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

WASHINGTON - President Bush, about to wrap up an intense effort to arrive at a new course for Iraq, now is likely to lay out his plan to the nation early next year instead of before Christmas, a senior White House official said Tuesday.

The possible new timing is not a reflection of a last-minute shift by the White House, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision was not final. Instead, the official said the president knows the direction he is likely to take his Iraq strategy and has directed his team to address the many the practical ramifications, such as for military tactics and regional diplomacy.

That work is complicated and not finished, the official said. He dismissed any suggestions that this reflects trouble arriving at decisions, or making them work.

The announcement out of the White House came after Bush conferred via videoconference with senior military commanders in Iraq, outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and his replacement Robert Gates; the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Peter Pace; and Gen. John Abizaid, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East. Participating from Iraq was Gen. George Casey, the chief U.S. commander in Iraq. Earlier Bush and Gates had breakfast.

Later in the day, the president was to meet in the Oval Office with Iraq's Sunni vice president, Tariq al-Hashemi.

Al-Hashemi said he would tell Bush of his "dismay" over the Shiite-led Iraqi government's handling of security. He accused the government of not doing enough to deal with militia attacks and said he was especially concerned about Baghdad, where Sunni-Shiite violence has flared in several neighborhoods in recent days.

"Slow and inadequate action is a problem that we have been facing with this government since it was formed," al-Hashemi said Monday in an interview with Baghdad TV, the mouthpiece of his Iraqi Islamic Party.

On Monday, Bush went to the State Department for a 90-minute meeting to review options with advisers there, then hosted a handful of experts on Iraq policy in the Oval Office. And on Wednesday, Bush will meet with senior defense officials at the Pentagon. Dana Perino, a Bush spokeswoman, said that would conclude the president's listening tour on Iraq.

"I think it's fair to say that over the next few days, after he finishes these last few meetings, that that's when these things start to finalize and crystalize into a strategy," she said.

Two retired Army generals who met with Bush on Monday said the president was very animated, asking many questions that suggested he was open to change.

"I found him very engaged. I think he's looking for some answers, and the impression I had was there will be some changes," said retired Gen. Wayne Downing in an interview on Tuesday with NBC's "Today" show. "I think you're going to see some new things come out."

Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey said the president was "very sober-minded" and listened "intently to different views," including a difference of opinion among the former generals over the Iraq Study Group recommendation that most combat troops could be withdrawn from Iraq by the first quarter of 2008.

The president, however, has not changed his public tone about the stakes involved in the war, the importance of victory or his definition of success _ sounding much as he did in the weeks before the November elections, in which unhappiness with Iraq was a big factor in the Republicans' loss of Congress.

While a bipartisan commission last week described the situation in Iraq as "grave and deteriorating," Bush spoke in positive terms. He said his goal was to succeed in Iraq. "And success is a country that governs, defends itself, that is a free society, that serves as an ally in this war on terror."

Bush said Iraq was a key part of his strategy for "defeating the extremists who want to establish safe haven in the Middle East, extremists who would use their safe haven from which to attack the United States."

The president said his aim was to coordinate advice from his diplomatic and military advisers "so that when I do speak to the American people, they will know that I've listened to all aspects of government."

The administration has rejected calls for U.S. troop withdrawals until Iraq can govern and defend itself.

In an apparent reference to Syria and Iran, Bush said Iraq's neighbors have a responsibility "to help this young Iraqi democracy survive." The bipartisan commission, headed by former Secretary of State James A. Baker III and former Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., urged that the United States engage Syria and Iran but Bush has appeared cool to that idea.

Tletm 250 political figure

Baghdad-Sabah

Announced today the names of the entities invited to participate in the national forces and parties, which will be held next Saturday in Baghdad, with the participation of more than 250 parties and figures representing various political forces.
He said member of the Supreme Committee of the national dialogue Farouq Abdullah told yesterday (morning) : The announcement of the parties invited to participate in the Conference will be today, Tuesday, after an extensive meeting of the Political Committee and the Higher Committee. Abdullah Al participation of a large number of political forces inside and outside the government as well as other forces, pointing out that there are constants to participate in the Conference to be political entity against the principle of one-party dictatorship, and accept the concept of pluralism, democracy and condemning the violence and terrorist attacks that caused havoc in the country. A source close to the government that the national forces will witness the participation of more than (250) figures representing a large number of entities, parties and political forces, stressing the participation of opposition figures of the political process and senior officers of the former Iraqi army.
For his part, President Accord Front Dr. Adnan Al-Dulaimi : The Accord Front hopes to make the political forces to stop the violence in the country. He added that the political blocs to agree among themselves to stop the ongoing bloodshed in Iraq through to make sound decisions and correct and that the first implementation of the decision of the Conference of the decisions not to be a dead letter. He pointed out that Al-Dulaimi Accord Front will laborers will have an effective impact in reducing violence in the country, that there is a real balance in each of the Ministries of Defense and Interior and the security agencies and ministries of the State as well as other campaigns to stop the displacement of citizens.

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Cheers!
DayDream

Originally Posted by Pooh Bear

That is an interesting angle, and I too have seen these comments made on other sites. My thoughts on the matter...If politics really has anything to do with a possible RV, Maliki might take an example from US politicians and ensure his legacy with a RV before he is removed/steps down from office.

Of course, as has been readily discussed at length, economic controls on any increase in the dinar my override any political aspiration one might have in influencing the increase in the dinar value.

keep in mind whos rumor it is, our infamous laxative salesman.

Iraq: GDID grants 153 licenses to establish industrial projects


The General Directorate of the Industrial Development GDID at the Ministry of Industry and Minerals has granted more than 153 establishing licenses for the industry projects varied among food, textile, wooden, sheet, chemical, plastic, construction, minerals, remittance industries over last Nov.

In a press statement , an official source at the ministry said that the total cost of these projects has reached to more than ID28 billions and 600 millions, referring that food stuffs has occupied the 1st rank in the number of the granting licenses.
Source: Al Sabaah

Kurdistan: KRG PM back in Baghdad after a round of fruitless talks


According to previous agreements between the KRG and central government, 17 percent of Iraq's national budget should go to Kurdistan.

Kurdistan regional Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani headed to Baghdad last Saturday; to resume talks with Iraqi officials on the divisive issues of oil, budget, Kirkuk and relations between Erbil and Baghdad, as the first round of the talks last month yielded no results.
Last week Barzani returned to Erbil, after ten days of talks with central authorities over those suspended issues.

In a news conference in Erbil on Dec. 7, Barzani told reporters that "we have reached no agreements with Baghdad government."

"We need more time to resolve these issues."

Barzani warned that if "we don't reach a deal with Baghdad, we would take other measures, for example, through the Kurdistan Alliance List in the Iraqi Parliament."

He added that the Central Government owes US$485 million to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which it has yet to hand over to the region's treasury. This is part of the KRG's 2006 budget.

According to previous agreements between the KRG and central government, 17 percent of Iraq's national budget should go to Kurdistan.

But, Barzani said that "they wanted to give us only 13 percent of the budget, which we didn't accept and insisted that 17 percent of Iraq's budget next year has to be allocated to Kurdistan."

They wanted to give us only 13 percent of the budget, which we didn't accept and insisted that 17 percent of Iraq's budget next year has to be allocated to Kurdistan, said Barzani.

Iraq's constitution states that the national budget shall be distributed among regions and governorates according to their population size. But lack of a recently accurate population census, has led to differences between Baghdad and Erbil.

The Kurdish government is also at odds with the central government over the control of oil resources in the region. The KRG has made several oil deals with foreign firms to drill for oil in Kurdistan. However, Iraq's Shiite Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahrestani had threatened that his Ministry does not recognize KRG's oil contracts.

Source: The Kurdish Globe




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Posted on Tuesday, December 12 @ 07:53:07 PST by admin

Iraq oil wealth distribution planned

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12 December 2006 (Herald News Daily)
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Iraqi legislation intended to resolve the politically charged question of distributing the country‘s oil wealth is nearing completion, the chairman of a panel drafting the law said Saturday.

The distribution of oil revenues, the mainstay of Iraq ‘s economy, is at the heart of some of Iraq‘s most contentious political issues, including the push by Shiite leaders to allow the oil-rich south of Iraq to set up a self-rule region a similar to a Kurdish one in the north.

He said, however, that key issues still need to be resolved, including "the administration of the oil sector, deals and contracts."

"We demand that the signing of contracts to develop oil fields in Kurdistan should be handled by the Kurdistan region," he said, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

The Iraq Study Group recommended that the U.S. government work with Iraqis to come up with a clear, legal framework for oil investment. It also suggested that the U.S. military work with Iraqi and private security forces to protect oil facilities.

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will meet with the Ambassador of the European Union to Iraq and the Special Committee Pal

Justice / Abdul Karim Hashmi urges Dr. Muhammad Al-Hajj Hamoud, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for Legal Affairs and multilateral relations, during his meeting Mr. Ilkka Ositalo,

Representative of the European Union in Iraq launch negotiations of an agreement of cooperation and partnership between the two sides. And Mr. Austialo During the meeting, bypass the meetings of the two sides and the Iraqi Union recently held in the Belgian capital, Brussels, for its part, confirmed the nomination of Mr. agent Coordinator of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the purpose of facilitating the negotiation process and coordination between the Iraqi state and the other. Dr. Hamoud also expressed his appreciation of the positions of the European Union and Iraq's desire to develop relations with him and with the countries that belong to him. And Dr. Muhammad Al-Hajj Hamoud, undersecretary of the ministry of legal affairs and multilateral relations during his meeting Ms. Karen Brunson responsible the economic and Mr. Edward Cloth Vice Consul for Economic Affairs at the American embassy in Baghdad, the issue of the problem of terrorism in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the aircraft and its quest to join the Treaty on Iraq to the fight against terrorism. There was also an exchange of views on the International Covenant reconstruct Iraq and the issue of Iraq's accession to the World Trade Organization and the ongoing consultations between Iraq and the European Union on a partnership agreement and cooperation between the two sides.

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Cheers!
DayDream

Hello somewhere in my mind,i think ive read an article or something that said that IQD will rise significant against dollar 2006? who said that?

Originally Posted by Gloribee

Could anyone working in Iraq PM me if they have time to verify something for me? Theres a reason I ask. May be something, maybe not.

Thanks, Gloribee

Have you found what you were looking for? Can you tell us now or do you need more info? Thanks in advance.

LOts of meetings going on!!



Generals: Bush level-headed in evaluating Iraq policy
Updated 12/12/2006 12:36 PM ET E-mail | Save | Print | Reprints & Permissions | Subscribe to stories like this


U.S. POLICY ON IRAQ

The Iraq Report: Panel blasts policy | Iraqis debate impact | Committee members | Your reactions



Next steps: President gathers ideas | Will Bush take 'tough' advice and action? | Highlights of 79 suggestions | Every option has its dangers



Graphic: The Iraq Report: How other countries can help Iraq



Video: Panel suggests shift | Soldiers react | Gates wins Defense secretary | Bush briefed



Audio: Cesar Soriano with Baghdad reaction | Hamilton: 3 main ideas | Baker: 'Support group' needed | Bush: Report 'will be taken seriously'



Defense Dept.: Senate OKs Gates | Gates: U.S. 'not winning' | Rumsfeld urged changes | Video: Iraq ideas

More





By David Jackson, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — President Bush, whose series of high-level meetings on Iraq includesd a videoconference today with military leaders in Iraq, is "very engaged" and "very sober-minded" in the search for new policy ideas, according to two retired Army generals who met with him on Monday.
"I found him very engaged. I think he's looking for some answers, and the impression I had was there will be some changes," said retired Gen. Wayne Downing in an interview with NBC's Today show. "I think you're going to see some new things come out."

Retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey said the president was "very sober-minded" and listened "intently to different views," including a difference of opinion among the former generals over the Iraq Study Group recommendation that most combat troops could be withdrawn from Iraq by the first quarter of 2008.

Today, Bush conferred via videoconference with senior military commanders in Iraq, outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his replacement Robert Gates; the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Peter Pace; and Gen. John Abizaid, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East.

Participating from Iraq was Gen. George Casey, the chief U.S. commander in Iraq. Earlier Bush and Gates had breakfast.

On Wednesday, he will confer with senior defense officials at the Pentagon