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

American military official stresses the inseparability of security, politics and economics access to Iraq's stability

25 / 10 / 2006 3:31 (Greenwich Mean Time)

General Peter Pace Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of American 25 / 10 / 2006 3:31 (Greenwich Mean Time) Said Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the American armed forces, General Peter Pace estimates that the commander of the American forces in Iraq, General George Phen need to keep American forces in Iraq to approximately 18 additional months based on a new assessment of the situation. Thus, the American forces might remain in Iraq until mid-2008.

General Pace stressed the inseparability of security, politics and economics in Iraq to reach stability. He said :

"The best security force in the world would not be able to be effective and to provide safer in the long term without political decisions and the steps that must be taken in Iraq, and without economic progress."

The official said the American military believed that progress in the three areas despite the difficulties posed by the escalation of violence in Iraq in the recent period.

Radio Sawa - مسؤول عسكري أميركي يشدد على تلازم الأمن والسياسة والاقتصاد للوصول إلى استقرار العراق

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Iraqi army will take security functions north of Ramadi
(Voice of Iraq) - 10-25-2006 | This issue was sent to a friend Iraqi army will take security functions north of Ramadi Security / Iraq / gray / functions Iraqi army will take security functions north of Ramadi Baghdad-10-25 (KUNA) -- received a battalion of the Iraqi army security responsibility in the north of the city of Ramadi in western Iraq is the second step after the battalion other security functions two weeks ago in another area of Ramadi. According to a statement by the American army announced here today that the deployment of the third battalion of the first brigade of the Iraqi 7th Party led by Colonel (Karim) yesterday formally assumed the battlefield north of Ramadi, in a celebration of a forward operations. The statement quoted Karim as saying, "Senkhaddm honorably after it has been giving us a great responsibility the responsibility of our tenure in this region." The American sixth infantry regiment led by Brigadier General Daniel Alrath represents the assignment during the last five months of the Iraqi forces in that region. The statement said that the Iraqi battalion proved its efficiency during arrests carried out recently arrested a number of terrorists. (End) P h e نسخة سهلة الطبع

Alhayat, 25 Oct. 2006 The oil in Iraq's Kurdistan, the delegation was ready to visit Baghdad soon to discuss differences

Beirut : »« Al-Hayat that the draft bill of oil in Iraqi Kurdistan are ready, The Ministry of Natural Resources allocated to the Kurdish parliament in Arbil in the Kurdish region in the near future. The draft bill differs radically Kurdish oil on the draft federal law by Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein Shahrastani to the National Energy Commission under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih. The difference lies the President, to other things, the validity of the Oil Ministry in Baghdad to conduct negotiations and the signing of contracts for exploration and development of oil fields with international companies, while confirming the Kurdish law that these powers are of the terms of reference of the province, not the federal government. And both sides invoke various articles of the Constitution in defense of their point of view. Shahrastani minister insists on its point of view, stated publicly several times. In another time, the effects of this subject, earlier this month, Prime Minister threatened Najirfan Barzani of the Kurdistan secession in the event of the adoption of the proposed federal law. For his part, The Minister of Natural Resources for the Kurdistan Robert Asti four statements the day before yesterday, Sunday,, announcing the readiness of oil and convert it to the Kurdish parliament in Arbil to review it. She also spoke of data on the distribution of oil wealth and laws must prevail in the disputed areas (Kirkuk). It should be noted that the minister Robert participated in the meetings of the National Energy Commission during the last two months, However, the deliberations of the Committee did not produce any concrete results so far, only on the general principles of the division of oil imports. It is expected that the Committee will meet after the Eid Al-Fitr to complete the discussions, especially Shahrastani promised that the completion of the draft federal law in the near future and convert it to the parliament in Baghdad. and to obtain approval before the end of this year. A delegation to Baghdad and Erbil, A source in the government of Kurdistan, said that a delegation headed Nigervan Barzani would travel to Baghdad after the holiday to discuss the outstanding issues between the central and regional governments. and the quest to end their differences. The source said in press statements that «talks will focus in particular on the oil contracts signed by the territorial government, The government in Baghdad. The limit is deciding where the Iraqi oil ministry, Iraq ». The government of Kurdistan four oil agreements so far. Baghdad claims that the retreat of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil of these contracts and grants final approval, They also insist on isolating this subject (oil agreements with international companies) in Baghdad future. The source added that the delegation will also discuss the problem of «Kurdish share of 17% of the state budget and the liberalization of the amount of $ 485 million remaining from the current year budget by the reluctant parties in the Iraqi government on the disbursement». He reported that the delegation also «touch in his meetings in Baghdad to a crisis of electricity, fuel, there has been talk of a share of the Kurdish representatives in Iraqi embassies and consulates abroad ».

KRG, Kurdistan Regional Government

Iraqi-American agreement on the delivery of a number of things according to a schedule

10 :28 2006. 10. 25
PUKmedia : Resolving Zalmay Khalilzad had the American ambassador in Baghdad, the current controversy over what uncovered by the New York Times newspaper this week sought from the Bush administration to set a timetable for the government al-Maliki accomplished a number of tasks which are in the stabilization and security in Iraq. In a joint press conference held yesterday, Tuesday, with General Casey, the commander of multinational forces in Iraq. Khalilzad had announced an agreement with the government on a schedule Maliki whereby the Iraqi government the completion of a number of political and security demands. He said Khalilzad had at the beginning of the press conference : my message today, In spite of the difficult challenges we face, is that success is possible in Iraq on the basis of reasonable timetable. It is incumbent upon the Iraqi leadership to take upon themselves the implementation of a number of political demands and security task and they have agreed to accomplish. At the same time, We will continue to support in order to reach the desired success in Iraq. And what political and security demands that the Iraqi government should be implemented according to a set timetable. Khalil added : First : completion of the national in the coming weeks under which the major political parties on the disputed issues. Second : to amend the constitution to appoint Iraqis to realize that the right of their children in the content of democracy and equality. Third : a new law whereby the distribution of the proceeds of oil wealth in order to help unite Iraqis. Fourth : the conversion to the eradication of the Baath meant affairs reconciliation and integrity. Fifth : setting a date for the organization of local elections. Sixth : the rehabilitation of Iraqi forces to ensure raise its combat efficiency and credibility among the people. Seventh : the implementation of a plan to address the problem of militias and death squads. Khalil also highlighted the light on the strategy followed by the United States to achieve victory in Iraq. pointing to the objectives that the United States is seeking to achieve that strategy, saying : we aim to assist the Iraqis in establishing a democratic government and the multi-ethnic communities after decades of tyranny. The Americans know that this a very difficult task, but it is also a high degree of importance. He explained Khalil added that the enemies of Iraq do not want us to achieve those goals, said : The forces that made up the camp of the extremists, does not include Al-Qaida alone, but that also includes Iran and Syria. They strive to prevent our success. However, Khalilzad had praised the positive role played by Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates for Iraq's stability : We are coordinating with Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Jordan to help us through the urging of the armed groups and to encourage them to end the violence and to work towards a united, independent and stand against the Al-Qaeda organization, They promised to help us in this matter. For his part, General George Casey said the involvement of Iran and Syria in the destabilization of Iraq, saying : There is no doubt that Iran and Syria are continuing role, which is hardly conducive to achieving stability in Iraq, and so for their support for extremist and terrorist groups that operate within different Iraq. Casey carried the four parties responsible for the violence in Iraq, pointing, For the first time, to that one of these groups is the (resistance) and said : there are several armed groups operating on undermining the political process in Iraq : The first is Al Qaeda and the Iraqis who support him, The strategy of this organization focusing on promoting sectarian fighting, They Despite the injury to the right because of the death of al-Zarqawi, but they still have a deadly impact. The second is the death squads and illegal armed groups, This targeting civilians in the center and south of Iraq. The third group are the resistance, the rebels, who call themselves the noble resistance, which attacks the occupation forces is key. The fourth group is external parties, Iran, and Syria. He expected General George Casey that Iraqis are able to assume most of the tasks during a period ranging between 12 and 18 months, with some American support, but he also did not rule out the possibility of summoning reinforcements American in the near future, modify tactics in response to the ongoing violence.

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Maliki denied there was any coordination with the American forces to surround Sadr City
From Santa Mikhail
(To add details from the press conference and a new quotations)
Baghdad - (Voices of Iraq)
Nuri al-Maliki denied Iraqi Prime Minister and there is coordination between the Iraqi and American forces on the besieged Sadr City, He warned neighboring countries of interfering in Iraqi affairs.
Al-Maliki said in a press conference held today in Baghdad green zone "is a lack of coordination between the American forces and Iraqi forces for the siege of Al-Sadr City (east Baghdad), said he would ask the American forces to clarify the reasons for the embargo."
The American forces have since early this morning, a blockade stressing Sadr City and placed checkpoints at the entrances to the city and were searching cars entering the city and out.
American planes also bombed dawn today, Sadr City, killing four Iraqi civilians and wounding 15 others.
He said Falah Chanchal chairman of the House of Representatives bloc chest Iraqi in a telephone conversation with the News Agency (Voices of Iraq) Independent that the bombing also led to the destruction of six houses in the 74 and 75-Sadr City, also arrested the joint American and Iraqi ten people from the densely populated Sadr City were on their way to work.
Al-Maliki and eighth positions Sadri Current leader of the Iraqi government, He said, "much more precious and highly appreciate the positions of Mr. Muqtada al-Sadr against those who act on behalf of the Sadri movement (against the government) is a good positions."
He warned al-Maliki, in his press conference the neighboring countries of interfering in Iraqi affairs, He said that the Iraqi government will take action against those countries (which he did not identify), if you refrain from interference in the internal affairs of Iraq.
And what action to be taken by the government against the neighboring countries, if not enough income in the Iraqi Al-Maliki said, "We have a state of discontent from interference, But we still adhere to the wisdom and find common solutions, we believe that the dialogue would be insufficient to find a solution. "
On the nature of those actions the Prime Minister said "it would be different levels of security, political, economic, and media, which does not wish to come to that we adhere to good relations with neighboring countries."
Al-Maliki also warned of defying the will of the Iraqi people. He said that he would move "on solid ground after the reconciliation conferences four opportunities to find, through dialogue and after the completion would be activated the Terrorism Act and the use of force against each of defying the national will."
Two, in the framework of national reconciliation first of clan elders in August last August and the second of civil society organizations in 16 of the last month, With decided to hold the third conference for parties and political forces on the fourth day of November next November.
Maliki denied that he had given instructions to the Ministry of Health for withholding information and statistics of deaths on the United Nations, He said he asked that the figures be accurate and not excessive "We do not want to hide anything from the Iraqi people, figures and although they are inaccurate impressions and give messages to review and self-accountability."
The United Nations has accused the Iraqi government of concealing the recent statistics on the dead.
U p


I wonder which country has upset our pal Maliki?

(Voice of Iraq) - 10-25-2006
Iraqi army forces were carrying out a raid to arrest suspected leader of a death squad

Wednesday, 25 October 2006

BAGHDAD - Iraqi army forces carried out a special advisor to the support of the coalition forces raided the authorization of the government of Iraq on October 25 this month in Sadr City, Baghdad to the arrest of a senior commander of one of the armed groups, who leads the activities of death squads which are largely east of Baghdad. During the raid the Iraqi army troops came to shooting, they had to defend themselves. As Talbo support from the coalition forces and aircraft, which shot carefully only to reduce the threat of the enemy.

Other details will be provided if additional information is available.

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Baghdad, 25 October 2006 (Reuters)

America's civilian and military leaders in Iraq linked Iran and Syria with Al Qaida yesterday as forces trying to tear the country apart and prevent the United States from establishing a stable democracy.

The comments from ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and General George Casey were among the strongest US officials have levelled against Iraq's two neighbours over alleged support for armed groups behind much of the bloodshed.

Khalilzad depicted the struggle to build a united, democratic Iraq as "the defining challenge of our era" and said it would shape the future of the Middle East and global security.

"Those forces that constitute the extremist camp including not only Al Qaida, but Iran and Syria are at work to keep us and the Iraqis from succeeding," Khalilzad told a rare joint news conference with Casey, two weeks before US Congressional elections.

"They fear Iraq's success. They want to undermine our resolve by imposing costs on us in terms of prolonging the conflict, imposing casualties and creating the perception that Iraq cannot be stabilised," said Khalilzad.

'Foreign rivals'

Al Qaida and Iraq's "foreign rivals" were trying to tear the Iraqi people apart along sectarian lines, Khalilzad said, naming Iran and Syria as countries that "cynically support rival groups involved in the violence". Iran, which has close religious ties to Iraq's majority Shiite population, and Syria, largely Sunni, both deny supporting armed groups in Iraq.


Iran, Syria and Al Qaida 'trying to tear Iraq apart' | Iraq Updates

Many Muslim nations mark end of fasting month of Ramadan with calls for acceptance, dialogue.
By Jailan Zayan
CAIRO, 25 October 2006 (Middle East Online)

Millions of Muslims across the world on Tuesday celebrated Eid al-Fitr, the feast marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, with calls for tolerance amid a surge of violence in Iraq and heightened security in Asia.

Top clerics in the Middle East called for acceptance and dialogue following a year marked by angry and sometimes violent Muslim reactions to "blasphemous" caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed published in a Danish newspaper last year, and a speech by Pope Benedict XVI linking Islam with violence in September.

In Egypt, Sheikh Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi, the head of Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's main seat of learning, called on Muslims to "stand together in the face of aggression", urging them to "build, not destroy."

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak attended Tantawi's sermon in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, while thousands of worshippers in Cairo gathered for the early morning prayer outside the main mosque of the upmarket district of Mohandesseen under bright coloured lights, banners and balloons.

In Amman, Jordan's King Abdullah II attended morning prayers at the King Hussein bin Talal mosque, where prayer leader Ahmad Hleil highlighted the "tolerance" of Islam which he said was based on charity, forgiveness, justice, honesty and dialogue.

Meanwhile the press reported that hotels and furnished apartments were running at full occupancy in the southern Red Sea resort of Aqaba, Jordan's only outlet to the sea where temperatures were at a high of 30 degrees Celsius.

In Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz spent the Eid, which started Monday, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca. There, the imam of Islam's holiest shrine, Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid, said the fear of the spread of Islam in non-Muslim countries motivates attacks on Muslims in the West.

The beginning of the Islamic month is set by the visual sighting of a new moon rather than scientific calculation, causing regional differences in determining the exact day of the Eid.

In Dubai, the usual rush-hour traffic congestion disappeared, as crowds rushed to gigantic malls and the town's indoor ski slope - the only of its kind in the Middle East - was covered with holiday skiers.

But the festive mood was in stark contrast to the violence in Iraq where deadly bomb attacks ripped through Baghdad's streets as Iraqis marked the end of the bloodiest Ramadan since the US invasion.

In Lebanon, Sunnis celebrated Eid Tuesday, a day after their Shiite compatriots did so, with many visiting the tombs of relatives and fighters killed in Hezbollah's July-August war with Israel.

In the south of the country, where thousands of homes still lie in ruins, the stricken population is more focused on patching up buildings before the cold weather arrives than on buying the traditional new clothes and sweets.

In Asia, Eid came amid heightened security across much of the continent.

Police in Afghanistan said they would maintain high security for the three-day holiday, after fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar pledged to intensify strikes against foreign forces in the country.

President Hamid Karzai called on the world's Muslims to help his country rid itself of insurgents and urged the militants to stop "serving foreign interests".

Security was also tight in parts of Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, where millions took part in morning prayers on Tuesday.

Two men jailed for their roles in the 2005 Bali blasts that killed 202 people were freed as thousands of prisoners in Indonesia had their sentences cut to mark the day.

The Philippines' seven million Muslims enjoyed a peaceful end to Ramadan although police were on heightened alert in Manila following reports that terrorists might take advantage of the festivities to bomb strategic areas.

Muslims in Thailand's southern provinces, where an Islamic insurgency has raged for nearly three years, also celebrated Eid under tight security after a deadly surge in violence in the last two weeks which killed 28 people.

Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi used the occasion to urge greater economic development in Muslim nations to combat perceptions that Islam is against progress and promotes terrorism.

In Turkey, political life is on hold during the celebration, when residents flock to the country's Mediterranean beaches.

Eid was also celebrated in Europe, where some 15 million Muslims reside.

In France, where some four million Muslims make up the country's second religion, Eid was celebrated by thousands with morning prayers at the mosques, followed by large meals with friends and family.

In London, the first ever Eid celebration will take place on Saturday in Trafalgar Square, featuring live entertainment, a street bazaar and exhibitions about Islam, the city's mayor said.

Muslims celebrate Eid with calls for tolerance | Iraq Updates

London, 25 October 2006 (Financial Times)

The top US officials in Baghdad yesterday said Iraqi forces should be "completely capable" of taking responsibility for securitywithin about 18 months. The assertion came as Republican support for the war continued to erode just two weeks ahead of November's congressional elections.

In a rare joint press conference, Zalmay Khalilzad, the US ambassador, and General George Casey, the top US commander in Iraq, delivered a unified message: that, despite the images of daily carnage in Baghdad, success was still possible.

Gen Casey, who originally hoped to reduce US forces to about 100,000 from 140,000 by the end of this year, said Iraqi forces should be ableto take full control ofsecurity in the country within the next 12 to 18 months with minimal American support.

Reflecting increased pessimism among Republicans that the Iraq war would cost them control of one or both houses of Congress, the White House on Monday said President George W. Bush would no longer use the phrase "stay the course".

In an attempt to bolster moribund support among the American public - as October shapes up to be one of the worst months in Iraq for US military deaths - Mr Khalilzad said the Iraqi leaders had agreed to develop a timeline of progress on both security and economic issues, including changes to the constitution, disbanding militias and agreeing a new hydrocarbons law.

"They have committed themselves to a timetable for making some of those decisions," said Mr Khalilzad, adding that he expected significant progress in the coming 12 months.

Gen Casey dismissed suggestions that Iraq had descended into civil war, insisting that 80 to 90 per cent of the sectarian violence happened in a 30-mile radius of the centre of Baghdad. But reflecting the escalating chaos in the capital, he acknowledged that he may need to ask formore troops to control the city.

The attempt to win back the debate over Iraq comes as the loss of faith in the war reached new highs among the American and British public. A recent CNN poll found that a record64 per cent of Americans now oppose the conflict.

Officials and analysts in the Middle East have been warning for months that Iraq has been gradually sliding into an uncontrollable civil war, as killings by Shia militias escalate at a faster pace than attacks by Sunni insurgents. Last week, Iraqi Shia and Sunni clerics were invited to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia to sign a declaration forbidding the shedding of Muslim blood.

The White House has been increasingly forced on to the back foot over Iraq since John Warner, the Republican chairman of the Senate armed services committee, who has been a strong backer of the administration, recently said the situation in Iraq was going "sideways", before warning last weekend that the violence was getting worse.

Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican senator and strong supporter of the war, yesterday added to the White House woes, saying: "We're on the verge of chaos, and the current plan is not working."

Mr Graham said Donald Rumsfeld, the US defence secretary, and the US generals needed to come up with a new plan.

James Baker, the former secretary of state and Bush family confidante who is leading a bipartisan commission on US policy in Iraq, recently prompted speculation that the White House would gradually move towards a new policy by suggesting that "stay the course" and "cut and run" were not the only two options for Iraq.

The growing doubts about Iraq policy were also aggravated by revelations that the US was increasingly frustrated by the performance of the Iraqi government of Nouri al-Maliki, which had failed to follow through on moves towards national reconciliation with the Sunni minority and was resisting tough action against the Shia militias.


Success in Iraq still possible, say top US officials | Iraq Updates

25 October 2006 (AP Worldstream)

Administrative costs for a handful of reconstruction projects in Iraq ate up 11 percent to 55 percent of the total costs and were not monitored well by officials there, according to a U.S. government audit.

The audit, done by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, looked at a number of contracts and detailed five totaling $1.3 billion (A1.04 billion). It found that more than $460 million (A366.8 million) was spent on overhead costs, including transportation, mobilization, administration, personnel support and security.

The report suggested that some of the costs may be underestimated because the government did not consistently track the administrative amounts or require companies to report them in the same way. The U.S. Congress has approved $18.4 billion (A14.67 billion) in reconstruction money for Iraq.

The administrative costs largely occurred between the date the contractors arrived in Iraq to begin the project and the time when substantial work began. Often, the companies were in Iraq for months before they were actually able to begin work on their reconstruction project, said Jim Mitchell, a spokesman for the reconstruction oversight agency.

Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root accrued the highest percentage of overhead costs _ billing the government for $163 million (A129.97 million), or 55 percent of its total contract cost, the audit found. Parsons Iraq Joint Venture, a second company, had overhead costs equaling nearly $134 million (A106.85 million), or 43 percent of its total project cost.

Parsons Delaware, in two different projects, received 35 percent and 17 percent in administrative costs, or $108 million (A86.12 million) and $41.6 million (A33.17 million) respectively. The fifth project detailed in the audit was with Lucent, which received nearly $15 million (A11.96 million) in overhead costs, or 11 percent of the total project amount.

Poor planning by the government contributed to the KBR costs, the audit said. And it also noted that the 11 percent figure for Lucent was probably underestimated.

The Iraq reconstruction audits have routinely found significant problems with the contracting and building in the war-torn country, ranging from alleged fraud to lack of oversight. They have also noted that contractors often face significant obstacles and other business problems, particularly with security, in Iraq.

The audit recommended that more specific reporting requirements be adopted for the reconstruction project that would detail the administrative costs and that contractors are monitored better. It also recommended that the government plan better to reduce the amount of time contractors spend mobilized for the work before they are actually able to begin the project.

Administrative costs high in Iraq reconstruction projects, US audit finds | Iraq Updates