Saturday, March 8, 2014

Saturday News Summaries from Aggiedad77 at KTFA


Saturday News Summaries:

Experts: Delete the zeros from the dinar increases its strength against the dollar


This is a well written article Family....but IMO.....it is merely a compilation of information and facts that have been pieced together from other articles over the past couple of weeks.
Pizza Hut Opens its First Restaurant in Kurdistan

It was indicated in a recent article that Pizza Hut was coming to the Kurdistan region....well here they are....good to their promise. They also have growth interests throughout the Kurdistan region over the next few years.
Shaways in Newark to discuss economic cooperation with Iraq

There were a number of memorandums of understanding signed this week by Shaways and his group concerning construction, trade, and export/import interests. They are finding out that the US wants to develop economic relations into areas besides oil and gas. They will continue to meet for a couple of more days.
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Araji: Iraq needs to leading companies sized U.S. companies

Iraq is needing major international companies to step up to the plate and help with major infrastructure projects across the country...this infrastructure is needed not only in the oil and gas sector but many others as well.
Araji: Iraq needs to leading companies sized U.S. companies

A member of the European Parliament made a statement that accuses Maliki of a coup against Parliament and striking a deathblow to the political process.....stating that M is too close to the Iranian regime....the EU is being asked along with the UN and the US to take immediate action by at least reducing economic support to Iraq.
Political analyst: Maliki became Mtkhasma with everyone

A couple of political analysts point to many problems tied to Maliki....even within his own bloc....State of Law....the COM, a number of provincial governments, not just the Kurds....and the Sadrist movement....could this be his swan song....his out so to speak to leave Iraq....if so that would sure throw the elections into a quandary....I think...IMO....he will at least make an attempt at the PM position again.
State law: we need urgent action to whether insisted blocs not to pass the budget

The State of Law bloc...led by Maliki is stating that Iraq needs emergency measures if the budget does not get passed....something that is looking like a strong possibility at this point....the Kurds still remain unsatisfied, the Coalition United bunch are not happy....together they can keep a quorum from forming....they need to pull up their big boy britches and get on with the show.
Washington: U.S. Special Forces soldiers train Iraqis in Jordan

US Special Forces are training Iraqis in Jordan on counter-terrorism tactics and how to effectively utilize weapons that are being sent to Iraq from the US...the Iraqi training will be completed at the end of March.
Kurdistan: our negotiations with Baghdad stopped at two proposals

According to the VP of the Kurdistan Region, two proposals were put before Baghdad and they await answers....both obviously involve oil issues, the first dealing with SOMO's involvement in Kurd oil dealings....the Kurds are seeking joint efforts on the subject.....and the second has to do with the DFI account and how money can be awarded directly to the region from the sale of their oil.

Parliamentary work: four million Iraqi efficiency out of the country

There are currently at least 4 million Iraqis living in other countries that have graduate level degrees.
Iraq coalition calls for the House of Representatives to pass a budget or support Maliki's decision

The Coalition of the Sons of Iraq are calling for a vote on the budget regardless of what the leaders of the blocs might be saying or what the Speaker of the House might be attempting to do to block things......either vote on the budget or support the actions of Maliki.....in other words...."put up or shut up"

Khalidi: - if Maliki keen on food for the people to send another budget to the House of Representatives

This kind of continued talk goes no where and gains no ground...you can't continue to keep whining and complaining about the past....look at what was given to you and make the necessary changes to it and move on.....this garbage of hiding from Parliament is nothing but shirking your political duty to the people....this is not Maliki's fault....the people should be outraged at the ineptness of the politicians they voted into office for not effectively performing their work.
U.S. equipment to Iraq billions of dollars did not help the army to defeat al-Qaeda in Iraq

It does no good to put sophisticated equipment in the arms of the untrained....but the deal with Iraq struck two years ago pretty well keeps the US out of any direct involvement in training Iraqi troops....so they have been left to their own devices...sad to say....the US foreign policy activities have proven lackluster at best...and Iraq is a prime example. Sure some troops are receiving training today...but that training is not enough and too late for the current situation in Anbar.
Maliki decide to release the salaries of the staff of the Kurdistan

Well the leaders of the PUK, led by Talabani, met with Maliki and agreed on needing to preserve the democratic foundations of the new Iraq....in this meeting Maliki apparently agreed to release salaries for the staff of the Kurdistan.....it was not indicated when the salaries would be released or if this would include the payments of January and February. A commitment has been made now we watch to see if the follow through is completed.
Alfalh: Maliki will go to the Federal Court to ask her about the possibility of disposal of the budget before approval

It would appear that Maliki is using some common sense in this latest effort of his.....to go before the Federal Court and seek disposition of funds from the 2014 budget that will aid Iraqi people as well as deal with security issues....it is very likely that the Parliament will remain deadlocked for the foreseeable future....Najafi is being shown as not standing in his role as Speaker of the House for all blocs....but has been speaking instead on behalf of the Coalition United which he leads....as well as defending the Kurds issues regarding oil issues.
MPs rule out approving the budget and reckon carried over to the next parliamentary session
News from the Kurd angle....there are still problems between Baghdad and the Kurds.....but there are also claims that the budget will be approved by the end of the Parliamentary session.....now does that mean before all the campaigning starts for the elections....or after the Parliament must reconvene after the elections for about a month....till around the middle of June....failure to approve the budget will lead to further economic duress and problems for all Iraqi people....as if they don't have enough problems.

Shahristani: we came up with solutions that have Kurdistan export oil through the SOMO

Well the Deputy Prime Minister for Energy has spoken again and claims to have solutions for the Kurds to export their oil and still use SOMO to do this.....it will remain to see how the Kurds react to this.....probably not well from past experience with them.....there is other info here but this is the key aspect of the article and of what is most important to the news.

Deputy Prime Minister will meet at UN headquarters in New York, Mr. John Ashe General Assembly President


Shaways is certainly knocking on many doors while he is in the US.....today at the UN to meet with Gen. Assembly Pres John Ashe, talking about ME international politics.....the Iraqi fight against terrorism, elections, democracy....the full gamut it sounds like.
Sistani's representative: Mr. emphasizes the change of government

A spokesperson for the highest religious authority in Iraq, al-Sistani, indicated that the emphasis needs to be on a change of government in the upcoming elections.
UN launches international appeal to save the displaced Anbar

The UN is committing to raising $103 million dollars for relief to the displaced families of Anbar.
IMF Executive Board Reviews Noncomplying Purchase by Iraq and Breach of Obligations Under Article VIII, Section 5
This article is all about an issue over what is called a performance criterion that was based back in 2011 where the CBI was found not to have divulged information to the IMF in an appropriate format....this sounds like today it is water under the bridge and everything has been righted.
Official: Iraqi banks are moving to expand their participation development

The President of the Association of Private Banks is stating that they are promoting their capabilities through the application of international standards (Basel) and working in cooperation with the CBI.....these Iraqi banks have been working feverishly to update their technologies, train their staffs, and make preparations....for what....a monetary reform....imo....they want to be prepared to ride the crest of what they know is coming.
Iraq spent on its citizens only 177 000 dinars per month

Iraq reports that it is spending 177,000 dinars per month per citizen on health services and education.....there are claims that 23% of the budget goes toward development and welfare aspects of the citizens....of the remainder of the budget (77%) 60% of that goes toward operating costs...while the remaining 40% goes towards investments.
Parliamentary Finance demanding Industrial Bank to provide facilities for investors

The Finance Committee is demanding that the Industrial Bank make facilities for investors and industrialists....again they are attempting to stabilize a sagging infrastructure and at the same time provide a mechanism for investors to get their foot in the door with regard to Iraqi projects as easily as possible.

Economist: environment, legislative and executive powers and corruption affect the completion of development projects


This is a hard to read document that appears to be making a bold statement that not only are there vast avenues of corruption from a political standpoint.....there is a lacking of leadership at the project level to make daily decisions on things that are critical to be completed.....a very poor way of conducting business....one that definitely needs change...quick change so that projects can move forward in a more fluid motion.
Planning: the economic growth rate during the next three years will amount to 16%

While the economic growth rate within Iraq for 2012/13 was 9%....the projections for 2014 are believed to be expected at 13% and for 2015-17 at 16%.....much of this growth will come from within the oil and gas sector.
Anbar provincial council: service ministries did not submit anything to Inbar They represent a major obstacle in the implementation of projects

Anbar recognizes that many projects are being delayed, often due to issues from Baghdad....they have submitted to the Federal Court to withdraw an appeal that was submitted and grant great control at the provincial level....Anbar believes that the service ministries are causing much delay in their projects and want to remove that control from the government in Baghdad....they are hoping for more money from the 2014 budget if it will get approved....my suggestion is to get your Coalition of United folks back to Parliament and push something thru inspite of the Kurds as was done last year.
Hamid Buffy: fears of the emergence of dictatorship in Iraq began to materialize

From a Kurd MP in Baghdad comes the fear of tyranny and dictatorship....they remember the difficult years under Saddam....but they also see an emergence of yet another dictator in the form of Maliki who works against them....the Kurds want what is good for Iraq and they believe they have much of the answer in the formation of their regional government....poverty, robberies, and corruption have all grown since 2003.....and throw in the street violence and things are seen in chaos.

That the supply of Iraqi oil to Jordan and Baghdad raise the discount rate to $ 20


Talk of oil being delivered to Jordan at a discounted price of $20/barrel an increase from $18/barrel.....also talk of agreements signed between Iraq and Jordan to build a pipeline from Basra to the Jordan port city of Aqaba that will flow one million barrels of oil a day....Iraq will also supply Jordan with 150,000 barrels of oil per day for generation of electrical power.
UN worried about the Status Law Jaafari confirm: will contribute to the fragmentation of the national identity of Iraq

UNAMI is concerned about the status of the Personal Status Law....calling upon the House of Representatives to look to some key international laws on the subject, especially as they impact women to ensure that Iraqis are treated equally.

Shaways looking McCain with bilateral relations between the two countries and development


Sounds like an amenable meeting with McCain, talking about the typical ME agenda, terrorism, poverty, humanitarian efforts, of course politics, and their upcoming elections.
Kurdistan: Maliki's coalition disrupts the legislation with 50 signatures in each session

It would appear that Maliki is using his own coalition State of Law to try and get the budget onto the Parliament agenda each time they meet in session, by providing enough signatures calling for an agenda change....it is difficult to pull from this article but they wait until the Kurds are in the Parliament chambers and then make it known about their signature request....when then causes the Kurds to leave the room....shaking my head...cat and mouse games.

Parliamentary Legal: talk about the personal life of the officials in the media crime punished by law


Basically an MP of the Legal Committee is reiterating that there are punishments under the law for talking about the personal life of public officials in the media....essentially defamation of character type offenses....then secondly there are some members of public officials who are interfering in public life for personal gain....corruption....that is also punishable.....punishing for corruption....now that must be a new thing for Iraq.
Minister of Commerce of Washington: our food companies with global mechanisms of entry into Iraq

The Minister of Trade is in the US with Shaways and has had meetings with US business giants looking forward to bringing their brand to Iraq as part of open market trade there.....the Iraqis are seeking this type of investment ventures from the US and welcome their participation in the Iraqi markets.

Muthanna: a project to attract qualified medical expatriate


The province of Muthanna is seeking to bring Iraqi medical expats back to Iraq to work within their province....they are meeting some difficulties due to age and salaries being earned outside of Iraq....but are making some headway, having found a professor of cardiac surgery that is willing to return.....hoping they find others.
Sheikh dagger: Maliki now leads a constitutional coup after betraying partners

This would appear to be somewhat of an editorial against Maliki....covering a number of areas where he is believed to be leading a constitutional coup within Iraq......he has betrayed many, he stands in disagreement with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, basically calling on MP's to boycott Parliament until the budget is placed on the agenda.....even getting his own State of Law Coalition to bring signatures to the Speaker when there is a quorum due to the Kurds showing up requesting that the budget be put on the agenda, which causes the Kurds to leave the room....he has arrested crucial MP's of Parliament....Maliki believes that certain MP's want the government to fail.

The former oil minister calls for careful handling "to nag" international oil companies and warns of a "push to pull"


Oil is king right now in Iraq....of that there is no doubt....for Iraq to be treating its foreign oil companies with disrespect and a bundle of red tape and corruption is unspeakable.....Iraq wants and expects to be at the top of the oil and gas heap in just a matter of years.....but to reach that pinnacle they must keep their eyes open and be forward thinking as to how they will successfully climb that mountain....playing games with the people that know how to extract and deliver their oil for them is not going to be getting them anywhere near the top.....when these foreign oil companies start to grumble, not about security, but about bureaucracy and corruption...Iraq had better stand up and listen....and find a way to fix the problem in a hurry or they will be left with nothing but pipe in the ground and nothing to show for it.
Whichever .. believe Iraq's second-largest country to produce and export oil? Or that he will announce his bankruptcy in 2017!!

This is one of those "fish or cut bait" articles.....Iraq will either see its way to being the second largest oil producer by 2017....or they will be facing bankruptcy by 2017....your call Iraq what will it be.....one thing for sure....you can't keep spending money that you don't have and expect to survive.

At long last....here is the morning News Summaries.....I thought they would never end.  Randy

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