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

Italy to bring quality to Kurdistan

Italian officials and Erbil and KRG officials announce the first exhibition of Italian industry and technology, scheduled to take place in Erbil on September 6-10.

"When it rains, we open our umbrellas; when a flight is canceled, we find another; and when an explosion happens, we try to forget about it. We are determined to organize this exhibition de****e all the difficulties we faced and may face," Dr. Tanzi Piero, Commercial Attaché of the Italian Consulate in Erbil, told reporters in a press conference held at the Erbil International Hotel on September 2 to announce the Italian Expo.
One of the problems is that Austrian Airlines, which was to bring the Italians to Kurdistan, canceled its service to and from the region. Therefore, a number of Italians who were to arrive in Erbil some time before the exhibition couldn't.

"We have hired a special plane to bring those people (to Erbil) and take them back," Dr. Angelo Caspani told reporters.

Another problem is that some of the companies withdrew from the exhibition.

The exhibition, which was organized by Piero, as well as Abdulla Ahmed Abdul-Rahim, supervisor of Erbil International Exhibition, Aziz Ibrahim Abdo, General Manager of Trade in the KRG Ministry of Trade, and Dr. Angelo Caspani, Secretary General of the Italian Expo, was formally announced at the conference.

The Italian Axis Fairs & Services Company organized the trade show for the Italian companies in different fields of industry and technology. It is supported by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in collaboration with the KRG Ministry of Trade and Erbil International Exhibition Company.

According to Abdul-Rahim, the exhibition was originally set for June, but was "unfortunately canceled due to the explosion that happened in front of the KRG Interior Ministry." This incident caused some of the companies to withdraw from the exhibition;

otherwise, the number of attending companies would be even larger.
Around 80 companies have registered to attend the trade show from different sectors, including construction and building materials, machine tools, automation, thermo-climate plumbing technologies, electro, transportation, hotel equipment, environment, agricultural and food technology, furnishing, education, and training and services.

According to Angelo, all of the companies are production companies rather than commerce, which means "higher quality and lower price."
"It is not an easy task to persuade Europeans to bring their business to Kurdistan, since they see Kurdistan as Baghdad and I had to make them differentiate between them."

The aim of the exhibition is to bring the "Made in Italy" products to Kurdistan and to strengthen the relationships and ties between the Italians and Kurds as well as help the nation to develop.

"I want to conclude my speech by saying that Italians and Kurds are and have been friends, and that we want to remain friends and help develop their country," Piero said.

A serious problem that faces the Italian companies is that Kurdistan has been a market for low-quality and cheap Chinese, Iranian, and Turkish products, the prices of which are lower compared to those brought by the Italians. The task of persuading Kurds to consume the expensive Italian high-quality products instead of cheap products is a challenge for the Italian businessmen.

"Europeans also began to turn to Chinese products due to their low prices, but finally they realized that the quality is even lower compared to the prices; thus, they abandoned them and returned to the high-quality products," Angelo told reporters. "Kurdish people must realize the difference and start using high-quality products."

Regarding the issue of quality, Abdul-Rahim said that people are now turning to high-quality products and the tendency is growing daily.
Abdo said that the KRG is about to prevent low-quality products from entering the region through quality control labs that are set to be established.

"This is to protect the national security of Kurdistan and to protect the capital of its people."

Italy to bring quality to Kurdistan | Iraq Updates

Iraq: Reality and Obligations

There is a reality in Iraq and the areas surrounding it that cannot be ignored, especially in light of the withdrawal of British forces from Basra. The danger of the fighting between the Shia militias and their rivals is a clear and present one, particularly between the Sadrists and the supporters of Abdulaziz al Hakim.

Another reality is the handing over of security responsibilities by multinational forces in Diyala to Iraqi security forces.

Furthermore, it is important to note that both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have dispatched diplomatic missions assigned with the task of finding a location for their embassy headquarters in Baghdad. This denotes an Arab mobility that is accompanied by an awareness of the severity of the situation in Iraq.

An equally important development that cannot be overlooked in Iraq’s vicinity is Hashemi Rafsanjani’s appointment as head of the Assembly of Experts, which is a powerful clerical body that plays a crucial role in the Iranian arena.

Two days ago, I was on the phone with one of Iraq’s leadership figures whom I trust.

His voice sounded uneasy, so I asked him about the situation in Iraq and how he was faring. He replied, “The situation in Iraq sickens me… Iran is tampering with my country in an unimaginable way!”

Based on that (and if Iran is not subjected to a military strike from abroad first), with the impending presidential elections, Mr. Hashemi Rasfanjani should not only oust Ahmadinejad from his seat – but rather hurl him from it.

Mr. Rafsanjani is not ‘Hashemi Jefferson’ so do not expect him to dream of a free Iraq independent of Iranian influence, however he is a veteran and a rational politician who has previously proven his evaluative powers. Undoubtedly, he is more competent in dealing with sensitive issues than Ahmedinejad and his aides are.

Rafsanjani’s victory is as impossible to overlook as the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) pre-emptive move [to appoint a new commander, Brig. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari], which appears to be a swift maneuver to save its last line of defense on the chessboard.

Added to the mix is the US President’s visit to Anbar and his meeting with the Sunni tribal sheikhs, which is an important shift if indeed the Sunni leadership deals with it in an appropriate manner. However, Nuri al Maliki is right to have reservations regarding arming the Sunnis in Iraq – based upon the consideration that that they would pose a threat that could lead to an armed conflict between the Sunnis and Shia.

And yet, arming these tribes to confront Al Qaeda could present an opportunity to unify the ranks ¬– if the Iraqi Prime Minister is capable of exploiting the situation well. This includes avoiding the exclusion of some Iraqis, in addition to decreeing and implementing a system to dissolve the Shia militias, and the Sunnis likewise, so that the authority could belong to the Iraqi state – not the militias.

These are realities that have come into actualization over the past two days, and all of which can be considered signs of hope portending that Iraq could be redeemed from the mire it is sinking into. But in order to achieve that, this next stage requires an Arab effort that stems from an awareness of the danger that the situation in present-day Iraq poses to the future of the region.

Likewise, it is equally critical to prevent Iraq from becoming a ball that is tossed between the Democrats and Republicans, between those of them who understand the region’s problems and those who don’t. However, this can only be achieved through an Iraqi effort that prioritizes national interests, which is a matter that cannot be accomplished without Arab action to support all Iraqi parties. It must be a move that does not neglect the tribes or the militias nor ignore the impending battle over the fate of Kirkuk – an ugly battle if it were to erupt.

What I want to say is that there is a glimmer of hope, but the real question is: Are there politicians who are capable of this responsibility? That is the question!

Iraq: Reality and Obligations | Iraq Updates

Study: Iraq's forces a work in progress

Critical to U.S. plans for redeploying American troops from the battlefield, Iraq's security forces appear far from ready to take over the fight against al-Qaida and insurgents, an independent report concluded.

Retired Marine Corps Gen. James Jones, who led the 20-member panel studying Iraqi security forces, was to testify before Congress on Thursday. His report, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, said the Iraq's security forces would be unable to take control of their country in the next 18 months.

The readiness of Iraq's security forces will be an important element in the congressional debate over the war. Republicans see success by the Iraqi forces as key to bringing U.S. troops home, while an increasing number of Democrats say the U.S. should stop training and equipping such units altogether.

The study found that the Iraqi military, in particular its Army, shows the most promise of becoming a viable, independent security force with time. It predicted that an adequate logistics system to support these ground forces is at least two years away.

Worse off is the Iraq national police force. The study, which described the police force as dysfunctional, corrupt and infiltrated by militias, recommended that the force be scrapped and entirely rebuilt.

These units "have the potential to help reduce sectarian violence, but ultimately the (Iraq Security Force) will reflect the society from which they are drawn," according to the report. "Political reconciliation is the key to ending sectarian violence in Iraq."

The United States has spent $19.2 billion on developing Iraq's forces and plans to spend another $5.5 billion next year. According to Jones' study, the Iraqi military comprises more than 152,000 service members operating under the Ministry of Defense, while the Ministry of Interior oversees some 194,000 civilian security personnel, including police and border control.

The review is one of several studies that Congress commissioned in May, when it agreed to fund the war for several more months but demanded that the Bush administration and outside groups assess U.S. progress in the four-year war.

A senior Pentagon official said Wednesday that the U.S. military does not believe the Iraqi national police should be disbanded but acknowledges that getting the Iraqi army up to speed will take a while.

"We've always recognized that this was a long-term project," Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said.

Several lawmakers — many of whom face tough elections next year — said they would be unswayed by the Jones report and other independent assessments. Congress would fare better by finding a bipartisan solution that would bring troops home, they say.

"No matter what these reports suggest or what Congress infers from them, it is clear that it is time to develop a post-surge strategy," 13 lawmakers, including three Republicans, wrote on Wednesday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.
According to the study, the panel agreed with U.S. and Iraqi officials that the Iraqi Army is capable of taking over an increasing amount of day-to-day combat responsibilities, but that the military and police force still would be unable to take control and operate independently in such a short time frame.

"They are gaining size and strength, and will increasingly be capable of assuming greater responsibility for Iraq's security," the report states, adding that special forces in particular are "highly capable and extremely effective."

The report is much more pessimistic about Baghdad's police units. It describes them as fragile, ill-equipped and infiltrated by militia forces. And they are led by the Ministry of Interior, which is "a ministry in name only" that is "widely regarded as being dysfunctional and sectarian, and suffers from ineffective leadership."

Accordingly, the study recommends disbanding the national police and starting over.

A group of liberal Democrats said Wednesday the U.S. should stop supporting these forces entirely and withdraw U.S. troops.

"How can we be sure we are not putting guns into the hands of a future enemy and empowering them for generations to come?" said Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.

Other Democrats say party leaders have set their sights on the $147 billion President Bush requested for the war as a means of forcing a drawdown of U.S. forces.

Rep. James Moran, D-Va., a member of the House panel that oversees the military budget, said an option being considered is a bill that funds the troops, but in three- or four-month installments, and directs that the money be used only to bring them home.

Study: Iraq's forces a work in progress | Iraq Updates

Leaders gather in Iraqi province days after Bush visit

Tribal leaders joined Iraqi and US officials on Thursday in talks focused on economic development of Anbar province, three days after US President George W. Bush dropped in to endorse peace initiatives in the restive region.

US officials said the one-day Anbar Forum in the provincial capital Ramadi is aimed at giving an economic boost to the western province, where former Sunni insurgents have joined with US forces to fight Al-Qaeda.
Some 3,000 US and Iraqi troops were deployed to secure the governate in the centre of the city where the forum was being held, officials said.

Among US officials attending are Democratic Senator Joseph Biden, a 2008 White House contender, who arrived in Iraq earlier in the day, US Ambassador Ryan Crocker and Lieutenant General Ray Odierno, second in command of US forces in Iraq.

The delegation from Iraq's central government is headed by vice presidents Tareq al-Hashemi and Adel Abdel Mahdi and included deputy prime minister Barham Saleh.

Members of the provincial government, including Governor Maamun Sami Rashid, were also among the two dozen or so officials at the meeting, as was Sheikh Sattar Abu Risha and 11 other tribal leaders from the so-called Anbar Awakening Conference.

The group, which comprises Sunni tribes who formed an alliance with American troops to claw back their neighbourhoods from Al-Qaeda's fighters, complains that it is not getting enough backing from Baghdad and that its volunteers are ill-equipped to take on the well-trained extremists.

"All we are doing today is very important," Biden said in an address to the gathering.

"You have taken a bold decision in Anbar to fight the forces of destruction and terror ... Unity of Iraq is an Iraqi problem. America wants you to succeed and we will do whatever we can to enable you to succeed," he said.

"Iraq's future is in your hands. Only you can determine the future. It's encouraging to see central government assisting you in Anbar. In America we are waiting to see how extensive that cooperation will be," Biden said.
"If it is (extensive) you can count on America to stay, if it is not, we can say goodbye now."

On Monday, Bush made a surprise stopover at an airbase just 48 kilometres (30 miles) west of Ramadi, where he said a reduction in US combat troops in Iraq was possible due to progress on the security front in Anbar.

Ambassador Crocker and US commander General David Petraeus believed that "if the kind of success we are now seeing (in Anbar) continues, it is possible to maintain the same level of security with fewer American forces," Bush said.

"I urge members of Congress to listen to what (Petraeus and Crocker) have to say," he added.

The White House is to make a formal report to the Democratic-led Congress by September 15 aimed at persuading US lawmakers to continue funding the Iraq war, four and a half bloody years since the US-led invasion of 2003.

Crocker and Petraeus are due to testify before Congress on Monday on political and military progress in Iraq.

The turnaround in Anbar is expected to feature prominently in the White House argument that US troops should remain in Iraq to create more space for political reconciliation.

Ramadi had until recently been a symbol of the failure of the US military and the Iraqi government to assert their will among the fiercely-independent Sunni tribes living in the deserts west of Baghdad.

But since the Anbar Awakening group was formed earlier this year, the tide has turned and a semblance of normality has returned to the streets and market places of Ramadi.

Leaders gather in Iraqi province days after Bush visit | Iraq Updates

British MPs demand Iraq oil info

LONDON, Sept. 6 The British government is being pressed by 118 parliamentarians over allegations it played a role in writing Iraq's controversial oil law.

MP Katy Clark tabled the Early Day Motion, which calls for the government to explain exactly what involvement it had in the oil law.

"This represents a significant breadth of opinion right across the House of Commons," Clark said. "There is widespread opposition to this proposed law from within Iraq itself from Iraqi MPs, trade unions and the general public. I hope that the Government will take stock and look at the concerns being raised."

In Iraq, the law is stuck in negotiations over the extent the federal government will set oil policy, as well as the role foreign and private companies will be allowed to play in the sector. Iraq's oil has been nationalized for more than three decades, the sole legacy of Saddam Hussein Iraqis have widespread support for.

But Iraq's oil sector is badly beaten up by Hussein's mismanagement, sanctions and war. De****e having the third-largest reserves in the world, Iraq needs the international oil community to invest. Even the powerful oil unions, which called too much foreign involvement a red line not to be crossed, call for some form of global oil help.

The oil law itself has been under much scrutiny. The U.S. government, as part of its prerogative to reorganize and privatize Iraq's economy, also offered assistance to the Oil Ministry.

Both Kim Howells, Foreign Office minister of state, and Lord Triesman, parliamentary undersecretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, admitted earlier this year the British government helped connect British oil firms to Iraqi decision makers.

"Tony Blair's government used its military occupation of Iraq to promote the interests of BP and Shell, whilst violating the wishes of the Iraqi people," said Greg Muttitt, co-director of the London-based campaigners Platform. "Now 118 MPs are sending a clear message to Gordon Brown that his new foreign policy must not do the same."

British MPs demand Iraq oil info : World

U.S. report says Iraq Interior Ministry 'dysfunctional'

Iraq's Interior Ministry is regarded as "dysfunctional and sectarian," and the National Police should be "disbanded and reorganized," according to an independent report obtained by CNN.

The report, produced by the Independent Commission on Security Forces in Iraq, fires stinging criticism at Iraqi security forces but also includes promising words for the country's military.

Ordered by Congress, the report comes less than a week before the White House is expected to provide to lawmakers a highly anticipated assessment of President Bush's addition this year of some 30,000 troops to Iraq. Part of the reason for the increase was to reduce sectarian killings that have spread throughout much of Iraq since 2006.

The independent report, set for release Thursday, says Iraq's Interior Ministry "is a ministry in name only." It "suffers from ineffective leadership" and "is widely regarded as dysfunctional and sectarian," the report says. Watch the top House Democrat say the report is evidence of a failed Iraq policy »

The Interior Ministry and the National Police force it operates have long been regarded by observers as being infiltrated by sectarian Shiite militias.

"Such fundamental flaws present a serious obstacle to achieving the levels of readiness, capability, and effectiveness in police and border security forces that are essential for internal security and stability in Iraq," the report says.

"Sectarianism in its units undermines its ability to provide security; the force is not viable in its current form. The National Police should be disbanded and reorganized," it says.

The Pentagon said Wednesday it does not agree with the report's recommendation that the Iraqi National Police be disbanded.

The commission, headed by Gen. James L. Jones, the former top commander in Europe, said Iraq's armed forces won't be ready to perform independently during the next 18 months. The Bush administration has often cited the ability of Iraq's newly created military to stand on its own as a requisite for U.S. troop withdrawals.

"We've always recognized that this is a long-term project," said Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell, who had not seen the report. "Getting the Iraqi army on its feet and capable of defending the borders of that country independently is not an overnight project, and we are continuing to work on it."

The Pentagon is committed to rebuilding the Iraqi army, Morrell said.
"I don't know if it takes 12 months, I don't know if it takes six months, I don't know if it takes longer," Morrell said. "But we are committed to stay as long as it takes to help the Iraqi army gets back on its feet to the point that they're able to take on the normal functions of an army."

Morrell said the size of Iraq's police should be put into context. "The National Police are 25,000 police officers," he said. "It's not reflective of the entire Ministry of Interior police force, which I think includes roughly 300,000 local and provincial police as well."

The report says the Iraqi Police Service "is incapable today of providing security at a level sufficient to protect Iraqi neighborhoods from insurgents and sectarian violence."

The report says the "Iraqi Police Service must be better trained and equipped," and the commission "believes that the Iraqi Police Service can improve rapidly should the Ministry of Interior become a more functional institution."

The report has promising words for the Iraqi army, special forces, navy and air force, describing them as "increasingly effective" and "capable of assuming greater responsibility for the internal security of Iraq."

"The commission assesses that in the next 12 to 18 months, there will be continued improvement in their readiness and capability, but not the ability to operate independently. Evidence indicates that the ISF [Iraqi Security Forces] will not be able to progress enough in the near term to secure Iraqi borders against conventional military and external threats."

In addition, Iraq's Department of Border Enforcement "suffers from poor ministerial support from the MOI [Ministry of Interior]," the report says.

"Border forces often lack the equipment, infrastructure and basic supplies to conduct their mission. Overall border security is further undermined by the division of responsibilities between the MOI and the Ministry of Transportation. Corruption and external influence and infiltration are widespread. Absent major improvements in all these areas, Iraq's borders will remain porous and poorly defended."

Other key conclusions of the report include:

The Defense Ministry "is building the necessary institutions and processes to fulfill its mission. However, its capacity is hampered by bureaucratic inexperience, excessive layering, and overcentralization. These flaws reduce the operational readiness, capability, and effectiveness of the Iraqi military."

The Iraqi army and special forces "possess an adequate supply of willing and able manpower and a steadily improving basic training capability" and "are making efforts to reduce sectarian influence within their ranks and are achieving some progress. Substantial progress can be achieved to that end."

The "Iraqi air force's relatively late establishment hampers its ability to provide much-needed air support to ground operations" but "it is nonetheless progressing at a promising rate during this formative period."

"The Iraqi navy is small and its current fleet is insufficient to execute its mission. However, it is making substantive progress in this early stage of development."

CNN's Jessica Yellin contributed to this report.

U.S. report says Iraq Interior Ministry 'dysfunctional' | Iraq Updates

Iraqi ex-premier Allawi says US officials, Baathists met secretly

Baghdad - Iraq's politician, Iyad Allawi, has said senior US officials secretly met members of the coutry's ousted Baath Party in an Arab country, al-Arabiya TV reported Thursday. Allawi, who was Iraq's interim primer minister in 2004, told the Dubai-based al-Arabya TV that the US asked him to take part in a meeting between senior American officials and leaders of the Baath Party in an Arab country.

Allawi did not disclose the country that hosted the meeting and the identity of party members who took part in it.

Allawi had been himself a member of the Baath Party in the 1960s. The party ruled Iraq until its collapse with the US-led was on Iraq.

Allawi said the meeting aimed at involving Baathists in the political process.

Iraqi ex-premier Allawi says US officials, Baathists met secretly : Middle East World

US troops kill 14 in Baghdad neighbourhood

Baghdad, Sep 6 (Xinhua) US troops backed by aircrafts pounded a neighbourhood in western Baghdad Thursday, killing 14 people and wounding nine others, an Interior Ministry source said.

'US armoured vehicles and warplanes struck the al-Washash neighbourhood at about 3.00 a.m. (23.00 GMT Wednesday), destroying several houses, killing 14 people and wounding nine others,' the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Women and children were among the casualties, the source said.

'The US shelling started after militiamen opened fire on a US patrol in the neighbourhood at about 2.30 a.m. (22.30 GMT Wednesday),' a resident who named himself Abu Taha, told Xinhua.

He said that after a short clash, US armoured vehicles and warplanes attacked the neighbourhood, damaging several houses, he added.

The US troops withdrew from the neighbourhood after an hour, while an Iraqi army force was deployed in the neighbourhood before dawn, according to the witness.

The US military had no immediate comment on the incident.

The attacked neighbourhood is a stronghold for Mahdi Army militia loyal to radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who declared on Aug 19 that he ordered his militiamen to freeze their armed activities for six months.

US troops kill 14 in Baghdad neighbourhood : Middle East World

Iraqi police units faulted in latest report on Iraq

Washington - Iraqi forces are not ready to handle security and the country's Interior Ministry is plagued by sectarianism and corruption, according to a new congressional report released Thursday.

The congressionally appointed commission consisting of retired military officers designed to study the state of Iraqi security forces concluded the country will not be capable of providing its own security in the next 12-18 months without the assistance of the US military.

The commission, headed by retired Marine General James Jones, said the Iraqi Interior Minister is 'dysfunctional and sectarian' and that Iraqi forces' logistical self-sufficiency is at least two years away.

The report is the second of three this month to be released assessing the situation in Iraq since US President George W Bush ordered a US troop surge earlier this year.

The White House is due to release by September 15 an assessment from the US ambassador in Baghdad, Ryan Crocker, and General David Petraeus, the top commander in Iraq, on the political and military situation in the country.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report on Tuesday saying that the Iraqi government has failed to meet 15 of 18 benchmarks set by Congress to determine how much progress the Iraqi government has made in tackling key challenges.

The report by the GAO, Congress' investigative arm, contradicted a White House assessment in July that said the Iraqi government had achieved eight of the goals.

Iraqi police units faulted in latest report on Iraq - Middle East

British appeal for release of Iraq captives

LONDON (AFP) - The families of five Britons kidnapped in Iraq in May appealed Thursday to their captors for their release, as Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he was "deeply concerned" for them.

A British management consultant and his four bodyguards, whose names have not been released to protect their safety, were abducted during a visit to an Iraqi finance ministry office in Baghdad on May 29.

They have now been in captivity for over 100 days, though Lieutenant General Ray Odierno, second-in-command of the United States-led forces in Iraq, said Tuesday that he had reason to believe they were still alive.

"They are sons, fathers and brothers who were working to support us -- their families," the relatives said in a statement released through Britain's Foreign Office.

"We miss them so much and want them to come home to us so that our families can be complete again and our children no longer have to endure the pain of missing their fathers.

"We appeal from our hearts to those who are holding our loved ones.
"These are not men with political views or any authority, they are ordinary family men who have parents, wives and children that love and cherish them -- please send them home to us."

Miliband, meanwhile, said the Foreign Office was doing "all we can" to secure their liberty.

"I remain deeply concerned about the five British men taken in Iraq in May," Miliband said in a statement released by the Foreign Office.

"Taking hostages is never justified, no matter what cause it may claim to serve.

"The five men should be released immediately and returned to their loved ones."

In June, General David Petraeus, the top commander of US forces in Iraq, said in an interview with the Times newspaper in Britain that the hostages were kidnapped by a group funded, trained and armed by Iran.

He added that there had been repeated attempts to free them and identified the kidnappers as a secret cell of the Mahdi Army, the militia loyal to radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who last week ordered the suspension of its armed activities.

British appeal for release of Iraq captives - Yahoo! News UK