Thread: Archive Latest News - Dinar Think Tank - 27/08/08 - 15/01/09

Iraq's third largest country in terms of corruption in the world

Iraq is the third largest country in terms of corruption in the world, second only to the Government of Somalia, which is coherent and Myanmar where the military junta.

Certificate making officials, announced the global transparency index, which measures corruption in one hundred and eighty countries.

U.S. officials have warned that corruption threatens the emerging democratic Iraq could undermine the security gains achieved in recent times, the body control corruption in Iraq that were charged in Iraq for more than Thelatmip official corruption this year, the courts issued eighty-six convictions. Judge Rahim Dhiab, who heads the Integrity Commission, said that in two thousand and eight were referred Thelatmip and thirty-seven cases to court, which issued the successful convictions against six-eight people, mostly low mattresses, officials involved counterfeit passports to Iraqis fleeing the country. Dhiab said that the battle against "terrorism" is still a fierce and bloody, but the battle against corruption would be longer. Cautioned that the information on the prevalence of corruption shying away foreign investors. Great companies do not want corrupt environment and does not want foreign investors to bring their loot. Dhiab pointed out that the amnesty law passed last February, paving the way for the release of many prisoners, had a negative impact on the work of the Committee, through amnesties thousand seven hundred and twenty-one responsible Accused of corruption.

http://66.102.9.104/translate_c?hl=e...EqfNNIHskawXjA

Iraq survived fall in oil prices in past & will survive now & has financial surplus size of 67 & 79B$

U.S. Council on Foreign Relations .... Christophe Joseph, director of international affairs and the Chamber of Commerce in Accounting Office of the U.S. government, which supervised the financial audit of Iraq. Iraq says that survived the fall in oil prices in the past, and now survive. In 2005, was $ 43 a barrel, Iraq and concluded that year, a substantial surplus of funds. Oil prices have now fallen to $ 65 a barrel, but that Iraq has accumulated huge sums of money during the eight months.

The first of this year, and still had a chance to change very favorable by the end of this year, it hoped to begin investing in infrastructure. He said Iraqi Minister of Finance, Baqir Jabr, in an interview earlier with the Council on Foreign Relations, said he did not have surplus cash to Iraq. But Christophe said that the Government Accountability Office analysis in August 2008, found the opposite. Iraq, as have a lot of money for his daily, excluding reserve of hard currency.

Accounting Office says that Iraq spent only 14 percent of the money allocated for roads, from 2005 to 2007 and bridges, vehicles and other necessary infrastructure. Christophe says that the shortage of skilled manpower, lack of interest in the exchange of domestic capital, while U.S. dollars in the market place, has shares in support of the Treasury.

Q: Do you give us a brief idea on the budget for Iraq, and how the main Asbha generated, and what happened to Iraq's revenues during the two or three years?

- Features unique feature of the Iraqi treasury more than 90 percent of revenues each year comes from the oil sector. They are therefore heavily dependent on oil as a way to get money to spend. When asked us Senator Carl Lien and Senator John Warner, take a look at this budget over the past three years, and to some perceptions in 2008, we have this task in close cooperation with the Ministry of Finance of Iraq, and the Department of Treasury, the International Monetary Fund, in an effort to identify the first volume of financial assets Iraqi bank, and to try to determine the size of revenues earned by Iraq in the past second. And then to conceptualize the budget for 2008 III.

Here is what we have to basically: We found, in short, Iraq is taking about 96 billion dollars in revenues between 2005 - 2007, most of the oil sector. Iraq, which spent 67 billion dollars, leaving a surplus with the size of 29 billion dollars as of December .2007 then we get real data on revenue and expenses for the first six months of 2008, we make some scenarios using a variety of scenarios for the remaining six months of this year, in an effort to reach Some estimates on how much money Iraq can be generated, and spending, and the remaining money in the form of surplus. In this regard, we found that Iraq would reap in 2008 between 73 and 86 billion dollars as proceeds, and spent about 35 billion, and provides a surplus of between 38 and 50 billion dollars. And we add to the surplus available already in the bank, amounting to 29 billion dollars, from 2007, meaning that we imagine a financial surplus in the size of Iraq's 67 and 79 billion dollars.

* Bneetm Tkadiratkm of Iraqi revenues in the second half of 2008 on the basis of about $ 100 a barrel, if not more. However, oil prices retreat. How will affect sagging prices on your views of the proceeds in 2008?.

- We have six scenarios for the first six months of .2008 and review the data from past history, and we use a range of prices between 97 and 125 dollars a barrel. I think your question that the project on oil prices declining sharply over the past few weeks, and how it affects the perceptions of the future. That is why we developed over the price is taken into account, in the first place, the increase or decline in prices, from a peak height obtained by Iraq in July .2008, and I said if we look at the Alsinayoraat placed together, which is available in the report which we, we We find that the proceeds of Iraq will be close to the minimum of these scenarios, in terms of oil revenues, which Seginha Iraq, as well as surpluses arising.

Q: But Tkadiratkm seem less than the minimum. What do you think?

- In this regard, consideration must be given to the large amount of money earned by Iraq when oil prices were very high, at the outset. Financial statements as of the end of last August, for example, at the very high prices, Iraq's revenues reached 47 billion dollars of oil alone. As of the end of August, the price of a barrel of Iraqi oil to $ 112. we are talking about the period just prior to falling prices three or four weeks. If the 47 billion are already in the bank at that time, the estimates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that Iraq is taking six billion dollars in September, and he will get 4.5 billion in October. This means that about 57 billion dollars will be the outcome of Iraq's oil money end of the month. And still have a couple of months, the closer the two of the minimum scenario that we, the 67 billion dollars of oil revenues.

* Told me recently that the Iraqi minister of finance Iraq does not have any surplus cash. The separated figures, and said that $ 3. About one billion dollars are in the Central Bank of Iraq, which is used to support the Iraqi currency. Hla explained to me how to understand this disparity?

- To talk about the 30 billion mentioned by the Minister Jabr. It is the amount established by the Central Bank of Iraq aside to support the currency, as do most countries. Iraq has the expense of reserve of foreign currencies for use in case of rise or decline in inflation and, consequently, that Iraq can adapt its cash reserves and pumping more money for the purposes of exchange or readmission outside the scope of the economic system, and this serves to control inflation, this was not the $ 30 Billion fall in weekly Accounting Office estimates, we have taken that into consideration, but the important point raised in our report, which we did not enter this amount in our calculations because it is a duplication in the accounts of the disparity is happening here in the so-called spending sometimes, when we discuss the latter, we Look at the data from the Ministry of Finance, based on the liquid cash in the economy, the data exist in Iraq, when advancing Iraqi ministries and other Bossullac disbursed to the Ministry of Finance to prove its expenses, and I think that the Ministers of Finance, Planning Iraqis to have the so-called obligations, or trying to take it Into account, in exchange, but we are not.

Some U.S. officials suggested that Iraq had huge quantities of cash is spent, while U.S. spending up to 10 billion dollars a month there. Are these observations true or accurate cash?

- First, the United States spends money on military operations in Iraq, but it has invested large, the 48 billion dollars since fiscal year 2003, in trying to rebuild the country and building its security forces, and when we consider the extent to which Iraq's contribution in the security sector and other Other important sectors such as oil, water, electricity, we find that the United States spends considerable money in these sectors, while Iraq money allocated to those sectors, but not spent, in fact, a lot of security, oil, water and electricity.

* I think you mentioned in your report that Iraq has spent 14 percent of the money allocated for the period between 2005 and April 2008 for the sectors of oil, water and electricity and security, why does not allocate money spent Iraqis?

- I would like here to clarify a very important distinction is that Iraq could spend its budget process, which covers salaries and wages, goods and services, and can be spent in less than a year, but the investment side, which is not money spent by Iraq of the budget, I mean investment, building Sensitive and important facilities needed by the Iraqi people, such as schools, homes, health facilities and generate more electricity and repair broken infrastructure, and this is part of the budget not spent a lot of money by Iraq in the past, and now the question: Why? Some of the reasons put forward by Iraqi and U.S. officials, said he first provide a bureaucratic problems inherited, and he does not have the expertise required in Iraq sound governance, budgeting and contracting issues, and secondly, there is brain drain, which was formerly part of the Iraqi administration, and now many of them became refugees In neighboring countries, finally, I think that some have argued that with the United States amount to spend 48 billion dollars for reconstruction and stability in Iraq, are no longer there, but fewer incentives to the Iraqi government to spend financial capital in a bid to rebuild infrastructure.

* Focus of most observers in Baghdad for the withdrawal of troops and the UN mandate the presence of foreign troops in Iraq, has come the end of fiscal 2008 also changes to Baghdad, including the protection of the deferred payment of the debt, what is this protection and what would happen if the rose?

- When the Security Council decided in 2003, the establishment of the Development Fund for Iraq, said in the text that Iraqi oil revenues would be protected and not burdened with debt of any future implications on the Iraqi government paid, and this resolution expire in December, and it is understood that Iraq will have, after This history, to start paying a lot of foreign debt, but good news now is that Iraq had, since 2003, the fraction of the debt relief from the Paris Club, and I wish to stress here that one thing is that the data revenues and expenditures, which we used mainly in What we achieved results, has been subject to the scrutiny of outside sources, and for that we are satisfied and confident that the data Tsournaha oil revenues, which in our report, the audited statements of the International Advisory and Oversight, which tracks input of Iraqi oil, however, at the beginning of December 2008 The mechanisms will control many indirect ways, as the Security Council resolution which established the oversight mechanisms will not be a list of practical, for example, the Security Council resolution, which established the Development Fund for Iraq in 2003, would expire in December 2008 and transferred the money To the Iraqi government, but it is not clear whether the referendum and will continue to control international scrutiny in oil revenues, and I think that we have a concern, at least, that proved to be transparency in our work will not be a lower starting in January 2009 because the external auditors of the accounts , From the consulting and international control, and the International Monetary Fund, did not enjoy the right of access to their data now.

http://66.102.9.104/translate_c?hl=e...ScvUUGbViVA-Hw

Maliki received memorandum from Iraqi Presidency refused to support formation of councils

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki received a memorandum from the Iraqi Presidency Council expressed its refusal to call for the formation of councils attribution.

The spokesman of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party, led by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, said in an interview with "Uzmatik" on Wednesday, the Iraqi Presidency Council to a memorandum to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on a number of decisions taken in recent times, " Stating that "the note issued in the name of Iraqi President and his two deputies, the Iraqi Presidency Council rejected the decision of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki support the formation of councils in the governorates of Iraq, Maliki demanded the commitment to the articles of the Iraqi constitution during his country's affairs."

Maliki said in a press conference held at the secretariat of the Council of Ministers, today, Thursday, and attended "Uzmatik" he received a note from the Presidency of the Republic of Iraq refuses an invitation to support the formation of councils in the governorates of Iraq, "adding that" the memorandum had been submitted for discussion by the ****utive Board " .

The ****utive Board in 2007, which included President Jalal Talabani and two vice presidents, Tariq al-Hashimi and Adel Abdul Mahdi, in addition to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, this Council has been formed to study the important issues in the political arena in Iraq, also called the designation of the name of (3 +1).

The boards of attribution was formed mid-year the invitation of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told tribal elders and elders in the southern provinces to assign security forces and Maliki's call met with opposition from some political powers as a way to win loyalties in the upcoming local elections.

These councils have run into opposition from some political blocs, especially the Kurds. The head of Iraq's Kurdistan region Massoud Barzani told a news conference held at the airport in Irbil last week after returning from a tour of the United States and France "The boards of attribution is not necessary and may be set up in the Kurdistan region or regions disputed territory between Baghdad and left unaccounted for after" and described Formed in these areas as "sedition" and "playing with fire.

http://66.102.9.104/translate_c?hl=e...Hg1kGgF2xS34hw

Barzani: Kurds refuse to separate the Kurdistan region of Iraq

Prime territory of Iraqi Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani that "the Kurds refuse to separate the territory of Kurdistan from the rest of Iraq," Iraqi political actors accused unnamed "trying to sabotage relations between the Kurds and the rest of the components of the Iraqi people."

Barzani said in a speech during the memorial ceremony of 150 Kurdish citizens were ****uted by the former regime attended "Uzmatik" today, Thursday, "The Kurds refuse to be separated from the rest of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, indicating that they were" working to create a situation of interdependence between all parts of Iraq ".

Barzani pointed out that the "attempts to sabotage the relationship of brotherhood between Arabs and Kurds by the views of people," stressing that "should not sabotage the Arab-Kurdish brotherhood in order to get some votes."

Barzani explained that "the Kurds demand a federal democratic system in Iraq is to prevent the recurrence of tragedies experienced by the Kurds during the rule of the campaigns of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein," noting that "citizens who are today is a tribute to the memory of the injustice done to the Kurdish people during the previous period."

The Iraqi government found the remains of the dead Kurds buried in mass graves district Alhaidariya province of Najaf, southern Iraq, and provincial authorities took them to be flown to Arbil airport, to re-bury them in their areas of origin.

The Ministry says that the city of martyrs "killed, mostly civilians from the town of Kalar in the province of Sulaymaniyah, were arrested and the process of being liquidated in 1988 in the Anfal military campaigns by the former Iraqi army."

The search for the missing in Iraq has led to the discovery of several mass graves in southern Iraq, which included the remains of thousands of Iraqis who were ****uted by the former Iraqi regime, including A Kurd. And the relations between the Kurdistan region and the central government Helou tension remarkable powers of the size of the territory and contracts for oil, and finally refused to support councils formed in the Kurdish areas in the disputed areas.

http://66.102.9.104/translate_c?hl=e...RSaLZo-fKPyBfQ

Parliament: Iran and Saudi Arabia seek to fill the vacuum if American forces quit

Independent lawmaker said Wael Abdul Latif, "There are Iranian and Saudi agendas are trying to fill the vacuum if U.S. forces leave," he said, that the refusal of some blocks to the Convention enter into open political maneuvers.

Abdul Latif said in an interview with "Uzmatik" today, Thursday, "There are Iranian and Saudi agendas trying hard to fill the vacuum if U.S. forces out of Iraq, and there are 28 militia deployed in Iraq trying to control the Iraqi street," pointing out that "all parties Islamic in Iraq have militias."

Abdul Latif said that "the political process and security fragile and the security forces are unable to impose security and stability, and military forces are not ready even after U.S. forces to withdraw in 2011, and that police forces are calculated on the specific components to Iraq, the need for the Convention to fill the security vacuum."

The independent MP that "some political parties rejected the Security Agreement, such as political maneuvers only," adding that "Sadr is the only one who had opposed since 2003 until today the presence of U.S. troops on Iraqi soil."

The independent MP Wael Abdul Latif said in an interview earlier for "Uzmatik" in the first of November, he said the Convention's security with the United States is "the best solution to preserve the dignity of the Iraqi people", describing the accord as "the best conventions of the Washington, with other countries , As containing the actual scheduling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. "

Talib Abd al-Latif and all political blocs in parliament to "consider the situation look realistic and scientific manner away from each other accounts and therefore we must give credence to the things and decide after the departure of foreign forces or not."

The cabinet approved on Sunday the Security Agreement with Washington so-called "Convention on the withdrawal of troops" and around the House of Representatives by a vote of acceptance or rejection, the Convention sets out the security situation of U.S. forces in Iraq after the United Nations mandate expires at the end of 2008.

http://66.102.9.104/translate_c?hl=e...orjWYwqkVsx0Lg

Talabani begins a public movement to remove Maliki

The «Iraqi News Agency» Iraqi President Jalal Talabani began a public movement to remove Nuri al-Maliki, and keep him as prime minister and form a new government.

And said «Iraqi news agency» that an official statement released by the Talabani said that he met with Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, head of the House of Representatives and the Accordance Front leader, and discussed with him the issue of restructuring of what he called government of national unity.

And added that the agency moves Talabani is the request of Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan region in northern Iraq, which threatened to take action against the party led by Iraqi President and restore their relationship to the pre-agreement by Knight.

With this regard, a source close to Barzani, saying, "Talabani, Kurdish parties is a candidate for the presidency and not the candidate of the Patriotic Union only, and in stand-Maliki, who recently completed law enforcement in the northern regions and particularly in Mosul and Kirkuk."

And appointed Talabani, a prominent figure in his party, Mullah Bakhtiar, a spokesman for Iraq's presidency and announced yesterday in the first statement, the Council issued a presidential memorandum in which he dismissed the councils referral form.

He said Mullah Bakhtiar, the note issued in the name of the President and his two deputies, the Board rejected the presidential decision to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to form a support councils in the governorates of Iraq, and demanded that Maliki commitment to the articles of the Constitution during his country's affairs.

Detection Bachtiar and that the memo had called Maliki in consultation with the political leaderships in the country before the adoption of important political decisions must be approved by the representatives of all the components of the Iraqi people.

Bakhtiar and pointed out that the memo aimed at reforming the work of the Iraqi government and prevent any political decisions by the Prime Minister concerning the future of Iraq without recourse to the constitutional institutions of the country's parliament and the presidency.

To that sources close to the party of President Jalal Talabani, said the latest moves come the green light from the Supreme Council, led by Abdul Aziz al-Hakim.

This and so he moves Talabani will not succeed it comes at the expense of partisan interests related to the Kurdish region and claimed by the Federal Supreme Council.

http://66.102.9.104/translate_c?hl=e...VnCiprN8BSof5g

PM accuses Kurdish leadership of “violating” the constitution

The Iraqi Premier Nouri al-Maliki on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the Kurdish leaderships, without specifying them, accusing those leaderships of violating the constitution.

“I am surprised with the Presidential Board’s silence regarding the constitutional violations committed by the Kurdish leaderships, through opening offices for diplomatic missions, deploying forces to encounter federal governmental forces, in addition to using governmental funds to support tribes serving their parties’ interests,” al-Maliki said in a press conference in Baghdad.

“All oil contracts signed by Kurdistan’s government with foreign companies violate the constitution,” he added.

“Since the beginning, all parties agreed to amend the constitution, and a committee had been formed for this purpose,” he noted.

“It is important to amend the constitution,” he asserted.

PM accuses Kurdish leadership of “violating” the constitution : Aswat Al Iraq

An Initiative to Create the Federal Region of Basra Is Launched

The Basra parliamentarian and former member of Wifaq Wail Abd al-Latif has announced that a petition requesting a referendum for the creation of the federal region of Basra (Iqlim al-Basra) as a standalone entity has been submitted to the Iraqi electoral commission, featuring 34,800 signatures. The petitioners believe that this number is sufficient to meet the requirement that at least 2% of the governorate voters should sign the initial petition (this would correspond to a total Basra voting population of 1,740,000).

According to the framework for the creation of federal regions adopted by the Iraqi parliament with a tiny majority in October 2006, the next step now is for the petition to be published in local newspapers by the electoral commission which should then give supporters of the project at least one month to add their names to the petition to meet the required total of one tenth of the voter population necessary to call a referendum on the formation of a federal region (50% of the votes and 50% participation is required to win). If a region is formed it cannot join with any other federal region, only with additional governorates (the first draft of the October 2006 law said, “a federal region consists of one or more governorates or one or more federal regions”; this was subsequently changed to read “a federal region consists of a governorate or more” which clearly seems to suggest a desire on the framers of the law to exclude the possibility of two regions joining together).

The further process towards a final decision on the fate of the Basra federal initiative will be influenced by political struggles as well as numerous legal ambiguities. Politically, the idea of Basra as a separate federal entity has been under consideration since late 2003, but for a time coexisted with a scheme of joining Basra with the two neighbouring governorates of Maysan and Dhi Qar (Iqlim al-Janub). Then, from around 2006 onwards, the idea of Basra as a one-governorate federal region emerged as the most prominent of the local federal schemes, with support among some secularists (Wail Abd al-Latif), tribal leaders (such as Amr al-Faiz) and Islamists (the Fadila party).

Political aspects and legal ones are connected to each other with respect to what this initiative means in terms of a challenge to the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), one of the Shiite parties that both the United States and Iran consider as one of their main partners in Iraq. Their competing idea of creating a huge nine-governorate sectarian Shiite region from Basra to the border of Baghdad has failed to create popular enthusiasm since its launch in August 2005. The formation of Basra as a federal region would entail additional difficulties for ISCI, which would face a more complicated roadmap in case they should wish to create a scheme for additional Shiite governorates to join the oil-rich Basra in a super-region. They do have the option of launching a competing initiative locally in Basra (this would be followed by a pre-referendum poll that would decide which of the schemes should go to a referendum); however the modalities for this and in particular the timeline is poorly specified in the October 2006 law, and ISCI seems to enjoy far less support in Basra than in Najaf (where there is almost no oil). This lack of legal clarity, along with the general trend towards more national attitudes in the Iraqi parliament as a whole (witness ISCI’s gradual retreat from its pro-federal propaganda and Nuri al-Maliki’s recent renewed call for a more centralised state), means that the future of the Basra federal initiative is far from certain. Some Iraqi nationalists consider it to be less harmful than federal schemes that are explicitly sectarian (such of that of ISCI), whereas others (including many in Basra itself) think that any extension of the federal principle south of Kurdistan remains objectionable.

By Reidar Visser ( www.historiae.org)
11 November 2008

The plot thickens!

An Initiative to Create the Federal Region of Basra Is Launched

Security firms told they lose immunity in Iraq: Official

US officials on Thursday told scores of firms offering security in Iraq that their personnel will lose immunity from prosecution under a new US-Iraq security pact due to take effect in January.

The officials told reporters that they briefed delegates from 172 security contractors employing nearly 175,000 Americans, Iraqis and others in Iraq about the new rules under a pact set to replace a UN mandate expiring December 31. Security firms heard how many rules and procedures for troops and contractors were "rightfully changed as a result of this historic development," the officials told reporters, quoting from a statement they read to the firms. The firms provide armed escorts and other security measures to US and Iraqi government officials, as well as foreign diplomats and members of non-government organizations like aid groups.

Under the changes, contractors "can no longer expect that they will enjoy the wide ranging immunity from Iraqi law that has been in effect since 2003," when US-led forces invaded Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein, according to the statement. The firms were reminded that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and other Iraqi political leaders have said publicly that "they plan to take the legal steps necessary to remove these immunities at an early date," the statement said.

Contractors "can expect to be fully subject to Iraqi criminal and civil law and to procedures of the Iraqi judicial system," it said, adding their status will be in line with that of contractors in Afghanistan and other countries. The US embassy in Baghdad will work with the Iraqi government to help ensure that any US government contractor "accused of a crime is treated fairly," the statement said.

The official draft of the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), which has still to be approved by the Iraqi parliament, has not yet been made public.

A Department of Defense official told reporters that he was not aware of any security firm wishing to leave Iraq over the loss of immunity. "We have had for months informal discussions," the official said on the condition of anonymity. "Some of our contractors expressed concerns ... None of them, to my knowledge ... have made the explicit statement if 'I loose immunity, I will walk,'" the official said. "I would suspect there is a wait and see attitude, to see how this in fact plays out," the official added.

The lifting of immunity was expected since 17 Iraqi civilians died in Baghdad in September last year when guards escorting a diplomatic convoy on behalf of private security firm Blackwater USA opened fire at a crossroads.

The firm says its guards were acting in self-defense. There are more security contractors than there are US troops, which currently number around 150,000 men and women.

The Defense Department says it employs 163,000 contractors in Iraq, with 17 percent of them US citizens, 49 percent of them Iraqi and the rest from other countries. The State Department says it employs 5,500 contractors, the vast majority of them US citizens, while the US Agency for International Development employs 4,800 security personnel.

http://pukmedia.com/english/index.ph...=7727&Itemid=1

Thousands of Sadrists protest Iraq-US Military Pact

Thousands of mostly Shiite followers of the fire***** anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr gathered in Baghdad Friday to protest a security accord that would allow US troops to remain until 2011. The crowds swarmed into central Baghdad's Firdoos Square, where a large statue of ****uted dictator Saddam Hussein was torn down by US troops a few weeks after the March 2003 invasion that toppled him.

The protestors hung an effigy of US President George W. Bush from the abstract statue that now stands in the center of the square. A sign pinned to the effigy reflected the mood of the protestors, "The security agreement is shameful and humiliating."

The agreement, which was approved by the Iraqi cabinet on Sunday after nearly a year of hard-nosed negotiations, would govern the status of some 150,000 US troops when their UN mandate expires at the end of the year. It would require all foreign forces to withdraw from Iraqi cities and towns by the end of June 2009 and entirely from the war-torn country by the end of 2011. It has drawn fire from Sadr's followers, who are against signing any agreement that would legitimise the US "occupation."

"No, No, to the agreement!" the crowds chanted beneath a huge banner with a picture of bloody cuffed hands and three keys labelled with American, Israeli, and British flags. Other banners in English read "No for the security agreement that makes Iraq a prisoner and without sovereignty" and "Occupied forces must leave Iraq now."

Huge portraits of the young, black-turbaned Sadr glared down at the crowd from buildings lining Saadun street, a main thoroughfare leading to the square, as Iraqi army soldiers patrolled the rooftops and the edges of the protest.

"We are following the call of Moqtada al-Sadr to pray and demonstrate against the accord and against the occupation," said Nawfal Faraj, 36, a civil servant. "This agreement is not clear. It allows the occupation forces to stay in Iraq." Sheikh Talal al-Saadi, the imam of Baghdad's revered Kadhimiyah shrine and one of several clerics in the crowd, said he had heeded Sadr's call to "demonstrate to the world and to public opinion that Iraqis are against this humiliating agreement."

"The agreement allows the occupiers to stay three years in Iraq, while (president-elect Barack) Obama wants to withdraw them within 16 months. We want the Iraqi government to be patient and to wait for Obama's order," he said.

The agreement has been loudly debated on the floor of the Iraqi parliament, where the 30-member Sadrist bloc has sought to derail it with legislative manoeuvres, shouting and desk-pounding.

But the agreement -- which enjoys the support of the assembly's large Shiite and Kurdish blocs -- appeared likely to win a simple majority in the 275-member body, which is expected to vote on the agreement next week.

http://news.theage.com.au/world/thou...1121-6e6s.html