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

Agreed Pat,

Same old same old, with so much inside hatred and division, I don't think it will ever end. These politicians are like politicians everywhere, what's in for me, that is all we have seen after all this time, greed rules just as it does in every government, but fortunately, greed will end up paving the way to a revalue, just watch and wait, that is all we can do.

Good luck to all, Mike

Three posts above me all good. Hope the new fighting will not last long, otherwise seems like almost starting over from scratch. Anyway there is some movement on the dinar lately and hoping for that RV.

Originally Posted by bigopie

two things i will add warrior....Bush was always taking way too much credit for the ""SO CALLED SECURITY IMPROVEMENT"" with his troop surge...people forgot that Sadr had called off his Militia.....that coupled with the troop surge was why the security was better.....second thing.....while the troop surge and the militia were working hand in hand it took this lazy a** corrupt government way too long to do what they were supposed to do....now things look like they will be getting back to the way they were before the troop surge and the poor people of Iraq will have nothing again....as is par for the course it seems like with this corrupt government...just my thoughts..........Pat

I strongly agree with you. GOD help those poor people cause Maliki & his gov.t sure don't give a damn.

The different tribes stand with the Iraqi Army, the people stand with them and so they will destroy the enemy and be victorious! GOD iS GREAT!

28 March 2008 (Iraq Directory)
The international Company of Dubai Ports, owned by the Government of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, announced its intention to invest in Iraq and to take advantage of investment opportunities available in it.

Mohammed Al-Muallim, Director General of the Company, said on the sidelines of the First International Saudi Forum of Ports and Shipping, "Iraq is one of the developing countries where good investment opportunities are available, and we put in our future strategies the appropriate solutions to take advantage of these opportunities.

But, we are still waiting for the suitable time to start implementing our plans." However, Director General of the Company did not mention any details of those plans and the size of investments which (Dubai Ports) plans to pump into Iraq.
The First International Saudi Forum of Ports and Shipping, held in the Kingdom for two days, concluded its work in the Saudi capital, Al-Riyadh, last Tuesday.

Erbil, 29 March 2008 (KRG)

The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) policy is to achieve sustainable development and strengthen construction activities in the Kurdistan Region.

To accomplish these goals, the KRG is planning to reorganise the Region’s engineers and engineering-related scientists into contracting engineering and design firms. This will enable them to play a more active role in the implementation of construction projects in the Region.

As a first step, the KRG is organising a conference for Kurdistani engineers living in the Kurdistan Region in Iraq, or currently living abroad and originally from the Kurdistan Region in Iraq.

At the conference participants will discuss this proposed reorganisation and formulate necessary implementation modalities. The conference will be in Erbil for three days, from 27th to 29th May 2008. The background to the conference and the overall aims of this policy are described here.

Kurdistani engineers living in the Kurdistan Region in Iraq, or living abroad and originally from the Kurdistan Region in Iraq, are invited to apply to attend the conference. Participants coming to the conference from outside the Kurdistan Region in Iraq will bear their own travel and accommodation costs.

Like Freddy - I'm back.

Al-Maliki: We will Follow Up the Fulfillment of our Orders

Premier Nouri al-Maliki said on Tuesday that security operations in Basra were conducted under "legal cover" to corroborate the law's superiority, as a necessary step toward developing and rebuilding the province.

He stressed the priority of reforming security forces in Basra, and that he will follow up the fulfillment of the orders that he made in this regard.

Al-Maliki added, addressing the people of Basra, "Security operation started under a legal cover and for a security target; to corroborate the law's superiority, as a necessary step toward developing, rebuilding, and construction processes, and investments opportunities, and to prepare the required circumstances to accelerate executing services projects, because the situation in Basra prevented these things from occurring."

Since yesterday evening, Basra again became a quiet city, after six days of clashes between governmental security forces, and Mahdi Army groups of the Sadr Bloc, one day after the announcement made by the bloc's leader, Sayid Muqtada al-Sadr, to his followers to abort all armed activities, and not to engage with the governmental forces.

In his statement, al-Maliki said "Security operations overcame all the circumstances that came along, and the obstacles that appeared."

"Operations, as they are legal in target and necessity, engendered a strong feeling among Basra people regarding the government's attendance, strength, and the importance of supporting it," he added.

He said that this feeling "was reflected by the popular gathering of all social and political components in Basra."

"Delegations of tribal chiefs and members did not stop, and they supported, agreed, and volunteered to defend their city and protect its security; and clerics, prominent figures, and political entities had an active role in corroborating the state's will to stabilize Basra and its security," he proceeded.

Commenting on Basra security forces, al-Maliki stressed, "While we are at the time when we have fulfilled our specific targets, commitments and responsibilities that have opened the way to corroborating the law's ruling role and security stability, we emphasize that reforming different security services in Basra is one of our priorities to consolidate security in the province."

He explained that the other priorities are "stopping all forms of intervention, from any side, in the operation of the state-owned institutions," referring that this intervention "negatively affected" those institutions' performance.

"Those who interfere in these institutions' affairs will be subjected to legal measures," al-Maliki said.

He also asserted "the necessity of corroborating and developing services provided to people, such as electricity, water, oil products, and others; a matter that requires the state's top officials' presence in Basra to achieve those goals."

Al-Maliki referred to the role of the local authority, represented by the governor, governorate council, and other institutions, as "crucial and important in consolidating security and stability, providing services, and drawing and executing future plans to serve Basra people."

He added, "It is a direct responsibility that has an activity dependable on the good relations, cooperation, and compatibility between those institutions, according to the law and interests of Basra and its people."

"According to our responsibilities, we will provide all the support, in the different fields, to develop Basra, due to its importance, and the hard periods that it experienced," al-Maliki proceeded.

He pointed out, "We will closely follow up security, services, and development situations in Basra, and we confirm to our people that we are near to them, and keen to do our best to minimize their pains and to accomplish their hopes, and for that, we will follow up the orders that we issued earlier today."

The premier made a series of orders earlier on Tuesday, such as delegating deputy ministers (services ministries) to Basra to corroborate and contribute to providing services to the province's people.

He also ordered to stop violations on state and public owned properties; and to confiscate illegal vehicles, especially those belonging to the state and were taken by sides or individuals.

Al-Maliki ordered to support police and army forces in Basra with 10,000 new members of the province's residents, who volunteered to serve in the governmental forces.

The premier instructed to build residential units for poor families in Basra, in addition to transforming the former regime's presidential compounds in the province to tourist resorts.

Basra, capital city of Basra province, is 590 km south of Baghdad.

PUKmedia :: English - Al-Maliki: We will Follow Up the Fulfillment of our Orders

Oil Prices Slightly above $101 in Asian Trade

World oil prices rose slightly on Wednesday, shadowing $101 in Asian trade after three days of losses on rising concerns that slowing global growth could dampen energy demand.

In afternoon trade, New York's main oil futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in May, rose 8 cents to $101.06 per barrel.

The contract had closed on Tuesday at $100.98 per barrel after earlier dipping as low as $99.55 during floor trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Brent North Sea crude for May rose 29 cents to $100.46 a barrel after settling at $100.17 per barrel on Tuesday in London, where prices had earlier tumbled as low as $98.99.

'Oil prices are holding steady, with marginal changes, as there has been no particular news' to affect the market, said David Moore, a commodities strategist with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in Sydney.

The market was awaiting the weekly U.S. Department of Energy report on energy stockpiles due later Wednesday.

Crude oil prices had fallen since Friday when a U.S. government report confirmed that the world's largest economy -- and its biggest energy consumer -- grew by a tepid 0.6 percent in the fourth quarter of last year amid a widespread housing slump and a related credit squeeze.

New York crude slumped $4.04 and London Brent dived $3.47 on Monday.
Economic momentum has slowed despite interest rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve. Since September, Fed policymakers have slashed the short-term federal funds rate to 2.25 percent from 5.25 percent in a bid to shore up growth.

'Recent volatile price action in oil reflects well its underlying fundamental tightness, with markets proving highly sensitive to the flow of information on the geopolitical front,' said Barclays Capital analyst Kevin Norrish.

In Africa, a strike that paralyzed production at Shell-Gabon and an oil terminal used by other companies since March 20 was called off late Tuesday after mediation by Gabonese President Omar Bongo between unions and management, both sides said.

The strike at the Gamba terminal halted production of 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) by the Anglo-Dutch Shell giant, which owns it, as well as 30,000 bpd by other oil companies that share the facility.

Amid global supply disruptions, New York crude hit a record intraday high of $111.80 on March 17 while London Brent scored a historic peak of $108.02 earlier in March.

PUKmedia :: English - Oil Prices Slightly above $101 in Asian Trade

VP al-Hashimi Meets American and British Ambassadors

Iraqi vice-president Tariq al-Hashimi met the British ambassador to Iraq Mr. Christopher Prentiss today in his office in Baghdad. They discussed the latest developments in Iraq, especially in Basra Province, and the role of British forces and its responsibility in achieving security after 5 years.

Al-Hashimi expressed his frustration and pain for the situation in this province.

Later, VP al-Hashimi met the American ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker. They discussed several issues related to the political and security dossiers.

Crocker paid attention to al-Hashimi’s analysis and suggestions to make reforms in the political, economic and security fields.

Al-Hashimi also emphasized the necessity of uniting the national stance against the foreign interference in Iraqi affair, where the situation reached a point that silence cannot be accepted any more.

PUKmedia :: English - VP al-Hashimi Meets American and British Ambassadors