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

Iraq to take control of armed forces

By ELENA BECATOROS, Associated Press Writer

43 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq will take control of its armed forces command on Thursday, a major step on its painful path toward independence and an essential move before international troops can eventually withdraw.

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Despite the progress, there was more bloodshed with at least 36 people killed across the country in car bombs, mortar attacks and drive-by shootings. Police also found 29 bodies.

"This is such a huge, significant event that's about to occur tomorrow," U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said of the shift in the Iraqi command. "If you go back and you map out significant events that have occurred in this government's formation in taking control of the country, tomorrow is gigantic."

The highly anticipated ceremony, which will put the prime minister in direct control of the military, comes five days after it was originally scheduled. The government abruptly called off the original ceremony at the last minute.

The U.S. and the Iraqis did not publicly reveal many details of the disagreement, other than to say it was more procedural than substantive.

Caldwell said the handover was so important, it could not be rushed into.

"If there's even a question, if there's even a slightest misunderstanding, you would absolutely want to get that thoroughly resolved," he said.

Following the fall of Baghdad in April 2003, the U.S. disbanded what was left of the defeated Iraqi army. The U.S.-led coalition has been training and equipping the new Iraqi military, hoping it soon will be in a position to take over security for the entire country and allow foreign troops to return home.

But it is still unclear how fast this can be done.

"It's the prime minister's decision how rapidly he wants to move along with assuming control," Caldwell said. In Thursday's ceremony, the prime minister will take control of Iraq's small naval and air forces, and the 8th Iraqi Army Division.

"They can move as rapidly thereafter as they want. I know, conceptually, they've talked about perhaps two divisions a month," Caldwell said.

The 8th Division was recently engaged in a fierce, 12-hour battle with Shiite militia in the southern city of Diwaniyah which left more than 20 soldiers and 50 militiamen dead.

Days before the battle, the Division's commander, Brig. Gen. Othman al-Farhoud, told The Associated Press that while his forces were capable of controlling security, they still needed support from the U.S.-led coalition.

He said there was still a need for coalition air support, medical assistance and military storage facilities.

"In my opinion, it will take time," al-Farhoud said when asked how long it would take before his division was completely self-sufficient.

Politicians have been optimistic.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani predicted in a Tuesday meeting with visiting British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett that fighting in Iraq will have abated by the end of 2007, and that Iraqi forces will be able to handle any remaining violence.

Yet the killing continued.

On Wednesday, two bombs targeting an Iraqi army patrol exploded in northern Baghdad within minutes at a busy intersection, killing at least nine people and wounding 39, police said. Two of the dead and eight of the wounded were Iraqi soldiers, police said.

In northeastern Baghdad, gunmen opened fire on a procession of pilgrims heading to the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles south of Baghdad, killing one person and wounding two.

Tens of thousands are expected in Karbala Saturday to observe Shaaban, a religious celebration. Many of the pilgrims travel to the city on foot. State television said a vehicle curfew had been imposed in Karbala from Wednesday night until the end of the celebration.

Mortar attacks in residential areas in Diyala province, north of Baghdad, killed three people: a 2-year-old child in the Khan Bani Saad area and two people in Muqdadiyah, 60 miles north of Baghdad, police said.

Meanwhile, a dispute over Iraq's flag also showed no signs of abating.

Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdish region, angered many in Baghdad with his decision last week to replace the Iraqi national flag with the Kurdish banner. The Kurdish region has been gaining more autonomy since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, a worrying development to many Iraqi leaders, especially Sunni Arabs.

Although Iraq's first interim Governing Council after the fall of Saddam Hussein decided to change the country's flag, no official version has been adopted.

Lawmakers wrangled over the issue in parliament Wednesday, but parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani insisted the dispute was drawing attention away from the country's true problems.

"This issue of the flag is not suitable now because we have a security problem and deficiencies in services and we are in the phase of national reconciliation," he said.

He suggested the solution was to adopt a new flag as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military said the arrest of al-Qaida in Iraq's second in command took place in June and was the most significant blow to the terror network since the death of al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Caldwell said Hamed Jumaa Farid al-Saeedi, also known as Abu Humam or Abu Rana, was captured on June 19 — not a few days ago as the Iraqi government had initially announced.

____

Associated Press writers Bushra Jushi, Rebecca Santana and Qais al-Bashir contributed to this report.

Iraq to take control of armed forces - Yahoo! News

tommy, How does this effect the current situation with the dinar?

Originally Posted by neno

Announcement No.(762)

D.G. of Foreign Exchange Control

Exchange Rates

The 762 daily currency auction was held in the Central Bank of Iraq day Wednesday 2006 / 9/ 6 so the results were as follows :

Details Notes
Number of banks 17 -----
Auction price selling dinar / US $ 1476 -----
Auction price buying dinar / US $ ----- -----
Amount sold at auction price (US $) 53.615.000 -----
Amount purchased at Auction price (US $) -----
Total offers for buying (US $) 53.615.000 -----
Total offers for selling (US $) ----- -----

Cash amounts sold to the bank and its customers were USD(32.675.000) at a rate of(1476+1+10=1487)IQD\USD .
The amount sold to make transfers abroad was USD (20.940.000) at a rate of (1476-2)+ one dinar as a bank fee and exempt the transferred amount from conversion fee.

Forgive me for not getting it but isn't this just more of the same ole, same ole stuff? How or is this getting us any closer to a r/v?

worf

Oil-rich Iraq forced to import fuel to beat shortages

SINAN SALAHEDDIN
IN BAGHDAD
IRAQ,a country with some of the largest oil deposits in the world, will have to import petrol to solve a fuel shortage.

The Iraqi oil minister announced yesterday the government will spend £420 million to import oil products over the rest of the year.

Iraq is suffering from an acute shortage of petrol, paraffin and cooking gas.

In the capital, cars often queue at filling stations overnight to get what little fuel is available.

The shortage means that people suffer hours-long power cuts during the day, spoiling food in refrigerators and making it difficult to sleep without air conditioning in the summer.

The £420 million "will help resolve the fuel shortage and will improve our strategic assets of oil products", Hussein al-Shahristani, the oil minister said.

Assem Jihad, a spokesman for the oil ministry, said that the country is importing oil products from Iran, Turkey, Syria and Kuwait.

Iraq's three main oil refineries - Doura, Beiji and Shuaiba - are working at half capacity, processing a total of only 350,000 barrels a day, compared to about 700,000 barrels a day before the US-led invasion in March 2003, Mr Jihad said.

The country's oil industry, already suffering during Saddam Hussein's regime from a lack of capital, has fallen even further behind since then.

Parts of the oil infrastructure, such as pipelines, have often been shot at or blown up by insurgents.

What little fuel is available for ordinary Iraqis is often very expensive. In August, a litre of petrol was selling on the black market in Baghdad for 68p, while the official price was 9p.

The price of a cylinder of cooking gas on the black market was £9.50 while its official price was only a few pence.

The Scotsman - International - Oil-rich Iraq forced to import fuel to beat shortages

Originally Posted by worf

Forgive me for not getting it but isn't this just more of the same ole, same ole stuff? How or is this getting us any closer to a r/v?

worf

You are forgiven. it is just a todays report at the CBI on Transactions for today in usd's. The last three days have been some of the highest. With 61 and 75 and now 53 million usd transfered.

Originally Posted by bob1940

tommy, How does this effect the current situation with the dinar?

Well to me it shows their Country is coming alive and moving forward. I would say this has to happen for the revalue to hold. If they have nothing to show for their worth of their country. Then IMHO they would never have a r/v.

Again this should show activity of positive things. All most see and hear in the Bad News. This is the Latest News.

Originally Posted by neno

Iraq to take control of armed forces

By ELENA BECATOROS, Associated Press Writer

43 minutes ago

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq will take control of its armed forces command on Thursday, a major step on its painful path toward independence and an essential move before international troops can eventually withdraw.

ADVERTISEMENT

Despite the progress, there was more bloodshed with at least 36 people killed across the country in car bombs, mortar attacks and drive-by shootings. Police also found 29 bodies.

"This is such a huge, significant event that's about to occur tomorrow," U.S. military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said of the shift in the Iraqi command. "If you go back and you map out significant events that have occurred in this government's formation in taking control of the country, tomorrow is gigantic."

The highly anticipated ceremony, which will put the prime minister in direct control of the military, comes five days after it was originally scheduled. The government abruptly called off the original ceremony at the last minute.

The U.S. and the Iraqis did not publicly reveal many details of the disagreement, other than to say it was more procedural than substantive.

Caldwell said the handover was so important, it could not be rushed into.

"If there's even a question, if there's even a slightest misunderstanding, you would absolutely want to get that thoroughly resolved," he said.

Following the fall of Baghdad in April 2003, the U.S. disbanded what was left of the defeated Iraqi army. The U.S.-led coalition has been training and equipping the new Iraqi military, hoping it soon will be in a position to take over security for the entire country and allow foreign troops to return home.

But it is still unclear how fast this can be done.

"It's the prime minister's decision how rapidly he wants to move along with assuming control," Caldwell said. In Thursday's ceremony, the prime minister will take control of Iraq's small naval and air forces, and the 8th Iraqi Army Division.

"They can move as rapidly thereafter as they want. I know, conceptually, they've talked about perhaps two divisions a month," Caldwell said.

The 8th Division was recently engaged in a fierce, 12-hour battle with Shiite militia in the southern city of Diwaniyah which left more than 20 soldiers and 50 militiamen dead.

Days before the battle, the Division's commander, Brig. Gen. Othman al-Farhoud, told The Associated Press that while his forces were capable of controlling security, they still needed support from the U.S.-led coalition.

He said there was still a need for coalition air support, medical assistance and military storage facilities.

"In my opinion, it will take time," al-Farhoud said when asked how long it would take before his division was completely self-sufficient.

Politicians have been optimistic.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani predicted in a Tuesday meeting with visiting British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett that fighting in Iraq will have abated by the end of 2007, and that Iraqi forces will be able to handle any remaining violence.

Yet the killing continued.

On Wednesday, two bombs targeting an Iraqi army patrol exploded in northern Baghdad within minutes at a busy intersection, killing at least nine people and wounding 39, police said. Two of the dead and eight of the wounded were Iraqi soldiers, police said.

In northeastern Baghdad, gunmen opened fire on a procession of pilgrims heading to the Shiite holy city of Karbala, 50 miles south of Baghdad, killing one person and wounding two.

Tens of thousands are expected in Karbala Saturday to observe Shaaban, a religious celebration. Many of the pilgrims travel to the city on foot. State television said a vehicle curfew had been imposed in Karbala from Wednesday night until the end of the celebration.

Mortar attacks in residential areas in Diyala province, north of Baghdad, killed three people: a 2-year-old child in the Khan Bani Saad area and two people in Muqdadiyah, 60 miles north of Baghdad, police said.

Meanwhile, a dispute over Iraq's flag also showed no signs of abating.

Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdish region, angered many in Baghdad with his decision last week to replace the Iraqi national flag with the Kurdish banner. The Kurdish region has been gaining more autonomy since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, a worrying development to many Iraqi leaders, especially Sunni Arabs.

Although Iraq's first interim Governing Council after the fall of Saddam Hussein decided to change the country's flag, no official version has been adopted.

Lawmakers wrangled over the issue in parliament Wednesday, but parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani insisted the dispute was drawing attention away from the country's true problems.

"This issue of the flag is not suitable now because we have a security problem and deficiencies in services and we are in the phase of national reconciliation," he said.

He suggested the solution was to adopt a new flag as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, the U.S. military said the arrest of al-Qaida in Iraq's second in command took place in June and was the most significant blow to the terror network since the death of al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Caldwell said Hamed Jumaa Farid al-Saeedi, also known as Abu Humam or Abu Rana, was captured on June 19 — not a few days ago as the Iraqi government had initially announced.

____

Associated Press writers Bushra Jushi, Rebecca Santana and Qais al-Bashir contributed to this report.

Iraq to take control of armed forces - Yahoo! News

A little more on this news intersting:

Expected transfer control of the Iraqi army today

(Voice of Iraq) - 07-09-2006 | This issue was sent to a friend

Baghdad : Middle East »
Conflicting reports yesterday about the date of signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for the transfer of sovereignty and control of the headquarters of the American army to the Iraqi army. With reports that the memorandum signed today, Iraqi military sources denied this.
A spokesman for the Iraqi prime minister said yesterday that Iraq will sign today with the American military authorities note. He went on to say that Al Skinner will be signing the agreement tomorrow (today), in the presence of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and General George Phen », the commander of the multinational forces in Iraq, according to the French Press Agency.

But Reuters quoted Mohamed military spokesman of the Ministry of Defense denied that. The military said Al next few days, not tomorrow (today) will witness the signing of the Memorandum ». The military note that the difference between the two sides on the Iraqi and American Al has been settled in full and ready for signature »but he refused to give a specific date to the date of signature.

The signing ceremony of the memorandum between the two parties has been postponed more than once this week because of the rumors about differences emerged between the two sides in the final moments. The Defense Ministry said earlier this week that mistakes in the wording of some of the technical terms of the agreement are that prevented the signing of the memorandum.

Sotaliraq.com

Well we will see which reporter to follow after tomorrow on which has the best knowledge, want we.

Originally Posted by neno

Oil-rich Iraq forced to import fuel to beat shortages

SINAN SALAHEDDIN
IN BAGHDAD
IRAQ,a country with some of the largest oil deposits in the world, will have to import petrol to solve a fuel shortage.

The Iraqi oil minister announced yesterday the government will spend £420 million to import oil products over the rest of the year.

Iraq is suffering from an acute shortage of petrol, paraffin and cooking gas.

In the capital, cars often queue at filling stations overnight to get what little fuel is available.

The shortage means that people suffer hours-long power cuts during the day, spoiling food in refrigerators and making it difficult to sleep without air conditioning in the summer.

The £420 million "will help resolve the fuel shortage and will improve our strategic assets of oil products", Hussein al-Shahristani, the oil minister said.

Assem Jihad, a spokesman for the oil ministry, said that the country is importing oil products from Iran, Turkey, Syria and Kuwait.

Iraq's three main oil refineries - Doura, Beiji and Shuaiba - are working at half capacity, processing a total of only 350,000 barrels a day, compared to about 700,000 barrels a day before the US-led invasion in March 2003, Mr Jihad said.

The country's oil industry, already suffering during Saddam Hussein's regime from a lack of capital, has fallen even further behind since then.

Parts of the oil infrastructure, such as pipelines, have often been shot at or blown up by insurgents.

What little fuel is available for ordinary Iraqis is often very expensive. In August, a litre of petrol was selling on the black market in Baghdad for 68p, while the official price was 9p.

The price of a cylinder of cooking gas on the black market was £9.50 while its official price was only a few pence.

The Scotsman - International - Oil-rich Iraq forced to import fuel to beat shortages

I dont remember where I saw the post but it was within the week - regarding Kurdistan shipping some oil that they had been stockpiling and trucking it to somewhere in Isreal I believe.

Please explain why they are getting rid of what they have to buy more from someplace else.

A Third of Lawmakers in Iraq Skip Session
Those present chastise their absent colleagues. Among the public, resentment grows over what some see as greed amid the bloodshed.

By Louise Roug, Times Staff Writer
September 6, 2006


BAGHDAD — Iraqi lawmakers returned to work Tuesday, some traveling from the Kurdish north, others from the Sunni Arab west or the Shiite south.

About one-third didn't show up.

After a monthlong vacation, the large number of no-shows at a short parliamentary session prompted dismay among colleagues and created confusion about voting rules.

"No more orphans, no more widows," Mahmoud Mashadani, speaker of parliament and a Sunni Arab, declared in his opening statement, in front of rows of empty chairs.

During the brief session, legislators passed a one-month extension of a state of emergency amid the nation's unrelenting violence.

"The elected leaders of Iraq are certain that terrorists and murderers will not succeed, no matter how arrogant and insolent they are," Mashadani said.

But the grand rhetoric rang hollow to many Iraqis, who in December proudly held up purple ink-stained fingers after risking their lives to vote. Some feel betrayed by their elected leaders and express little confidence in the government's ability to secure the country or improve basic services.

"During the Jihad massacre, they had closed sessions discussing their salaries and bargaining on how many cars they can get," said Ali Abdullah, a 31-year-old Sunni engineer in west Baghdad, referring to recent sectarian bloodshed in the capital. "People were being slaughtered and they were worrying about themselves."

At Tuesday's session, which had been postponed once because so many legislators had not returned from their summer holiday, 180 of 275 representatives were present.

Safiya Suhail, a secular Shiite lawmaker wearing a white pantsuit and white spiky boots, was one of the lawmakers who attended the session. Suhail, with the Iraqiya slate, described the turnout as "shameful."

Her colleague Haider Abadi of the Islamic Dawa Party said he was disappointed with his colleagues. "It shows a lack of responsibility, and we have to address it," said the Shiite lawmaker, who wore a pinstriped suit. He said he and others have discussed financial penalties for parliament members who are often absent.

Legislators have a three-day workweek and are paid $5,000 per month plus $7,000 in allowances for drivers, guards and other staff members. By comparison, the average monthly salary for a civil servant in Iraq is about $200.

After the December elections, Sumaya Ali, a 31-year-old Shiite accountant in Baghdad, was optimistic. But the lawlessness of the capital is eroding her faith.

"My hope is dying," she said. "The parliament members only think about their salaries while the situation is very critical in the country."

Iraq's most revered and influential religious leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, and his representatives have become increasingly critical of what they see as fat cats and corruption.

"Citizens expect, and they are right to do so, that parliament members and high-ranking officials share their agony and hardship," Sistani said in a recent statement.

But many lawmakers live in government-sponsored villas and apartments in the heavily guarded Green Zone, enjoying a world of security and privilege where the streets are clean and the electricity is constant.

On the other side of concrete barriers, checkpoints and concertina wire, sectarian warfare threatens to pull the country apart. Fear and violence keep many people at home, unable to work or attend school.

Millions of Iraqis live in poverty. Malnutrition afflicts a quarter of the country's children. Unemployment remains at a record high. Fuel shortages are chronic. Electricity is scarce.

Alyaa Ahmed, a 38-year-old Shiite mother of four, said she feared sending her children back to school. Killers regularly dump bodies in the streets of her west Baghdad neighborhood. She had little time for politicians, and had not seen the televised session Tuesday.

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