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

Iraqi PM Offers Olive Branch to Insurgents
By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA , 06.25.2006, 07:52 AM

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Sunday offered an olive branch to insurgents who join in rebuilding Iraq and said lawmakers should set a timeline for the Iraqi military and police to take control of security throughout the country.

The prime minister made no mention of any timetable for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces in a 24-point national reconciliation plan he presented to parliament.

The plan would include an amnesty for insurgents and opposition figures who have not been involved in terrorist activities. Al-Maliki stressed that insurgent killers would not escape justice.

"The launch of this national reconciliation initiative should not be read as a reward for the killers and criminals or acceptance of their actions," he said. "There can be no agreement with them unless they face the justice."

The Iraqi leader, who has been in power just over a month, said he was realistic about the difficult road that lay ahead.

"We realize that there is a legion of those who have tread the path of evil (who) ... will continue with their criminal acts," he said.

But he held out an offer of peace to those who renounce violence, while threatening retribution and punishment to those who do not.

"To those who want to rebuild our country, we present an olive branch ... And to those who insist on killing and terrorism, we present a fist with the power of law to protect our country and people," he told lawmakers, who applauded his speech.

The plan won the endorsement of the senior Sunni political figure in parliament.

"In the name of Iraqi Accordance Front, I support and agree with this initiative and call upon all Iraqis to support it because it will be the first step toward security, stability and the building new Iraq," said Adnan al-Dulaimi, the leader of Accordance Front, which represents the three key Sunni political parties in parliament.

The Iraqi parliament was to debate the plan, which is believed to face considerable opposition among hard-liners on both sides of the Sunni-Shiite divide.

In southern Iraq, the first of Japan's force of 600 soldiers started withdrawing from the country, crossing the border into Kuwait, according to Associated Press reporters and the Japanese Defense Agency

The Japanese withdrawal began with the departure of about 15 vehicles transporting trucks, bulldozers and equipment from the provincial capital of Samawah early Sunday morning for the 210-mile journey south to Kuwait. Japanese troops were conducting a humanitarian and reconstruction mission.

Al-Maliki's reconciliation plan said there should be a timeline established for Iraqi forces to take over all security duties in the country. It included no specifics on the withdrawal of American and British forces, a Shiite lawmaker told The Associated Press.

Al-Maliki said the general amnesty would exclude "those who committed crimes against the Iraqi people."

The most controversial section of the amnesty plan was left ambiguous. Initially it was said to have excluded only those who had killed Iraqi people. But in parliament Sunday, al-Maliki spoke of refusing amnesty to those who had committed terrorist acts, apparently including attacks on American military personnel.

The plan also seeks compensation for former detainees "and those who were killed by Iraqi and American forces." Time spent in prison would be considered as part of a former detainee's mandatory military service.

An early draft of the plan also called for a general pardon for thousands of prisoners who are determined not to have committed "crimes and clear terrorist actions."

Hundreds of prisoners have been pardoned and release in recent months in what is seen as a bid by the Shiite-dominated government to appease Sunni Arab anger over allegations of random detentions and maltreatment.

The proposal also would set rules of engagement for military offensives, requiring military leaders to take into consideration and special conditions that might indicate an attack is not warranted.

That was seen as a bid to alleviate Sunni anger over the alleged killing of innocent civilians and bystanders by U.S. and Iraqi forces.

The reconciliation plan also would call for a reconsideration of policies against supporters of former President Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath party.

The plan said a dialogue should be opened with all organizations willing to participate in the political process "except al-Qaida" and hard-line supporters of Saddam.

Shortly after taking office May 20, al-Maliki vowed to take over security responsibilities from American and other foreign troops in all of Iraq's 18 provinces within 18 months.

He already has announced plans to take over security from coalition forces in the southern province of Muthanna next month and Japan ordered the withdrawal of its 600 ground troops home from the area.

The New York Times reported that U.S. Gen. George W. Casey Jr. has drafted a plan that projects sharp reductions in the United States military presence in Iraq, with the number of American combat brigades projected to decrease to 5 or 6 from the current level of 14 by the end of 2007.

The first reductions would involve two combat brigades that would rotate out of Iraq in September without being replaced, according to the plan Combat brigades, which generally have about 3,500 troops, do not make up the bulk of the 127,000-member American force in Iraq.

The report cited officials describing a classified briefing at the Pentagon this week by Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq.

Military officials in Iraq, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition on anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the information, said there were plans to start the withdrawal by pulling out two brigades in late summer or early fall. Those troops could include forces currently based in the west of Baghdad and in Salaheddin province to the north of the capital.

The administration has repeatedly said that U.S. troops will stay in Iraq until Iraqi security forces can defend the country against a lethal insurgency that rose up after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein.

Casey said earlier this week that he expected reductions in U.S. forces this year but did not agree with congressional efforts to put a timetable on the effort.

hey mike whats the word? anything happening with your contacts? did they just say it was a done deal and clam up? or is there something else holding it up?

National reconciliation plan to launch program to rebuild Iraq --
POL-IRAQ-US-SUPPORT
National reconciliation plan to launch program to rebuild Iraq --

Khalilzad BAGHDAD, June 25 (KUNA) -- US ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad said Sunday that agreeing to the national reconciliation plan will allow Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki to launch a major economic program to rebuild Iraq.

Khalilzad told the press at the Multi-National Force (MNF) headquarters here that it is time that this nation unites under one banner and added that the reconciliation plan by Al-Maliki is an important step towards that.

He assured the Iraqi government that the US will back his plan and said "we will work on supporting Iraq until it stands up on its feet".

The Iraqi PM will announce a major international economic project to rebuild Iraq after reaching an agreement on the reconciliation plan.

"I urge all Iraqi leaders to move forward in executing the planthe factions leaders must prove their leadership to their people by insisting on ending the violence" The official said that the Iraqi PM will open the chance for Iraq militant groups to participate in the plan.

He urged some the countries neighboring Iraq to stop interfering with the country's security by aiding insurgents "We advise these countries to reconsider this policy" He concluded that by saying that it is time for Iraqis to resolve their differences through the political discussions and not violence. (end) mhg.

http://www.kuna.net.kw/home/Story.as...en&DSNO=880270

Iraqi Army Taking Control

By Mark Wojciechowski
Sunday, June 25, 2006
BAQUBAH, Iraq (June, 2006) — Sending the Iraqi army forth to take care of security operations is the key to the safety of the Iraqi people and the ground work for the establishment of a free government.
Iraqi army Soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division are independently conducting operations in their area of Diyala Province. They are performing tasks such as gathering their own intelligence, to patrolling their streets and hunting suspected anti-Iraqi forces.
Maj. Jeff Arrington of the Military Training and Transition Team of the Multi-National Corp Iraq, a Richmond, Va., native, said, "This operation is the responsibility of the Iraqi army to run from start to finish."
The brigade-sized operation was conducted throughout the village of Tahrir and yielded a handful of suspected insurgents who were detained for questioning.
"We just wait here until they return from their target areas with the detainees," said Staff Sgt. Rodney Horner of the Multi-National Corp Iraq Military Training Team.
"They have been conducting operations on their own in this area under their young charismatic brigade commanderGen. Saman Al Talabani," said Arrington.
"Talabani refers to himself as a modern general."
"Under the old regime, a general would not ask someone for their advice on how to do something," said Arrington. "Talabani inquires how to do things better."
"The Military Training and Transition Team’s job during this operation is to stand back in the assembly area and wait on the Iraqi army soldiers to conduct their operation," said Horner. "We are just here to supervise."
"They are coming along pretty good in this area," said Horner. "We are to the point now where we are just monitoring and advising in the operations."
As the fledgling Iraqi government develops, the Iraqi army Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division are doing their part to secure this area of Diyala Province and make it safe for the people of Iraq.

(Staff Sgt. Mark Wojciechowski is a military journalist serving with the Tennessee Army National Guards 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Department in Iraq. Sgt. Wojciechowski, who hails from Chicago, has a Bachelor of Science in journalism from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.)

http://www.gulfnews.com/business/Inv.../10049513.html

Published: 06/26/2006 12:00 AM (UAE)



Private sector fears Iraq investment law
By Basil Adas, Correspondent



Baghdad: The new investment law, expected to be issued in Iraq soon, has led to differences of opinion in economic and political quarters. It is feared that the law will interfere with the country's sovereignty and harm the private sector, which is unable to hold its own against foreign competitors.

The law will be discussed in the Iraqi parliament during the next two months, and is expected to be approved by the end of the year.
The new law includes allowing non-Iraqi investors to have 100 per cent ownership of companies, untaxed profit transfers and 40-year rent leases. The only area exempted is the natural resource sector, which includes oil and energy.

Some political circles in Baghdad are trying their best to amend the draft law to give investors a 49 per cent ownership margin, instead of 100 per cent.

The draft, that was prepared on September 19, 2003, when Paul Bremer was the US civilian governor of Iraq, was and still is the subject of controversy. Rida Blaibel, President of the Iraqi Businessmen Association told Gulf News the private sector in Iraq will be seriously threatened if the law comes into effect.

Ill-equipped

He added that the Iraqi private sector was not equipped to face the big changes in legislation that permit foreign investments in the country.

Nussayif Jasem Al Juboury, Administration and Economy professor in the University of Baghdad, said every new law in Iraq should be regarded as an attempt to develop or amend the Iraqi economy which has suffered several setbacks resulting in the slowing down of different economic sectors. This was due to the absence of competition, as well as large and vital projects.

As a result of the econ-omic problems facing the Iraqi government, such as an increase in unemployment and shortages of internal funding for large and necessary building schemes, political circles expect the new law to be passed. This will be able to make available large funds, badly needed by the beleagauered Iraqi economy.

Mohammad Hussain, vice-president of the Iraqi Investment Bank's board of directors, told Gulf News: "The transformation from a socialist economy to a free economy implies new investment laws, and not to fear Arab and foreign partners."

--------
But if this is true...and the investment law is necessary before a RV, then we'll have to wait months for a reval!
I want it to be YESTERDAY!!!
K

Originally Posted by karinc

But if this is true...and the investment law is necessary before a RV, then we'll have to wait months for a reval!

I have always felt that this was actually reversed. I can easily see how the reval is a prerequisite for both the approval of the foreign investment law and for the opening of the ISX to foreign investors. Otherwise the country would be sold for a song. But I could never see why either of those two were needed before the reval could happen. Maybe I am missing something.

I sure hope this game is about over. The Iraqi's need a reval just to survive. It's time for the governments to step up to the plate and make this happen. Mike, Adster, what are you hearing? It's starting to sound like the waiting game, and I'm personally tired of waiting. Cigarman

Originally Posted by cigarman

I sure hope this game is about over. The Iraqi's need a reval just to survive. It's time for the governments to step up to the plate and make this happen. Mike, Adster, what are you hearing? It's starting to sound like the waiting game, and I'm personally tired of waiting. Cigarman

Be calm cigarman,

You know as well as most, when you have patients and are not even thinking about it ...........BBBAAAMMMMM. It happens.

It will happen, when???????????. But it will.

Cigarman my friend, It is getting crazy out there. Do not let it get to you. We are in this together and we will get through this. I am as anxious as you for this to happen. My husband and I were out on our deck making plans and dreaming of what might be. But it IT WILL BE! It is not if, but when!

Maybe I need to buy some more Dinar. That sure did make me happy.LOL