Iraq, called the vote an "extraordinary moment because it marks the high-water mark of all the many debates and resolutions we've had in terms of bipartisanship."

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archi...26/380756.aspx

Anbar Alliance May Not Translate to Other Provinces

As U.S. officials trumpet the success of their new alliance with Sunni tribes in the western Iraqi province of Anbar, they suggest it could serve as a model for other tribal regions in the country.

But attempts by the U.S. military to promote reconciliation in nearby Diyala Province have been thwarted by insurgent attacks and an ethnic divide that does not exist in Anbar.

Muqtadiya is one of the largest towns of Diyala Province, which lies northeast of Baghdad. The mayor of the town, Najem Harbi, presides over a meeting of tribal leaders, Iraqi security officials and U.S. soldiers — a meeting during which the tribal leaders are expected to sign a contract to promise to stop all kidnappings, murders, turf wars and attacks on other tribes.

They must also agree to pass on information and tips to Iraqi security forces or U.S. troops and pledge to solve all problems through dialogue.

After heated discussions that last several hours, the mayor is able to declare some success. He calls one sheik after another to come to his desk and sign the piece of paper.

But later, Mayor Najem voices his frustration.

"Not all the sheiks came, only those whose areas have been cleared by the Americans," he says. "But now we need to provide them with basic services, water and security."

Tangle of tribes in Iraq's Lush Province

Diyala Province, lush with vegetation and palm groves, has always been known as the breadbasket of Iraq. It has more natural resources than the largely desert province of Anbar, and it is home to a greater ethnic and tribal mix.

There are at least 23 major tribes, and more than 100 sub-tribes, all with competing interests. Recently, in Baqouba, the provincial capital, most of the tribal leaders agreed to enter an alliance and stop fighting each other. But that process, encouraged by the U.S. military, has also been fraught with problems.

On Monday, a suicide bomber killed at least 25 people attending a meeting of Sunni and Shiite sheiks in Baqouba.

Muqtadiya, less than half an hour away, is still in the throes of sectarian war.

Not far from the mayor's office, Lt. Col. Keith Gogas, commander of the 6-9 Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, from the 1st Cavalry Division, sits inside a tank and studies a map of Muqtadiya.

It is dotted with different colored push-pins. Some denote suspected roadside bombs, others locate checkpoints, and likely hideouts for the militants of al-Qaida in Iraq. Beside the map, scrawled on a white board, are different military operations and the names of neighborhoods that have been partially cleared.

"We've got elements from al-Qaida. We've got elements from Ansar al-Sunna. We have Jaish al-Mahdi. We have tribal differences between Sunni and Shiite. We have former Baathists that have settled in this area. So it's really every different kind of group you would see in Iraq. We've got each of those in Muqtadiya, so it makes it very complex," Gogas says.

Adding to the complexity is the months-long U.S. troop surge. Sending more troops into the streets of Baghdad and Anbar Province pushed insurgents out of those areas and into Diyala Province. It slowed down efforts by U.S. forces to stabilize this area.

Col. David Sutherland, commander of U.S. forces in Diyala Province, has been making the rounds in Muqtadiya, checking on progress in the latest set of operations.

Capt. Kevin Bradley, a troop commander, reports soldiers in his area are taking a census of all the households and are trying to get a local water treatment plant running again.

U.S. commanders, such as Bradley, have to work both the military and political angles, reaching out to locals while trying to subdue gunmen. He tells Sutherland that a man claiming to represent Ansar al-Sunna, a group allied with al-Qaida, wants to meet with him.

"Until we actually talk to someone who holds sway or can actually explain what their group consists of and how they're different from al-Qaida and how they want to be part of the government process, then I'm really skeptical about it, to be honest," he says.

Bradley says insurgent groups started approaching the U.S. military a couple of months ago to try and forge the same sort of alliance that Sunni fighters in Baghdad and Anbar have made.

Cutting a deal with Anbar's tribal population was made easier by the fact that the province is mostly Sunni, mostly from the same tribal confederation and fighting the same enemy.

Diyala, says Bradley, is completely different.

"Two kilometers down the road, and that's a completely different kettle of fish. What the insurgency is in Anbar and what it is in Baghdad, and what the fight is in those places is completely different just because you have different populations, different groups," he says.

Fighting Spills into Diyala

Muqtadiya's ethnic landscape also continues to shift. Once mixed between Sunnis and Shiites, the sort of displacement and fighting that has dominated Baghdad's streets is now playing out here.

Bradley says Sunni insurgents are relentlessly pushing the Shiite population out.

"All the Shias will have been displaced and moved out as the battle line moves farther to the south," Bradley says.

Muqtadiya remains a deadly place for U.S. troops. In the past two weeks, eight soldiers have been killed in roadside bomb attacks.

After months in Baghdad without losing a soldier, a Stryker unit suffered its first casualties upon arrival in Diyala. De****e that fact, U.S. troops have been training Iraqi security forces there for the past six months.

Mayor Najem Harbi says the situation is as bad now as it was then.
"There's been no change. If the Americans were to withdraw now, we wouldn't know what to do because, right now, the gunmen are stronger than the Iraqi army or the Iraqi police," he says.

The mayor adds that he has yet to receive a single dinar from either the central or provincial governments.

He relies on the U.S. military for everything — from securing his city to paying for every piece of equipment in the mayor's office, including the pen and notebook that sit on his desk.

He also depends upon the U.S. military to subdue Muqtadiya's neighborhoods and engage community leaders, so he can bring them to his office to sign more reconciliation agreements.

NPR : Anbar Alliance May Not Translate to Other Provinces

The Implementation of Article 140 was Stressed on in Two Meetings of PUK Delegation in France

Following the arrival of PUK’s delegation to France under supervision of Mala Bakhtiar, active member of politburo and Sherko Othman member of the external relations, Franc’s So******t Party on 24-9 organized a lunch banquet in honor of PUK’s delegation.

Mauris Bord, secretary general of So******t Party for the presidency of the international affairs, Kareem Pakzad, member of the international relations department, in charge of middle-east department, the active member on the Kurdish group in International So******t Organization and also Joseph Tuma from the relations department attended the banquet.

Mala Bakhtiar shed light on the major development in Iraq in confronting terrorism. The importance of the implementation of the constitutional items was stressed on.

The same day the delegation was received by Piere Moskovitch, national secretary of so******t party of France who is also supervisor of the international relations of the party, former minister of the state for external affairs and current member of so******t group in the French Parliament.

In an interview, the implementation of Article 140 was stressed and the current situation of Iraq, Kurdistan and the region were explained.

Before that, on 23-8 the external relations bureau of PUK in France organized a meeting for Mala Bakhtiar where a large number of Kurds were present.

PUKmedia :: English - The Implementation of Article 140 was Stressed on in Two Meetings of PUK Delegation in France

Egypt Expresses its Support for the Political Process in Iraq

Iraqi Vice-President Dr. Aadel Abd al-Mahdi met the Egyptian PM Dr. Ahmed Nadhif in Cairo. They discussed in the meeting bilateral relations, political dossiers and the Iraqi refugees issue.

Abd al-Mahdi said in a press statement that “Egypt has a major role in the Arab world, and we must make good relations with it in all the fields.”
From his side, Egyptian PM stressed his government’s full support to the political process in Iraq, and he expressed Egypt’s will to give support in the economic and security fields.

Iraqi Vice-President arrived in Egypt in response to an official invitation from the Egyptian government for two days, where he is going to meet the President Husni Mubarak and a number of al-Azhar clerics.

PUKmedia :: English - Egypt Expresses its Support for the Political Process in Iraq

On EU Budget, Czech Republic Companies to Implement Several Projects in Kurdistan

A delegation headed by Mr. Dara Muhammad Amin KRG, Minister of Environment, visited Czech Republic on Sept 24, and met with officials from Ministry of Environment, and Ministry of industry there.

KRG, Minister of Environment had asked Czech officials to carry out projects in Kurdistan. Several projects were discussed during the meeting.

“We have discussed several projects such as Environment survey and arranging training courses for Ministry of Environments’ cadres. It was decided that Czech companies would cooperate with us while the budget would be granted by EU, “KRG, Minister of Environment added.

PUKmedia :: English - On EU Budget, Czech Republic Companies to Implement Several Projects in Kurdistan

Geneva: Head of the Iraqi Delegation Asks International Recognition of Kurdish Genocide

A joint delegation form KRG and the Iraqi federal government ministries of human rights headed by Dr. Shwan Mohamed Aziz, KRG Minister of Human Rights, visited Switzerland to participate in the meetings of UN Council of Human Rights on September 24th .

“It is scheduled that the Iraqi delegation to talk about the decisions of Iraqi High Criminal Court concerning Anfal case and to discuss the international recognition of Anfal genocide against Kurdish people with UN in the coming days.” KRG minister of human rights said.

PUKmedia :: English - Geneva: Head of the Iraqi Delegation Asks International Recognition of Kurdish Genocide

Iranian Artillery Bombardment of Kurdistan Region Border Areas

The Iranian artillery bombarded at 4.30 pm on Wednesday, (Bardi Teshy Res) Mountain and its surroundings in the border area of Haji Omaran district, PUKmedia correspondent said in the area.

The bombardment targeted (Darband) village, situated 20 km on the Iraqi side of the border, and 5 km away from Choman district, without causing any human or material or damages, and it’s still going on, the correspondent added.

PUKmedia :: English - Iranian Artillery Bombardment of Kurdistan Region Border Areas

PUK Delegation Meets with Italian Deputy PM

Mr. Mala Bakhtiar, active member of PUK politburo and supervisor of PUK Foreign Office, arrived at Rome in frame work of the PUK Delegation’s visit to several European countries.

The delegation will meet with several senior Italian officials, including Italian Deputy PM, Mr. Francesco Rottely, Italian minister of culture, president of Margarita Party and other high-ranking officials.

PUKmedia :: English - PUK Delegation Meets with Italian Deputy PM

Joint Delegation from KRG and the Iraqi Federal Government Visit Kirkuk

joint delegation from KRG and the Iraqi federal government including Mrs. Narmin Othman, Iraqi minister of Environment and head of the financial committee of the high committee of implementation article 140, and Dr. Mohamed Ihsan ,KRG Minister for Extra-Regional Affairs and representative of KRG in the high committee of implementation article 140,visited Kirkuk office of the high committee of implementation article 140 today to see the committee’s works closely and to deal with those problems hindering the implementation of article 140. They were received by Kirkuk governor, Abdul Rahman Mustafa.

They discussed during meeting, ways of activation, cooperation and cooperation between Kirkuk office and the high committee and ways to deal with those problems which hinder works and duties of Kirkuk office of the high committee of implementation article 140.

PUKmedia :: English - Joint Delegation from KRG and the Iraqi Federal Government Visit Kirkuk

Iraq war spending showdown looms as Pentagon seeks $190 billion for 2008

President Bush and Congress are headed toward another showdown on war spending, this time sparring over nearly $190 billion the Pentagon says is needed to keep combat in Iraq afloat for another year.

Sen. Robert Byrd, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, vowed Wednesday not to "rubber stamp" the request and said it was time to put Bush's policies in check.

"We cannot create a democracy at the point of a gun," said Byrd, D-W.Va., whose speech during a Senate hearing on the spending request were interrupted several times by cheers of anti-war protesters.

"Sending more guns does not change that reality," Byrd said.

The tough rhetoric was reminiscent of last spring, when Congress passed and Bush vetoed a bill funding the war through September but ordering troop withdrawals to begin by Oct. 1. Democrats still lack the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto.

If approved, Congress would have appropriated more than $760 billion for the two wars, having already approved of $450 billion for Iraq and $127 billion for Afghanistan.

Testifying before Byrd's panel, Defense Secretary Robert Gates acknowledged that America's "difficult choices" on the war "will continue to be a source of friction within the Congress, between the Congress and the president and in the wider public debate."

But Gates said he hoped Congress would approve money that is needed by the troops.

"Under some of the most trying conditions, they have done far more than what was asked of them, and far more than what was expected," he said.
Gates asked Congress to add $42 billion to the $147 billion already requested for the military. The money would pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in the 2008 budget year, which begins Monday.

Gates said the extra money was necessary to buy vehicles that can protect troops against roadside bombs, refurbish equipment worn down by combat and consolidate U.S. bases in Iraq.

More specifically, the request includes another $11 billion for 7,000 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. This is in addition to the 8,000 MRAP vehicles already planned for fielding.

Congress has not yet approved the money but was on track this week to pass a stopgap spending bill that would keep the war afloat for several more weeks. This gives Democrats, divided on whether to cut off money for the war, time to figure out their next step.

Since Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, testified this month, Republicans have said they are willing to give his strategy more time to work. GOP members have blocked Democratic bills ordering troops home.

On Wednesday, the Senate passed its first war-related bill in months: a nonbinding measure suggesting Baghdad limit the power of its federal government and give more control to Iraq's ethnically divided regions. The White House said it was unbothered by the 75-23 vote because the resolution made clear Bush should press for a new governing system only if the Iraqis want it.

During the hearing, Democrats and Republicans alike asked Gates whether more could be done to hasten political progress.

"I think the message has been sent to the Iraqi government that our military presence is going to -- has begun to -- shrink in Iraq, and the expectation of the commander in the field is that it will continue to shrink," he said.

The State Department has requested $3.3 billion for war-related operations in 2008, a figure expected to increase slightly although no details were available on Wednesday.

Deputy State Secretary John Negroponte told the Senate panel said that several unforeseen costs have emerged, including an increased need for aid for the Palestinian Authority.

In a separate hearing Wednesday, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey told a House panel that he was not comfortable with the Army's level of readiness if a new threat emerged.

"I am not comfortable that we could respond as rapidly as we would like to. It would take us time to reverse directions," Casey said.

WHDH-TV - National News - Iraq war spending showdown looms as Pentagon seeks $190 billion for 2008