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

BAGHDAD, 25 October 2006 (Reuters)

Iraq's government was under pressure from Washington on Wednesday to take forceful action to meet a timetable of measures over the next year to curb violence and allow U.S. troops to go home.

But in a sign of the challenges the Iraqi government faces in achieving Washington's "benchmarks", Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki was the object of fresh anger after airstrikes and raids by U.S. and Iraqi troops killed five people in the Shi'ite stronghold of Sadr City in Baghdad overnight, witnesses said.

A Reuters television cameraman filmed five bodies in a morgue in Sadr City as well as at least six wounded, including one elderly woman, in a hospital. Several residents said air attacks took place alongside ground raids.

Angry relatives and the wounded blamed both U.S. forces and Maliki's government. "Where is Maliki? Where is his freedom?," said one man lying on a stretcher in the hospital.

Less than two weeks ahead of U.S. congressional elections that have put President George W. Bush's Republicans on the defensive over their Iraq strategy, U.S. ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and the military commander in Baghdad said on Tuesday success was still possible, and on a "realistic timetable."

Khalilzad said Iraqi leaders had agreed to a timetable of political and security measures and he expected "significant progress" on the steps in the next 12 months.

LITTLE HEADWAY

Maliki, who was due to hold a news conference later on Wednesday, has struggled to balance the conflicting demands of his Shi'ite coalition government. Sectarian and militia violence has escalated, raising fears of a full-scale civil war.

Six months after Maliki took office, with vital support from Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, he has made little headway on pledges to curb activity by militias.

Khalilzad singled out Sadr's Mehdi Army militia on Tuesday as needing to be "brought under control."

The U.S. military had no immediate comment on the activity in Sadr City, a stronghold of the Mehdi Army. A witness told Reuters at least two Mehdi Army fighters were among the dead.

It was not immediately clear if there was any connection to the hunt for a U.S. soldier of Iraqi descent who went missing on Monday when he left the safety of Baghdad's fortified Green Zone to visit relatives.

"We are putting all our assets into finding the soldier," said Lt. Col. Steve Stoder. "We haven't done any air strikes (in connection with the search)," he added, declining to say which areas of the city the search was focused on.

With Iraq a key factor in November 7 elections in which Bush's Republicans are at risk of losing control of the U.S. Congress, his administration is urging Maliki to make progress on security and the economy.

Bush insists the United States must stay to stabilize Iraq but the war is increasingly unpopular among Americans and many critics now want a deadline for U.S. withdrawal.

On Tuesday, a U.S. defense official said the British military hoped to withdraw troops from Iraq within about 12 months and British officials have told their U.S. counterparts the U.K. military was "near the breaking point."

(Additional reporting by Alastair Macdonald in Baghdad, Kristin Roberts in Washington and the London and Moscow bureaux)

Iraqi government under U.S. pressure on security | Iraq Updates

Voices of Iraq: Ramadi-Army

Posted by: nadioshka on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 - 10:37 AM

Ramadi-Army
Iraqi army assumes responsibility of northern Ramadi from U.S. forces

Baghdad, Oct 25, (VOI) – The Iraqi army assumed responsibility of an area in northern Anbar province on Tuesday, a U.S. army statement said.
“The 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade of the 7th Iraqi Army Division, commanded by Colonel Kareem, officially assumed battle space... at a ceremony on forward operating base Blue Diamond,” said the statement, received by the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).

The statement quoted Kareem as telling his soldiers: “We have been given the great responsibility of being in charge of this area.”
“Task Force 1-6 will continue to provide the Iraqi battalion support, but are confident about their progress,” the statement quoted Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Walrath, Commander Task Force 1-6, as saying during the ceremony.
The Iraqi battalion has recently “proved their capabilities during a validation operation which resulted in the capture of four anti-Iraqi forces.”

“The occasion marks the second battalion in two weeks in Ramadi to assume battle space and is an important step in the continuing development of the Iraqi Army and represents the future security of Iraq,” the statement said.

Ramadi-Army :: Aswat al Iraq :: Aswat al Iraq

Al-Maliki stressed the need to end armed rallies in Iraq

The Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on the need to end all armed rallies in Iraq and countless arms in the hands of the State only. Al-Maliki said during a press conference that "the political forces participating in the government, represented in the Parliament to shoulder their responsibilities and to take critical decisions to stand by the government, but she would take an act against the state." Al-Maliki also pointed to the role of the neighboring countries to intervene in the Iraqi issue, saying that he "was talking with the neighboring countries that Matridon that is happening in Iraq would not be at the expense of the Iraqi people." stressing that the "Attassor to those States that Iraq is weak and use that cause dissension among the people." And on the achievements made by the Iraqi government said Maliki "that the current government has achieved great and have attracted the resolve to move forward on several tracks." He pointed out that "among these tracks is to improve the economy, poverty alleviation and provision of services, Iraq, which witnessed a marked improvement in the areas of the economy, the Iraqi per capita income, services and investment. " The Al-Maliki said : "The government succeeded at the age of the investment law passed by the parliament and become an open arena for investment in all areas, agricultural trade and oil, which gives solidity and strength of the economy and make it on solid ground. " He added that "the government had allocated spare housing for citizens was directed banks to provide citizens with real ancestors to build the support from the State to ease the crisis suffered by the citizens."
Regarding rumors that the identification of the American government deadline for the Iraqi government to improve the situation in Iraq, Al-Maliki said "I confirm that the Iraqi government is the government of national will, and not one that gives them a time limit." He added, "I know that the American government did not give such time and this is not the official reason for the American government, but is a product of electoral competition in America."

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Al-Maliki warns neighboring countries of meddling in Iraq''s inner affairs

POL-IRAQ-NEIGHBORS-WARNING
Al-Maliki warns neighboring countries of meddling in Iraq's inner affairs

BAGHDAD, Oct 25 (KUNA) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki said Wednesday his government was determined to crack down on private militias blamed for the country's spiraling sectarian violence, warning he would "strike hard" against any group that challenges state authority.

Speaking at a news conference, Al-Maliki also appealed to neighboring states to cease meddling in Iraq's domestic affairs; in an apparent reference to Iran and Syria which were accused by the US and Iraqi officials of aiding Sunni and Shiite armed groups.

He blamed foreign fighters in groups such as al-Qaida in Iraq and loyalists of former dictator Saddam Hussein's Baath Party regime for driving the current violence in Iraq.

On efforts to restore security in Iraq, Al-Maliki said that there was a clear and multi-leveled agenda vis-@-vis this matter. He added that the agenda was based on thorough understanding of Iraq's state of reality.

Regarding the controversial question of federalism the country, the premier said that it needs public and political awareness in order to be correctly implemented throughout Iraqi regions.

"No one can force a time limit on us as we are a national government," Al-Maliki commenting whether the US government gave the Iraqi government a deadline to improve security. (end) ahh.

hb
KUNA 251322 Oct 06NNNN

Kuna site|Story page|Al-Maliki warns neighboring countries of meddling ...10/25/2006

Iraq''s Kurdistan Regional Government drafts its own oil policy

PWR-IRAQ-KURDISTAN-OIL
Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government drafts its own oil policy

IRBIL, Oct 25 (KUNA) -- Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said on Wednesday it has drafted its own oil policy and a partnership agreement with oil firms, adding it has also submitted a proposal regarding a federal oil law to the central government.

A number of the region's officials expected that the draft would be soon presented to Iraqi Kurdistan National Assembly and necessary approvals would be granted to allow foreign firms to invest in the region.

On his part, Kurdistan's Natural Resources Minister Ashti Hawrami issued four press releases regarding Petroleum Act of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, management of oil revenues and oil in Kirkuk.

During the last two months, Hawrami participated in the meetings of the national energy committee whose deliberations have not achieved other than general regulations for dividing oil revenues.

Meanwhile, the drafted act was discussed at length during an economic forum organized by an Iraqi development center.

Iraqi oil experts noted that the act stressed the necessity of decentralization and federalism between Iraq and Kurdistan, but was directed toward a strong centralization within the region itself.

Also, the experts pointed out that the act was issued before the federal oil law that was supposed to be the basis for all federal regional bylaws.

They also added that the act stipulated that oil in Kurdistan was the property of its people which contradicted Article 108 of Iraq's constitution that said "Oil and gas are the ownership of all the people of Iraq in all the regions and governorates." In a press statement, KRG Premier Nechirvan Idris Barzani hoped the ongoing disagreement over oil issues with Baghdad would be settled by end of Eid.

Last month, KRG threatened to part from Iraq if the central government continued demanding a role in developing oil resources in Kurdistan. So far, KRG signed four oil exploration and excavation accords with Norwegian, Canadian and Turkish firms. The government hoped to commence production by 2007 with a total capacity of 40,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) that would gradually increase to 200,000 bpd by 2008. (end) sbr.

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KUNA 251345 Oct 06NNNN

Kuna site|Story page|Iraq''s Kurdistan Regional Government drafts its o...10/25/2006

Gulfnews: Saudi authority quashes riyal revaluation talk

Banking and Finance
Published: 10/25/2006 12:00 AM (UAE)

Saudi authority quashes riyal revaluation talk
Reuters

Riyadh: The Saudi riyal slipped against the dollar yesterday after the central bank dismissed as baseless speculation it would revalue the kingdom's currency.

The riyal rose to a 5-1/2 month high against the dollar on Monday amid speculation it would be revalued over Eid holidays.

It traded up to 3.7420 per dollar, its highest since early May as investors bet Saudi Arabia would regrade its currency in line with a move by Kuwait that month.

"There is no intention to change the exchange rate," Hamad Saud Al Sayyari, governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, told yesterday's edition of Al Watan newspaper.

"The current exchange rate is fair and member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC] are committed to maintain the current exchange rates of currencies."

His comments pushed the riyal down to trade near 3.75 against the dollar, the level at which it is pegged to the greenback. It slipped to 3.7480 earlier in the session before reaching a bid/offer of 3.7421/3.7471 at 7.30am GMT.

Economists said the main hurdle for revaluation was that it would have to be closely coordinated with other members of the GCC, which plans a regional monetary union in 2010.

"All of the GCC states will keep their currency levels fixed until we have moved closer to the currency union in the Gulf, even though one clearly could argue for a tightening of monetary conditions in most Gulf states including Saudi Arabia," said Lars Christensen, senior analyst at Danske Bank in Copenhagen. "One should however also note that the need for monetary tightening has eased with the drop in oil prices."

Cause

A Riyadh-based analyst said Monday's speculation appeared to have been sparked by growing orders for the riyal ahead of the annual Haj pilgrimage, due to start in late December.

"It's a seasonal thing. Whenever the Haj nears, demand on the riyal surges mainly from banks in the Muslim world," said the analyst.

"Some of these banks, for instance in Egypt, charge fat margins on the sale of the riyal to pilgrims, so they can afford to pay a relatively high price for its purchase," the analyst said.

since when??:
Saudi Arabian (SAR) US Dollar (USD) Exchange Rate
0.26709 1 0.26709

A tripartite meeting between Talabani and Barzani and Khalilzad Balslimaneh
من جيمن صالحJayman favor of
أربيل-(أصوات العراق)Arbil - (Voices of Iraq)
بدأ اجتماع ثلاثي بعد ظهر اليوم الاربعاء بين الرئيس العراقي جلال الطالباني ورئيس اقليم كردستان مسعود البارزاني والسفير الامريكي لدى العراق زلماي خليلزاد في منتجع دوكان في السليمانية.The tripartite meeting this afternoon Wednesday between Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Kurdistan President Masoud Barzani, the American ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad, at the resort of Dukan in Sulaymaniyah.
ويعد اجتماع السفير الامريكي مع الطالباني والبارزاني هو الأول لخليلزاد مع مسؤولين عراقيين بعد عودته من امريكا واجتماعه مع الرئيس الامريكي جورج بوش.The meeting of the American ambassador with Talabani and Barzani is the first of Khalilzad with Iraqi officials after his return from the United States and his meeting with President George Bush.
وقالت فضائية كردستان التابعة للحزب الديمقراطي الكردستاني "ان خليلزاد السفير الامريكي لدى العراق بدأ ظهر اليوم اجتماعا مع رئيس الجمهورية العراقية السيد جلال الطالباني والسيد مسعود البارزاني رئيس اقليم كردستان في دوكان".The space of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Kurdistan "that Khalilzad, the American ambassador in Iraq began this morning meeting with the President of the Republic of Iraq, Mr. Jalal Talabani and Mr. Massoud Barzani's Kurdistan region in the head of Dukan."
وأضافت الفضائية ان الاجتماع سيبحث الوضع المتدهور في العراق، وان خليلزاد سيطلع الطالباني والبارزاني على فحوى الموضوعات التى ناقشها مع الرئيس الامريكي جورج بوش.It added that the meeting would discuss the space of the deteriorating situation in Iraq. although Khalilzad will Talabani and Barzani on the content of the topics discussed with the American President George W. Bush.
ش عU p

Sounds like a de-brief

since when??:
Saudi Arabian (SAR) US Dollar (USD) Exchange Rate
0.26709 1 0.26709 [/QUOTE]

$1/3.75=.2666666666

Published: 10/25/2006 12:00 AM (UAE)

New Iraq is working hard to get rid of the old ways
By Amir Taheri, Special to Gulf News

Talk to Iraqis these days and you are likely to hear one thing: what are the Americans and their British allies up to?

The Iraqis have in mind the perception that the political mainstream in both the US and Britain, as illustrated by the recent remarks of the head of the British armed forces, now regards the Iraq project as a disaster, with cut-and-run or whistle-and-walk-away, as the only options.

Most Iraqis regard the toppling of Saddam Hussain, the dismantling of his machinery of war and oppression and the introduction of pluralist politics to Iraq as an historic success. It is precisely because the stakes are so high that new Iraq faces such a determined challenge from its two arch enemies: Baathism and radical Islamism. New Iraq represents an historic victory that is challenged by the enemies of both the western democracies and the Iraqi people. The issue is how to consolidate that victory, not to snatch defeat from its jaw.

Iraq today is the central battlefield in the global war between two mutually exclusive visions of the future.

The jihadists know that they cannot win on that battlefield. After three years of almost daily killings, often in the most horrible manner imaginable, they have failed to alter new Iraq's political agenda. Nor have they managed to win control of any territory or broaden their constituency.

Since liberation, an estimated 45,000 Iraqis have been killed, largely because of insurgent and terrorist activities. Yet, there are few signs that a majority of Iraqis are prepared to raise the white flag of surrender.

Several events in the past two weeks have highlighted the growing isolation of the jihadists and their Saddamite allies. One event is the creation of a tribal alliance, bringing together all Arab Sunni clans of western Iraq together in a united front to "chase Al Qaida out of Iraq".

It was partly in response to that event that Al Qaida's branch in Iraq published an appeal to Osama Bin Laden, the presumed leader of the group, to dismiss Abu Ayyub Al Masri, the group's "commander" in Iraq. The statement calling for Al Masri's dismissal calls him a "deviant", a label that indicates the willingness of some Al Qaida members to liquidate him if he is not replaced in time.

A second noteworthy event is the almost unanimous approval by the Iraqi National Assembly (parliament) of a new plan for peace and reconciliation. Backed by all ethnic and religious communities through their political parties, the new plan further underlines the marginalisation of the jihadists and Saddamite groups.

More importantly, the plan envisages the creation of a unified information office to harmonise the sermons delivered at mosques, regardless of their sectarian affiliations. The idea is to use the mosque as a forum for a unified and democratic Iraq rather than a hub of sectarian agitation.

A third event was the Makkah meeting held on Saturday. It brought together prominent Muslim Sunni and Shiite clerics from Iraq and eight other Muslim countries to discuss and approve a declaration demanding an end to sectarian feuds in Iraq. An initiative of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the gathering reflects growing impatience with the jihadists throughout the Muslim world.

Proposed draft

The declaration categorically states that bloodshed motivated by sectarian considerations is haram (forbidden) and its perpetrators regarded as individuals waging war on Islam as a whole.

The Makkah gathering represents the first major effort by Sunnis and Shiites towards the mutual recognition of one another as acceptable versions of the same faith, since 1947.

Despite the dramatic increase in terrorist attacks in recent weeks, new Iraq is holding its own because Iraqi morale is holding. That morale, however, is under constant attack from two sources.

The first is the part of the international, especially pan-Arab, media, that depicts Iraq as a wayward train racing ahead with no light at the end of a dark tunnel.

The second threat to Iraqi morale is by far the most serious. It concerns uncertainty about the commitment of the United States and its allies to new Iraq. Just as Rome was not built in a day, creating a pluralist democracy on the ruins of one of the nastiest of Arab tyrannies, takes time.

The key to the future of Iraq lies in the United States. The Iraqis will not run away in the face of jihadism and Baathism. The question is whether the same is true of their American allies. We shall know the answer soon, as the mandate under which the US-led coalition is in Iraq runs out at the end of December.

Amir Taheri is a member of Benador Associates.

Gulfnews: New Iraq is working hard to get rid of the old ways

Originally Posted by pluginprofits

since when??:
Saudi Arabian (SAR) US Dollar (USD) Exchange Rate
0.26709 1 0.26709

$1/3.75=.2666666666[/QUOTE]
thanks youre right i was readin it wrong!! duh susie!!