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

Looking for Iraq's oil windfall
12/14/2006


The country, which has one of the largest reserves in the world, could pump 6 million barrels a day or more. But that sure isn't happening now.
By Steve Hargreaves, CNNMoney.com staff writer
December 14 2006: 12:06 PM EST

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Iraqi oil revenue was supposed to cover nearly all the costs of reconstruction.

The county's reserves are on the order of 115 billion barrels and, depending on who does the counting, tied with Iran for the world's second largest behind Saudi Arabia's 264 billion, according to the Energy Information Administration.

In early 2003, proponents of the war in the Bush administration said the entire effort might cost as little as $50 to $60 billion. Iraq was though to be capable of producing 3.5 million barrels of oil a day in short order, with that jumping to 6 million barrels a day or more in a few years' time. At current oil prices, that could have meant over $130 billion a year in oil money.

Now the U.S. will pour over $100 billion this year into the country, torn apart by a bloody three-year war, while oil production remains below pre-war levels. The latest EIA estimate said Iraq was pumping 1.9 million barrels per day.

Obviously, the continuing violence is largely to blame for keeping the country's spigots flowing at a relative trickle.

But uncertainty over who controls what fields is also keeping investors, badly needed to repair the country's aging infrastructure, away.

And massive corruption means a sizeable amount of oil - some estimates have been as high as 500,000 barrels a day - goes straight to the black market.

"The fields are still there," said Manouchehr Takin, an energy analyst at the Center for Global Energy Studies in London, who also added that vast parts of the country are still unexplored. "It's the politics that have degraded."

Ongoing violence
First and foremost, pipelines and refineries have to stop exploding.

The best way to do that, experts say, is to give disaffected Sunnis, responsible for many of the infrastructure attacks, a stake in the oil wealth.

At issue is who has the right to sign oil contracts with foreign companies and how the royalties should be divided.

Currently, royalties on existing oil fields go to the central government while royalties on future oil fields go to the regions. But the issues of contract rights and royalty payments are being debated in the Iraqi parliament.
I would say the HCL is the Talk here.

Supporters of more regional control include the Kurds and some Shiites. Oil-rich northern Iraq is largely Kurdish while oil-rich southern Iraq is largely Shiite.

The Sunnis, who tend to have greater presence in oil-free central areas, want royalties to go to the central government and then be doled out based on population.

"Think of how people behave if someone in the family dies without leaving a will, and you'll see how important it is to get this right," said Amy Myers Jaffe, a fellow in energy studies at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy who worked on the recent Iraq Study Group Report.

The report, also known as the Baker-Hamilton report after its co-chairs James Baker and Lee Hamilton, said all oil revenue should go to the central government.

"No formula that gives control over revenues from future fields to the regions or gives control of oil fields to the regions is compatible with national reconciliation," the report said.

Oil companies, which must make multi-billion dollar investments with decades-long time horizons, would also prefer to sign a contract with the central Iraq government rather that with the leader of some semi-autonomous region, said Steven Simon, a Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

"The (current) environment for investors is utterly uninviting," said Simon.

But Simon gave the current Iraqi parliament only a 20 percent chance of passing something that quelled the violence, provided a stable legal framework and was acceptable to the Shiites and Kurds.

"A one-in-five chance in the current Iraqi environment is pretty optimistic," he said.

An Iraqi government committee working on the issue deadlocked Wednesday.

As for the Iraqis ramping up production on their own, Simon said it wasn't likely.

"If you're an (Iraqi) oil guy and you've got technical skills, you try to get out of there and get a job someplace else," he said.

Deadly corruption
Corruption is the other problem the country must get resolve before Iraq can get serious about rebuilding its oil industry.

Jaffe said that when the Baker-Hamilton report was being prepared, one Iraqi official told her so much fuel disappears from a big refinery near Baghdad that the country would be better off to just close it down.

Jaffe said those skimmed petrol products are then shipped all over the region by a clandestine trucking network that's been in place since the oil-for-food program limited oil sales under Saddam Hussein. Or the products go to fill shortages in Iraq caused by fuel subsidies that don't allow the market to meet demand.

Profits from these black market fuel sales are a main funding source for insurgent and other violent groups inside the country.

The New York Times recently reported that Iraq's insurgents are now economically self-sufficient and even have the means to sponsor terrorist groups outside the country.

To combat corruption, the Baker-Hamilton report recommended installing meters to measure how much oil flows through a pipeline and then paying security guards based on output, not a flat rate.

The report also recommended reducing the fuel subsidies to better allow the market to meet domestic demand, as well as provide training in areas such as procurement and accounting, to make the industry more transparent.


Looking for Iraq's oil windfall - Source

Iraqi Dinar News Article List

Iraqi Dinar News - Looking for Iraq's oil windfall, SafeDinar.com

Originally Posted by frathousemicrowave

Can someone please let Bill know that munny hacked his account?

...still!!!

Office of the Press Secretary
December 16, 2006

President's Radio Address

In Focus: Jobs and Economy



THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Christmas is fast approaching, and I know many of you are busy trying to finish up your holiday shopping. This week, we received good news about the economy that should brighten the season and keep us optimistic about the year ahead.

First, the Commerce Department released figures showing that sales for America's retailers were up in November and that the increase is much larger than expected. These figures are important because for many American businesses November and December are their highest sales months for the year. So the healthy increase in retail sales is a good sign for American employers and workers.

America's working families also received another bit of holiday cheer this week: We learned that real hourly wages rose by 2.3 percent over the past year. That may not sound like a lot, but for the typical family of four with both parents working, it means an extra $1,350 for this year. At the same time, our growing economy continues to create jobs and that has brought unemployment down to just 4.5 percent. These numbers give all Americans a reason to celebrate: More people are working than ever before, and paychecks are going further than they used to.

When you decide how to spend your paycheck, you have to set priorities and live within your means. Congress needs to do the same thing with the money you send to Washington. That was one of the clear messages American voters sent in the mid-term elections. And one of the best ways we can impose more discipline on federal spending is by addressing the problem of earmarks.

Earmarks are spending provisions that are often slipped into bills at the last minute, so they never get debated or discussed. It is not surprising that this often leads to unnecessary federal spending -- such as a swimming pool or a teapot museum tucked into a big spending bill. And over the last decade, the Congressional Research Service reports that the number of earmarks has exploded -- increasing from about 3,000 in 1996 to 13,000 in 2006. I respect Congress's authority over the public purse, but the time has come to reform the earmark process and dramatically reduce the number of earmarks.

Reforming earmarks is the responsibility of both political parties. Over the past year, the Republican Congress succeeded in eliminating virtually all earmarks for three major Cabinet departments. And I'm pleased that Democratic leaders in Congress recently committed themselves to support reforms that would restore transparency and accountability to earmarks. For this year's budget, they pledged to maintain current levels of spending and not include any earmarks. And they agreed to a temporary moratorium on earmarks.

This is a good start, but Congress needs to do much more. My administration will soon lay out a series of reforms that will help make earmarks more transparent, that will hold the members who propose earmarks more accountable, and that will help reduce the number of earmarks inserted into large spending bills.

Republicans and Democrats alike have an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to spending restraint and good government by making earmark reform a top priority for the next Congress. When it comes to spending your money, you expect us to rise above party labels. By working together to cut down on earmarks, we can show the American people that we can be fiscally responsible with their money and that we can come together in Washington to get results.

Thank you for listening.




Latest News

EnglishEnglish : 'Alowi to receive security tasks: 'Alowi to receive security tasks

Baghdad, Dec 16, P3Baghdad, Dec. 16, P3
The Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is seeking to create ministerial changes in the government by the beginning of the New Year to upgrade its work and prevent failures, some Iraqi ministries fall in.The Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is seeking to create ministerial changes in the government by the beginning of the New Year to upgrade its work and prevent failures, some fall in Iraqi ministries.




Meanwhile, some sources close to the government said that changes will happen after the meeting of the political blocs and they are be more than formal. It is expected that Allowi will return to the government formation as a security and intelligence deputy prime minister, while some ministries will be exchanged at the expense of other ministries among blocs, according to Accord List which will demand the changing of the Defense Minister Abdul al-Qadar Mohammed Jassem.Meanwhile, some sources close to the government said that changes will happen after the meeting of the political blocs and they are more than be formal. It is expected that Allowi will return to the government formation as a security and intelligence deputy prime minister, while some ministries will be exchanged at the expense of other ministries among blocs, according to Accord List which will demand the changing of the Defense Minister Abdul al-Qadar Mohammed Jassem.

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اEconomic : Page economic force and broad vision for economic activity in Iraq and the world

Goals occasion morning Researchers praised by the enemy station ideological and cultural mission
Baghdad-Haider spring

Page followed economic newspaper in the morning the first time since its inception error aims to the vigorous pursuit of improving the economic aspect of the Iraqi comprehensive as this side of the impact of important and effective role in upgrading

Life in general and the functioning of building the new democratic experiment, and the follow-up of seminars and conferences, internal and external economic coverage of the news concerning the work of both the ministries of trade, finance or industry or even economic organizations is a testimony to the hard work and continuous follow-up on what is going on from economic mobility aims to raise this fact important and vital role in the reconstruction of Iraq.

It followed an ongoing Maeder views in the minds of economists, in terms of the draft investment law (when it was a draft) to be briefed on the main points of decomposition to analyze before ratification by the House of Representatives as well as to highlight the most important points that came out, which is necessary to attract investors to know by the legislature and activated more.

Developed through extensive reports and articles Iraqi legislator and citizen alike to the main points contained decomposition to be able to address them. And already been done through highlight the paragraph in Articles land titling for domestic and foreign investors as they had offered morning inter MySQL is a summary of the ideas of a group of economists and thus was actually standing on that paragraph important to be modified. In addition to their many of the things that would upgrade the work of a draft investment law to attract investors on top of these things demand for many of the tax cuts where she met with Mr. Director-General of the Public Authority for taxes and another group of economists to talk about the benefits of this procedure in attracting investors has happened already.

The follow-up performance of the government

In addition to Page economic and followed intensively the Iraqi government's efforts to reduce the debt of Iraq as a result of policies of the former regime have highlighted the most prominent tours conducted by Iraqi officials in the Paris Club and the rest of the conference aimed at reducing debt and the most important funeral reached during these meetings and tours ...

In addition to the follow-up (Page) to the rebuilding of Iraq and the donor countries, which failed to contribute to this, as the continuing deployment of meetings with Iraqi officials to identify the most important aspects necessary to give priority to the rehabilitation and construction as well as the deployment of the most important achievements of conferences and symposiums held outside Iraq for the reconstruction of Iraq ... Page economic and able to take on the most prominent Iraqi citizen and the most important economic projects for the advancement of the Iraqi reality of the country's economic reconstruction of Lebanon's infrastructure, the establishment of refineries and reconstruction, as well as drilling wells and the establishment of factories and laboratories and agricultural and economic partnerships and the establishment of modern methods and the establishment of commercial and industrial exhibitions. As for these projects of great value in building a solid economic base depends on the expertise and competence ...
MySQL

Page also able to address some of the economic problems which have had a significant impact on the worsening crisis or high inflation, for example, or the high prices of some essential items in the citizen's life, such as fuel and transport. It handled over the loss of time, the problem is very serious but, the opinion of some specialists is one of the causes of terrorism and the decline of some young people in this dangerous slope. It is the problem of unemployment, which worsened considerably in the last three years until they reached prepared to figures scary now threatens the economic wheel, as well as the security situation as this situation reflects deterioration in the conditions of the Iraqi family in a comprehensive manner. The group met with the finest analysts and economists and investors to know the decision of the Iraqi government to the most important and most treatments to alleviate the unemployment crisis this scourge that threatens all government projects, which some considered at the forefront of the problems that should be offloaded by the government to deal with the risks posed by so might affect the security of the State.

File inflation

In addition to Page economic inflation has opened the file that the other danger, which has become embroiled in the incomes citizen and the daily allowance rates, according to rates had become a frightening one hindrance to economic growth and human.

Where was able to dialogue economic elite other economists to let them know what the most important ways to address this problem, which were just as serious as unemployment. The deal has all the seminars devoted to this purpose, including the establishment of the Iraqi Center for Economic Reform and hosted by the finest economists in the country to put what most can be curbed by this threat to the other is the economic policy that the government intends to set. In addition, it followed consistently monthly inflation rates issued by the Central Bank of Iraq as well as the Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation and publish the inflation, as well as the prices of commodities and other goods and services.

Page economic and through employees and the support of the ongoing liberalization has been able to keep pace with the ongoing work of what was going on Iraq economic held outside of conferences, symposia and exhibitions different economic aims to assist Iraq in its reconstruction, as well as meetings aimed to mobilize the greatest possible States to provide assistance to Iraq. It was attended by workers at page most of those conferences Iguetoha media and to know what was going on most of the economic work for Iraq, has attended conferences Iraq reconstruction conferences as well as various donor nations, as well as the Covenant with Iraq and various exhibitions held to the reconstruction of Iraq and in the various countries.

Economists PRAISE
The role of the morning

Abdullah Albandar economic expert. Said. Every morning. The morning is fine. It is a replaying every day, through the gravity of news, reports and articles and published, even become part of an important issue, especially in the economic sphere, through increased awareness of the economic and alert workers in this area to the important issues. I think it has contributed to the process of economic reform is very high.

With Dr. Majed fictitious expert at the Central Bank of Iraq raises the importance of economic news topics and illuminated workers in this area, and expressed his hope to continue to progress and make further contribution. He said the picture. Page economic and synchronizing all economic events large and small through the arguments and analysis, and I hope to be more in-depth analysis of the economic situation, as all topics vital. For his part, praised Dr. al-Kobaisi Bata expert at the Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation important role played by the Sabah Economic and page through the hot topics dealt with according to him.

He added Al-Kubaisi. Morning attendance at the economic affairs and in particular the challenges facing this aspect is the first offering appropriate solutions to those challenges, particularly in regard to unemployment, corruption, debt and the location of the private sector in the economy.

He wishes of the al-Kobaisi, to keep abreast of the morning news Iraq's neighboring countries, especially in the economic sphere and economics similar to the economy of Iraq until the discrimination between them and the Iraqi economy.

Hilal war researcher and expert in the Ministry of Finance. Emphasized that the wishes of all Iraqi monitor his morning as they perform their duty to the fullest is also to say. He adds : "congratulate all workers accomplished this important, because all it is published topics related to the street and consider issues of the hour.

Kazim Ali Al-Husseini. The assistant general manager of the Economic and Finance Ministry praised all initiatives morning saying that the reason for their durability and famous.

.Husseini said : Sabah contributed to creating what we call general economic culture, and I think they are trying to bring economic concepts to the general understanding, as all topics concerning economic and significantly the lives of citizens and what differentiates the morning it has succeeded in forward between the academic or scientific and practical side.

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اIraq : Diyala police arrested the Iranians tried to enter Iraq via smuggling routes

The explosion of two Iraqis wounded in Mosul, the headquarters of the British forces in Basra are being exposed to attacks

Baghdad-provincial-Sabah

Border Police forces arrested two Diyala Iranian infiltrators from across the border, two Iraqis were injured in an explosion detonated two explosive devices in Mosul, when a bomb exploded in front of the house director of the Nu General Hospital in Wasit to the considerable material damage to the house and the neighboring while exposed headquarters of British forces in Basra to three attacks in light weapons.

A source in Diyala police in a press statement yesterday, Friday, that the strength of the Diyala, in the line of duty two infiltrators arrested two Iranians during the entry into the Iraqi territory via smuggling routes used by smugglers near a border outposts in the town of Mandali.

In Mosul, the explosion detonated two explosive devices yesterday, Friday, injuring two Iraqi policeman and two civilians.

A security source said that the bomb exploded on the first American patrol near the tunnel Health resulted in the injury of one civilian injured, pointing out that it was not possible to know the American losses.

He added that the bomb exploded on the second patrol of the police command in the neighborhood of Nineveh Charter south-east of Mosul that resulted in the injury of one of their periodic slightly injured.

The detonation of an explosive device at the entrance to the home of the Director of the Nu Hospital in Wasit caused material damage to homes and nearby houses without any human casualties.

It was the headquarters of the British forces in Basra to the various attacks morning yesterday, Friday, and the night before.

The spokesman said the media of British forces in a press statement that the headquarters of the British forces in the area Alberadhaih was attacked six mortar shells fell in the vicinity of the headquarters, with the headquarters of forces in the region seeks a missile attack three. The headquarters in the Shatt al-Arab Hotel presented yesterday morning to attack three mortar shells fell in the surrounding area.

The spokesman pointed out that the media attacks have not signed casualties or material damage.

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US plans to deploy 3,500 more troops in Iraq

WASHINGTON: After one of the deadliest months yet for American troops in Iraq, the US military could be preparing for a short-term surge of forces to stabilise the violence.

The 2nd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division is expected in Kuwait shortly after the new year, a senior Defence Department official said. The official requested anonymity because the plans had not yet been announced.

The 2nd Brigade, made up of roughly 3,500 troops, is based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and would be deployed in Iraq early next year if needed, the official said. The move would be part of an effort to boost the number of US troops in Iraq for a short time, the official said. The plan was first reported by CBS News.

Senior administration officials say the option of a major surge in troop strength is gaining ground as part of the administration's strategy review, The New York Times reported on its Web site on Friday night.

Opinion

Military planners and budget analysts have been asked to provide President George W Bush with options for increasing US forces in Iraq by 20,000 or more, the newspaper reported.

In a half-hour video conference with Bush on Friday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki outlined plans for the national reconciliation conference taking place in Baghdad yesterday.

Al Maliki cited the desire of many people in Iraq for a larger core of Iraqi political leaders to come together for the common objective of stabilising the country and promoting the rule of law, National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said describing the conversation.

Al Maliki also talked with Bush about providing greater security, in particular in Baghdad, by going after all sources of violence, including insurgents and militias, Johndroe said

Gulf Daily News

Dec. 17, 2006, 12:48AM
Iraq's leader convenes conference to discuss how to stem violence
But key players on both sides of Sunni-Shiite divide skip the meeting


By MARC SANTORA
New York Times

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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

• Al-Maliki 's ability: Even as the White House contemplates a faster turnover of responsibilities to the Iraqi government, severe doubts remain within and outside the Bush administration over whether Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki can execute the steps necessary to stabilize the country, according to sources familiar with the ongoing policy review, the Washington Post reported.
• Kerry seeking ideas: Sen. John Kerry said meeting with American and British troops in Iraq on Saturday helped clear his thoughts about what needs to be done to stabilize the country, and he looked forward to hearing ideas from Iraqis. Kerry conferred Saturday with U.S. and British officers in Basra and with American troops in Diyala province during a nine-day Middle East tour.

• Texan killed: A North Texas soldier was killed in Iraq, the Department of Defense announced Saturday. Pfc. Paul Balint Jr., 22, died Friday in Ar Ramadi after he was injured during combat operations. He was from Willow Park, near Fort Worth. He is the 57th Texan to die in Iraq this year.

• U.S. soldier dies : Army Spc. Nicholas P. Steinbacher, 22, of La Crescenta, Calif., died Dec. 10 when an explosive detonated near his vehicle in Baghdad; he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

From wire reports


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U.S. military interventions since '50s BAGHDAD, IRAQ — With unrelenting violence on the streets, political consensus in America and Iraq lacking, and the U.S. discussing the possibility of sending thousands more troops here, Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, convened leaders from various communities across the country for talks about how to stem the bloodshed.

Though the conference was billed as an attempt at reconciliation, no one claiming to represent either the Shiite militias or the Sunni extremists, who together are driving the current sectarian strife, attended.

Muqtada al-Sadr, a Shiite cleric whose militia, the Mahdi Army, has been responsible for much of the sectarian violence, refused an invitation, according to a lawmaker.

In addition, the Kurdish, Shiite and Sunni leaders who were at the gathering did not present any new ideas for how to rein in the militias or insurgents.

Instead, in speeches broadcast live on Iraqi national television, top figures in the government renewed calls for Iraqis to work together for stability.

There is little evidence that the appeals have had any impact, and no details have been laid out publicly about how the government would determine whose past was acceptable and whose was criminal.

On Saturday, Gordon Johndroe, the National Security Council spokesman, praised al-Maliki's efforts at reconciliation: "He is clearly in favor of forming an Iraq based on national unity and not individual sects."

However, the conference, held in the heavily fortified Green Zone and attended by about 200 people, was largely devoid of specifics.

Ayyad Jamaladeen, a member of parliament from a secular political bloc called the Iraqi List, said that before there could be reconciliation between warring factions who refuse to be a part of the political process, there has to be broader agreement between those in the government.

Iraq's leader convenes conference to discuss violence | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

For the U.S., it's still about oil in Iraq
By: Antonia Juhasz

While the Bush administration, the media and nearly all the Democrats still refuse to explain the war in Iraq in terms of oil, the ever-pragmatic members of the Iraq Study Group share no such reticence.

Page 1, Chapter 1 of the Iraq Study Group report lays out Iraq's importance to its region, the U.S. and the world with this reminder: "It has the world's second-largest known oil reserves." The group then proceeds to give very specific and radical recommendations as to what the United States should do to secure those reserves. If the proposals are followed, Iraq's national oil industry will be commercialized and opened to foreign firms.

The report makes visible to everyone the elephant in the room: that we are fighting, killing and dying in a war for oil. It states in plain language that the U.S. government should use every tool at its disposal to ensure that American oil interests and those of its corporations are met.

It's spelled out in Recommendation 63, which calls on the U.S. to "assist Iraqi leaders to reorganize the national oil industry as a commercial enterprise" and to "encourage investment in Iraq's oil sector by the international community and by international energy companies." This recommendation would turn Iraq's nationalized oil industry into a commercial entity that could be partly or fully privatized by foreign firms.

This is an echo of calls made before and immediately after the invasion of Iraq.

The U.S. State Department's Oil and Energy Working Group, meeting between December 2002 and April 2003, also said that Iraq "should be opened to international oil companies as quickly as possible after the war." Its preferred method of privatization was a form of oil contract called a production-sharing agreement. These agreements are preferred by the oil industry but rejected by all the top oil producers in the Middle East because they grant greater control and more profits to the companies than the governments. The Heritage Foundation also released a report in March 2003 calling for the full privatization of Iraq's oil sector. One representative of the foundation, Edwin Meese III, is a member of the Iraq Study Group. Another, James J. Carafano, assisted in the study group's work.

For any degree of oil privatization to take place, and for it to apply to all the country's oil fields, Iraq has to amend its constitution and pass a new national oil law. The constitution is ambiguous as to whether control over future revenues from as-yet-undeveloped oil fields should be shared among its provinces or held and distributed by the central government.

This is a crucial issue, with trillions of dollars at stake, because only 17 of Iraq's 80 known oil fields have been developed. Recommendation 26 of the Iraq Study Group calls for a review of the constitution to be "pursued on an urgent basis." Recommendation 28 calls for putting control of Iraq's oil revenues in the hands of the central government. Recommendation 63 also calls on the U.S. government to "provide technical assistance to the Iraqi government to prepare a draft oil law."

This last step is already underway. The Bush administration hired the consultancy firm BearingPoint more than a year ago to advise the Iraqi Oil Ministry on drafting and passing a new national oil law.

Plans for this new law were first made public at a news conference in late 2004 in Washington. Flanked by State Department officials, Iraqi Finance Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi (who is now vice president) explained how this law would open Iraq's oil industry to private foreign investment. This, in turn, would be "very promising to the American investors and to American enterprise, certainly to oil companies." The law would implement production-sharing agreements.

Much to the deep frustration of the U.S. government and American oil companies, that law has still not been passed.

In July, U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman announced in Baghdad that oil executives told him that their companies would not enter Iraq without passage of the new oil law. "Petroleum Economist" magazine later reported that U.S. oil companies considered passage of the new oil law more important than increased security when deciding whether to go into business in Iraq.

The Iraq Study Group report states that continuing military, political and economic support is contingent upon Iraq's government meeting certain undefined "milestones." It's apparent that these milestones are embedded in the report itself.

Further, the Iraq Study Group would commit U.S. troops to Iraq for several more years to, among other duties, provide security for Iraq's oil infrastructure. Finally, the report unequivocally declares that the 79 total recommendations "are comprehensive and need to be implemented in a coordinated fashion. They should not be separated or carried out in isolation."

All told, the Iraq Study Group has simply made the case for extending the war until foreign oil companies, presumably American ones, "have guaranteed legal access to all of Iraq's oil fields and until they are assured the best legal and financial terms possible."

We can thank the Iraq Study Group for making its case publicly. It is now our turn to decide if we wish to spill more blood for oil.

The Arab American News

ا

The first political : Eyes turned towards the political parties and forces, What initiatives Maliki Will Iraq turn to extricate from the crisis? Baghdad-Sabah

Moving attention to the political parties and forces, which convenes in Baghdad today and continue through tomorrow, Sunday, under the slogan (will Kisah Iraqi political forces and to ensure the success of the political process and reconciliation and concord).

While politicians expressed cautious optimism they Occasionally attention on the new political initiatives was the official spokesman Dr. Skinner said at a press conference Thursday that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki will present at the conference.

They believe that politicians Maliki initiatives will focus on a range of subjects has been outstanding and a bone of contention among the opponents of the political process in Iraq, especially the issue of amnesty, and uprooting the Baath, the former army, and the balance of security functions. It seems that the tone of Maliki in recent days strict towards improving the situation in Iraq and call upon all Iraqis to participate without red lines or exceptions except Sadamiin Qaeda and those who aspire to the date back. Sources close to the supreme body of reconciliation that representatives of the armed groups will attend the conference, while the leakage of the (morning) that the two formations of the three formations comprising the Accord Front will not participate in the conference, namely the people of Iraq, led by Dr. Adnan Al-Dulaimi, who is now in Turkey, the National Dialogue Council, led by Khalaf Al-Alyan, who is believed to be found outside Iraq. Thus participate Islamic Party (restructuring in the third compatibility) in the conference.

The conference until yesterday, Friday, fraught with complete confidentiality could not be told (morning) access to detailed information from members of the dialogue or political figures close to it. But politicians explain that the possibility of convening political figures Iraqi opposition abroad in the background of meetings held by the delegations of authority over the past months in Amman, Damascus, Cairo and Abu Dhabi. According to initial information announced that the table of the Conference focuses on three axes are participating in the political process, and the balance, and services. He said a member of the champion Ani told (morning) : The deteriorating situation has prevented some opposition figures from attending despite the fact that the government has given assurances to them but many fear that obsession is still dominant, as he put it. The politicians that this conference would be the best rules based reconciliation, and said in the meetings conducted by the (morning) they are optimistic that the work will move towards political unification and the vision of the common good, or at least it will be practically the windows of dialogue and frankly range (details p. 3). This is the third conference of the reconciliation after the tribes and the civil society.

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