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

Britain defends Iraq role on U.S. editorial pages

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain fought back against criticism in Washington over its performance in Iraq on Friday, taking the unusual step of publishing an editorial in a U.S. newspaper staunchly defending its record.

The opinion-editorial, jointly signed by the defence and foreign ministers, follows weeks of commentary, largely in the American press, in which military analysts, former generals and unnamed administration sources have suggested that British forces have failed in Basra and are set to flee.
The barrage has built up since Gordon Brown took over from Tony Blair, Washington's staunchest ally, as prime minister in June, and spurred the response from Defence Secretary Des Browne and Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

"Recent weeks have brought a lot of misplaced criticism of the United Kingdom's role in southern Iraq. It is time to set the record straight," they wrote in the Washington Post.

"The question some people have asked is: Have British forces failed in Basra? The answer is no.

"We believe we remain on track to complete the return of full sovereignty to the Iraqi people as planned. The United Kingdom is sticking to the mission we took on four years ago."

While the re-statement of its commitment may assuage some critics and reassure the administration of President George W. Bush, there are growing calls in Britain for troops to be withdrawn, particularly with the rate of soldiers' deaths increasing in recent weeks.

Britain has 5,500 troops in Iraq, based in two locations in Basra, in the far south of the country. Five thousand are based at a vast airport complex on the city's outskirts and the remainder in an old palace in the city centre. There are plans to pull the 500 at the Basra Palace out of the country soon.

BRITISH ROLE

Most British troops in Iraq are on what the government describes as "overwatch", protecting their bases, training Iraqi forces and responding to threats only if attacked. They also protect U.S. supply routes from Kuwait.

Three of the four Iraqi provinces for which Britain was responsible have already been handed over to Iraqi authority, and the fourth, Basra, is expected to be handed over in the coming months, paving the way for Britain to withdraw.

However, if it were to withdraw, either later this year or early in 2008, it could leave U.S. troops exposed at a critical time, especially if U.S. brigades had to be redeployed south.

The uncertainty over what decision Britain will take has raised tensions with its key ally ahead of a strategy report by the U.S. commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, to be delivered to Congress in two weeks.

Washington is concerned that if Britain were to pull out, Basra could disintegrate into intra-sectarian fighting. In their editorial, Britain's ministers tried to calm those concerns.

"There is no anti-government insurgency, and very little evidence of an al Qaeda presence in southern Iraq," they said.

"But there is intense political competition between longstanding rival Shi'ite movements, too often spilling over into violence. To recognise that such challenges remain is not to accept that our mission in southern Iraq is failing."

The editorial laid out the work Britain has done in building up Iraqi security forces and rebuilding parts of the infrastructure. But it said the longer term task of rebuilding the society from the bottom up would require Iraqi commitment.

"While outsiders can support, advise and encourage, only Iraqi leaders can make the political decisions and compromises essential to the future of their country... We urge Iraq's political leaders to take the necessary steps."

Britain defends Iraq role on U.S. editorial pages - Yahoo! News UK

Famous Baghdad street seeks to reclaim former glory

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - When General David Petraeus reports to Congress on the success of his military strategy in Iraq, he will probably point to a Baghdad riverside avenue lined with eucalyptus trees that has been given a $2 million (1 million pound) facelift.

The heavily publicised project is aimed at showing Iraqis that a major U.S.-led crackdown launched in February in the city has succeeded in tamping down bitter sectarian violence, reducing the number of car bombs and death squad killings.

In just over a week, Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, is due to testify before Congress on the military build-up of 30,000 extra troops. He is expected to tell them that the new security strategy is working.

"The September report will characterise successes that the surge has facilitated, and this is one of them," said Major Anthony Judge, the project officer, standing in the shade of a tree in Abu Nawas street to escape the baking afternoon heat.

But fears that such a prestige project could be a prime insurgent target, uncertainty over when it will actually open and complaints from businesses about insufficient funding and drab building design suggest success is not guaranteed.

One of Baghdad's most famous streets, Abu Nawas has undergone several transformations over the years and was once known for its bars, nightclubs, fish restaurants and its park stretching towards the Tigris River where families picnicked.

Then came the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and the street died.
As the city hunkered down behind curtains of blast walls that sprang up to protect against car bombs, Abu Nawas was cut off from the rest of the capital by tons of concrete blocks.

Businesses in the street shut their doors. The restaurants serving mazgouf, a traditional Iraqi fish dish cooked over a wood fire, went from selling 70 fish a day to just five.

The street, where U.S. ambassador Ryan Crocker fondly remembers strolling during his first posting to Baghdad in the 1970s, fell into ruin, and it stayed that way until April.

VENTURING BACK

That was when the U.S. military, along with the Iraqi government and Baghdad city council, launched the project to return the street, named after the famous 8th century poet Abu Nawas, to its former glory.

The street officially reopens next week, although many businesses are still in the midst of refurbishment. A visit this week showed Abu Nawas largely deserted and many shops shuttered or their windows shattered.

De****e the publicity on Iraqi television stations, tempting Iraqis to venture back will be a hard sell. Crowded markets and shopping areas have been favourite targets for car bombers.

Haider Hashim, manager of the Akad art gallery, is preparing for the reopening, but also for the possibility that the street will be a target for militants keen to show that the U.S. security strategy has failed.

"The security situation is still risky and people are afraid to come. I expect there will be an attack," he said. Having said that, he still hopes Iraqis will return to Abu Nawas.

Entry to the street is through one of four checkpoints. Vehicles will only be allowed on certain stretches and side streets have been blocked off with blast walls. U.S. troops are also constantly patrolling.

"There is approximately 300 security (personnel) -- coalition forces, private security and the Iraqi army," said Judge. "Our main worry is VBIEDs (car bombs)."

The threat of possible attack means Abu Nawas will be reopened without fanfare and the exact date has not been given.

"There is no doubt the enemy will try to exploit any success and we will do everything in our power to mitigate it," said Judge, who sees Abu Nawas as an oasis of calm in a combat zone.

"This is a place where Iraqis can come and experience a sense of normalcy, where they can bring their children, in a place that is secure and they don't have to worry about being shot or blown up," he said.

DOMINO EFFECT

Major Sharon Falke, a civil affairs officer who has been involved in helping to get shop owners back on their feet with $2,500 microgrants, said she hoped the revitalisation of the street would have a domino effect, encouraging more development.

"If you set the proper conditions and rebuild areas, the people will come back," Brigadier-General Vincent Brooks, deputy commanding general for support with Multi-National Division Baghdad, said on a recent visit to the street.

The project used Iraqi sub-contractors and local labour, although the funding came from the U.S. military and USAID.

Sitting at a plastic table in his Asmak Baghdad fish restaurant, restaurateur Ali Mehdi holds up a dirty, tattered piece of cloth. "How can I make a suit out of this?" he asks, to make his point that the microgrant he received was not enough.

Mehdi and some other riverside restaurant owners in the street are unhappy with the amount of money they were given to restart their businesses and point to the bland, uniform facades that a building contractor foisted on them.

"I hope the street will be like the way it was before, but I don't expect that. This is supposed to be a new beginning. I think they wish to show that security has improved, but it is not a matter of just one street."

Famous Baghdad street seeks to reclaim former glory - Yahoo! News UK

Plane carrying U.S. lawmakers shot at in Iraq

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A U.S. military plane carrying a U.S. congressional delegation came under fire this week while taking off from Baghdad airport, forcing the crew to take evasive action, the military said on Friday.

No one on board the C-130 aircraft was hurt during the "surface-to-air" attack on Thursday, it said.

"The aircrew dispensed flares as a defensive countermeasure and conducted standard evasive maneuvers," the military said in a statement, adding the plane completed its flight.

The statement did not say who was among the congressional delegation nor specify the type of surface-to-air fire.

Numerous U.S. lawmakers have been visiting Baghdad ahead of a series of pivotal reports to be delivered to Congress in the coming weeks on the security and political situation in Iraq.

Insurgents often try to attack U.S. aircraft in Iraq, most commonly military helicopters.

Plane carrying U.S. lawmakers shot at in Iraq - Yahoo! News UK

'Risks in Iraq will be abundantly rewarded'

Dubai: The Iraqi government is working closely with all the provincial governorates on creating a conducive economic environment to attract foreign investment to the country, Iraqi vice-president Dr Adel Abdul Mehdi said in Dubai yesterday.

Speaking at the First Iraq Business and Investment Conference, Mehdi said a resurgent Iraq offers great opportunities to both regional and global investors.

"There is a huge market supported by a population base of close to 30 million people. The country faces shortages in every sector of the economy, which guarantees adequate demand for all types of enterprises," he said.

Mehdi heads a delegation of more than 100 businessmen from southern Iraq, at the two-day event that concludes today.

Changing scenario

Addressing a gathering of about 300 business people from the UAE and the region, Mehdi acknowledged the security crisis in Iraq, but expressed optimism.
"War and instability is not going to be a permanent feature. Iraq is going through a massive political and economic change and those who take risks will be abundantly rewarded," said Mehdi.

"The recent bids for mobile licences show that Iraq is clearly a strong investment destination in the region. Most of us expected the licences to fetch around $300 to $400 million. But the results show all have attracted bids in excess of $1 billion."

A panel session with participation from seven Iraqi provincial governors yesterday covered the legal environment for conducting business in Iraq, financing private sector business, trade and commerce and private sector banking.

This was followed by parallel meetings covering specific business opportunities in the seven southern governorates of Iraq chaired by their respective governors.

Commenting on the current legal environment in Iraq, Mehdi said: "Iraq's new investment law will facilitate investment for both Iraqi and non-Iraqi businesses by providing a secure investment environment. Iraqi economy is not only about oil and gas but also agriculture, infrastructure and tourism."

Speaking at a session, Fawzi Hariri, Iraq's minister of industry and minerals, said the country is looking to friendly neighbours like the UAE for investments in infrastructure and industry and will offer joint venture opportunities.

Gulfnews: 'Risks in Iraq will be abundantly rewarded'

Iranian Bombardment is Continuous
PUKmedia 2007-08-31 19:45:13
The Iranian artillery resumed its heavy shelling of the border areas of Iraqi Kurdistan region by shelling some areas for the first time including Shene, Sune, Mamanda Mountain in Pishder district, a close source from the area told PUKmedia on Friday late August the 31st.


There are no casualties until now and the bombardment is still going on.

PUKmedia :: English - Iranian Bombardment is Continuous

Arresting 15 Suspects in Kirkuk

A security source declared that the police forces have stormed al-Riyadh area to the south of Kirkuk city today and managed to arrest 15 suspects, and one of the detains is wanted to the security forces for involvement in terrorist operations.

On the other side, a terrorist group killed the barber Ghadhwan Jowad in al-Nasser neighborhood, and a security source mentioned that the police seized a suspect car which might be used in this accident.

Also a security source announced that 2 bombs were exploded in al-Musala and al-Khadraa neighborhoods in Kirkuk city center resulted in wounding one civilian.

PUKmedia :: English - Arresting 15 Suspects in Kirkuk

Yashar Buyukanit: PUKmedia is a Terrorist Site

Turkish Chief of General Staff, General Yaşar Buyukanit, during press conference marking the 85th anniversary of the final battle in the 1922 Turkish War of Independence said: “PUKmedia is a terrorist site.”


Buyukanit was saying those words as a response of the statement by pro- Kurdish DTP party, which is a permitted party inside the Turkish parliament .The statement states that the Turkish army used chemical weapons against PKK.

PUKmedia :: English - Yashar Buyukanit: PUKmedia is a Terrorist Site

Karbala still under curfew after bloody clashes

The carnage in the religious city of Karbala could not have come at a worst time for the U.S. and the pro-government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

More than four years into the occupation, U.S. troops and their Iraqi-trained forces are not yet in a position to spread their authority on a single Iraqi city.

The government is so weak that it even cannot point the finger at the real perpetrators, with Maliki preferring to blame “armed criminal gangs and outlaws and remnants of the Saddam regime.”

The clashes on Tuesday left more than 50 dead and 200 injured and took place while hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Muslim Shiites had gathered for a major religious festival.

The fighting cut short the celebration and the angry pilgrims returned home without fulfilling any of the rituals required by the occasion.

Maliki and his senior aides including ministers of defense and interior rushed to Karbala but they could almost do nothing de****e the heavy presence of Iraqi police, security and army.

Residents say many police officers in the city refused to fight or simply left the scene of clashes. Now Maliki has ordered the expulsion of what he has described as “defeatist elements in the police force who did not shoulder their duties in confronting the gunmen.”

But if Maliki carries through his threat of dismissing the police officers and other security personnel who did not move a finger while innocent Iraqis were being gunned to death, he will have to sack the entire Iraqi police force and security personnel.

Iraq’s new police and security forces are built on sectarian and factional lines and members owe their allegiance to their sects and factions rather than the national government – if there is such a government in Iraq.

Residents and pilgrims give a version of events which runs contrary to that of the government. They speak of popular discontent and anger which many pilgrims vented during the ceremony.

Not only bullets were used in the clashes. Many pilgrims resorted to stones and sticks to attack government-appointed guards of the shrine as well as officials.

The government is in fact not telling the truth about the scale of the clashes, damage and casualties. Some of those involved, who we cannot name for security reasons, described the events as a revolt against the government and its U.S. protectors.

Vehicles were set ablaze and Azzaman correspondents counted at least 15 torched cars among them police vehicles and ambulances.

Three days after the clashes the city was still under curfew with tanks and armored vehicles cordoning off the shrines’ area as thousands of pilgrims conducted a vigil demanding the government to remove its siege.

The correspondents could hear pilgrims shout slogans condemning the central government.

Ho****al sources say more than 50 people were killed and at least 300 were injured. The sources said the toll could be higher because ambulances still cannot move freely in areas where the clashes took place.

http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-08-31\kurd.htm

Bush Urges Allies to Keep Troops in Iraq

SYDNEY, Australia - President Bush said in an interview broadcast Friday that he would be concerned about China's military if the country ever turned hostile, and he urged allied countries to keep their troops in Iraq.

Speaking to Australia's Sky News network in Washington ahead of a visit to Australia an annual meeting of Pacific Rim leaders, Bush addressed China's growing economy and military.

"My view of China is that they're internally focused to the extent that they want economic growth and vitality, they're externally focused in order to get the raw materials they need, but if they ever turn hostile, I would be concerned about the military," Bush said.

Bush said his administration spends "a lot of time on China" and that Washington had good relations with both China and Japan, two traditional rivals in Asia. He said it was important for the United States to be an "active presence in Asia to make sure that old tensions don't flare up."

He also urged countries considering pulling out troops to base their decisions on restoring the country's security, saying the U.S. needs "all our coalition partners" in Iraq.

"I understand that everybody has got their own internal politics. My only point is that whether it be Afghanistan or Iraq, we've got more work to do. We, the free world, have got more work to do."

Australia has about 1,600 troops in and around Iraq, 550 of them in combat roles. The timing and circumstances of the troops' withdrawal is a political issue in Australia as it heads toward national elections due by early next year.

Labor opposition leader Kevin Rudd, who opinion polls suggest is headed for victory in the elections, has pledged to set a timetable for withdrawing Australian combat troops from Iraq. Prime Minister John Howard has refused to set a timetable.

Bush said in the interview he would meet Rudd during his visit to Australia next week, and that he would be glad to explain to Rudd why he believed victory in Iraq was important.

"What I ask if he were to win (the election) is that he consider the conditions on the ground before making decisions," Bush said. "What matters is success, and I believe we can be successful."

Bush Urges Allies to Keep Troops in Iraq - Examiner.com

Iraq issues tender to sell 5 mln bbls Kirkuk crude

LONDON - Iraq on Thursday issued a tender to sell 5 million barrels of Kirkuk crude from its northern fields, the biggest such sale this year, an Iraqi oil official said.

More than 3 million barrels of oil have been shipped along the country’s northern pipeline to the Turkish terminal of Ceyhan since the flow resumed last week.

The export route has been mostly idle due to sabotage attacks since the US-led invasion in March 2003.

“We hope to accumulate the full 5 million by the time the tender closes next Friday,” the official told Reuters.
“It won’t be a problem.”

Oil continued to flow through the pipeline on Thursday, a shipping source said. Tanks at Ceyhan held between 3 million and 4 million barrels of Iraqi crude, he added. The flow rate was around 260,000 to 290,000 barrels per day (bpd).

Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO) has issued two Kirkuk tenders, for 3 million barrels each, in June and January of this year.

The latest tender, which closes at 1700 GMT on Sept. 7, calls for the crude to be loaded in cargo lots of 1 million-2 million barrels between Sept. 10-24.

SOMO’s last Kirkuk tender helped boost July exports to 1.78 million barrels per day -- the highest rate in nearly three years.
When the Iraq-Turkey pipeline is down, Iraq relies solely on its main terminal in the south at Basra for exports.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/business/2007/August/business_August625.xml&section=business