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

Syria: The Natural Gate of the Iraqi Economy

Iraq wounds to re-operate the oil pipeline which connects Kirkuk, the center of its oil industry, with the Syrian Banias seaport. The two countries have been discussing re-operating the -880 km- pipeline which was belt in the 1950’s of the past century, and which was bombarded by the US during its war against Iraq in 2003.

That was assigned of the beginning of instability represented by endless sabotage operations against the facilities of the infra-structure of oil industry. _ This has two meanings: the first is political represented by asserting the importance of the Syrian role in Iraq, and indicating that the political relations between the two countries have come back to their normal source.

The second is an economic one which indicates that Syria is the economic gate of Iraq to the sea and to its oil products. At the same time, Syria can get benefit from Iraq’s oil, and this means that there is a mutual economic interest for both countries in this respect. Moreover, it indicates that the American occupation of Iraq has not succeeded in destroying in this mutual interest at all.

Syria: The Natural Gate of the Iraqi Economy [Voltaire]

U.S. report doubts Iraqi PM's ability to govern

TV news channel CNN said on Thursday that U.S. intelligence agencies doubted in their recent report on Iraq the ability of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to govern.

"The classified version of the report expressed doubts that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is able to lead the war-torn country," a senior U.S. administration official told CNN.

A declassified version of the National Intelligence Estimate, a report made by the U.S. intelligence agencies, points to the security situation, political system and economy as hindrances to Iraqi progress and states that improvements in these areas are "unlikely to emerge unless there is a fundamental shift in the factors driving Iraqi political and security developments."

The report concluded that al-Maliki may not have the ability or capacity to "push forward" legislative reforms, according to one of the officials who read the classified version, CNN reported.

The report was revealed only two days after U.S. administration strongly criticized the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

On Tuesday U.S. President George W. Bush said there was "a certain level of frustration with the (Iraqi) leadership in general," while the U.S.
ambassador to Baghdad said Iraq had made "extremely disappointing" progress towards national reconciliation in the war-torn country.

Al-Maliki said on Wednesday the U.S. criticism directed towards his government revealed that the Bush administration was upset with his visit to Syria.

"U.S. criticism directed towards the Iraqi government revealed anger on the part of the U.S. administration over our visit to Syria…This visit concerns Iraq only and has nothing to do with any other country," Maliki told a news conference he jointly held with his Syrian counterpart in Damascus before wrapping up a three-day-visit to the Syrian capital.

U.S. report doubts Iraqi PM's ability to govern | Iraq Updates

Originally Posted by Thelema

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Thelema

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Government plan extensive reconstruction of the 15 governorates

Aiming to revive the Iraqi economy and eliminating the phenomenon of unemployment and rehabilitation of infrastructure

Source : Sabah Al-23/08/2007

The government currently applies a broader investment plan for the reconstruction of the country, according to the latest go at the same time.

The plan mandated Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki his deputy, Dr. Barham Salih, Minister of Finance Baqer Jabr Al-Zubaydi follow up implementation of the 15 governorates, as confirmed by Abdullah Hamad al-Bandar economic advisor in the prime minister.

Mr. al-Maliki was earlier announced that Iraq will witness a revolution in all urban areas of the country without discrimination, noting that citizens will experience in the development of services provided to him during the coming period. He said Hamad al-Bandar told to "Assabah" : that the plan, which started out as applied two parallel tracks, pointing out that the first axis is implementing projects in the broad areas covered by the reconstruction, which had been identified in advance, in coordination with the provincial assemblies and governors, while a second track through the persistence of activating investment plans of the ministries concerned according to plans drawn up by the Ministry of Planning.

The Council announced Diyala province last week near the start implementing development projects in the governorate been cleared of terrorist groups. Hamad al-Bandar adds : The government plan aimed at rebuilding the infrastructure of the provinces and the provision of the necessary needs of the citizens, and encourage domestic and international investment by providing the appropriate conditions, as well as eliminating the phenomenon unemployment prepared by the government of the priorities of their plans.

The economic advisor to the project, which will include the building of ho****als and schools and the construction of bridges, roads, drinking water projects, electric power and sewage plants and the establishment of laboratories and factories, as well as other schemes will be implemented as a priority, noting that the budget for the investment plan (11) amounting to a billion dollars. He continues Hamad al-Bandar : that the goal of the plan is to complete a large portion of these projects before the end of the year, explaining that the citizens will know the progress of the type of services during the next three months.

He explained that the Kurdistan region is not covered by the plan because it enjoys special share reach 17% of the financial resources of the country, stressing that the project will also families displaced and uprooted. Within the government's drive to revive the Iraqi economy, which reflect positively on the overall situation of the country, given the Directorate General for Development of the Ministry of Industry and Minerals (1300) loan for industrial projects in the small and medium Baghdad . An official source in the ministry : that the amount of loans granted ranged sways (10-25) million dinars for all industries duration of the recovery of up to four years and an interest rate not exceeding 2%. in relation to completed and the Ministry of Construction and Housing reconstruction of 33 schools in a number of governorates.

The ministry said in a press statement obtained "Sabah" a copy of which was that the completion of construction in the reconstruction of these schools is part of the project, commissioned by the FAO company affiliated to the ministry, the establishment of 70 primary schools in a number of regions. Meanwhile, the ministry completed the completion of 80% of the project seven virgins housing in Baghdad. According to the ministry : that the project contains 48 apartment building on 29 dunums of land, pointing out that it contains service buildings include schools, commercial centers and parking.

Economists : Investments in the governorates best way to sophisticated industry

Source : Sabah Al-23/08/2007

Get the phenomenon of "industrial growth" within periods, as occurs during quantitative and qualitative changes in the industrial structure and include changes in the dimensions and spatial distribution, which is basically part of the phenomenon of "social and economic growth", which linked the existence of structural changes many ways, including with regard to technical and legal changes which occur during the phenomenon of industrial growth ..

"Economists" They pointed out that the changes associated with the phenomenon of industrial growth get two ways, the first method of automatic mechanism within the "market" where he accumulated enough capital within incentives encouraging "private investment" and the second a "scheme", the experts explained that the events of the Industrial Development The evenness of distribution depends on the circumstances uncertain in the case of an "automatic mode" Hence afternoon heterogeneous distribution of industries and sectors in the "Iraq" has emerged within the country industrially developed regions and underdeveloped finds "economists" that it is necessary to move away from the division of the country at the present time to multiple districts, because Iraq is a medium-sized country, dominated by homogeneity recipe, and it has increased the importance of the industry in the provinces and not on the provincial level, has emerged this "growth industry" since the mid-1950s of the last century, and found that the amount of "industrial investments" that took " maintaining "basis for the distribution, although the amounts invested in the industry, some large enough to bring the upgrade" conservative "living, but some had its share has been given little tangible results than a small percentage of the labor force, however, more cases affected growth rates in the governorates of Iraq is "industrial investment."

Experts identified three types of investment "basic allocations distributed in the provinces of the country for the past decades is a pattern" nonsense "industrial and determined that this pattern of investments must be in place to اتتركز or specific locations, but must be distributed to the widest possible of the country so that the change is expected to occupy those areas the "industry" force influencing economic trends in the economic progress second pattern is the "industrial concentration" in the evolving areas of the country, and finds "experts" that this pattern based on criticism pattern where the first "industrial scatter" is detrimental to the State for developing that can be distributed "industrial investment" equally between parts of the country and the scattering of capital projects might be productive without the required period of the "commercial profit" or be subject to loss of the efforts of the "professionals, administrators, engineers," in such small enterprises, "experts" see the more appropriate for the government to address the major projects which preach a particular area, such growth requires large investments, and moved to third pattern feeling damage to the government certain parts and stagnant regions strongest and the delay shows a kind of malaise among people in the regions lagging behind, because of the unequal distribution of economic progress and industrial Iraq has happened is a kind of concentration in Baghdad governorate, "economists" indicated that the industrial distribution in the country contains many considerations poverty of the region from industry, as well as "population density" which distributed across the country unevenly density in other towns in rural areas with that natural sources and investments caused different population distribution, density, and it can be "industrial distribution" in the governorates equal and uniform, tending natural and human conditions to encourage some industries without the other, because the regional and local indicators unequal ..

In a related context economists believed that industrial planning must take into account, inter alia how important the link between economic actors and the amount of multiple overlapping with each industrial development of اتتم isolation from the rest of agriculture and services, establishment of a plant or vegetable oils, cotton textiles associated with the agricultural situation and circumstances, then attention the process of coordination between industry sectors and geographical distribution, since the process of coordination of these important from the viewpoint of "industrial scheme" which emphasizes the final outcome of the programs covered by the regional distribution, the experts stressed the need to be "industrial distribution" within the provinces of the country provided that no damage goals the plans or goals for which they had been approved "industrial projects" sponsored by the government or private sector, and therefore identify projects and allocated to areas not fit its natural and human resources it would damage the effectiveness of these plans Industrial ...

Planning declare the dwindling rate of inflation (3.4%) for the month of July

Source : Voices of Iraq - 23/08/2007

Declared the Iraqi Planning Ministry, on Monday, lower inflation index for the month of July last July on the level recorded in June last June rate (3.4%).

A statement from the Ministry of Planning and Cooperation الاءنماءي Iraq, the Agency received Independent News (Voices of Iraq) a copy, Tuesday, that "the Central Agency for Statistics and Information Technology report was completed inflation for the month of July in July 2007 prepared on the basis of field data collection on the prices of goods and services components of the basket of consumer prices Sale singular in selected markets in Baghdad and other governorates. "

The report showed "low inflation index for the month of July 2007 from the level recorded during the 10 2007 also reflected the general standard figure for consumer price rate (3.4%)," according to the statement.

The statement said that "the report pointed out that the decrease was the result of the low index of commodity following totals (foodstuffs, textiles and clothing, footwear, furniture, fuel and lighting, transport and communications) rates of (5.2%, 1.0%, 1.0% , 9.1%, 0.5%), respectively, "adding that" the proportion of spending on this commodity group are (83.0%) of total domestic consumer spending. "

The statement continued, "As the totals (smoke and drink, medicines and medical services, miscellaneous goods and services and leasing) has registered an increase during the month of July compared to the previous month by (1.0%, 1.6%, 1.4%, 1.7%) respectively, and they comprise (17.0%) of total household spending. "

The report also indicated, according to the statement, to "high index of annual inflation during the period from July / 2006 until July / 2007 rate (30.2%), explaining that this was the result index increased all commodity aggregates (foodstuffs, beverages and tobacco, textiles and clothing footwear, furniture, fuel and lighting, transportation, medical services and medicines, miscellaneous goods and services and leasing) and the high rates of (8.3%, 3.1%, 7.9%, 6.4%, 90.2%, 11. 1%, 16.5%, 28.2%, 21.8%), respectively.

The report also stated that "inflation base (percentage change in the index of consumer prices calculated after excluding petroleum products (oil, gas, petrol) hit (16185.8), a decline of (0.8%) over the previous month and a high rate (15 .3%) for the month of July of 2006. "

U.S. report doubts Iraqi PM's ability to govern

Voices of Iraq
Thursday , 23 /08 /2007 Time 11:25:19

Baghdad, Aug 23, (VOI)- TV news channel CNN said on Thursday that U.S. intelligence agencies doubted in their recent report on Iraq the ability of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to govern.

"The classified version of the report expressed doubts that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is able to lead the war-torn country," a senior U.S. administration official told CNN.
A declassified version of the National Intelligence Estimate, a report made by the U.S. intelligence agencies, points to the security situation, political system and economy as hindrances to Iraqi progress and states that improvements in these areas are "unlikely to emerge unless there is a fundamental shift in the factors driving Iraqi political and security developments."

The report concluded that al-Maliki may not have the ability or capacity to "push forward" legislative reforms, according to one of the officials who read the classified version, CNN reported.

The report was revealed only two days after U.S. administration strongly criticized the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

On Tuesday U.S. President George W. Bush said there was "a certain level of frustration with the (Iraqi) leadership in general," while the U.S. ambassador to Baghdad said Iraq had made "extremely disappointing" progress towards national reconciliation in the war-torn country.

Al-Maliki said on Wednesday the U.S. criticism directed towards his government revealed that the Bush administration was upset with his visit to Syria.

"U.S. criticism directed towards the Iraqi government revealed anger on the part of the U.S. administration over our visit to Syria…This visit concerns Iraq only and has nothing to do with any other country," Maliki told a news conference he jointly held with his Syrian counterpart in Damascus before wrapping up a three-day-visit to the Syrian capital.

Aswat Aliraq

Allawi Pays $300k for Anti-Maliki US Campaign

Bush's Former Envoy to Iraq is Top US Lobbyist for Key Iraqi Critic of Iraqi PM

Posted 6 hr. 46 min. ago

Documents obtained by IraqSlogger show Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki's chief Iraqi opponent, Ayad Allawi, is paying Washington lobbyists with close ties to the White House $300,000 to help with Allawi's efforts in the U.S. to promote himself and undermine Maliki.

The powerhouse Republican firm retained by Allawi is Barbour, Griffith, & Rogers (BGR), and its BGR International unit is headed by President's Bush's one-time White House point man on Iraq, Robert Blackwill, who will lead the lobbying efforts on Allawi's behalf.

Allawi signed the BGR lobbying contract with Blackwill, who served as Presidential Envoy to Iraq in 2004 when Allawi was appointed the country's interim prime minister with the U.S. government's blessing.

Blackwill assumed the position of BGR International president after leaving the Bush administration following the 2004 elections.

Allawi, who called for Maliki's ouster in a Washington Post op-ed August 18, is believed by many Iraq observers to positioning himself to be Maliki's successor.

Those e-mail messages to Congressional staffers and others in Washington included Allawi's Washington Post op-ed and the text of a statement from Democratic Senator Carl Levin calling for Maliki to quit.

Federal regulations allow a 10-day window for lobbyists to register their work on behalf of a foreign principal, and BGR filed papers with the Department of Justice Monday to represent Allawi's interests in Washington. The DOJ has yet to process the registration forms, but IraqSlogger has acquired copies of all the relevant documentation.

Under terms of the contract, signed August 20 but backdated to commence August 1, BGR will be paid $50,000 a month through the end of January 2008 for providing "strategic counsel and representation for and on behalf of Dr. Ayad Allawi before the US government, Congress, media, and others."

Cairo: Ayad Allawi at a March news conference.That's $300,000 over six months, with an option to extend the arrangements longer.

While the BGR contract is with Allawi, who is required to pay the $300,0000, it's unclear whether Allawi himself is funding the lobbying campaign.

Allawi has a full team from BGR assigned to his contract, with four top lobbyists in addition to Blackwill having filed papers to work with him: Edward Rogers, BGR chairman and founder; Andrew Parasiliti, vice president; and Walker Roberts, vice president; and Dan Murphy, principal.

The filings stipulate that Allawi is not supervised by, owned by, directed by, controlled by, financed by, or subsidized by any foreign government, foreign political party, or other foreign principal.

While BGR registers him as an individual, rather than as a political party, they do identify him as head of the Iraq National Accord, and indicate they will not only represent Allawi, but also "his moderate Iraqi colleagues."

BGR is already serving other "moderate Iraqi colleagues" of Allawi, representing the interests of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

The KRG office in DC declined to officially comment on the situation, but another KRG representative indicated displeasure at the latest development.

Phone messages left for all those involved in the Allawi contract at BGR have not been returned.

http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php...ns/splash.html

Riggle Reports: "Operation Macho Kick-Ass"

US Soldiers Send a Video Post Card to the Vacationing Iraqi Parliament

Posted 10 hr. 36 min. ago
http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php...ns/splash.html

Warner calls for limited Iraq troop drawdown
Top Republican Senator urges Bush to send message that US presence in Iraq not open ended.

US Senator John Warner, an influential Republican on military affairs, urged President George W. Bush on Thursday to start a limited withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by Christmas.

The move would send a signal to the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki and regional nations that the US commitment to Iraq is not open ended, said Warner, who returned recently from Iraq.

"I say to the president, respectfully, pick whatever number you wish," Warner told reporters.

Warner said he recognized that US forces "are gaining momentum" in places like Baghdad and the western province of Anbar.

"You do not want to lose the momentum, but certainly in 160,000-plus, say, 5,000 could begin to redeploy and be home to their families and loved ones no later than Christmas of this year," he said.

There are currently some 162,000 US troops in Iraq, according to Pentagon figures.

Echoing what Bush said on January 10 when the president announced a "surge" of 30,000 extra US troops in Iraq, Warner said the US military presence was not an open-ended commitent.

He emphasized that he "is not in any way trying to pull the rug out from under the troops," and that he "firmly" supports the goals that Bush has set in both Iraq and the region.

"I don't, for a minute, advocate any rapid pull-out or any other type of actions of that nature," said Warner, adding that he has voted against proposals for a withdrawal timetable.

Warner said he urged Bush to "take into consideration the need to send a sharp and clear message throughout the region, to the United States, and one that people can understand.

"I think no clearer form of that than if the president were to announce on (September 15) that, in consultation with our senior military commanders, he's decided to initiate the first step in a withdrawal of our forces."

General David Petraeus, the US military commander in Iraq, is to deliver a much-anticipated progress report on the war to the US Congress by September 15.

Warner, a former secretary of the navy, referred to the new US intelligence estimate, out Thursday, which says that it will take up to 12 months for any possible political reconciliation in Iraq.

"We simply cannot, as a nation, stand and put our troops at continuous risk of loss of life and limb without beginning to take some decisive action which will get everybody's attention," Warner said.

He added: "I really firmly believe the Iraqi government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Maliki, have let our troops down."

Warner, 80, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, suggested that those who have been in Iraq longest be the first to return.

"It's just the fact that we will start an orderly, carefully planned, though-out redeployment," he said.

"We'll start with the first step. Take each step and evaluate it; another step, and evaluate it."

Warner calls for limited Iraq troop drawdown | Iraq Updates