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

Sunni clerics condemn Iranian president's statements to fill Iraq vacuum

Baghdad, 03 September 2007 (Voices of Iraq)

The Sunni Association of Muslim Scholars (AMS) condemned statements by Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad in which he said his country was ready to fill the security vacuum in Iraq in case U.S. forces withdraw.

"Iranian President Ahmadinejad's statements have caused concern to all groups of the Iraqi people," according to an AMS statement published on its web site on Friday.

"These statements would not be understood by the Iraqi people as a form of help. Iran's interference in Iraq since the (U.S.) invasion was negative and not in line with good neighborliness," it read.

The AMS, the largest organization for Sunni Muslims in Iraq, is outspokenly opposing foreign military presence in Iraq and the governments that ruled the country successively since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in march 2003.

The AMS also supports armed operations targeting foreign troops in Iraq.

"Statements of the Iranian officials during the past period were not encouraging to establish good neighborly relations because they involved maximizing the supremacy of a nation at the expense of another," noted the statement.

It pointed out that the Iranian statements also "would make the occupation forces linger in our country by keeping their military bases under the pretext of lessening Iranian interference and influence."

Sunni clerics condemn Iranian president's statements to fill Iraq vacuum | Iraq Updates

Shiite, Sunni figures meet on ending sectarian violence in Finland

Baghdad, 03 September 2007 (Voices of Iraq)

An official source from the Shiite Unified Iraqi Coalition said on Saturday that officials representing Sunni and Shiite political blocs along with independent figures met in Helsinki in a two-day conference on means to stop sectarian violence throughout the war-torn country.

"The conference that started on Friday in the Finnish capital was attended by many Iraqi figures, including the leading figure of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC) and State Minister for National Dialogue Affairs Akram al-Hakim, Head of the National Dialogue Front Saleh al-Mutlak, and the leading figure of the Dawa Party Waleed al-Hilli," the source, who spoke on anonymity condition, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).

The source added "the participants are expected to discuss during the two-day-conference a number of experiences that might help establishing peace in Iraq, experiments practiced in states like South Africa and North Ireland."

Media reports earlier indicated that representatives from the Sunni Accordance Front, the Shiite Sadr movement, SIIC and Dawa party took part in the conference.

A leading figure from the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's movement denied the Sadrists' attendance of the conference.

"The Sadr movement is not aware of this conference and no invitation was sent to the movement on attending the conference," Salah al-Obeidi told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).

Adnan al-Dulaimi, Head of the Accordance Front, told VOI "I was not informed of the conference and no invitation was made to us to attend it."

The official from the Unified Iraqi Coalition noted that "the conference was scheduled to be larger in scope but the absence of the good preparation and the short time caused many Shiite and Sunni figures not to attend."

"The conference was organized by a Finnish non-governmental organization interested in peace and crises and the Finnish authorities have no connection to the conference," the unnamed official added.

Shiite, Sunni figures meet on ending sectarian violence in Finland | Iraq Updates

Maliki nominates names instead of Sadrists, INL ministers

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Monday , 03 /09 /2007

Baghdad, Sept 3, (VOI)- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said on Monday that he would finalize nominating ministers instead of the ministers of Sadrist bloc and Iraqi National List (INL), who withdrew from the government, while he did not replace the ministers of the Sunni Iraqi Accordance Front hoping that they would return to teh cabinet.

Speaking at a press conference in Baghdad, the premier said that "we waited for enough time and gave enough chances for all of those who walked away."

"I will wait for resumption of the parliament's sessions on Tuesday and within a week a list of names nominated for the vacant portfolios will be ready after consultations with other blocs and partners in the political process and then I will submit the list to the parliament," he also said.

The Sunni Iraqi Accordance Front (IAF) announced last month its withdrawal from the government and the resignation of five ministers in addition to Deputy Prime Minister Salam al-Zawbaie.

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's Iraqi National List (INL) also withdrew from the government on August 24.

The INL portfolios included justice, communications, science and technology, human rights and a minister of state.

The government consists of 37 ministers, including six state ministers.
The prime minister said that he finished only naming ministers instead of the Sadrist bloc's ministers.

He said that he hoped the ministers of the IAF would return once again to the government, denying that he asked any bloc to nominate names instead of the IAF's ministers.

Aswat Aliraq

Bush to meet Talabani, Maliki, al-Hashemi - adviser

Baghdad - Voices of Iraq
Monday , 03 /09 /2007

Baghdad, Sept 3, (VOI)- The visiting U.S. President George W. Bush will meet during his visit with the Iraqi President Jalal al-Talabani, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi, al-Maliki's media adviser said.

"Bush's visit came within the framework of the U.S. support to the Iraqi government," Yassin Majid told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
Bush arrived here earlier on Monday on a surprise visit to the country.

A government source had said earlier that the president is accompanied by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and National Security Adviser Steven Hadley.

"Bush preferred to land on al-Assad air base in Ramadi, Anbar province," the source said.

Aswat Aliraq

Iraqi dinar trading permit extended
Finance minister renews permit to trade Iraqi dinar in Israel, extended validity by two years

A special permit for trading Iraqi dinars in Israel has recently been renewed. Finance Minister Ronnie Bar-On decided on the move due to the widespread trade of the currency in the country.

Initially, the permit was issued for a period of one year; its renewal has extended its validity by two years, de****e the fact that Iraq is considered an enemy state.

According to estimates by Govev Investments, which has been trading the Iraqi currency over the past year, the currency turnover equals in value to over $20 million. The Iraqi dinar currently stands at $0.0008.

In the United States, the currency turnover has reached nearly $500 million since the Iraqi dinar began being traded there at the end of 2003, following the printing of new bills issued by the al-Maliki government, which was voted into office under the auspices of the American occupation.

The demand for Iraqi currency in Israel has increased since trading began, under the assumption that its value will also increase with the rehabilitation of Iraq and its economy.

Economists see a promising potential in Iraq to become a wealthy, modern country because of its oil and gas reserves, and its vast, fertile agricultural land.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7...445047,00.html

EXTRA: Anti-corruption chief flees Iraq amid graft claims

Posted : Mon, 03 Sep 2007

Baghdad - The head of Iraq's Integrity Council has fled to the United States amid corruption accusations, Iraq's Premier Nuri al-Maliki said Monday, according to reports. Radi al-Radi, at the centre of allegations that would normally be investigated by the council, had been banned from travelling, the Voices of Iraq news agency said.

"He previously headed to the airport and was turned back but (this time) he was able to travel to the US," said al-Maliki was quoted as saying at a press conference.

Next week, Iraq's parliament is due to discuss a vote of confidence in al-Radi.

EXTRA: Anti-corruption chief flees Iraq amid graft claims : Middle East World

Iraq draft law would ease curb on Saddam Baathists

Reuters - Monday, September 3 12:27 pm

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - An Iraqi draft law has been submitted to parliament to ease curbs on former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath party joining the civil service and military, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Monday.

The draft is one of the benchmarks set by the United States to foster reconciliation between warring majority Shi'ites and minority Sunni Arabs.

Many Baath party members were Sunnis who now feel persecuted by Maliki's Shi'ite-led government.

Maliki told a news conference the draft was discussed by a committee of political parties and said he felt the "parliament, which represents the political powers that participated in this discussion, will approve it".

Lawmakers return to parliament on Tuesday after a month-long recess, but it was unclear when they would begin debating the draft debaathification law.

On August 26, Iraq's top five Shi'ite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish leaders including Maliki agreed on the draft legislation.

But the measure -- as it has for many months -- is likely to face opposition from within the ruling Shi'ite Alliance and the committee tasked with purging Baathists from the government.

Iraqi officials have said the August 26 deal on the draft law was a sign of progress ahead of reports to be presented to the U.S. Congress next week.

The U.S. commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, and U.S. ambassador Ryan Crocker will testify on Iraq's security and political situation on September 10.

Their assessments could prompt a shift in U.S. President George W. Bush's Iraq policy amid calls from opposition Democrats and some senior Republicans for U.S. troops to start leaving Iraq because of the lack of political progress.

The Iraqi government has yet to present other key draft laws, including legislation that aims to equitably share Iraq's vast oil wealth among its different sects and ethnic groups.

Iraq draft law would ease curb on Saddam Baathists - Yahoo! News UK

Bush OKs program to expand economic aid to Anbar

Anbar - Voices of Iraq
Monday , 03 /09 /2007 Time 10:56:26

Anbar, Sept 3, (VOI) – President George W. Bush, marshaling arguments to maintain current troop levels in Iraq, has approved the acceleration of a new program to intensify economic assistance directly to Sunni Arab regions where former insurgents have joined U.S. forces in fighting extremist Sunni groups, senior U.S. officials say.




In an article published by the International Herald Tribune newspaper, writer David E. Sanger quoted officials as saying that the move, which has been gathering momentum for several months, was discussed at length on Friday at a Pentagon session attended by Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, the joint chiefs of staff and senior U.S. commanders in Iraq.
The shift is focused on Anbar province, once a hotbed of attacks on U.S. forces, where local Sunni militias have now turned against the homegrown insurgent group Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia and its allies, and are increasingly receiving support within informal "neighborhood watch" groups directly from U.S. troops.
During Bush's visit to the Pentagon on Friday, he also heard a presentation by General David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, that appeared to preview much of what he is scheduled to tell Congress when he gives his Iraq progress report in nine days.
But the discussion quickly focused on an issue that Bush and his aides are accused of mishandling after the invasion: making sure that Sunnis are empowered and receive a share of the funds that flow from Baghdad, where Shia leaders have taken their moment for revenge against their former oppressors under Saddam Hussein's rule.
Bush and his commanders weighed whether to reward the Sunnis with early provincial elections that would restore a degree of political power to them. But calling elections is no longer within the power of the United States, and the Shiite-dominated national government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has long opposed empowering Sunnis.
They also discussed ways to pressure Maliki to provide millions of dollars in Iraqi funds, much of it oil money, for reconstruction of Anbar's schools and health care centers and the reopening of state-run factories.
"This is all about finding ways to circumvent al-Maliki," said one senior official who is involved in preparing Bush's presentation of a new strategy, which will probably come in an address to the country after Petraeus and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, present their report to Congress starting Sept. 10.
The official added that the White House cannot go to Congress again and say "...al-Maliki will perform if we just give him the space. He won't. So you find other means to accomplish the goal."
However, circumventing a central government that the United States itself set up is unlikely to prove easy. In the end, it is the new Iraqi government that has control of the country's treasury, and determining when to hold elections around the country is a subject the Iraqi parliament has not been able to agree upon.
"There is an effort to accelerate bottom-up reconciliation," said one defense official, who declined to speak on the record. "The idea is to capitalize on the unexpected progress made at the provincial level through the Sunni awakening, and efforts to work with former insurgents. We are increasing Iraqi and American money being invested in the provinces."

Aswat Aliraq

32 al-Qaeda members killed, 55 others arrested in northern Falluja – police

Anbar - Voices of Iraq
Monday , 03 /09 /2007

Aswat Aliraq

Bush backs Maliki's 'evolving' leadership in Iraq

44 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush expressed frustration Monday with the slow pace of political change in Iraq but said he still backed the "evolving" leadership of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

En route to Australia after a surprise trip to Iraq, Bush also said that his visit was unlikely to sway opinion among anti-war politicians in the Democratic-led Congress.

"He is evolving as a leader. What I look for is courage, conviction and willingness to ask for help," Bush told reporters aboard Air Force One in reference to the under-fire Iraqi leader, according to a pool report.

"My message to Maliki is you've got a lot of work to do and whatever decision is made in Washington DC is all aimed at helping you achieve what is necessary to get the work done," the president said.

Many US lawmakers, among both the Democratic and Bush's Republican parties, have been attacking the Maliki government for failing to translate the apparent security gains of a "surge" of US troops into political reform.

The government has made little to no progress on key questions of reconciliation among warring ethnic factions, sharing oil revenues or constitutional change, the critics argue.

During his unannounced visit Monday to a desert airbase in the long-restive province of Anbar, Bush was accompanied by top US government officials and military commanders for talks with Iraqi leaders including Maliki.

The president said he delivered his appeal for faster political action to all the Iraqi leaders, but also took Maliki aside to give him a personal message.

Bush said the message was that "you're my friend and ... you've made progress in your recent meetings, and now's the time to get these laws passed; you've got hard work to do and you know that we understand that."

Bush came out of meetings with his military and diplomatic chiefs in Iraq to argue that if recent security advances in Anbar were consolidated, "it is possible to maintain the same level of security with fewer American forces."

"The main factor that will affect my decision on troop levels is can we succeed," he said on Air Force One, refusing to speculate before General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker report to Congress in the coming days.

Bush added that he did not expect his Iraqi trip to change minds in Congress. "No, I don't. I don't think a presidential visit will cause people to vote one way or the other," he said.

Bush backs Maliki's 'evolving' leadership in Iraq - Yahoo! News