Thread: Iraq/Dinar News. 09/05 to 01/14/07

Iraq: The Same Tactics but Different Players

15 October 2006
The United States occupied iraq in a well-designed plan to have a strong hold on the most strategic geopolitical area in the world. Having been weakened militarily in the 1990 Gulf War, iraq presented a fertile soil for US troops to be stationed in the Gulf region for many years to come. It was a well-perceived vision that started in the 1970s and became an actual dream come true in the beginning of the 21st century.

iraq was picked up by the US as the best choice among the countries of the region because it had all the necessary components for a US war president to launch a war on and occupy. Not only was it a brutal dictatorship that was hostile to its neighbors but it also had presumably weapons of mass destruction that posed a threat to its neighbors all peace loving nations of the world.

iraq was seen as an international outlaw in violation of UN resolutions that needed to be deterred. Its leader, Saddam Hussein, presented himself to the global community as a tyrant who needed to be checked as he had the image of an irrational narcissist leader tainted with genocide and whose hands had the blood of his political opponents on them.

The invasion was successful as planned but the occupation stumbled on various accounts. One reason was an utter lack of understanding on the part of Americans of the Iraqi culture and the Iraqi people. The US decision makers failed to comprehend the Iraqi dignity and strong sense of national identity as they mismanaged the occupation. Iraqis felt offended when the US troops refrained from protecting their archeological treasures from the looters of the Iraqi National Museum. They felt their dignity questioned as the American soldiers wrapped the Firdous Square in an American flag after the Iraqi citizens toppled the Saddam Statue in the square. To Iraqis and regional observers this was an imperialist gesture rather than a liberating one. The Iraqis were infuriated with the deliberate US attempt to infringe on Iraqi social coherence. The US also tried to undermine the coexistence between various Iraqi sects. Iraqis were suddenly without a job, threatened with their own security, overtaken by a foreign power that controlled their natural resources. They were left lost without the prospects of a promising future. All these misdemeanors were sensitive issues that accumulated so quickly to turn into a strong resistance effort against the American occupation.

The Americans came to iraq to serve their national interests, economic or strategic. They did not spend all this money and lives to leave iraq after a short period of time. US policies are always made way in advance and meant to stay for a long time.

Regional states are familiar with US policies such as Nixon's twin pillar doctrine, Reagan's policy of strategic consensus and Clinton's dual containment that were all initiated to safeguard the free flow of Gulf oil at the cheapest possible price, protect the Gulf oil reserves as well as maintain peace and security in the region. Bush's doctrine of pre-emption is only an extension of a policy calculated to serve vital US national interests. Whether it is defensive or offensive, the end result is the same. Since the seventies, these US policies have not been subjected to any questioning or to any resistance. With the 9/11 attacks, the outcome of the US policies in the Gulf region began to be intensely questioned.

The Iraqi insurgency has been regarded as the first attempt to contain the direct US occupation of the region.

Even against the background of incidents such as the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, the destruction of mosques or mass killings of innocent civilians, the staying power and resoluteness of the insurgency has proved to be surprising to all.

Former US policies in the area have been successful based as they were on the usual tactics of playing one country against the other. Today, the tactics are the same but the players are different. The United States has played the Sunnis against the Shiites inside iraq; America's determination to annihilate the insurgency has failed.

The United States seems to be mired in this Iraqi swamp. This resistance has placed America in an awkward situation and US decision-makers are forced to review their policies to resolve the situation. The rhetoric that is coming from Washington DC has been confusing and contradicting. Whether the United States decides to increase or decrease its troops, stay or change the course, iraq will remain occupied by the United States until a new administration comes to power and a new policy is initiated.

Freedom, liberty and democracy remain slogans that will continue to be used to lift up the morale of the ordinary US citizens as they watch their children getting killed in a far-away land. Americans need to believe that they are out there for a just cause. American Evangelicals who have supported this president are passionately devoted to justice and improving the world. These Evangelicals who have supported various humanitarian and human rights policies on a global basis need to believe that their president has made the right foreign policy decisions to spread ethical values, not merely to guarantee economic gains for US corporations and special interest groups.

Religion, culture and energy will continue to be the basis for any conflict in the area. Americans fail to understand that the people of this region will not accept insult to their religion and Westernization of their culture. Neither will they relinquish the control of their natural resources and allow it to pass into the hands of occupied forces. War on terrorism will fail to justify any US intention or intervention in the region as people's resilience will continue to outstay the capability of any superpower.

By Dr. Mariam Al-Oraifi

© Arab News 2006

Iraq: The Same Tactics but Different Players - Zawya.com | Middle East Business News

Iraq northern oil exports resume as refinery shuts down





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» What Is Happening To Iraqi Oil? 10Oct05


KIRKUK, Iraq, Oct 14, 2006 (AFP) - Iraq has resumed exports of crude oil to the Turkish port of Ceyhan after an interruption of several months, according to an official of Iraq's Northern Oil Company (NOC).

This good news for Iraq's troubled oil indusry came, however, as the largest refinery in the country was shut down for the fourth day running due to a lack of electricity.

"After several months of interruption, pumping resumed permanently following intermittent and irregular pumping over the past month," said the NOC company executive, who asked not be identified for his own safety.

The interruption, stemmed from continuous attacks on the pipelines, problems with the storage facilities in Ceyhan and general deterioration of the pipelines due to age.

In June, the NOC also announced a resumption of exports to Turkey following a four-month hiatus, but the resulting flow was still sporadic.

This time around, however, the company is confident that increased security on the pipeline will ensure the exports remain steady.

The company managed to get a consistent flow going by Thursday night and now the pipeline is carrying 250,000-350,000 barrels per day

Most of Iraq's oil production, some two million bpd, comes from the south, although international experts agree that the northern fields are under-developed.

The news came at the same time that the massive Baiji refinery in central Iraq was shut down due to a breakdown of the nearby thermal power station.

"The Baiji refinery stopped its production of products for the fourth successive day due to electricity cuts," said a refinery official.

Iraq suffers from a chronic shortage of gasoline, kerosene and other fuel products resulting in endless lines at the petrol stations.

When the Baiji refinery is working, Iraq produces 10 million liters of gasoline domestically, barely half of the 22 million liter daily demand.

str-pcs/dc/al

Iraq-oil-Kirkuk

Iraq northern oil exports resume as refinery shuts down - Zawya.com | Middle East Business News

'Left to pay the price'


Jordan Times - 15/10/2006


Musa Keilani

Things are coming to a boil in Iraq, and the partition of the country along ethnic lines might come sooner than the world expects. That is what was indicated by Thursday's controversial vote in the Iraqi parliament in favour of a provision that allows the formation of further provincial confederacies.

Questions about whether the quorum was achieved for Thursday's vote and how many had actually voted in favour have not really been answered. The Shiite-led majority claimed 140 members ? the quorum being at least 138 of the 275 members attended the session, the Sunnis say less than 133 were present. Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Al Mashhadani, a Sunni, announced that a quorum had been reached before storming out of the assembly in protest.

There is no independent or recorded confirmation of how many voted in favour because the vote was taken by raised hands. However, the vote in favour of the provision is a reality, and there is not much anyone can to challenge it.

Even if there was full participation of members, the vote works against the Sunnis, since Shiites and Kurds hold a majority and could always outvote the Sunnis. That is one of the roots of grievances of the Sunnis, who know well that there is no way they can have their way in parliament.

The reality that comes forth is that it is dawning on all the three major sects of Iraq ? the majority Shiites and the minority Sunnis and Kurds ? that it is impossible to coexist and maintain the sovereignty and territorial integrity of their country.

The language used by various players after the vote reflected a hardening of positions. Shiite leader Abdul Aziz Al Hakim described opponents of federalism in Iraq as loyalists of the ousted Saddam regime, remnants of the Baathist party and Takfiris.

The Sunnis countered that the Shiites were more loyal to Iran and were taking orders from Tehran. Specifically referring to Hakim, they asserted that he holds Iranian citizenship and therefore has no right to speak on issues as vital as Iraq's future.

These developments should also be seen against the purported suggestion by James Baker III, a former secretary of state who is close to President George W. Bush, that Iraq be divided into three parts, according to a report in last week's Times of London.

Baker heads a US congressional panel which was asked to explore possibilities of a way out of Iraq for the US or at least come up with ways and means to contain the growing crisis there.

Subsequently, Baker denied that partitioning Iraq was one of his suggestions. If anything, he said, any talk of such division could lead to an explosive and all-out civil war in the country.

One will not know what Baker is suggesting before December. However, the very mention of the word partition highlights that Iraq is sliding towards a split. That concern is not only prevalent among Iraqis and Arabs, but is also shared by Western leaders and observers.

To this should be added a draft constitution submitted on an agenda before the Kurdish parliament, calling for adding more territory to the area currently under Kurdish control. A map submitted along with the constitution shows Kurdish borders expanded close to Baghdad, including several districts which are currently within the provincial borders of Nineveh. In its final form, the Kurdish border will stretch from near Baghdad to the Iranian border and Iraq's international frontier with Syria, according to a press report in Azzaman newspaper.

The map shows the oil-rich province of Kirkuk as part of Kurdistan, reflecting the Kurdish quest to gain control of oil wealth that could be used to build the independent state they want to create in northern Iraq.

Given the publicly expressed Shiite opposition to any division of Iraq, the Iraqi government and parliament in Baghdad will oppose the Kurdish move. However, according to Azzaman, the Kurds, who are part of the ruling Shiite coalition in Baghdad, are reported to have made their agreement for Shiite-initiated moves in parliament and government conditional on the government accepting their new borders.

Turkey, Iran and Syria are closely watching the Kurdish moves. So far, the autonomous Kurdish leadership in the north has played it by the ear, but it is only a matter of time before the campaign for Kurdish independence will tip over the scales and catapult the area into chaos. There will be massacres linked to ethnic cleansing and tens of thousands of non-Kurds could die and be forced out of their homes in Kirkuk into central Iraq, or be pushed across the borders.

Not helping is the British anxiety to get out of Iraq, as expressed by Chief of the General Staff Sir Richard Dannatt, who went as far as saying that British troops should leave Iraq because their presence only contributes to creating instability rather then ensuring security.

Dannatt stood by his televised comment in subsequent interviews and this shows this career soldier's conviction that it would not do his troops and country much good to stay on in Iraq. Beyond that is his apparent realisation that there is not much anyone could do to stop the country from being divided, and it would not be a nice place for Britons to be in when that happens.

There is definitely a growing momentum towards the division of Iraq. This was predicted years ago, before the US invaded Iraq in 2003, but the Bush administration chose to ignore it. And the Iraqis and the Arabs are now left to pay the price.

http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_...yId=1093130672

MENAFN - Middle East North Africa . Financial Network News: Iraq: The Same Tactics but Different Players

Iraq: The Same Tactics but Different Players


Arab News - 15/10/2006


Dr. Mariam Al-Oraifi

The United States occupied Iraq in a well-designed plan to have a strong hold on the most strategic geopolitical area in the world. Having been weakened militarily in the 1990 Gulf War, Iraq presented a fertile soil for US troops to be stationed in the Gulf region for many years to come. It was a well-perceived vision that started in the 1970s and became an actual dream come true in the beginning of the 21st century.

Iraq was picked up by the US as the best choice among the countries of the region because it had all the necessary components for a US war president to launch a war on and occupy. Not only was it a brutal dictatorship that was hostile to its neighbors but it also had presumably weapons of mass destruction that posed a threat to its neighbors all peace loving nations of the world.

Iraq was seen as an international outlaw in violation of UN resolutions that needed to be deterred. Its leader, Saddam Hussein, presented himself to the global community as a tyrant who needed to be checked as he had the image of an irrational narcissist leader tainted with genocide and whose hands had the blood of his political opponents on them.

The invasion was successful as planned but the occupation stumbled on various accounts. One reason was an utter lack of understanding on the part of Americans of the Iraqi culture and the Iraqi people. The US decision makers failed to comprehend the Iraqi dignity and strong sense of national identity as they mismanaged the occupation. Iraqis felt offended when the US troops refrained from protecting their archeological treasures from the looters of the Iraqi National Museum. They felt their dignity questioned as the American soldiers wrapped the Firdous Square in an American flag after the Iraqi citizens toppled the Saddam Statue in the square. To Iraqis and regional observers this was an imperialist gesture rather than a liberating one. The Iraqis were infuriated with the deliberate US attempt to infringe on Iraqi social coherence. The US also tried to undermine the coexistence between various Iraqi sects. Iraqis were suddenly without a job, threatened with their own security, overtaken by a foreign power that controlled their natural resources. They were left lost without the prospects of a promising future. All these misdemeanors were sensitive issues that accumulated so quickly to turn into a strong resistance effort against the American occupation.

The Americans came to Iraq to serve their national interests, economic or strategic. They did not spend all this money and lives to leave Iraq after a short period of time. US policies are always made way in advance and meant to stay for a long time.

Regional states are familiar with US policies such as Nixon's twin pillar doctrine, Reagan's policy of strategic consensus and Clinton's dual containment that were all initiated to safeguard the free flow of Gulf oil at the cheapest possible price, protect the Gulf oil reserves as well as maintain peace and security in the region. Bush's doctrine of pre-emption is only an extension of a policy calculated to serve vital US national interests. Whether it is defensive or offensive, the end result is the same. Since the seventies, these US policies have not been subjected to any questioning or to any resistance. With the 9/11 attacks, the outcome of the US policies in the Gulf region began to be intensely questioned.

The Iraqi insurgency has been regarded as the first attempt to contain the direct US occupation of the region.

Even against the background of incidents such as the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, the destruction of mosques or mass killings of innocent civilians, the staying power and resoluteness of the insurgency has proved to be surprising to all.

Former US policies in the area have been successful based as they were on the usual tactics of playing one country against the other. Today, the tactics are the same but the players are different. The United States has played the Sunnis against the Shiites inside Iraq; America's determination to annihilate the insurgency has failed.

The United States seems to be mired in this Iraqi swamp. This resistance has placed America in an awkward situation and US decision-makers are forced to review their policies to resolve the situation. The rhetoric that is coming from Washington DC has been confusing and contradicting. Whether the United States decides to increase or decrease its troops, stay or change the course, Iraq will remain occupied by the United States until a new administration comes to power and a new policy is initiated.

Freedom, liberty and democracy remain slogans that will continue to be used to lift up the morale of the ordinary US citizens as they watch their children getting killed in a far-away land. Americans need to believe that they are out there for a just cause. American Evangelicals who have supported this president are passionately devoted to justice and improving the world. These Evangelicals who have supported various humanitarian and human rights policies on a global basis need to believe that their president has made the right foreign policy decisions to spread ethical values, not merely to guarantee economic gains for US corporations and special interest groups.

Religion, culture and energy will continue to be the basis for any conflict in the area. Americans fail to understand that the people of this region will not accept insult to their religion and Westernization of their culture. Neither will they relinquish the control of their natural resources and allow it to pass into the hands of occupied forces. War on terrorism will fail to justify any US intention or intervention in the region as people's resilience will continue to outstay the capability of any superpower.

? Dr. Mariam Al-Oraifi is a Saudi academic. She holds a doctorate from Canberra University in Australia.

Sotaliraq.com

The postponement of a visit to Turkey Maliki until Monday

(Voice of Iraq) - 10 - 15-2006 | This issue was sent to a friend

Ankara-cl-postponed visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Adnan al-Maliki Turkey for a period of one day, where up to Ankara on Monday morning after it was scheduled to arrive and the accompanying delegation today (Sunday).

Al-Qabas

Sotaliraq.com

United Nations : Iraq witnessing mass emigration quiet day

(Voice of Iraq) - 10 - 15-2006 | This issue was sent to a friend

15 / 10 / 2006 Geneva-Reuters - The Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees of the United Nations that thousands of Iraqis fleeing the country daily in the 'exodus regular and silent' and the increasing sectarian violence prevented others from returning to their homeland.
He returned more than 50 thousand Iraqis who lived in exile from neighboring countries in the past year in the hope that calm has returned to the country after the first post-war elections in January, in 2005 this number dropped to 1000 this year.
Said Ron Redmond large speakers on behalf of the High Commissioner for Refugees of the United Nations at a press conference, held Friday in Geneva, as many as 6.1 million Iraqis are now living abroad, mostly in Jordan, Syria and growing in Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt and the Gulf states and Europe.
Redmond believes that the agency of the United Nations to shift its focus from helping Iraqis to return from abroad to assist the large numbers of Iraqis who were fleeing because of insecurity and turmoil and widespread.
The Redmond that 'this exodus amid continuing violence in Iraq constitutes an enormous humanitarian challenge, The extremely difficult for the displaced and Iraqi families trying to help them in the refugee-hosting areas'.

Sotaliraq.com

Maliki discuss with Turkish officials the issue of relations «Workers Party

(Voice of Iraq) - 10 - 15-2006 | This issue was sent to a friend

Maliki discuss with Turkish officials the issue of the Kurdistan Workers Party, «»
Baghdad life-15 / 10 / 06 / /

Start of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki day visit to Turkey for a two-day «fall in the framework of strengthening relations with neighboring countries and research in a number of outstanding issues including the issue of the Kurdistan Workers Party».

The leadership in the Dawa Party «» MP Waleed jewelry that «Maliki visit to Ankara part of the benefits to strengthen relations between the two countries. especially on the economic level Casterad oil derivatives and electricity », Meanwhile, State Minister Hassan force that «goal of this visit, in addition to strengthening relations, to reassure the neighboring countries in regard to the political process and the formation of regions in the law and not turn Iraq into a corridor of terrorism », He explained that «Turkey, one of the countries that have supported the political process in Iraq throughout the years, They also seized its borders with Iraq and did not record any terrorist infiltration from its territory into Iraqi territory ». He pointed out that «what is happening now is the problems of the Iraqi-Turkish border in the north of the country due to« the Kurdistan Workers Party, This can be resolved through dialogue ».

The force that Maliki «concluded a number of economic agreements for the purchase of oil derivatives and security, as will »previous agreements such as the distribution of water and maintenance of water policy and the Ram Sar joined by Iraq and the recent efforts to protect wetlands and wetlands (marshes).

He pointed to the effect that Turkey has shown willingness to train Iraqi forces «stressing that the Iraqi side is serious about promoting good-neighborly relations and mutual respect with the Turkish side, and non-interference in the internal affairs».

The Turkish officials announced Friday that Maliki will discuss with the Turkish authorities in the «bilateral relations and the fight against rebels of the Kurdistan Workers Party resident in northern Iraq».

Maliki will meet his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The Information Office of the Turkish Prime Minister that the visit is of special significance »« The official described al-Maliki that «works to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Iraq and peaceful relations between Iraq and its neighbors».

Sotaliraq.com

The Cabinet - is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces

(Voice of Iraq) - 10 - 15-2006 | This issue was sent to a friend



The Republic of Iraq
Council of Ministers-the governmental communications
Media Relations
A press statement / Press Release
Sunday, 10 - 15-2006



The commander-in-chief of the armed forces, honors the hero martyr m first sentenced Muhammad Salim nine and a group of fighters Mosul police



Is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Mr. Nuri Kamal al-Maliki honored hero martyr m first sentenced Muhammad Salim, a group of nine police Mosul fighters who fought valiantly and courageously to the desperate attempts of terrorists and Altkverein and Sadamiin to destabilize the security and stability of Mosul and tell the land of the pure blood Hadba automatic, came in a statement issued by the office of Mr. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces with the text :
And then, desperate act of terrorists, Altkverein, and Sadamiin to disrupt and halt the considerable progress witnessed by Iraq in various spheres of life, The expression of failure and disappointment in the face of our armed uprising, they failed attempt to be targeted to disturb the security and stability of the city of Mosul hunchback, by sending some neo  mercenary to maintain the building, the headquarters of the national police.
However, the sons of Iraq, the brave men of the local police in the province, and the Iraqi army fought valiantly and won them embody the most wonderful times courage and sacrifice, and do dearly for a life of dignity and security for the people of our beloved city. It was at the forefront of those heroes heroic martyr Lieutenant (Mohammad Salim sentenced nine) and a group of local police officers who refused to move injustice and aggression. tell blood Alzakih land Mosul dear, and they all of the wounded : High (Sadoun Mohammed Ali Al Dulaimi) and the policeman (morning Yahya al-Ubaydi), the policeman (Conglomerated Subhi Ali Albijoani).
It is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to honor these heroic fighters valuation on their national positions in the noble defense of the safety and security of our beloved.

Sotaliraq.com

The Cabinet-finding of a large cache of weapons west of Baghdad

(Voice of Iraq) - 10 - 15-2006 | This issue was sent to a friend



The Republic of Iraq
Council of Ministers-the governmental communications
Media Relations
A press statement / Press Release
Sunday, 10 - 15-2006




Find a large cache of weapons west of Baghdad
An explosive device containing 104



Enable soldiers of the multinational forces / Task Force Baghdad found a large weapons cache west of Baghdad. The cache included 12 rounds of 60 mm mortar shells, 104 of an explosive device and 65 rounds of 120-mm mortar rounds and seven 125-mm mortar rounds and seven 122 mm other, in addition to the materials used in the manufacture of explosives.

This came in a statement issued today by the association's media multinational forces.

Sotaliraq.com

For the fifth consecutive day, schools still idle capital and its environs

(Voice of Iraq) - 10 - 15-2006 | This issue was sent to a friend

Diyala -- Iraq News
For the fifth consecutive day, I am still the city of Baquba schools and some other government departments inoperative because of the fear that affiliates to avenge the armed groups distributed royal Amiri spent the middle of last week which disrupted public life in the city in protest against the process of the rapid reaction carried out by Iraqi security forces in the counting d sites and hot spots in the cities of Diyala, which resulted in the arrest of a number of alleged terrorist groups as described these forces and symbols of religious, social and other tribal members as described in the House of Representatives on Iraqi fronts national dialogue and consensus in Iraq.
The movement of people and commercial markets in the city center, today has regained some recovered and seen the crowds of people enter these markets despite fears of the unknown and vigilance.