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

Medics save grandfather, 3 children
Wednesday, 03 January 2007
By Spc. Courtney E. Marulli
2nd BCT, 2nd Inf. Div. Public Affairs



Spc. Adam DeCap (from left), Sgt. Scott Meyers, and Sgt. 1st Class Brian Meade saved four Iraqis with their quick actions.CAMP CORREGIDOR — The fast actions of medics in the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment helped save the lives of three Iraqi children and their grandfather after mortar attacks by insurgent attacks.

The aid station medics received the family and provided medical care until the four casualties could be transported for further treatment.

Sgt. 1st Class Brian W. Meade, of Elkhorn City, Ky., the medical platoon sergeant for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, was on duty when the casualties arrived.

Meade said one of the children, a 12-year-old, sustained an open fracture to his left femur. A 6-year-old received a shrapnel wound to the neck. The third child, age 12, had a wound to the left eye.

The children's grandfather was hit with shrapnel in his back, but despite the seriousness of the injuries, Meade said none of them were life-threatening.

All the medics treated each patient like they would any injured Soldier, Meade said.

Raids yield terrorists, terror leaders, weapons
Wednesday, 03 January 2007

Soldiers from the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division and an Iraqi Soldier provide security in support of Operation Cougar in Adhamiya Dec. 29. Photo by U.S. Army Spc. Jeffrey Alexander.BAGHDAD — Nine terrorists, including an al-Qaeda leader, were killed during raids conducted by Coalition forces in Baghdad Monday and Tuesday. Also, one terrorist was wounded, and three were detained during the raids.
A known al-Qaeda weapons dealer was among those killed during yesterday’s Baghdad raid, according to officials. Another terrorist was wounded in the action, while two more were detained. The wounded terrorist was provided with first aid and transported to a nearby medical facility. Coalition forces had targeted the weapons dealer, whose body was identified by his wife.

In other news, Coalition troops killed six terrorists and detained one suspect during a fierce morning firefight in Baghdad

Intelligence reports indicated the targeted location was used as a possible al Qaeda in Iraq safe house for terrorists to conduct operational planning.

While approaching the targeted area, Coalition troops were attacked with heavy automatic weapons fire and hand grenades from the top of several nearby buildings, officials said. Coalition forces returned fire, killing two terrorists. Several armed men fled to a third building.

Coalition forces received fire from the top of the third building and returned fire, officials reported. Coalition forces were able to establish a foothold in one of the adjacent buildings, killing four more terrorists and detaining one.

In other news, 1st Iraqi Army Division forces, with Coalition advisors, captured a suspected insurgent during operations in Na'Amiyah, near Fallujah, Monday. Officials said the detainee is suspected of providing improvised explosive devices to al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists. The suspect is also implicated in kidnapping Iraqi civilians for ransom and having close ties to al Qaeda in Iraq leaders.

Also, Soldiers from the 2nd and 4th Iraqi Army Divisions, with coalition advisors, detained two suspects during operations in Ash Sharqat in the northern Salah Ad Din province, officials reported.

One of the detainees is suspected of leading a cell that supported insurgent and al Qaeda in Iraq operations, providing weapons and supplies that helped them carry out attacks against Iraqi civilians and security forces Monday, officials reported. <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]-->

Earlier during the past weekend, U.S. Soldiers with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team uncovered a site in eastern Baghdad suspected of being used by insurgents to make improvised explosive devices during a patrol Sunday.

Officials reported that the troops found wires, timers, explosives and other items consistent with making IEDs. Two flash-bang grenades were also recovered. U.S. military personnel confiscated the seized items.

In other events, Special Iraqi Police Forces, with Coalition advisors, captured three suspected members of an al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist cell during operations Sunday southwest of Mosul.

Officials said the suspects are responsible for kidnapping and murdering Iraqi civilians and security forces and are believed to be involved in car bombing attacks in and around Mosul. They are reportedly linked to foreign fighters and facilitate their violent, criminal operations in the area.

Also on Sunday, a joint Iraqi and Coalition operation resulted in the capture of six individual, officials reported.

Soldiers of the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and a squad from the 4th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, conducted a joint search-and-attack operation near Al-Thobat, about four kilometers southwest of Yusufiyah, officials reported.

The operation targeted three separate objectives near the village, where IED cells were suspected of operating and finding safe haven.

Elements of Company C, 4-31 and Troop A, 2nd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment, paired with the Iraqi Army squad to detain the suspects. Two of the men were wanted for their connection to IED operations in the area. The other four individuals were detained for their belligerence when the two wanted men were confronted. Officials said the detainees are being held for further questioning.

In other developments, Soldiers of the Iraqi Army's 7th Division detained two suspects during operations Sunday near Karabilah to capture the leaders of an insurgent group.

Officials said the group is responsible for small-arms attacks and IED emplacements and attacks in the Al Qa'im area targeting Iraqi security forces and Coalition forces. The group is also suspected of helping foreign fighters move into Iraq and is tied closely to the al Qaeda in Iraq terror network.

(Compiled from Multi-National Force - Iraq news releases.)

Physical therapy comes to front line
Wednesday, 03 January 2007
By Spc. Joshua R. Ford
3rd BCT, 82nd Airborne Division PAO



Capt. Andrew Contreras, physical therapist, Company C, 82nd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, treats the ankle of Spc. Patrick Wagner, infantryman, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd BCT, Dec. 29 at Contingency Operations Base Speicher.COB SPEICHER — Day in and day out, troops patrol the streets and countryside of Iraq for hours at a time; many carrying up to 100 pounds of gear. Over time, this excessive wear on the troops may lead to back or other injuries later on in life.

Fortunately, physical therapy teams are now permanent and internal to each brigade combat team in the Army.

Capt. Andrew Contreras, brigade physical therapist, and Staff Sgt. Melinda Sanders, physical therapy noncommissioned officer, both with Company C, 82nd Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd BCT, 82nd Airborne Division, make up the first brigade physical therapy team in the 82nd Abn. Div.

The two keep busy from constant travel to and from outlying forward operating bases throughout 3BCT’s area of operation in Salah ad Din Province.

Contreras and Sanders have treated over 1,500 patients – not including the Iraqis they have treated – since they first deployed in August.

Every time the team goes to outlying FOBs they not only fulfill their obligation to their fellow Paratroopers, but they also treat Iraqi patients and teach them different exercises they can do to help heal their injuries. This has made it convenient for all of their patients, said Contreras.

“It is a lot easier for us to move around than it is to move people to see me,” said Contreras. “So rather than me sit on Speicher, it’s easier to jump on a convoy or catch a flight.”

The team has prevented the battalions from losing manpower when one of their Paratroopers needs treatment. It takes too long for the individual to travel to where he is, said Contreras.

“If a guy has to come to Speicher, that’s one day shot and battalions don’t have the manpower for people to be gone for two or three days,” said Contreras.

The team spends around 20 days a month traveling. They provide relief to their patients by cracking necks, adjusting backs, and putting bodies back into alignment. The treatment is allowing patients to function in spite of the uncomfortable gear, according to the physical therapy team.

Since the team has been reaching out to Paratroopers, complaints about the body armor have been minimal, said Maj. Christian Meko, brigade surgeon for the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Abn. Div.

“The most common injuries we see are back problems because of all the equipment we’re wearing, the amount of time people are working, and the guys’ living conditions [sleeping on cots],” said Contreras.

Other common injuries include ankle and knee problems caused by walking or running on uneven terrain and mounting and dismounting vehicles, and conducting night operations where vision is limited, according to the team.

So far, the physical therapy duo has treated ten to fifteen Paratroopers who suffered from small arms-fire wounds and has kept them all in-country; whereas before, they would have to go miles away to Germany for treatment.

The Army’s traveling physical therapy teams have been a fantastic addition to the brigades, said Meko. When Paratroopers are injured, the medical team has been able to get them back to the fight a lot quicker.

“A lot of guys have been able to be treated here instead of having to be sent home, keeping combat strength in the battalions higher,” said Meko.

“Before we got to the brigade, it would take guys eight to nine weeks to get back to duty, but with us here, it has gotten most patients back to duty in three weeks,” said Contreras.

Contreras and Sanders said they will continue to travel to the outlying bases to provide their convenient services to 82nd Airborne Division Paratroopers, who have a renowned history of being fit and combat-ready.

Why Are Iraqi Kurds Furious With the US?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted GMT 1-3-2007 19:7:27
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Up until recently, the Kurds were considered the luckiest group in Iraq. While the country was struggling with chaos and bloodshed they were leading their lives in tranquility in the north. Those who visited the region were amazed by the luxury, reconstruction and vibrancy. While chaos engulfed the rest of the country, the region was enjoying peace.

It was obvious that they were being rewarded by the United States for their support. Jalal Talabani became the president of the country, and Massoud Barzani was received in the White House as the president of the Kurdish Autonomous Region. As a result of the under-representation of Arab Sunnis in the Iraqi parliament, the Kurds secured a disproportional share. Moreover, a Kurd was appointed as foreign minister and more importantly, the most vital positions in the Iraqi army were allotted to them.

The most important goal of the Kurdish leaders, who had the absolute support of the world superpower, was to expand their authority to include the oil-rich Kirkuk region through a referendum scheduled for the end of 2007.

They contended that Arabs, Shiites, Sunnis and neighboring countries - including Turkey - did not matter, if U.S. support was available. They were simply busy with expressing their gratitude for American support via the television commercials they prepared for broadcast to U.S. audiences. They even invited U.S. troops to their region.

While all was once going well, everything has changed. Kurdish leaders, who had previously expressed their satisfaction with U.S. support, started talking about the possibility that the Americans would sell them out. Bush's defeat in the recent mid-term elections, the resignation of Rumsfeld and the recommendations of the recently released Baker-Hamilton report apparently troubled them. An article from Masrour Barzani, head of intelligence and security in the region, in the Washington Post reflected the discomfort of Kurdish leaders.

Barzani severely criticized the Baker-Hamilton report, which recommended the postponement of the Kirkuk referendum and cooperation with neighboring countries to determine the future of Iraq. He called on the U.S. administration to not follow the report's recommendations to sacrifice Kurdish interests for the sake of the interests of neighboring countries.

Even though it still remains uncertain if the report will be transformed into concrete policy, a significant shift is already expected in relations between the Kurds. U.S. diplomatic circles closely following the process maintain that one element of change will be pertinent to the Iraqi army. Observers opined that Kurds constitute 50 percent of the Iraqi army and their strategy has been to distance themselves from the most violent areas in Iraq. When army reform is brought to the agenda, the Kurds will be asked to serve in southern and central Iraq. The Kurds will have to confront other ethnic groups of the country. If that does not happen, their weight and share of the army will inevitably be reduced to a reasonable level.

There is speculation that another Kurdish disappointment will be the Kirkuk issue. Even if they secure the annexation of Kirkuk through a referendum, in order to keep the city most desired by other Iraqi groups, they will also have to seize Mosul, Diyala and Telafer. This will mean that the Kurds will be involved in the fighting between Shiites and Sunnis. In such a case, it is hard to imagine that the United States., which is struggling with problems of its own, will support the Kurds.

The issues regarding the distribution of oil incomes are another area of contention. Because the draft law is in its final stage and it envisages central government control over oil income, this issue is expected to trigger serious discussions.

In short, the Kurdish leaders who opted to overlook reality are now required to review their policies before it is too late.

By Abdulhamit Bilici
ZAMAN DAILY NEWSPAPER (20070104)

© 2007, Assyrian International News Agency

10% is the proportion of implementing projects in Iraq

The Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation, Ali Baban, announced that the Iraqi government has allocated $ 10 billion from the budget of next year for the implementation of investment projects in governorates and regions and the promotion of development at governorates that suffer from insecurity, deterioration of services and widespread unemployment.

He said in a speech, during a workshop held by the ministry and attended by a number of representatives of ministries, provinces and companies to discuss ways to expedite the process of implementing investment projects and developing the regions, that the security situation will improve only when the Iraqi economy returns to its usual activity through the implementation of investment projects and services in the provinces.

Many of the ministries of the State failed to implement the platform of the investment projects for only a very modest achievement rates reached 10% of the overall achievement of the project until the end of the year.

The minister stressed that "this can not be tolerated", and that the ministry is determined to solve this problem, to reduce the widespread unemployment and raise the standard of living of the people and provide services to them.

He pointed out that there are many reasons formed obstacles to the implementation of investment projects, mainly: the deterioration of the security situation, the interruption of the production process, the widespread unemployment, the administrative matters including the instructions of the Ministry of Finance, the granting of allocations in late times of the year and other reasons.

He stressed that the ministry will put plans and proposals, after discussing them with the appropriate ministries, the concerned government departments, provinces and other relevant authorities, then present them to the government to solve all the problems and obstacles that hinder the implementation of these projects for the advancement of the Iraqi economy.

He added that the ministry has prepared a new mechanism for implementing investment projects and developing regions in due time. He pointed out that the implementation of these projects will substantially help in improving the security situation by creating employment opportunities for the unemployed, improving the standard of services and raising the standard of living of the individual.

The Minister explained that the Energy Committee in the Cabinet had reached the final stages of the oil law legislation, which provides for the allocation of oil revenues to the provinces according to the number of residents; legislating this law will help in improving the oil sector, and distributing its revenues to the citizens, as well as preserving the unity of the Iraqi people.

The workshop was attended by agents of the Ministries of: Municipalities, Trade, Finance, Planning in addition to the representative of the Vice-President of the Republic, and a number of representatives of the governorates of the country and other relevant ministries.

LawkSalih.Com - 10% is the proportion of implementing projects in Iraq

Ecuador is rated riskier than Iraq





Wednesday, Jan 03, 2007

A bet on Ecuador's volatile government bonds would probably count among the riskiest investments in emerging markets going into 2007 but potential gains are sizeable.

The bonds have seen wild swings with investors fretting over threats by Rafael Correa, Ecuador's president-elect, to default on, or restructure, the country's foreign debt. Unlike past defaults, a failure by oil-rich Ecuador would be due to a lack of willingness rather than ability to pay.

Mr Correa takes office this month with $135m in interest payments on bonds that mature in 2030 due in February. His rhetoric about debt policy has triggered sharp sell-offs. The yield on bonds due in 2015 has risen from 7.88 per cent since mid-November, before Mr Correa's victory, to 13.48 per cent at the end of 2006. Investors rank Ecuador as a greater market risk even than Iraq.

However, in the event that Ecuador does not reschedule its debt, investors could make a return of 35-45 per cent within about six months, according to Richard Segal, chief strategist at Argonaftis Capital Management.

That is a big "if". Luis Oganes, co-head of Latin American research at JPMorgan, said: "It is very difficult to call but we are not recommending to investors that they sell aggressively?.?.?.?[the new officials] are looking at absolutely every single option and not ruling anything out. This means that anything that [they] say about debt restructuring should be taken with a huge grain of salt?.?.?.?the question is whether they will pursue a voluntary exchange which is based on market mechanisms or declare a moratorium on the debt."

Joanna Chung in New York,By Joanna Chung


© Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2007. Privacy policy.

A 32% improvement is good but I really think inflation is taking a much larger toll on the populas than one may realize. Inflation was 31% in both 2004 and 2005. In 2006 the inflation was 77%.

If you take the approximate median rate of the dinar over the last 3 years (pre Nov 1) of 1470 you will see that at the end of 2004 it took (1470 x 1.31) 1925 dinar to equal one dollar

At the end of 2005 inflation had taken another 31% raise to the purchasing power at the end of 2005 was only (1925 x 1.31) 2522 dinar to one dollar.

At the end of 2006 the economy took another 77% hit on inflation. This means that at the end of 2006 their purchasing power was really only (2522 x 1.77) 4465 dinar per dollar.

This is a 203% decrease in the purchasing power of the NID against the dollar since 2004.

In order for the purchasing power of the dinar to come back to it's equivelant 2004 rate, the dinar would have to appreciate to a level of 483 dinar per dollar.

Appreciating the dinar to 1000 is not even going to get the people half way back to their original value.

And I am not even factoring in the appropriateness of the initial NID release purchasing parity, which is in my opinion still too low.

If you look at it from a long term perspective, these miniscule rate increases are only attempting to minimize the damage that inflation is doing. Until they reduce the rate to the equivelant of 485 I don't believe that they have helped anyone yet.

Kind of like saying, "I am gonna rob you for $1.00 but I will be giving back $0.32 to you in a couple of years.

Just in case there is any doubt about the inflation rate, here is the quote and link to support those numbers.

Iraq (10/06)

One key issue that currently confronts economic policymakers in Iraq is inflation. The twelve-month rate of inflation remained relatively stable (though high) at roughly 31.6% through 2004 and 2005. In 2006, inflation began to rise quite rapidly, with twelve-month inflation currently estimated at 77%. This swift rise in the rate of inflation is largely attributable to the ongoing insurgency, which has caused shortages of certain goods (especially gasoline) and slowed the growth of the non-oil sector. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has attempted to combat the rising rate of inflation by raising interest rates in July to 12.0%.

An interview with the Minister of Industry and Minerals Iraqi economic cooperation between Iraq and Tunisia
اعداد و تقديم: ناظم ياسينPreparation and submission : Nazim Yasin
أهلا .Welcome to this episode of the new (economic report), prepared by Nazim Yassin, and includes an interview with the Minister of Industry and Minerals Iraqi Fawzi Hariri on the gradual shift towards the privatization of the companies affiliated to the public sector and the importance of rehabilitation of these companies before they are brought to the private sector.
.As we listen to another interview with the Director-General of one of the private sector companies on the Tunisian economic projects that it intends to carry out in Iraq after the humanitarian initiatives in the region of Kurdistan.


** **** Interview with the Minister of Industry and Minerals Iraqi **
.Egyptian Minister of Industry and Minerals Iraqi Fawzi Hariri said that the privatization of the companies affiliated to the public sector gradually proceeding according to the organization within the framework of the transformation of the country towards a market economy.
وفي .In this regard, Hariri said in an exclusive statement to (economic report) that privatization would occur between overnight, but it will take time, during which the rehabilitation of the companies affiliated to the Ministry of Industry before being presented to the private sector.
وفي :In the following interview with correspondent Radio Free Iraq Leila Ahmed, a minister of industry and minerals also on other issues, among them the talks Iraqi with international companies in order to attract investment and technical expertise to the country and the measures taken to rehabilitate some of the vital sectors, especially the textile industry which is suffering from several problems, foremost of the liquidity necessary and the difficulty in obtaining raw materials and the weakness of the market benefiting from the domestic production due to the increasing openness of the goods and foreign goods :
[[...]]


** الت **** Economic cooperation between Iraq and Tunisia **
في.In the framework of the initiatives undertaken by Arab companies in particular, the Director-General of the complex technology development in Tunisia (Bromotik) visit to the Iraqi Kurdistan region, where he held talks aimed at strengthening the social and humanitarian aspects initiated by the institution three years ago.
وفي :In the following interview with the correspondent of Radio Free Iraq in Sulaymaniyah, Mostafa Karim Saleh, a Tunisian industrial Hashemi Ben Lise about the importance of these aspects in upgrading economic cooperation before activating direct investment projects planned by the Foundation (Bromotik) implemented in Iraq, especially in the area of quality control technology in the health sector :
[[...]]
Translated version of http://www.iraqhurr.org/

Did Moqtada Al Sadr take part in the actual hanging of Saddam Hussein?By Olivier Guitta

According to the Saudi daily Al Riyad, citing a witness to the execution of Hussein, one of the masked men was indeed Moqtada Al Sadr. Knowing that Saddam Hussein had Moqtada's father killed, this would not be surprising. In fact the son would want to take part in taking revenge. But if this turns out to be true, this would be another major faux pas for Iraqi authorities.

In fact Moqtada's militia has not only targeted coalition troops but also Sunnis, including mostly civilians. This event could further the gap between Sunnis and Shias around the world especially in Iraq, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

Incidentally a famous Saudi ulema (high religious personality) Sheikh Abdelrahman Al Barak just issued a fatwa calling Shias "kuffars" (infidels) and Shiism "the worst religion". He added that Sunnism and Shiism are two irreconcilable religions". In light of rumors of Saudi involvement in helping their Sunni brothers in Iraq, these latest events should be taken quite seriously.




It is definitely eye for an eye world over there, not that I wouldn’t feel the same if someone killed one of my family members.

ADVN traded at 1324 today