Thread: Archive Latest News - Think Tank - 15/04/08 - 26/08/08

Originally Posted by Seaview

Report: Sadr to Disarm Mahdi Army

Anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr intends to disarm his once-dominant Mahdi Army militia and remake it as a social-services organization, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

The transformation would represent a significant turnaround for a group that has been one of the most destabilizing anti-American forces in Iraq.

A new brochure, obtained by The Wall Street Journal and confirmed by al-Sadr's chief spokesman, Sheik Salah al-Obaidi, states that the Mahdi Army will now be guided by Shiite spirituality instead of anti-American militancy. The group will focus on education, religion and social justice, according to the brochure, which is aimed at al-Sadr's followers. The brochure also states that it "is not allowed to use arms at all," The Journal noted.

Posters have been put up in some areas of Baghdad saying a new direction for the Mahdi Army will be announced at this Friday's prayers, the paper reported.

Disarmament is far from certain, the Journal noted, writing that the group is ridden with internal strife, and that al-Sadr now is believed to spend significant time outside the country, in Iran.

U.S. military spokesman Col. Jerry O'Hara told the Journal that the military welcomed the news, but said "the proof is always in the actions and not just the words, so we'll take a wait-and-see approach."
Al-Sadr faces big challenges. The Journal wrote that hard-liners within the Mahdi Army will likely reject the new strategy, just as they have ignored his orders to freeze violent activities as part of a cease-fire. These members have also been threatening -- and assassinating -- rivals who support the cease-fire.

PUKmedia :: English - Report: Sadr to Disarm Mahdi Army

Salah al-Obaidi: starting tomorrow project "paving" to make the largest quantity of the Mahdi Army left Disarmament

A spokesman Trend issued by Sheikh Salah al-Obaidi, that tomorrow, Friday will see the announcement of the start of "paving the educational project" for you most of the elements of the Mahdi Army, which prevent them from carrying weapons once and for all, pointing at the same time the survival of smaller section is "jihad cells to resist occupation" As he put it.

He said in an interview with Al-Obaidi, "Uzmatik", today, Thursday, that "the project is to apply the decision of Mr. Muqtada al-Sadr almost a month ago to make the largest quantity of the Mahdi Army scourge and say" work involved in educational and leaves a final disarmament "as saying.

He explained that Obaidi, "the draft is paving the process of translating those directions," noting that "a positive step from the trend was issued in light of the seriousness of intent with the Americans to think about scheduling the withdrawal of their forces from Iraq" as saying.

The spokesman Trend issued "survival of the smaller section of the Mahdi Army which jihadist cells (Totals private)," describing the work of those totals as "resisting the occupation will be exclusively when there is a need for a special permission" as saying.

The leader Muqtada al-Sadr trend angina, issued a statement on June 13 last, which was formed special groups of the Mahdi Army is aimed at resisting the American forces in Iraq. "

The statement also received the "Uzmatik" a copy of it then, that the leader Moqtada al-Sadr trend thorax is transforming the bulk of the Mahdi Army to "address ideological and cultural, religious and social striving western thought, secular and free the minds and hearts of hegemony and globalization" in the words of the statement.

He pointed out that Obaidi, "paving project is a public education to raise the scientific and cultural level of individuals who have left school and universities, and also aims to eradicate illiteracy for the uneducated."

Obaidi added that "there will be relying on God rest of the cultural centres of more than $ 100 a centre in the All provinces and districts and areas of Iraq, in addition to the central offices of al-Sadr's trend."

The current angina distributed to his followers last week brochure "educational" titled "paving" Arafat during the Mahdi Army as a "cultural religious ideological army, which provides social Jihad intellectual, scientific and liberate minds and hearts and souls of the Western secular tide and prevent the use of weapons is strictly forbidden."

The brochure included instructions cultural overview of the work of the larger quantity of the Mahdi Army during the coming stage.

It is noteworthy that the Mahdi Army had been founded after the fall of the former Iraqi regime in 2003 included an unspecified number of fighters who imposed their control on several Iraqi cities, and fought pitched battles with American and Iraqi forces in Najaf, Basra, Baghdad and several Iraqi cities.

The resolution of the Mahdi Army requirement set by the ruling political forces in Iraq to enter the mainstream issued in the next provincial council elections.

Translated version of http://iraqalaan.com/

Parliament rule out holding a special meeting of the new parliament to approve the election law

Exclusion of a member of the Chamber of Deputies deputy Iraqi Kurdistan Alliance Saadi Alborznge a special meeting of the Iraqi parliament during the month of August to approve the current electoral law "because of the start of the summer holiday for members of parliament."

The Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud scene, the adjournment of parliament, on Wednesday, the sixth of this August, declaring the end of the current legislative without voting on the law of provincial council elections, identifying the ninth of September next date for the start of the new legislative chapter.

He explained in an interview Alborznge "Uzmatik" on Thursday, that "it is difficult to gather members of the Iraqi parliament during the remaining days of the current month of August because of the presence of family connections to members of Parliament, as well as the presence of Foreign Affairs of many activities for them in a number of countries around the world."

Alborznge He added that "members of the House of Representatives of the Iraqi sacrificed month summer vacation after their scheduled expiration of the current legislative approval to the electoral law, and therefore it is impossible to hold a special meeting to approve the election law to limit the duration of the leave enjoyed by the Iraqi Parliamentary which did not exceed the month."

He expected Alborznge "failure to get final agreement on the crucial electoral law in the coming days, which will automatically change the timing of elections to provincial assemblies until next year" as he put it.

The MP for the Coalition of Kurdistan Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud scenery responsibility not to endorse the election law "because of termination after the legislative vote on the supplementary budget without taking the views of all political blocs."

Alborznge said that "the conscience of the Kurdistan Alliance satisfied because it is not responsible for delaying the election law, especially after the approval of the United Nations proposals on the organization of the city of Kirkuk and the amendments that were held by", accusing some of those "the Arab and Turkmen reject the extremist United Nations proposals to delay the adoption of the law Elections and creating tension in the country, "as he put it.

It is noteworthy that a member of the Council of Commissioners on the Independent Electoral Commission Ahmed Hussein announced in a statement received "Uzmatik" copy of it on Thursday, that failure to pass the election law in August this will affect the timetable set by UNHCR for the implementation of the elections, and thus not to conduct elections through This year due to lack of time required for issuing the special regulations to submit lists of candidates, which depend on the type of electoral system that will be passed into law, as well as the inability to determine the registration period coalitions.

Translated version of http://iraqalaan.com/bm/Politics/4383.shtml

UN Mission in Iraq Renewed

In light of the United Nations warning over the necessity to face sensitive issues which the future of the country relies on mainly Kirkuk issue, internal borders and oil wealth distribution, the U.N. Security Council voted on Thursday to keep the United Nations mission in Iraq for another year.

Member countries adopted Resolution 1830, sponsored by Britain, Italy and the United States, which also called on the Iraqi government and other member states to continue to provide security and logistical support to the UN mission in Iraq, affirming the Security Council’s willingness to review the mandate during the renewal period if requested by the Iraqi Government.

While the United Nations prepares to commemorate 2003 truck bomb attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad, which killed a number of its personnel, including special envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello, Iraq's UN envoy Hamid Al Bayati vowed that the government would do its utmost to secure UN staffers.

“The Iraqi government is willing to protect the UN and has expressed readiness to contribute financially to the building of the new UN headquarters in Baghdad,” he added.

He urged as well the International Organization to boost its presence across the country and to provide assistance to the Baghdad government in the areas of provincial elections, demarcating internal borders between provinces, constitutional review and national reconciliation as well as to open their offices in different parts of Iraq.

For his part, US Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad said the extension of the UN mandate is positive. This report recognizes that a major progress was achieved in Iraq mainly on the security level.

“The renewal of the UN mandate in Iraq is positive, we welcome it. The report that was the basis for the renewal of the mandate recognizes important progress that has been made in Iraq, particularly in the realm of security”, Khalilzad said.

Belgium’s UN Ambassador Jan Grauls, who chairs the council this month, says “This is a good day for Iraq” as it shows the support of the international community for what they are doing.

PUKmedia :: English - UN Mission in Iraq Renewed

Iraq Proposes Timetable for 2010 U.S. Withdrawal

Iraqi negotiators have proposed a timetable for U.S. withdrawals that would see combat troops leave the country by October 2010, although Washington has not yet agreed to it, a senior Iraqi official said on Friday.

If agreed, the timetable would mean the administration of President George W. Bush effectively adopting a schedule very close to that proposed by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, who opposed the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.

"As of last night that was one of the issues being discussed between the two sides. There is no agreement yet, but this is what the Iraqis are asking for," said the official who is close to the negotiations.

The schedule proposed by Iraqi negotiators would see U.S. forces withdraw from the streets of Iraqi cities by the middle of next year and combat troops return home by October 2010. Some American support units could stay on for another few years.

Washington and Baghdad are negotiating a deal to allow U.S. forces to stay in Iraq beyond the end of this year, when a U.N. mandate expires. There are now 144,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.

Bush has long resisted imposing a firm timetable for withdrawals, but has begun speaking of setting "time horizons" as Iraqis have begun making clear that they would like to see a date for the Americans to go home.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino, in Beijing accompanying Bush, said no announcement on an agreement was imminent and it was too early to discuss the dates of a pullout.

"It's premature to say what the aspirational goals and time horizons are going to be. But we are continuing to work with them on our negotiations, on those issues," she said.

She cited Bush's earlier statement that any such goals would be "conditions-based".

Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations, Hamid Bayati, said on Thursday an agreement on the U.S. forces' status was close and that the government expected to put it to parliamentarians when they return from summer recess in September.

PUKmedia :: English - Iraq Proposes Timetable for 2010 U.S. Withdrawal

Press Conference by Barzani and Kosrat Rasul in Kirkuk (Roundup)

Kurdistan Region President, Massoud Barzani, said that Kirkuk is an Iraqi city and a model for coexistence while its identity is Kurdish.

Speaking in a press conference with Vice President Kosrat Rasul Ali in Kirkuk, Massoud Barzani said that there are still some parties that intend to stir unrest inside Kirkuk. As he said, the draft constitution of Kurdistan region guarantees the rights of all religious and ethnic sects residing in Kurdistan region.

“The Arabs are not held responsible for what was inflicted on Kurds, Turkmens, and even Arabs themselves,” Barzani said as he called for turning a new page for fraternity and coexistence. President Barzani, once again, said that foreign interference in addressing the issue of Kirkuk is not welcomed.

“We believe in democracy. That is why we always call for peaceful dialogue to address concerns related to Kirkuk. The Kurdistani status of Kirkuk does not mean it is not an Iraqi city. The new Iraq has been based on its constitution and consensus. Article 140 will not expire unless the constitution also expires. We are not aggressive against those who are ideologically different from us.”

Later, Kosrat Rasul Ali reiterated that Kirkuk is historically and geographically part of Kurdistan while he also called for reinforcing fraternity in the city.

“We know what oppression and persecution mean because we were wronged for decades. Therefore, they are no longer acceptable. I want to ensure those who intend to go back to the Baathist tyranny that era is over,” Kosrat Rasul Ali said.

PUKmedia :: English - Press Conference by Barzani and Kosrat Rasul in Kirkuk (Roundup)

Barzani: Compromise Over Kirkuk is Not Acceptable

President of Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani and Vice President Kosrat Rasul Ali, met today with the families of the victims martyred during the terrorist explosion struck the demonstration in Kirkuk on July 28.

After expressing their condolences to the families, Massoud Barzani and Kosrat Rasul said that the blood of those martyrs is not shed in vain.

“We seek all the constitutional and legal ways to bring Kirkuk back to the Kurdistan region. I ensure you that you will not be left behind,” Massoud Barzani said.

Both officials reaffirmed that Kurds do not accept compromise over the issue of Kirkuk. Later the families called for making a statue as a symbol for those martyrs in front of the Kirkuk Governorate.

PUKmedia :: English - Barzani: Compromise Over Kirkuk is Not Acceptable

Barzani: Kurdish identity of Kirkuk does not deny the identity of Iraq and there are those who incited sedition

The head of the Kurdistan region Massoud Barzani visit to Kirkuk as "carrying a message of love and brotherhood, peace and call for understanding and resolving problems" and called on all components to maintain "dialogue and openness."

Barzani added in a press conference held in the governorate of Kirkuk today, Friday, that "the Kurdish identity of Kirkuk does not deny the identity of Iraq as other cities in the province, Arbil and Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi and Cardstanih it."

Barzani said "if they do not usually intellectually Aydlewjia, but there are those who incited sedition," while the leadership wants the Kurdish city of Kirkuk should remain for Fraternal Union among nationalities and coexistence between religions, "indicating that they wanted" a solution to the problem and not raise problems. "

He continued, the President of Iraqi Kurdistan "We have come to dispel fears, and solve problems, and if there were errors occurred where the Kurdish list, we are ready to address it."

Barzani called on "Kurds and Arabs, Turkmens and Assyrians to resort to dialogue and openness, without the imposition of soldiers from here and there" as he put it.

He said Barzani, "who voted for article 24 wanted fuelling the situation and sabotage the political process," noting that "the Kurdish leadership wants to reach an understanding not want to impose its opinion."

Barzani's visit comes at Kirkuk, which arrived in the morning today, Friday, suddenly, amid the political crisis caused by district councils election law, approved by the Iraqi Parliament in the twenty-second from last July and Kurds rejected because Article 24 of the holding of elections in the governorate of Kirkuk, while supported by Arabs and Turkmen Who regarded paragraph 24 of the law fair to them.

Paragraph 24 of the Law on Election of provincial assemblies, which discussed the situation in the governorate of Kirkuk, the postponement of elections in the province for six months, with the need to be making in the governorate of Kirkuk through a period of postponement by mutual agreement between the three main components "Arabs - a response - Turkmen", the That power-sharing among them by 32% for each component, while the proportion of 4% given to the Christians, as well as the transfer of the security file in the city, the military units from around the southern and central Iraq, rather than military units currently operating.

Translated version of http://iraqalaan.com/bm/Politics/4391.shtml

staff and the IMF

State officials including surprised reported local media regarding the postponement of payment increases in salaries for the remaining months of this year .. Has disrupted all plans and programmes which the individual has been developed for the family budget after entering the case in salary increase into effect .. Yes, Scientific Officer of the maker of economic programmes and apparently expected that the budgets of the household expenditure and balance with Mamtouka of income and then subjects them to domestic balance of payment s.. In the end, including not surprised account was postponing the payment of continuing increases in salary as surprised some economic decision-maker whose name (inflation) decided to postpone the payment increases! .. The Hnayhak for the employee to ask: Is it possible that the issue of salary increases by taking time to study and scrutiny over the year did not examine its implications on the inflationary sustainable reality of the Iraqi economy?

The surprise decision comes one month after the disbursement of the case justified the increases to inflation? We know that monetary policy in Iraq faced serious difficulties due to inflation Tsainiat inherited from the last century and the repercussions of large, which faced the reality of the Iraqi economy in the real sectors that have been affected in complete paralysis for years, yet the central bank managed to maintain a relatively stable monetary policy through The last three years, resulting from a situation of price stability in recent months ..

This is our follow-through to ongoing activity Central Bank gives us an indication of the ability of monetary policy maker in the foreseeing future ..

We also know that financial policy-maker, which suffered greatly from the consequences of the inherited debt, has functioned in the manufacture of fiscal policy in line with the nature of economic transformation and the nature of the commitments before the international creditors, but all these efforts could undermine the Iraqi people if shaken confidence in economic decision-makers, the Considering that being said about disagreement by the International Monetary Fund regarding the disbursement of increases in salaries due to a previous agreement with the Iraqi side is closest to reality than justified (to reduce inflation) and this is what leakage of the street, which was not true (a stay of exchange) due to high confidence in the performance of decision-maker Economic, but the justification on the inflationary situation, which was unconvincing torpedo the pillars of confidence apparently, because the citizen if ratified, it will adopt this justification no coordination between policies (fiscal and monetary) and does not believe it would undoubtedly ignore the existence of intentional or unintentional of the commitments before the IMF?

In both cases, shaken the confidence of Staff This refers to chatter staff who waved the banner (which threatened by better than who eat) after that disrupted household budgets pending supplemental budgets for families of Iraq early next year.

Translated version of http://www.almadapaper.com/paper.php?source=akbar&page=107

Barzani: Kurdish identity of Kirkuk does not deny the identity of Iraq and there are those who incited sedition

The head of the Kurdistan region Massoud Barzani visit to Kirkuk as "carrying a message of love and brotherhood, peace and call for understanding and resolving problems" and called on all components to maintain "dialogue and openness."

Barzani added in a press conference held in the governorate of Kirkuk today, Friday, that "the Kurdish identity of Kirkuk does not deny the identity of Iraq as other cities in the province, Arbil and Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi and Cardstanih it."

Barzani said "if they do not usually intellectually Aydlewjia, but there are those who incited sedition," while the leadership wants the Kurdish city of Kirkuk should remain for Fraternal Union among nationalities and coexistence between religions, "indicating that they wanted" a solution to the problem and not raise problems. "

He continued, the President of Iraqi Kurdistan "We have come to dispel fears, and solve problems, and if there were errors occurred where the Kurdish list, we are ready to address it."

Barzani called on "Kurds and Arabs, Turkmens and Assyrians to resort to dialogue and openness, without the imposition of soldiers from here and there" as he put it.

He said Barzani, "who voted for article 24 wanted fuelling the situation and sabotage the political process," noting that "the Kurdish leadership wants to reach an understanding not want to impose its opinion."

Barzani's visit comes at Kirkuk, which arrived in the morning today, Friday, suddenly, amid the political crisis caused by district councils election law, approved by the Iraqi Parliament in the twenty-second from last July and Kurds rejected because Article 24 of the holding of elections in the governorate of Kirkuk, while supported by Arabs and Turkmen Who regarded paragraph 24 of the law fair to them.

Paragraph 24 of the Law on Election of provincial assemblies, which discussed the situation in the governorate of Kirkuk, the postponement of elections in the province for six months, with the need to be making in the governorate of Kirkuk through a period of postponement by mutual agreement between the three main components "Arabs - a response - Turkmen", the That power-sharing among them by 32% for each component, while the proportion of 4% given to the Christians, as well as the transfer of the security file in the city, the military units from around the southern and central Iraq, rather than military units currently operating.

Translated version of http://iraqalaan.com/

Kirkuk Arab bloc: Arabs and Turkmens not meet with Barzani on his visit to Kirkuk

According to a member of the Arab Group's Kirkuk province, said "the members of Arab and Turkmen groups did not meet with the head of the Kurdistan region of Iraq Massoud Barzani," during his visit to the city of Kirkuk this morning.

A member Arab bloc Mohammed Khalil al-Juburi in an interview with "Uzmatik", today, Friday, that "members of Arab and Turkmen groups did not meet with the head of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, because the visit was sudden and fast, has not announced befo*****d."

In the same context, he referred to the Nation that "the issue of Kirkuk now, however, the Iraqi parliament and the crisis cell of Kirkuk, two by taking appropriate solution to the dispute over Kirkuk."

The head of the Kurdistan region Massoud Barzani described his visit to Kirkuk this morning as "carrying a message of love, brotherhood and peace, and call for understanding and resolving problems" and called the press conference he held in Kirkuk, all components to maintain "dialogue and openness," and pointed out that "Kurdish identity of Kirkuk does not deny the identity of Iraq as other cities in the province, Arbil and Sulaymaniyah, it Cardstanih and Iraqi."

Barzani's visit comes at Kirkuk, 260 km north of Baghdad, which arrived in the morning today, Friday, suddenly, amid the political crisis caused by district councils election law, approved by the Iraqi Parliament on 22 July last and Kurds rejected because Article 24 of the holding of elections in the governorate of Kirkuk, While supported by Arabs and Turkmen who believed that this paragraph of the law fair to them.

Paragraph 24 of the Law on Election of provincial assemblies, which discussed the situation in the governorate of Kirkuk, the postponement of elections in the province for six months, with the need to be making in the governorate of Kirkuk through a period of postponement by mutual agreement between the three main components "Arabs - a response - Turkmen", the That power-sharing among them by 32% for each component, while the proportion of 4% given to the Christians, as well as the transfer of the security file in the city, the military units from around the southern and central Iraq, rather than military units currently operating.

Translated version of http://iraqalaan.com/