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

Iraq gov't may reinstate Saddam backers By BASSEM MROUE, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 10 minutes ago



A day after Saddam Hussein was sentenced to hang, the Shiite-dominated government offered a major concession Monday to his Sunni backers that could see thousands of members of the ousted dictator's Baath party reinstated in their jobs.

With a tight curfew holding down violence after Saddam's guilty verdict and death sentence, the government reached out to disaffected Sunnis in hopes of enticing them away from the insurgency, which has killed tens of thousands of Iraqis and is responsible for the vast majority of U.S. casualties.

The U.S. military announced the deaths of five more American troops, two in a helicopter crash north of Baghdad and three in fighting west of the capital. The deaths raised to 18 the number of U.S. forces killed in the first six days of November.

Relentless sectarian killings also persisted despite the extraordinary security precautions. Fifty-nine bodies were discovered Sunday and Monday across Iraq, police said. But with no surge in violence, authorities were gradually lifting the restrictions in Baghdad and two restive Sunni provinces: Pedestrians were allowed back on the capital's streets late Monday afternoon, and the international airport was to reopen Tuesday morning.

Around the country, jubilant Shiites celebrated the verdict while Sunnis held defiant counter-demonstrations.

Iraq's appeals court is expected to rule on an appeal by Saddam's lawyers by the middle of January, the chief prosecutor said Monday, setting in motion a possible execution by mid-February. If the ruling is upheld, The Associated Press has learned that Iraq's three-man presidential council is pledged to allow Saddam's hanging to take place. The execution must be carried out within 30 days of the appeals court's decision.

Sunday's verdict and Monday's opening to the Sunnis were seen as a welcome break for the United States, which had recently called for the Iraqi government to stop purging members of Saddam's Baath party from their jobs. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, however, has balked at U.S. requests to set up an amnesty for insurgents.

Al-Maliki has been engaged in a public feud with U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad since last month, when the prime minister disputed the envoy's announcement that he had agreed to a timeline for progress in quelling violence and encouraging Sunnis to join the political process.

On Monday, there were indications Khalilzad was preparing to leave his post.

National Intelligence Director John Negroponte, during a visit to Baghdad on Friday, told al-Maliki that Khalilzad would leave about the first of the year and be replaced by Ryan Crocker, a senior career diplomat who is now ambassador to Pakistan, according to two top aides to the Iraqi leader. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

In Washington, a senior Bush administration official said Khalilzad could leave as soon as the end of this year. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because neither the White House nor Khalilzad had announced any personnel changes.

The United States dissolved and banned the Baath party in May 2003, a month after toppling Saddam. The U.S. later softened its stance, inviting former high-level officers from the disbanded military to join the security forces.

The former top U.S. administrator in Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, also allowed thousands of teachers who were Baathists to return to work. He conceived of the so-called de-Baathification effort but later found it had gutted key ministries and the military with no replacement personnel among the Iraqi work force and educated elite.

About 1.5 million of Iraq's 27 million people belonged to the Baath party — formally known as the Baath Arab Socialist Party — when Saddam was ousted. Most said they joined for professional, not ideological, reasons.

Career advancement, university enrollment and specialized medical care depended on party membership. However, those who advanced in the party were expected to spy on fellow Iraqis and to join militias that were accused of helping suppress Shiite and Kurdish revolts after the 1991 Gulf War.

Monday's political concession to the Sunnis was detailed by a government organization that had been charged with removing Saddam loyalists from state institutions. Under a draft law, which the Shiite-dominated parliament must approve, the organization now plans to amend its rules to enable thousands of former Baath party members to win back their jobs.

The amendments developed from a 24-point national reconciliation plan that al-Maliki announced in June shortly after taking office.

"Such a move will be in the interest of Iraq because a Baathist, like any Iraqi citizen, has the right to get back his job," said Ammar Wajih, of the Iraqi Islamic Party, the country's largest Sunni group.

"This decision could move the country toward stability and could be a way to open bridges between the resistance and the Americans," Wajih said, referring to advances the Americans have pursued with insurgent groups in a bid to end the fighting.

Under the former de-Baathification protocols, 10,302 senior party members had been listed for dismissal. The draft law, however, includes the names of just 1,500 Baath party members, said Ali al-Lami, the commission's executive director. Those not reinstated would receive pensions, he told the AP.

The commission was established in January 2004 and has already purged 7,688 party members from government positions.

Many Sunni Arabs claim that that the de-Baathification process was aimed at their sect rather than the Baath party. Until Saddam was ousted, the Sunni minority had ruled Iraq for decades. But al-Lami said more Shiite Baath party members lost their jobs in southern Iraq than Sunnis did in the central heartland.
Print Story: Iraq gov't may reinstate Saddam backers on Yahoo! News

Sounds like a new Ambassador . . .hopefully can smooth the rough road that has popped up as late. This is a good article to show how the Iraqi's as a whole are moving toward getting along as one people

Originally Posted by danny51

I find it curious that our good friend Adster has not shown up during the last 12 hours as he usually does. I certainly hope that he has not become disillusioned with this whole debacle.

Another thought...I find myself calling the Iraqi leadership names such as illiterate and corrupt...but maybe I am at fault by trying to understand the arab mentality from a western point of view. They most certainly do not think as we do and that probably explains why things are not moving along as we expect and desire them to. If the 10K Dinars are distributed in the absence of the rv, and the Iraqi people accept them quietly without staging a full blown RIOT...I believe that I will just lay off of them for awhile and patiently wait for that special email from rolclub to arrive someday.

danny

Glad you've had a change of heart, Danny. The culture is vastly different and that is part of the slow down. True there is a significant level of corruption. Keep in mind the brutality of the Saddam reign of terror for 35 years. We expect an overnight recovery from that??? Get real. This is brand new to them. There's a lot of evil and bad people that are actively trying to derail it. But keep in mind that every single 24 hours that pass is one more day on the books for a freely elected Government. Their power is growing and if we can continue to build up the good vs the evil one day they will win. And that, my friend, is a win for every kind person on Earth.

Tuesday November 7, 2006 12:01 AM

AP Photo BAG103

By BASSEM MROUE

Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A day after Saddam Hussein was sentenced to hang, the Shiite-dominated government offered a major concession Monday to his Sunni backers that could see thousands of members of the ousted dictator's Baath party reinstated in their jobs.

With a tight curfew holding down violence after Saddam's guilty verdict and death sentence, the government reached out to disaffected Sunnis in hopes of enticing them away from the insurgency, which has killed tens of thousands of Iraqis and is responsible for the vast majority of U.S. casualties.

The U.S. military announced the deaths of five more American troops, two in a helicopter crash north of Baghdad and three in fighting west of the capital. The deaths raised to 18 the number of U.S. forces killed in the first six days of November.

Relentless sectarian killings also persisted despite the extraordinary security precautions. Fifty-nine bodies were discovered Sunday and Monday across Iraq, police said. But with no surge in violence, authorities were gradually lifting the restrictions in Baghdad and two restive Sunni provinces: Pedestrians were allowed back on the capital's streets late Monday afternoon, and the international airport was to reopen Tuesday morning.

Around the country, jubilant Shiites celebrated the verdict while Sunnis held defiant counter-demonstrations.

Iraq's appeals court is expected to rule on an appeal by Saddam's lawyers by the middle of January, the chief prosecutor said Monday, setting in motion a possible execution by mid-February. If the ruling is upheld, The Associated Press has learned that Iraq's three-man presidential council is pledged to allow Saddam's hanging to take place. The execution must be carried out within 30 days of the appeals court's decision.

Sunday's verdict and Monday's opening to the Sunnis were seen as a welcome break for the United States, which had recently called for the Iraqi government to stop purging members of Saddam's Baath party from their jobs. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, however, has balked at U.S. requests to set up an amnesty for insurgents.

Al-Maliki has been engaged in a public feud with U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad since last month, when the prime minister disputed the envoy's announcement that he had agreed to a timeline for progress in quelling violence and encouraging Sunnis to join the political process.

On Monday, there were indications Khalilzad was preparing to leave his post.

National Intelligence Director John Negroponte, during a visit to Baghdad on Friday, told al-Maliki that Khalilzad would leave about the first of the year and be replaced by Ryan Crocker, a senior career diplomat who is now ambassador to Pakistan, according to two top aides to the Iraqi leader. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

In Washington, a senior Bush administration official said Khalilzad could leave as soon as the end of this year. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because neither the White House nor Khalilzad had announced any personnel changes.

The United States dissolved and banned the Baath party in May 2003, a month after toppling Saddam. The U.S. later softened its stance, inviting former high-level officers from the disbanded military to join the security forces.

The former top U.S. administrator in Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, also allowed thousands of teachers who were Baathists to return to work. He conceived of the so-called de-Baathification effort but later found it had gutted key ministries and the military with no replacement personnel among the Iraqi work force and educated elite.

About 1.5 million of Iraq's 27 million people belonged to the Baath party - formally known as the Baath Arab Socialist Party - when Saddam was ousted. Most said they joined for professional, not ideological, reasons.

Career advancement, university enrollment and specialized medical care depended on party membership. However, those who advanced in the party were expected to spy on fellow Iraqis and to join militias that were accused of helping suppress Shiite and Kurdish revolts after the 1991 Gulf War.

Monday's political concession to the Sunnis was detailed by a government organization that had been charged with removing Saddam loyalists from state institutions. Under a draft law, which the Shiite-dominated parliament must approve, the organization now plans to amend its rules to enable thousands of former Baath party members to win back their jobs.

The amendments developed from a 24-point national reconciliation plan that al-Maliki announced in June shortly after taking office.

``Such a move will be in the interest of Iraq because a Baathist, like any Iraqi citizen, has the right to get back his job,'' said Ammar Wajih, of the Iraqi Islamic Party, the country's largest Sunni group.

``This decision could move the country toward stability and could be a way to open bridges between the resistance and the Americans,'' Wajih said, referring to advances the Americans have pursued with insurgent groups in a bid to end the fighting.

Under the former de-Baathification protocols, 10,302 senior party members had been listed for dismissal. The draft law, however, includes the names of just 1,500 Baath party members, said Ali al-Lami, the commission's executive director. Those not reinstated would receive pensions, he told the AP.

The commission was established in January 2004 and has already purged 7,688 party members from government positions.

Many Sunni Arabs claim that that the de-Baathification process was aimed at their sect rather than the Baath party. Until Saddam was ousted, the Sunni minority had ruled Iraq for decades. But al-Lami said more Shiite Baath party members lost their jobs in southern Iraq than Sunnis did in the central heartland.

Newsbreak: Draft law would reinstate the jobs of members of Saddam's party
The Associated Press
Published: November 6, 2006
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BAGHDAD, Iraq: A day after Saddam Hussein was sentenced to hang, the Shiite-dominated government offered a major concession to his Sunni backers that could see thousands of members of the ousted dictator's Baath party reinstated in their jobs.

With a tight curfew holding down violence after Saddam's guilty verdict and death sentence, the government on Monday reached out to disaffected Sunnis in hopes of enticing them away from the insurgency, which has killed tens of thousands of Iraqis and is responsible for the vast majority of U.S. casualties.

The U.S. military announced the deaths of five more American troops, two in a helicopter crash north of Baghdad and three in fighting west of the capital. The deaths raised to 18 the number of U.S. forces killed in the first six days of November.

Relentless sectarian killings also persisted despite the extraordinary security precautions. Fifty-nine bodies were discovered Sunday and Monday across Iraq, police said. But with no surge in violence, authorities were gradually lifting the restrictions in Baghdad and two restive Sunni provinces: Pedestrians were allowed back on the capital's streets late Monday afternoon, and the international airport was to reopen Tuesday morning.
Today in Africa & Middle East
Judging Saddam: Was it fair?
Hamas and Fatah reported close to deal on unity rule
Iraq gets poor marks in corruption survey

Around the country, jubilant Shiites celebrated the verdict while Sunnis held defiant counter-demonstrations.

Iraq's appeals court is expected to rule on an appeal by Saddam's lawyers by the middle of January, the chief prosecutor said Monday, setting in motion a possible execution by mid-February. If the ruling is upheld, The Associated Press has learned that Iraq's three-man presidential council is pledged to allow Saddam's hanging to take place. The execution must be carried out within 30 days of the appeals court's decision.

Sunday's verdict and Monday's opening to the Sunnis were seen as a welcome break for the United States, which had recently called for the Iraqi government to stop purging members of Saddam's Baath party from their jobs. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, however, has balked at U.S. requests to set up an amnesty for insurgents.

Al-Maliki has been engaged in a public feud with U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad since last month, when the prime minister disputed the envoy's announcement that he had agreed to a timeline for progress in quelling violence and encouraging Sunnis to join the political process.

On Monday, there were indications Khalilzad was preparing to leave his post.

National Intelligence Director John Negroponte, during a visit to Baghdad on Friday, told al-Maliki that Khalilzad would leave about the first of the year and be replaced by Ryan Crocker, a senior career diplomat who is now ambassador to Pakistan, according to two top aides to the Iraqi leader. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

In Washington, a senior Bush administration official said Khalilzad could leave as soon as the end of this year. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because neither the White House nor Khalilzad had announced any personnel changes.

The United States dissolved and banned the Baath party in May 2003, a month after toppling Saddam. The U.S. later softened its stance, inviting former high-level officers from the disbanded military to join the security forces.

The former top U.S. administrator in Iraq, L. Paul Bremer, also allowed thousands of teachers who were Baathists to return to work. He conceived of the so-called de-Baathification effort but later found it had gutted key ministries and the military with no replacement personnel among the Iraqi work force and educated elite.

About 1.5 million of Iraq's 27 million people belonged to the Baath party — formally known as the Baath Arab Socialist Party — when Saddam was ousted. Most said they joined for professional, not ideological, reasons.

Career advancement, university enrollment and specialized medical care depended on party membership. However, those who advanced in the party were expected to spy on fellow Iraqis and to join militias that were accused of helping suppress Shiite and Kurdish revolts after the 1991 Gulf War.

Monday's political concession to the Sunnis was detailed by a government organization that had been charged with removing Saddam loyalists from state institutions. Under a draft law, which the Shiite-dominated parliament must approve, the organization now plans to amend its rules to enable thousands of former Baath party members to win back their jobs.
(Page 2 of 2)

The amendments developed from a 24-point national reconciliation plan that al-Maliki announced in June shortly after taking office.

"Such a move will be in the interest of Iraq because a Baathist, like any Iraqi citizen, has the right to get back his job," said Ammar Wajih, of the Iraqi Islamic Party, the country's largest Sunni group.

"This decision could move the country toward stability and could be a way to open bridges between the resistance and the Americans," Wajih said, referring to advances the Americans have pursued with insurgent groups in a bid to end the fighting.

Under the former de-Baathification protocols, 10,302 senior party members had been listed for dismissal. The draft law, however, includes the names of just 1,500 Baath party members, said Ali al-Lami, the commission's executive director. Those not reinstated would receive pensions, he told the AP.
Today in Africa & Middle East
Judging Saddam: Was it fair?
Hamas and Fatah reported close to deal on unity rule
Iraq gets poor marks in corruption survey

The commission was established in January 2004 and has already purged 7,688 party members from government positions.

Many Sunni Arabs claim that that the de-Baathification process was aimed at their sect rather than the Baath party. Until Saddam was ousted, the Sunni minority had ruled Iraq for decades. But al-Lami said more Shiite Baath party members lost their jobs in southern Iraq than Sunnis did in the central heartland.

Originally Posted by mike brown

i wonder if this would hold true with a large transaction? ie: in millions usd, ill take 5,000
one-hundred dollar bills, , 10,000 fifty dollar bills, 5,000 twenty dollar bills, etc....
p.s. i didnt add the amounts so dont correct me

I had told them that I was planning on depositing the funds into a new account with them when it revalued. They know how much I have purchased and told me that I would be credited the day I exchanged the dinar to USD and that it will not have to be sent to be verified first. I didn't ask about getting cash. But once it has been credited to my account and since it will be available immediately, there is no reason that I couldn't get as much cash as possible. Unless of course it's amount that would have to ordered. Banks don't keep that much cash on hand if you want to cash millions, lol. I told them I will call before I come in so that they have time to get the champaigne chilled for when my husband and I get there.

So Alsabaah just doesn't update anymore? Thats weird.

Look interesting, also good read.
CompuPrint to Change Corporate Name to Terra Energy & Resource Technologies, Inc. Company to Reincorporate in Delaware and Apply for New Ticker Symbol

NEW YORK, Nov 06, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- CompuPrint, Inc. (OTCBB: CPPT), an
energy and natural resource exploration technology company that conducts its
exploration service operations through its wholly owned subsidiary, Terra
Insight Corporation ("TIC"), announced today that, at its November 3, 2006
shareholders' meeting, its shareholders approved actions to reincorporate the
company in Delaware and to change its corporate name to Terra Energy & Resource
Technologies, Inc. The Company anticipates that its reincorporation, name
change, and a new ticker symbol will be effective shortly.

"Changing our name and ticker symbol will more closely identify our Company with the exploration services we deliver, and is consistent with the public relations campaign we have commenced. We recently announced three contracts from three important companies operating on three different continents. It is our goal to improve familiarity and to achieve industry and public recognition for our STeP(R) process, through media interviews, published articles and appearances at conferences," said Roman Rozenberg, CompuPrint's Chief Executive Officer. "Publicizing our STeP technology should open opportunities to work with additional major exploration companies in the near future."

About CompuPrint, Inc.

CompuPrint, Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, Terra Insight Corporation, provides analysis for exploration for oil and gas as well as other minerals subsurface. The Company primarily uses proprietary satellite-based STeP (Sub-Terrain Prospecting) technology, which facilitates the prediction and location of commercially viable deposits of hydrocarbons, gold, diamonds, and other natural resources. The Company interprets and quantifies satellite and geologic data to determine locations and depths of natural resource deposits, and assess them for any given geographic area - on or off shore. The Company, through its subsidiaries and affiliates holds (1) six licenses totaling more than one million acres off-shore Namibia for diamond exploration, (2) a participation interest in a diamond prospect in the Congo of more than one thousand square kilometers, (3) a working interest in a one million acre Kurdistan oil prospect, (4) leases for oil and gas parcels totaling more than 16,000 acres of land in the Rail Road Valley and White River Valley areas of Nevada and (5) oil and gas leases in East and South Texas. For more information visit Terra Insight.

This press release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. There are many factors that could cause the Company's expectations and beliefs about its plans to acquire additional exploration properties, plans to drill or drilling results to fail to materialize, inclusive but not limited to competition for new acquisitions; availability of capital; unfavorable geologic conditions; prevailing prices for oil, natural gas and other natural resources; and general regional economic conditions.

has there been any speculation or tips of a reval on the 7th or 8th? i know they said they was going to hand out the ration cards (10,000 dinar to each citizen, hopefully they don't hand this out without the r/v sure we want it but these people deserve a break, a glimmer of hope for a fresh start!

Originally Posted by MunnyBaggs

Danny for the most part I agree. This $7 is one of the biggest jokes in any political move I've ever seen. It truely makes no sense at all. This kind of "handout" is more likely to enrage the average Iraqi. They know how much wealth their country has. It has to be bumped up. But let's please have a little compassion towards their leadership. Believe it or not most of them are well educated. Most of them are GOOD people who are risking their very lives (and family) to try to lead a shattered nation into a future glory. Namecalling will not get it done, son. Compassion, my friend combined with understanding will be of more use. Don't let the few bad apples sway your view of these people, Danny.

Oh please, a few bad apples?? How many showed up for the meeting last week? I think it was less than 1/4 of them, that is a joke. I sure wish I could just not show up for work & have people say no problem.

great read
Iraqi Leader Disparages US Media Coverage
Dawn Rizzoni
Correspondent

(CNSNews.com) - U.S. media coverage of Iraq was so gloomy that during a recent visit to the U.S. the prime minister of Iraqi Kurdistan wondered whether the situation had deteriorated to such a degree during his absence that he should stay away.

"CNN International and [Arabic television network] al-Jazeera are equally bad in their coverage of the situation in Iraq," Kurdistan Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani was quoted as telling a visiting group of Americans on Monday.

"When I was in the United States recently and read the negative news in the Washington Post, New York Times and in the network TV broadcasts, I even wondered if things had gotten so bad since I had left that I shouldn't return," he said.


Barzani was speaking during a meeting with a group of Americans who have lost sons during the conflict in Iraq. The group is in the country, according to the trip organizers, to learn for themselves what their loved ones died for.

The Americans also met with Iraqi Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani.

"The emotional meeting lasted for an hour as the families and Barzani exchanged stories of loss at the hands of Saddam Hussein's violent regime," reported Joe Wierzbicki, spokesman for Move America Forward (MAF), the group that organized the visit.

Earlier Monday, the delegation met with U.S. troops stationed in northern Iraq and presented them with a "God Bless Our Troops" banner that had been signed by several hundred Americans at rallies around the nation.

Wierzbicki told Cybercast News Service that the visit had been supported solely by funds from contributors. The delegation, comprising seven family members as well as MAF representatives, arrived in Irbil on Saturday for a 10-day stay.

The trip, which organizers call "historic," has been in the planning stages for over a year and has been kept strictly secret until now.

"For more than one year, we have worked with these Gold Star families to put this trip together," said Wierzbicki.

"These families have suffered an awful loss, and yet, they've redoubled their efforts to supporting our troops and the missions they are serving in," he added. "Now they want to bring their message to the American people, and we are doing all we can to make sure this message is heard from coast to coast."

U.S.-led forces invaded Iraq in March 2003 to overthrow the regime of Saddam Hussein. An Iraqi court Sunday found the former leader guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced him to death.

Wierzbicki said the families regarded the Saddam verdict as "especially heartening since their children gave their lives to free the people of Iraq and bring an end to Iraq's dubious role as a state sponsor of terrorism under Hussein's brutal rule."

On Monday, the group released comments made by delegation members.

"Justice has been served, and we are now celebrating together with the people of Iraq," said Joseph Williams, whose son, Michael, was killed near Nasiriyah in March 2003.

Another parent, Mike Anderson, said the verdict provided additional justification for the war on terrorism.

"We are doing the right thing in Iraq, and many of the people in Iraq are trying to do the right thing in building a future free of violence and terrorism," said Anderson, whose son, Michael Jr., died in Anbar province in December 2004.

Debra Argel Bastian, whose son Derek Argel died in Iraq's eastern Diyala province in May 2005, agreed.

"I am so happy to see that justice has prevailed over terrorism and bloodshed," she said. "I am so proud of the men and women of the United States military who have made this moment possible. And I honor the sacrifice my son gave to serve his country in the war against terrorism."

'Spitting mad'

Argel also commented on Sen. John Kerry's controversial "stuck in Iraq" comments last week.

"I am spitting mad at John Kerry for insulting our troops," she said. "Duck and run was [Kerry's] specialty in Vietnam."

Joe and Jan Johnson, who lost their son, Justin, in Baghdad in April 2004, had similar feelings about the Massachusetts Democrat's remark.

"These were grown men we are talking about," the couple said in a statement. "Contrary to Kerry's belief, they made an 'educated' decision to join the military, most of them after 9/11, so they knew the possibilities of going to war were pretty good, and they chose to serve anyway."

Kerry last week triggered a storm when he said during a California campaign event: "Education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, and you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

As Cybercast News Servicea href="http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200611/POL20061101d.html" reported recently, the Johnsons claim in a newly released book that Kerry tried to recruit them at their son's funeral to speak out against President Bush and the war in Iraq.

Instead, the family, whose son was good friends with Casey Sheehan, son of anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan, said they support the president and the war.

"I want to be able to tell the troops that there are Americans who still believe we are doing the right thing by being here," Joe Johnson said.

A key reason for the visit is to enable the delegation visiting Iraq to see the progress the U.S. has made there since the war began.

"The American people are shown a skewed picture of the situation in Iraq day after day by the international news media," said MAF Chairwoman Melanie Morgan.

"We felt it was time to allow the families of U.S. troops who died in Iraq to come see the progress being made in Iraq and report it back to the American people," Morgan noted.

"I will tell anybody who will listen the good that we have done and are currently doing," Anderson said. "We cannot find security by turning a blind eye or thinking that 'if we leave them alone, they'll leave us alone.' That's utterly ridiculous."

Todd Bastian, Derek Argel's stepfather, said the delegation had been "welcomed with open arms" when they arrived in Irbil province. "There appear to be a very grateful people here for our presence," he said.

Irbil is one of the safer areas in Iraq - something MAF says that the media fail to show. "Most provinces in Iraq are without the violence that is shown each day by the international news media," the group said in a statement, "but for some reason only the most negative developments from Iraq are regularly reported."

Live updates and photos of the trip, as well as biographies of delegation members, can be found at the MAF website.