Thread: Archive Latest News - Think Tank - 01/01/08 - 14/04/08

US defense chief meets commanders over Iraq strategy

Defense Secretary Robert Gates held talks with top US military commanders this week over their plans for future troop deployments in Iraq, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said Friday.

Gates met earlier with the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, after talks with the top general in Iraq, General David Petraeus, and the US commander in the Middle East, Admiral William Fallon, on Thursday.

It was an "opportunity for the secretary to hear the very latest thinking of the senior military leaders" before they brief President George W. Bush on Wednesday, Morrell told reporters.

Petraeus and the US ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker will present their latest evaluation of the situation in Iraq to Congress on April 8 and 9, which will be crucial in determining the future US military strategy there.

Petraeus, Fallon and Gates are all in favor of a "pause" in the drawdown of US troops from the country, after a first reduction from the current 157,000 troops to 140,000 by July, Morrell noted.

"A pause is worthwhile to figure out the impact of the withdrawal," the spokesman said, adding only that this pause would last "some duration."

Morrell added that despite requests from members of Congress, Fallon would not be appearing with the other military chiefs next month.

The admiral recently announced he was stepping down, blaming press reports suggesting he disagreed with the administration on Iran, something he denied. Morrell said he would formally step down at the end of March.

"I can tell you Admiral Fallon will not be testifying," he said.
Similar briefings were carried out before Petraeus' last appearance before Congress, in September.

PUKmedia :: English - US defense chief meets commanders over Iraq strategy

President Barzani: We Strongly Support Iraqi-US Agreement

In an exclusive statement to al-Hayat newspaper, Massud Barzani, the president of Kurdistan Region, said that it’s important for Iraqis to do their best to achieve National Reconciliation in order to widen public participation which leads to completion of building the Unified Democratic State in all its military, security and political aspects.

“US Forces quick withdrawal decision or redeployment is a US will and reflects its interests, according to this, I think that taking such a decision before securing Iraq against any threats may have bad effects on the US interests and the US administration should consider that. We strongly support signing a strategic agreement between Iraq and US to set the collaboration bases between them”, Barzani said concerning US Forces deployed in Iraq.

Massud Barzani also said” The stability of Kurdistan Region, from an Iraqi Patriotic point of view is a victory for the democratic political process and a motive to accomplish what have not done yet.”

PUKmedia :: English - President Barzani: We Strongly Support Iraqi-US Agreement

Iraq to sign contracts for rehabilitating and upgrading cement industries

Iraq resumed working on the files of companies qualified to invest especially those who enjoy the requirements to invest in cement industries. Contracts are expected to be signed soon, for a high demand was registered, a fact that goes along with the stage of Iraq reconstruction.

Iraq bids to rehabilitate and innovate industries in North, South and middle Iraq and that in order to increase the productivity of this essential material.

A source in Industry and Minerals Ministry said that there are 14 cement industries that are offered for rehabilitation and innovation.

PUKmedia :: English - Iraq to sign contracts for rehabilitating and upgrading cement industries

Iraqi Parliaments Web Site was Hacked

PUKmedia 22-03-2008 19:03:48

Today an unknown person calling himself Susu hacked the web site of the Iraqi parliament.

The hacker who described himself as a loyal Iraqi wrote some abuses in slang Arabic language on the site.

PUKmedia :: English - Iraqi Parliaments Web Site was Hacked

Parliament discusses civil servants' salaries

Iraqi parliament will discuss the civil servants' salaries bill during the coming legislative term's first session, a media source from the Iraqi parliament said on Saturday.

"Lawmakers will discuss the civil servants' salaries bill on Tuesday," the source said to Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI) on condition of anonymity, without revealing further details.

The Iraqi parliament will resume its third legislative term's sessions on Tuesday, after a one month winter vacation.

Aswat Aliraq

Al-Hashemi: five years results 'painful and regretful'

Vice President Tareq Al-Hashemi said on Saturday that the results of the five years Iraq experienced under the presence of foreign troops, are "painful and regretful."

A release issued by Al-Hashemi's office and received by Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq – (VOI), explained "Al-Hashemi described the period that Iraq experienced during the last five years as painful and regretful."

Al-Hashemi refused to describe the progress or development that "took place in certain aspects" of the Iraqi situation as real progress, and said "this should not veil the sad scene and the catastrophe that has happened in Iraq."

Al-Hashemi's statements came two days after the fifth anniversary of the U.S. led war on Iraq that ousted the former regime, and started a political process sponsored by the United States of America in Iraq.

U.S. President George W. Bush said in a speech two days ago that the war achieved "undeniable successes" in Iraq.

Al-Hashemi believes that subsequent ruling governments in Iraq since 2003 failed in achieving the model that Iraqis were promised. "After all these years, average citizens feel disappointed, because we simply failed in achieving the model that we promised people with, after toppling the former regime," Al-Hashemi said.

He added "this issue requires an entire reformation, not minor amendments."

The political process in Iraq suffers severe divisions, and each political entity holds other sides responsible for the failure of this process.

Last year, many political entities withdrew from the current government, protesting the decision making process practiced by the government. The Iraqi Accordance Front (Sunni bloc), of which Al-Hashemi is considered a top leader, was one of those entities, and continues to reject re-joining the cabinet.

“We are ready for meeting, negotiation, and dialogue, at any time or place," Al-Hashemi asserted.

He proceeded, "The problem is not with holding negotiations; it is with the success of these negotiations, and achieving their aims and targets, accepting the others view, and gaining more flexibility and trust in others."

"Reformation can only be accomplished through joint-efforts, unified words, and closer point of views, and this can only be achieved through constructive, direct, and transparent dialogue on the negotiations' table," Al-Hashemi perceived.

He repeated his rejection to the idea of withdrawal from the political process, saying "our disappointment should not imply that we would reconsider our participation in the political process, because the trait of change, reformation, correction, and amendment requires this participation."


Aswat Aliraq

A supplementary budget of $5 billion for the provinces

Minister of Finance, Baqir Al-Zubaidi, announced the launch of a supplementary budget for the provinces with the value of $5 billion, pointing out at the Iraqi financial conference held in Najaf on Wednesday to the need for civil administrations at the governorates to start putting investment, architectural and development plans to take full advantage of the financial allocations.

Engineer Ma'moun Sami Rasheed, governor of Anbar, called the prime minister to grant governors more powers to implement and approve development and investment projects, while Raad Rasheed Mulla Jawad, governor of Diyala, said that migration of scientific cadres and expertise delayed the development in the province. Salim Almuslimawi, governor of Babel, pointed out to the need of increasing the amounts allocated for reconstruction in his province, saying that the sewerage projects alone need four times the amounts allocated in the budget of 2008, while Abdul-Hussein al-Musawi, the Board Chairman of Najaf province, stressed the need to complete the legislation concerning legal powers of the provincial councils.

The participants at the conference, which included representatives of 15 governorates, stressed the need to remove all obstacles, particularly the lack of coordination between the ministries of finance, trade, agriculture and the planning departments on one hand and provinces on the other hand.

http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=5712

A power line in Basrah transferring energy from Iran

The power line "Alharth – Meelad Abadan" for the transfer of electrical energy from Iran with the capacity of 200 megawatts, was opened last Tuesday to improve the situation of electricity in the province of Basrah.

The project was financed by an Iranian loan and the efforts of the General Directorate of Electricity; working at the project took seven months, while Iraqi security forces have cleared the areas through which the line passes of mines.

http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=5713

Update.......

$2.5 billion to increase oil production

An Iraqi government adviser said on Wednesday that Iraq is expected to pay up to $2.5 billion for five major oil companies to increase the country's oil production by approximately one quarter. Baghdad is about to sign technical support contracts with B.B, Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Total to add 500 thousand barrels a day to the country's current production of 2.27 million barrels per day.

Thamir Al-Ghadban, adviser of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on energy, said that he expects to sign the contracts by early next month and the two- year contracts can be extended one more year. He added in an interview that the rough estimate shows that it might cost between 400 and 500 million dollars for a single field, thus the government had pay a total of two billion and 2.5 billion dollars to the companies over two years. Al-Ghadban said that representatives from Iraq met with officials from the companies last week in the Jordanian capital of Amman to discuss the final details of the contracts, including whether the costs will paid in cash or with oil.

Officials at B.B said they are holding talks on the southern Rumaila oil field, while Chevron and Total both are looking into the West Qurna oil field, as for Exxon Mobil, it is examining Al-Zubayr field; Shell is looking forward to work in the northern Kirkuk field in addition to being a partner to B.H.B Billiton in the field of Southern Missan.

More than 100 companies registered themselves to compete for oil exploration and to win contracts services to assist in the development of Iraq's reserves, which are the third largest reserves in the world.

Al-Ghadban said that the government expects to issue the list of eligible companies next month after month from the date that was previously anticipated. He added that it is necessary to complete the technical support contracts with the five major companies before the government moves to other contracts.

http://www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=5714

Political distrust behind Iraq Cabinet Row

Iraqi Cabinet spokesman Ali Al Dabbagh announced that not deciding about a final governmental formation is due to lack of confidence among political parties clarifying that certain parliamentarian blocs seek personal interests regardless of Iraq’s national interest. Al Dabbagh noted that Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki has a list of names to fill in ministerial vacancies; however, he is still awaiting the approval of parliamentarian parties working for their own interests.

In return, a number of politicians stated that governmental vacancies will be filled in during the coming phase as a solution to ministerial amendments, affirming that the government will persist until end of mandate. Al Sadr Bloc members criticized calls for a comprehensive ministerial reshuffle in return of maintaining chief ministries.

Political distrust behind Iraq Cabinet row | Iraq News | Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite TV Network