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

Sorry Raddie! It just has been so long since we talked, that it just slipped my mind. Thanks for the reply tho! You know I luv ya!

Iraq resolves oil sharing issue, says deputy PM

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WASHINGTON, 30 August 2006 (AlertNet)
Iraq's government has resolved a dispute over the sharing of oil revenues across the country but differences remain over who will hand out lucrative oil contracts, a senior Iraqi official said on Tuesday.

Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih said the contentious issue of oil revenues was resolved during recent negotiations for a new law to regulate Iraq's oil and gas industry.

"Remarkably we have been able to settle oil revenues," said Salih in a video conference from Baghdad with reporters based in Washington.

Salih, the most senior ethnic Kurd in the cabinet, did not provide details on how oil revenues would be distributed or which areas would get the most money.

President George W. Bush said in June that the new Iraqi government should set up a trust fund to share the country's oil money with its people.

"We have the danger of oil turning into a divisive issue that everyone will fight over. By agreeing to share the revenue we have the potential of turning oil into a unifying element in Iraq society," Salih said.

There has been some dispute, particularly among those who live in the oil-rich regions of the north and south of Iraq, over who controls oil fields and their revenues.

TENSIONS

The semi-autonomous Kurdish regional government in the north has signed oil deals with foreign companies, bypassing the central government and raising fears such agreements could fuel tensions that have pushed Iraq close to civil war.

The Sunni Arab community, which is concentrated in resource-poor central Iraq, fears it will be left behind as the Kurds, as well as the Shi'ites in the oil-rich south, cash in on exports and exploration deals.

Salih said there was still a dispute over who should be responsible for handing out new oil contracts that will develop Iraq's vast oil fields.

"I believe we will be able to bridge the gap," he said.

Iraq straddles the world's third-largest oil reserves but the sector has been undermined by decades of underinvestment, war, sanctions and mismanagement.

Salih said he expected the new hydrocarbon law, which the government discussed in an "economic retreat" last week, would be presented to parliament before the end of the year.

This new law, he said, would restructure the oil industry and provide a positive environment for badly-needed foreign investment.

Iraq wants up to $20 billion in investment to boost its oil production but multinationals eyeing Iraq's oil fields are waiting until a new investment code with a legal and regulatory framework is in place.

Iraq's oil sector has been hit by repeated attacks and many foreign oil companies are also nervous to invest because of the dangers to their staff.

Salih, who argues that restored prosperity will rein in the violence, said an improved investment environment would have a dramatic impact on boosting oil production.

Currently Iraq exports 1.7 million to 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil and Salih said production was about 2.2 million to 2.5 million bpd, with plans to double that by 2010 to 4.3 million bpd.

By 2012, he anticipated restructuring and investment would push up production to 6 million bpd.

"If we get the politics right and the right type of investment environment we will be able to reach those targets a lot earlier," said Salih.

Pre-war output was just under 3 million bpd and exports were around 2 million bpd.



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Originally Posted by choochie

I'm not sure Tiff, but someone definitely needs to give an explanation. I think this is something that needs to be looked at! Any takers, cigarman, ph, adster, mike? We need some opinions.

Interesting,

Piece by piece, I like this. Electronic wire capabilities is one of the most important pieces of puzzle to open the doors to international investors, so it all makes sense, we are very close now.

Good luck to all, Mike

General: Iraqi Security Needs 12-18 Mos.


POSTED: 12:03 pm EDT August 30, 2006
UPDATED: 12:03 pm EDT August 30, 2006

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The top U.S. general in Iraq said Wednesday he believes Iraqi forces can take over security with little coalition support within a year to 18 months.

"I don't have a date, but I can see over the next 12 to 18 months, the Iraqi security forces progressing to a point where they can take on the security responsibilities for the country, with very little coalition support," Gen. George Casey said in Baghdad.

That takeover would not mean U.S. troops leaving immediately. It is part of a U.S. military plan to hand over responsibilities, move into large bases and provide support while Iraqis take the lead. A U.S. drawdown would start after that occurred.

Although the United States has made its strategy public, U.S. officials rarely mention dates or details.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has already said that Iraqi army and police plan to take over security for all of Iraq's provinces within the next 18 months.

"We have been on a three-step process to help build the Iraqi security forces," Casey told a small group of reporters.

He said the first was training and equipping the Iraqi security forces, the second was to "put them in the lead, still with our support."
"And when they're in the lead, they're responsible for the areas, and we still help them. That process is almost 75 percent complete," he said.
Casey added that the last step "is get them to the stage where they independently provide security in Iraq."

That, according to Casey, would include building logistics, intelligence, medical support and other elements that "that can support and sustain the armed forces in place for a longer period of time."

He said Iraqi forces were about "75 percent of the way toward the second step, toward completing the second step. There's still more work to do for them to become independent."

He added that "they're going to continue to get better within the next 12 to 18 months. And they will still, during that process, ... have our support and our substantial presence here to assist them."

Asked if Iraqi forces were capable of taking over after the 12 to 18 months, allowing U.S.-led Coalition forces to withdraw, Casey said that depended on the situation on the ground.

"I'm not sure yet," Casey said of the Iraqi security capability. "And we'll adjust that as we go. But a lot of that, in fact the future coalition presence, 12-18 months from now, is going to be decided by the Iraqi government."

Casey said the U.S. was troubled by incident involving clashes between the Iraqi army and Shiite militias, and the looting last week of a British base in the south that had been turned over to the Iraqis.

The clashes took place Monday between the 8th Iraqi army division and Shiite militiamen in Diwaniyah and led to the deaths of 23 soldiers and 50 gunmen.

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

...this is good, yes?

Well TIFF, GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE WITH A LITTLE MORE KNOWLEDGE ON <SOME MATTERS> THAN WE HAVE! SURE WISH THEY'D HURRY UP!!!!! MAYBE IT'LL BE TIME FOR THE REVAL BY THEN!!!!



LISA HURRY REVAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Hi All,

I am trying to catch up on all the reading in this thread.
Is there an official site, to check, to know when (soon I hope) the Dinar is available on the world market for cashing back in, and at what value. I mean I will be monitoring this forum, but there must be an official site. Would appreciate any links. Thanks.

Good luck to all of us.

Sorry Guys, This Probably Should Be For The Crazy Thread.
Lisa

Originally Posted by mbuna13

Hi All,

I am trying to catch up on all the reading in this thread.
Is there an official site, to check, to know when (soon I hope) the Dinar is available on the world market for cashing back in, and at what value. I mean I will be monitoring this forum, but there must be an official site. Would appreciate any links. Thanks.

Good luck to all of us.

This forum is "Official" as it can get!!

Originally Posted by danny51

This forum is "Official" as it can get!!

Very true!