American Contractor

This was scheduled for Friday release however it was delayed. Will try and get something out on a more frequant basis either via email or Adobe PDF.

30 Jan 2010 Newsletter

Thanks for reading,

American Contractor
americancontractor@gmail.com

AMERICAN CONTRACTOR NEWLETTER

30 JANUARY 2010

IRAQ IMPORTANT DATES
4 March 2010 Early voting of Parliamentary Elections
7 March 2010 Iraq Parliamentary Elections
1 April 2010 U.N. Report by the Seceretary-General on Iraq
15 April 2010 Iraq Investment Conference - Istanbul, Turkey
June 2010 U.N. Tarsov Mandate Extended
Oct 2010 National Census (rescheduled from Oct 2009)

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Political Developments
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As predicted some of the names who had been previously barred from
participating in the upcoming elections have been re-instated by
the government Accountability and Justice Committee (AJC).
54 members have submitted the documents exonerating them of any
ties to the previous regime Saddam Ba’ath party loyalists. So, 54
names are allowed to participate in the upcoming Parliamentary
elections.

The 2010 federal budget law was not on the schedule on 25 Jan, due to
lack of quorum from the Iraqi Parliament members. It appears some
Parliament do not want to show up for the voting session on pending
legislative bills to include the 2010 federal budget law. As I have
said previously most if not all Parliament members will not be voted
back into office and have a lack of participation in legislative
matters. On 26 Jan, Tuesday, the Parliament had scheduled a vote on
the 2010 federal budget, and have passed the 2010 federal budget law.

The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) have opened offices
in neighboring countries where Iraqi’s living abroad are able to
participate in the Iraq elections. The countries are Turkey,
Jordan, Syria, Iran, Lebanon and more countries will be in line
as IHEC personnel are mobilized and staffed properly at each out
of country office.

The Iraqi Parliament did manage to pass five laws in the last
week when they all showed up for work.

1. Increasing the salaries of judges and public prosecutors
from 2008 levels
2. Implementing the Iraqi-Syrian Agreement regarding customs
cooperation
3. Law for preventing a monoply
4. Protecting Iraqi products
5. Law for custom fee’s

PM Nuri al-Maliki, has made an announcement that 70,000 officers
and members of the Ministry and Defense will be pensioned
immediately after the March elections. I am not sure what is the
cost on the retirement package.

The IHEC has stated that 42 out of 306 have been barred from
participating in the March elections in the al-Anbar province.

The IHEC also announced recently that 6,539 candidates are for
political positions and that 2,000 are woman.

The Kurds are suspected to only win 60-65 Parliamentary seats
in the next election. President Talabani, will have some
difficulty in obtaining the President position after the elections
as Sunni’s and the Change movement do not support him.

President Talabani, has stated that if the political blocs would
like him to run for the Iraq President position that he will run,
if not he will leave and head back to Sulymaniya and write his
memoirs. My prediction is that he will be heading back to
Sulymaniya.

The Kudistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry has also approved
a 2010 federal budget law, which they have and sent the details
of the budget to KRG Parliament to be voted on.

The Electoral Conduct Law which is trying to be passed the same
time as the 2010 federal budget law and some political parties
are using this to attempt to derail the budget law. Some
political groups had wanted the Electoral Law passed before the
2010 budget law. The Electoral Conduct law is the law that
mandates all political parties to disclose their financial
contributions and donations to their campaigns. I have said
in recent newsletters that Iraq’s neighbors are involved in
sending large amounts of donations to political parties and
candidates attempting to influence Iraq’s government affairs.

There is a lawsuit that was filed by MP Shatha al-Musawi, against
the recent oil contract award with BP and ExxonMobile. The case
will be heard in Baghdad on 1 Feb. It will be a case to watch
as it will effect all oil contracts signed to date by both the
central government. If MP Musawi is successful oil contracts
have the potential of becoming invalid.

***State owned Drug Stores Closing***

You probably did not know that the Iraqi government owns and
controls drug pharmacies inside Iraq. The Health Inspector has
just announced and also has a law to back the inspector in closing
down all State run pharmacies. It is primarily due to the Iraqi’s
have a less favorable opinion of the State manufactured drugs then
the drugs you get from the private sector. The iraqi’s think they
are of poor quality and would rather not use them.

Iraqi Doctors are informing and telling people to go to the
private sector and get their prescriptions filled that way.

***Ministry of Finance Stopped payment on 13.5 million usd***

The Baghdad newspaper al-Bayyna al Jadidah, recently reported
an incident that occurred with the Ministry of Finance Baqr Jabber
Al Zubaidi, when he was going through his mail and noticed a check
for 13.5 million usd submitted by another ministry. The Finance
Minister became suspicious and ordered an investigation and later
found out that the contractor company payment should only have
been 4.4 million usd. The Finance Minister called the other
Minister and asked him if he should launch a full investigation
or forget about the whole thing. The other Minister has not
replied and has not called the Finance minister again. ?

***Boycott Elections - Allawi***

Iyad Allawi, head of the Iraqi List, is now coming out and saying
that he will boycott the upcoming elections in March. Allawi
said that if the candidates that were banned by the Accountability
and Justice Committee are not reinstated then he was planning on
boycotting the elections. Allawi surely knows that the appeals
process is in the hands of the Higher Federal Court.

I have mentioned no RV in the beginning of January and also stand
by no RV in February 2010. The meeting with PM Maliki and the Shia
Cleric will not result in an RV. This is a scheduled meeting
that has been planned since last year.

* * *
FYI

I’m noticing that there’s been a lot of discussion recently about
ebooks and the information they may be providing when it comes
to Iraq and the Iraqi Dinar.

Many questions have been sent my way asking me my opinion on them
and without having read them it’s pretty difficult for me to
critique them or give my opinions.

With that said, I’d like to take this opportunity to offer any
of my readers or newsletter subscribers the chance to forward
me a copy of any ebook that they have in their possession so
that I may read them and give my knowledgeable and honest opinion.

* * *
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Posted by American Contractor at 2:46 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

24 January 2010

Raw Intel from American Contractor

The Iraqi Parliament failed again to ratify the 2010 Iraq budget. In accordance with the Iraqi Constitution their legislative session ends on 31 January 2010. The Iraqi Parliament now has 6 days (31 Jan) to pass the budget. Are some Parliament members conducting blackmail, saying you pass this and I will pass that.

From all the political bickering going on chances of passing (budget) are very small. It looks like political suicide from here. Just think the same political blocs that are in power now in the current Iraq Parliament are the same political blocs that will be candidates in the upcoming elections 7 March. Just different people of course.

The Iraqi National Alliance (INA) are very adamant about certain provisions that need to be in the 2010 Iraq budget. INA saying if they don't do this then no problem we will do it when we form the next new government. I think the INA is getting ahead of themselves.

With all of this going on now you have another holiday. The Al-Arba'in pilgrimage religious holiday being celebrated for the next few days. The worshipers would be heading to Karbala for the holy rituals. Surely, the Iraqi parliament members would skip this holiday ritual, right?!! This week is very important or maybe not.

In Diyala, you had 13,000 members of the Awakening leave there checkpoints in protest for the arrests of members and other managers. Just in time the government does this right before the election in March. Unemployed and have guns.

The members who are on the list whom have been banned in the upcoming elections have 72 hours to appeal. The Iraqi Parliament have set up a cassation committee to look at all the appeals. The cassation committee is made up of seven judges appointed by the High Judicial Council.

The President Jalal Talabani, went on Iraqi TV and had this to say about the banned names. Talabani says that "a solution that observes the law and constitution will be sought by which the law is applied to all," adding that "we discussed the need to guarantee that the elections are held on time, and if there are legal issues that require time to be reviewed and resolved, then we hope they are postponed until after the elections."

This is great but how long do you think it will take to hear every appeal out of the 511 names? That is if everyone appealed, days, weeks, years? The names are dwindling down as 75 candidates who handed in there documents to the electoral commission were actually forged documents. They must have ran them through a del a rue machine.

The Kurdistan Alliance is getting out front and getting some press time talking about VP Biden visit. Firyad Rawaanduzi, who is the current spokesman, said that Biden visit will not reverse the Justice and Accountability Commission (JAC) decision to ban those election candidates. I wonder if VP Biden, had any incentives or did he just do lunch and left as quickly as he came. I wonder if they were any benni's maybe they will be released in due time. And no I am not talking about an RV either. I am talking about serious matters. :)

Rawanduzi did say this "The first option is the one that is supported by the majority, and this is to let the law to scrutinize those candidates who have been mentioned in the (JAC) lists, to see whether they have links to the former regime's Ba'th Party or not; if not then they can take part in the election.

My comments is Firyad, how long do you think this is going take? You still think we will have the elections on time?

The reason VP Biden came to Iraq and all this from my friends at the Baghdad coffee shop on Hiyfa Street.

1. The Framework Strategic Treaty between the U.S. and Iraq

2. To assist Iraq in exiting out of the United Nations Chapter Seven

3. The Security measures to start the U.S. withdrawal in August 2010

Biden was smart enough not to make comments about Iraq's internal affairs so he had a plan B and I give him credit for that.

The United Nations has authorized the extension of the U.S. President memo to protect the DFI funds. Remember it was suppose to expire in May and now the U.N. has extended the mandate to the end of the year 2010. I already knew this as I told you last summer it was always going to be extended and do not be surprised the way things are going in the Iraqi Government could very well could be extended again till the end of 2011. Just so you know Chapter Seven and DFI protection are one.

The governates are in need of funds to operate so the Iraq Finance Minister Bayan Jabr al-Zubaydi, has advised those governates to come and collect 20% of the 2010 Budget. Maybe that will keep them from rioting later.

A Ministry of Trade report says 166 different factories established in Kurdistan Region in 2009.

The Iraqi government is making headway on recovering money from others during the oil for food program.

The Iraqi government is looking at signing deals with Russia for weapons very shortly.

PM Maliki had announced that 70,000 army and police officers who served in the former army and police are considered for retirement pensions after the election in March. Maybe the Iraqi government will come out and say no you can not get a pension because you were a member of the Ba'ath party or in any case that's a lot of money in retirement pensions.

The Ration Card; if you make more then 2,100 usd a month you no longer get the staples, the benefits of the Ration Card.

**********************
American Contractor
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Thanks for reading!

Posted by American Contractor at 7:25 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani will be announcing a new initiative very soon.

I would reveal it but sworn to secrecy!

Posted by American Contractor at 4:14 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Down load your copy of the American Contractor Newsletter dated 23 Jan 2010.

Feedback welcome at americancontractor@gmail.com

23Jan2010 Newsletter Download

Posted by American Contractor at 7:12 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

American Contractor has always said the U.S. Forces will leave on schedule in 2010 despite what those “experts” say that the U.S. Forces would be delayed in there Iraq withdrawal.

First Wave of U.S. Forces Leave Iraq
Among the first troops to invade in March 2003, and the first to help turn enemy insurgents into allies, the Marines will be the first major wave of American forces to go as the U.S. military begins a withdrawal to be completed by the end of next year. For them, as for the rest of the U.S. military, this has been the longest war since Vietnam.

Posted by American Contractor at 12:48 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

In my past posts about the UN Chapter VII is that it comes down to security inside and outside of Iraq the projection of security to Iraq's Arab neighbors. If Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and other Iraq Arab neighbors do not feel the security between the countries are acceptable then you can rest assure that UN Chapter VII will remain for the foreseeable future.

According to the article security between Iraq and Kuwait is very important and more important then money.

Kuwait needs security, not money from Iraq: FM

"What we need from Iraq is security and assurances. We don't want money which is the last thing on our mind," Sheikh Mohammad al-Sabah told Al-Qabas newspaper in an interview due to appear on Sunday.

Posted by American Contractor at 12:30 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

In my Important Iraq Dates listed was the census that is scheduled for Oct 2010. Now we have an article published in the Washington Post.

Iraq to hold first full census since '87 in October Plans are on track to take Iraq's first complete census in 23 years, a process that will help answer questions critical to the future of Iraq's northern oilfields, such as "how many Kurds live in Kirkuk?" The long-delayed count, which may shut down the country for two days in October, is also expected to determine how many Iraqis live abroad and how many have been forced to move within Iraq in seven years of war, census chief Mehdi al-Alak said.

Posted by American Contractor at 12:19 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

On 8 Jan, The Dar-al-Salam Bank and better known as the HSBC bank in Iraq has been allegedly reported to have been robbed of a 100 million dollars.

The bank is located in the Al-Jadiriyah area.

The American Contractor has been monitoring this for the last few days since 8 Jan and has more information and will disclose as more updated info is confirmed.

Maybe the bank robbers stole the stock certificates along with the money!?

On another note there is no RV in January 2010.

As always more too follow...

Feel free to write:
americancontractor@gmail.com

Posted by American Contractor at 3:33 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)