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

Iraq prepares reconciliation document

BAGHDAD, Aug. 26 The future of 42,000 Iraqi prison inmates tops a national reconciliation document aimed at easing the political tension in Iraq, it was reported.

The fate of the prisoners -- many jailed at U.S. and Iraqi-run facilities without court orders -- is a priority at the talks among Iraqi's five most influential political parties, the Kuwait News Agency, KUNA, reported Sunday.

The reconciliation document -- due in a matter of weeks -- is also expected to address militias, outlawed armed groups, constitutional law and financial and energy resources, KUNA reported.

The talks include Nassir Al-Ani, head of the Iraqi Presidential Court; President Jalal al-Talabani and his deputies, Tareq al-Hashemi and Adel Abdulmahdi; Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Kurdistan leader Massoud Barzani.

Iraq prepares reconciliation document : World

Britain withdraws troops from central Basra - report

Baghdad - British forces started withdrawing from the Joint Coordination Center in central Basra as part of a plan to hand the facility over to Iraqi security forces, it was reported Sunday. British troops are expected to remain in the former presidential palaces and continue cooperation with their Iraqi counterparts.

"The withdrawn troops moved to the British base at Basra International Airport in the north-west of the city," a media spokesman from the multinational forces in southern Iraq, Major Matthew Bird, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq.

Bird denied that a complete pullout from Basra is due, but said that the British forces will eventually hand over to Iraqi forces its bases in the presidential palaces and the joint coordination center in the heart of the city.

The British forces reportedly withdrew a total of 1,600 soldiers from Basra, 550 kilometres south of Baghdad, during the past few months.

Meanwhile, Arab broadcasters were reporting a security surge in and around Baghdad.

According to al-Arabiya, a curfew on vehicles came into effect early Sunday in Baghdad and surrounding cities, in addition to the holy Shiite city of Karbala to protect thousands of Shiite visitors flocking from Baghdad to Karbala for a Shiite festival.

The commemoration of al-Ziyara al-Shaabaniya or Visit of Shaaban, which comes ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, takes place on Wednesday and marks the anniversary of the birth of iconic Shiite figure al-Imam al-Mahdi, generally seen by Shiites as a Christ-like "saviour."

Britain withdraws troops from central Basra - report : Middle East World

EXTRA: Four Iraqi policemen killed by 'accidental' US fire

Baghdad - Four Iraqi policemen were killed and eight were wounded by US fire Sunday in what was called a "mistake," police sources from the north-eastern city of Khanaqin said. According to Sirwan Shukr, a local official, four US helicopters struck a police center "by mistake."

"Perhaps the US forces suspected that the center belonged to terrorist groups," said Shukr, who added that the US military had not provided an explanation yet.

The victims are all policemen belonging to the Kurdish Peshmerga forces.

In another incident, at least 97 suspected terrorists were captured in the early hours of Sunday.

According to Khoshid Mahmoud, a senior policemen in Kirkuk, 250 kilometres north of Baghdad, the city's police troops rounded-up the suspects during a "massive operation" targeting militants, especially those who fled from Diyala province.

Unlicensed weaponry were also seized during the said raids.

EXTRA: Four Iraqi policemen killed by 'accidental' US fire : Middle East World

No Border Gate is closed between Kurdistan and Iran

The representative of Kurdistan Region Government in Tehran said that no border gate between Kurdistan Region and Iran is closed and trading is continuous between both sides. Nazim Omar Dabagh in a phone call told Kurdistani Nwe that the meetings and negotiations are continuous with Iranian Islamic Government for solving the problems of bombarding the border areas.

PUKmedia :: English - No Border Gate is closed between Kurdistan and Iran

Iraqi PM hits back at foreign critics
BAGHDAD -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki Sunday angrily rebuked the US politicians who have called for him to be replaced, and accused France of also pushing for him to be turfed out of office.

Maliki's response came after two US opposition senators, Carl Levin and presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, urged Iraqi lawmakers to choose someone else to lead Iraq's ruling coalition and seek national reconciliation.

"Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin are democratic people, and should respect democracy. They talk about Iraq as if Iraq is their property," Maliki said at a news conference in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone.

"Leaders like Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin have not experienced in their political lives the kind of differences we have in Iraq. When they give their judgment, they have no knowledge of what reconciliation means," he said.

Maliki also lashed out at France, following a visit to Iraq last week by foreign minister Bernard Kouchner, which was initially hailed as a success.

"Recently, we received the French minister. We were happy with him, We were optimistic that his visit would start a new relationship," Maliki said.

"Suddenly, we were surprised that the minister made a statement which can't be called in any way diplomacy, when he called for replacing the government."

Addressing France directly, Maliki accused its government of siding with former supporters of ousted dictator Saddam Hussein.

"In the past, you backed the former regime. Today, we were happy with you, and then you decided to support the former regime's loyalists. We demand an apology from the French government," he said.

Maliki's anger appeared to have been inspired by comments attributed to Kouchner by the US magazine Newsweek, which published an interview with the French minister on its Web site August 24.

Kouchner is quoted as saying: "Many people believe the prime minister ought to be changed. I don't know if that will go through, though, because it seems [US] President [George W.] Bush is attached to Mr. Maliki. But the government is not functioning."

Asked if there was a sentiment in Iraq that Maliki should go, Kouchner said there was, and he had told US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice this.

"Yes. I just had Condoleezza on the phone 10 or 15 minutes ago, and I told her, 'Listen, he's got to be replaced,'" he reportedly said.

In the interview, Kouchner is quoted as saying that there was a lot of support among Iraqis he met for Vice-President Adel Abdel Mehdi to replace Maliki, and he described him as "an impressive fellow."

Iraqi PM hits back at foreign critics - Region - Middle East Times

Politician Leaders Meetings are Still Continuous

In the presence of his Excellency President Jalal Talabani, PM Nouri al-Maliki, President Masood Barzani and the President Deputies, the meetings of the politician leaders continued to discuss the political issues.

In the meeting which was held yesterday in the private bureau of President Talabani in the presence of the executive committee, they discussed the controversial issues and the final statement for the political bloc meetings in the last period, and they all agreed on the public statement which will be declared on Sunday.

PUKmedia :: English - Politician Leaders Meetings are Still Continuous

Arresting 100 Terrorists and Suspects in Kirkuk

security source in Kirkuk police operation room announced that they stormed al-Askari neighborhood and al-Tariq company area in the city since yesterday till this morning resulted in arresting 97 terrorists and suspects including 2 wanted by the security forces.

”Most of the detainees came to Kirkuk without the knowledge of the security forces”, the source added.

On another side a bomb was exploded today in Dumez area in Kirkuk under an electricity tower resulted in the death of a women shepherd and 10 sheep.

Colonel Anwar Qadir the director of Dumez police station said that their forces arrived to the area and arrested 4 suspects.

PUKmedia :: English - Arresting 100 Terrorists and Suspects in Kirkuk

American Forces’ Bombing Results

As a result of the American Force’s bombing over Qaratapa Police, 4 policemen were killed and 8 others were wounded. Sirwan Skur, the head of Garmyan Defence Police told PUKmedia that 5 Helicopters bombed the place. PUKmedia got the name of 2 martyrs who are Rekawt Ahmad and Hiwa Nasradin.

It is worth mentioning that this not the final results of the operation and it seems that there will be more damages and casualties.

PUKmedia :: English - American Forces’ Bombing Results

Killing and Arresting Terrorists in Baghdad

The multi-national forces stated that the American forces arrested 17 terrorists and killed another 3 in a military operation today in Baghdad.
One of the detainees was carrying the Egyptian nationality and was the media official of al-Qaeda terrorist organization, also another Egyptian carrying the Iraqi nationality was arrested who is responsible of a bombing unit in al-Qaeda.

PUKmedia :: English - Killing and Arresting Terrorists in Baghdad

WHO Organization’s Delegation Visits Sulaimania

A high ranking-delegation from health organization (WHO) will visit Sulaimania for investigation on Cholera disease which separated in Sulaimania. Concerning this, Dr. Najmadin Hassan, the director of health and environment department told PUKmedia that the delegation is in Erbil now and they will come to Sulaimania in August 2.
Dr. Najmadin also declared that 208 people were treated in Sulaimania.

PUKmedia :: English - WHO Organization’s Delegation Visits Sulaimania