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

Arab Parliament says dialogue only way to settle Iraq-Turkey border tensions

The Interim Arab Parliament said Sunday that dialogue and diplomacy is the only way to settle the escalating tensions along the Turkish-Iraqi borders, Egypt's official MENA news agency reported.

In a statement issued Sunday, the Parliament voiced its deep concern over the situation on the Turkish-Iraqi borders, calling on all sides to remain self-restraint, said the report.

Earlier on Friday, talks with Iraq aimed at averting a Turkish cross-border incursion collapsed after Ankara qualified Iraqi proposals to solve the border crisis as insufficient.

Turkey has massed up to 100,000 troops along the mountainous border with Iraq in preparation for the cross-border operation, which was approved by the Turkish parliament earlier this month, to crack down the 3,000 strong rebels of the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) hidden in northern Iraq.

Arab Parliament says dialogue only way to settle Iraq-Turkey border tensions

Navy protects Iraq's economic lifeline in Persian Gulf

AL BASRA OIL TERMINAL, Iraq — When he awakes in the morning and gazes seaward, Pete Beuttenmuller is surrounded by reminders of the Florida of his youth.

Sunlight sparkles off the waves of the Persian Gulf. Fishing boats spread across a hazy and hot horizon. Gulls dart between cargo ships.

What jolts the 28-year-old Navy lieutenant back to reality are the machine guns mounted near his bunk and the ring of U.S. and allied warships circling his temporary home, Iraq's largest offshore oil terminal.

For anyone intent on undermining U.S. interests in Iraq, few targets could be more attractive than the Al Basra Oil Terminal.

Ninety percent of Iraqi oil bound for the world market is loaded onto tankers through the terminal's mile-long web of pipes and walkways.
The consequences would be catastrophic if a bomb were to send it all up in flames, Beuttenmuller said.

"If someone wanted to really cripple Iraq, all they'd need to do is shut down work here," he said. "Without this terminal, there's no way that Iraq could ever get back on its feet."

About 800 U.S. and coalition sailors and eight warships patrol the narrow waterway between Iraq, Kuwait and Iran to ensure that violence doesn't endanger the two Iraqi offshore oil terminals.

With bloodshed occurring daily across much of Iraq, little attention has been paid to the area, where U.S. and coalition forces have achieved a semblance of normalcy.

Since 2004, the force has overseen the repair and refurbishment of the oil platforms. Both stations became operational this year for the first time since the 2003 U.S. invasion. About 1.8 billion barrels of oil are flowing through them. The uninterrupted flow is estimated to produce more than $5 billion in oil revenue.

More work remains on Iraq's pipelines and oil facilities to increase export capacity to the government's target of 3 billion barrels a day.

Since 2003, there have been about 400 insurgent or terrorist attacks against pipelines, pumping stations, oil fields and other parts of Iraq's oil infrastructure, according to the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank.

In one attempt, attackers packed explosives onto a fishing boat in April 2004.

A U.S. Navy coastal patrol boat intercepted the boat before it reached the oil terminal. While a strike force was preparing to board the vessel, the militants detonated their bomb, killing two sailors and one Coast Guardsman.

Naval commanders in the Gulf say another suicide attack is their biggest fear.

After the 2004 incident, coalition warships expanded the exclusion zone, allowing no commercial vessels within two miles of the oil terminals.

Daily, four U.S. Navy boats, each with a crew of about 30, patrol the waters at the edge of the exclusion zones, watching the vessels that move through the straits on their way to Iranian or Iraqi ports.

Anytime one looks suspicious or enters the exclusion zone, coalition forces order it to be boarded and searched.

Beuttenmuller has been part of the naval protection force since spring 2004. He is helping train four platoons of Iraqis to identify threatening situations and use the guns mounted around the platforms.

Iraqis have been training with the coalition forces since last year. Only recently have they progressed enough to participate in joint search and boarding missions.

"Six months ago, they weren't doing any of our job. Now, they are actually helping us out," Beuttenmuller said.

Navy protects Iraq's economic lifeline in Persian Gulf

Turkey issues list of wanted leaders

Arbil: Kamal Kirkuki, Iraq Kurdistan Parliament Chairman Deputy, told Gulf News negotiations to tackle Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) rebels conducted by an Iraqi delegation in Ankara had been unsatisfactory.

"Turks should be aware that a military crackdown against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) elements is not a solution, it will destroy the region, and they should think of a political solution instead. This begins with disarming PKK elements and issuing a general amnesty for its fighters."

Kirkuki confirmed the US had given assurances to the Arbil government it would not conduct a military operation against PKK elements in northern Iraq in favour of Turkey.

Jabbar Al Yawer, a General Command of the Kurdistan Border Guard forces spokesman said there were about 4,000 to 5,000 armed PKK men in the mountainous area along the Iraqi -Turkish border.

Mahmoud Othman, a prominent leader in the Kurdistan Alliance, told Gulf News Turkey had submitted three lists of wanted PKK members and that his named was mentioned in the list.

Political sources in Arbil revealed the list of wanted Iraqi Kurds consists of security and political figures and members of the two main parties in Kurdistan, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan led by President Jalal Talabani and the Kurdistan Democratic Party headed by Massoud Barzani.

Gulfnews: Turkey issues list of wanted leaders

Iraq set for lowest monthly toll since shrine attack

BAGHDAD - Iraq is expected to report a death toll for October that is the lowest since an attack on a Shiite shrine in February last year triggered a wave of sectarian violence, according to official figures obtained by AFP on Sunday.

The statistics compiled by Baghdad’s interior, defence and health ministries indicate that 285 Iraqis have been killed since the start of October, including both civilians and security personnel, the lowest since February 2006.

An attack on the Al Askari shrine in the central city of Samarra that month set off a wave of brutal sectarian bloodletting that killed tens of thousands of people.

The violence peaked in January this year with 1,992 deaths reported by the three ministries.

Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki’s government no longer issues official casualty statistics and has refused to provide figures to UN human rights monitors, who can no longer confirm the reports.

Khaleej Times Online - Iraq set for lowest monthly toll since shrine attack=

President Talabani receives the Iranian Ambassador in Iraq

President Talabani received the Iranian ambassador in Iraq, Mr. Kazimi Qumi, this evening at his office in Baghdad.

The political and security situation and ways of establishing stability in Iraq were discussed during the meeting.

The current deteriorating situation on the Iraq-Turkey border was also discussed; stressing this issue should be dealt with dialogue and diplomatic option in service of stability and peace in the area generally.

Ways of strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries was also discussed.

The Iranian ambassador thanked his Excellency about his good reception, appreciating his Excellency’s efforts in dealing with the crisis.

PUKmedia :: English - President Talabani receives the Iranian Ambassador in Iraq

Ahmadinejad urges Turkey to continue talks with Iraq - Summary

Tehran - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday urged Turkey to continue talks with Iraq before considering military options against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq. "Coordination and cooperation with the Iraqi government is necessary as both the president and prime minister of Iraq are definitely against terrorist operations in the region and would not hesitate to do their utmost efforts to suppress them," Ahmadinejad said in talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan in Tehran.

"Although terrorism should be rooted out but it should be done through regional cooperation. The nations of Turkey, Iraq and Iran are brothers and friends and should therefore safeguard each other's interests," Ahmadinejad said.

According to IRNA news agency, the Iranian president further termed the United States forces in Iraq as "microbes" damaging regional security for their long-term interests.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki had earlier Sunday said that Iran supported fighting rebels from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) but it was against a unilateral military action by Turkey.

"Terrorist operations should be confronted and stopped but through bilateral diplomatic efforts and regional cooperation," Mottaki said in a joint press conference with his visiting Turkish counterpart in Tehran.

Mottaki hoped that next month's meeting in Istanbul on Iraq's security would be a suitable occasion for Iraq's neighbouring countries and the United Nations Security Council member states to tackle the issue.

Babacan said through an interpreter that Turkey "has lost patience" and reserved the right to "keep all options on the table."

Ahmadinejad held telephone calls on Saturday night with Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, and reiterated Tehran's will to maintain Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Babacan however said that respecting the territorial integrity and fighting PKK rebels would not contradict each other and that Turkey was not after Iraqi resources, but after terrorists.

Mottaki blamed the United States as the main party responsible for the increased terrorist activities in Iraq and even accused Washington of supporting some of the terrorist groups.

Although Iran's problems with Kurdish groups are less than Turkey's, Iranian forces occasionally attack and shell bases of the PKK-related Life in Kurdistan (PJAK) group in northern Iraq.

Tehran is however in favour of a security pact with Iraq to stop the infiltration of Kurdish rebels onto Iranian soil from its borders to the Kurdish regions in northern Iraq.

On Saturday, senior Turkish military official General Yasar Buyukanit was quoted by Ankara media as saying Turkey would wait for the outcome of a November 5 meeting between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President George W Bush before deciding on possible military action against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq.

Ahmadinejad urges Turkey to continue talks with Iraq - Summary : Middle East World

Crude Oil Rises to Record on Turkey-Iraq Tensions, Nigeria

Crude oil rose to a record $92.40 a barrel in New York after Turkey's Foreign Minister said his government is considering ``all options'' including military action to deal with Kurdish rebels operating from Iraq.

``Our patience has come to an end,'' Ali Babacan said yesterday in Tehran following talks with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki. In Nigeria, Italy's Eni SpA said armed men seized six of its workers in an attack on a supply ship, heightening concerns about potential supply disruptions.

``There are still negotiations involving Turkey, the U.S. and Iraq,'' said David Moore, a commodity strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia in Sydney. ``There are also reports of the seizure of a number of oil workers in Nigeria. At a time when everything is going right for the oil price this can only add fuel to the fire.''

Crude oil for December delivery rose as much as 54 cents, or 0.6 percent, to an all-time high in after-hours electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract was at $92.35 at 6:53 a.m. Singapore time.

On Oct. 26 the contract gained $1.40, or 1.6 percent, to settle at a record $91.86 a barrel after reaching $92.22 earlier in the session, the previous record high. The December contract rose 5.6 percent last week. Oil is up 58 percent from a year ago.

Turkey can use different tools for fighting the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, including diplomacy, economic and military means as a last resort, Babacan told reporters. ``All options are on the table.''

Attack Threat

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Oct. 27 that his country may order wider military attacks against the group's camps if needed, according to Turkish media. Turkey said it bombed PKK units in northern Iraq last week and sent troops across the border in pursuit of the militants.

Tensions over Iran, holder of the world's second-biggest oil reserves, are helping drive record oil prices, Moore said. On Oct. 26 the U.S. accused Iran's military of supporting terrorism and announced new sanctions on the country. The U.S. wants Iran to halt uranium enrichment that is suspects is a cover for developing nuclear weapons.

Iran is still ``at least a few years away'' from being able to build a nuclear bomb, and there is time for diplomacy to head off a military confrontation, the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency said yesterday.

International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei said on CNN's ``Late Edition'' program he hasn't seen ``any concrete evidence'' of a secret Iranian weapons program.

Brent crude oil for December settlement on Oct. 26 rose $1.21, or 1.4 percent, to a record $88.69 a barrel on the London- based ICE Futures Europe exchange. Brent reached $89.30 during the session, the highest since trading began in 1988.

Bloomberg.com: Energy

This is taken from a blog and not official - yet. So I am not sure how accurate it is.

Iraq Sheiks Kidnapped After Reconciliation Meeting

How difficult is it to navigate reconciliation and cement stability in Iraq? This difficult:

Gunmen kidnapped 10 tribal sheiks in Baghdad as the men were heading home Sunday after meetings with Iraqi officials on the nation’s contentious reconciliation process, an Interior Ministry official said.
The sheiks — seven Sunnis and three Shiites — were riding in two vehicles through the capital’s Shaab district, a stronghold of the Mehdi Army, the militia loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
The sheiks were en route to Baquba, in Diyala province, when gunmen in several vehicles stopped their cars and kidnapped them, the official said.
The tribal leaders had just met with an official in Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s office in the Green Zone. Al-Maliki did not attend the meeting, a spokesman said.
It is not clear who staged Sunday’s kidnappings, but it is not the first time insurgents have targeted reconciliation efforts, which are aimed at easing the sectarian tension and violence between Sunnis and Shiites.
Last month, a suicide bomber killed 24 people after attacking a Ramadan breaking-of-the-fast meeting in Diyala that brought together Sunni and Shiite military leaders.

Another report gives some additional details:

The tribal leaders who had joined forces against al-Qaeda in Iraq were abducted Sunday as they were traveling home after a meeting with a government official in Baghdad, AP quoted police and a relative as saying.
The gunmen ambushed the two cars carrying the 10 men in Baghdad’s neighborhood of Shaab at about 3:30 p.m., police officials said.
The sheiks were on their way back to Diyala province after attending a conference with the government’s adviser for tribal affairs to discuss
coordinating efforts against al-Qaeda in Iraq.
They were representing a so-called Awakening Council, as the anti-al-Qaeda groups often are known, in the Salam area, due east of Baquba, a former al-Qaeda stronghold.

So they were poised to join forces with the government against Al Qaeda and they were kidnapped. There is no confirmation yet on who snatched them, but there does seem a…possible…motive here (and an organization “of interest”.)


Iraq Sheiks Kidnapped After Reconciliation Meeting » The Moderate Voice

Originally Posted by Seaview

Iraq set for lowest monthly toll since shrine attack

BAGHDAD - Iraq is expected to report a death toll for October that is the lowest since an attack on a Shiite shrine in February last year triggered a wave of sectarian violence, according to official figures obtained by AFP on Sunday.

The statistics compiled by Baghdad’s interior, defence and health ministries indicate that 285 Iraqis have been killed since the start of October, including both civilians and security personnel, the lowest since February 2006.

An attack on the Al Askari shrine in the central city of Samarra that month set off a wave of brutal sectarian bloodletting that killed tens of thousands of people.

The violence peaked in January this year with 1,992 deaths reported by the three ministries.

Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki’s government no longer issues official casualty statistics and has refused to provide figures to UN human rights monitors, who can no longer confirm the reports.

Khaleej Times Online - Iraq set for lowest monthly toll since shrine attack=

It is so good to read that the death toll is going down, I also wish it would stand at 0, maybe soon

Originally Posted by Seaview

Jobless in southern City given loans to start business

The Professional Training Center in the southern city of Nasiriya is extending small loans to 3,000 jobless Iraqis to start new businesses.

The center, a nation-wide employment and training body, did not give exact figures of the jobless in Nasiriya, but said unemployment was a ‘real headache’ in the city.

The center’s director, Abdulhadi Ajeel, said he had received 15 million U.S. dollars from the ministry of labor and social affairs to help extend as loans to the jobless.

Each unemployed person will get up to 10 million Iraqi dinars, approximately 7500 U.S. dollars.

The most vulnerable in the society will be eligible, he said.

The loans will go to those who had their businesses destroyed during military operations, unemployed university graduates and Iraqis suffering disability due to the latest fighting in the city.

Azzaman in English

If they are getting up to 10 million IQD, there isn't much hope for the RV until they spend it, don't you think????? I wonder when they are going to start distributing this money?