Iraq Important Dates
5 March 2010 Early Special voting (security/military)
4-8 March 2010 Iraq Government declares a public holiday
5,6,7, March 2010 Voting takes place for Iraqi citizens living abroad (16 countries)
7 March 2010 Iraq Election Day
1 April 2010 U.N. Report Secretary-General Iraq report to UNSC
15 April 2010 Iraq Investment Conference Istanbul, Turkey
24 April 2010 IAMB meeting DFI mechanism
21 June 2010 U.N. Tarsov mandate extended
24 October 2010 Iraq national census
Apparently PM Maliki is getting nervous that his political party,
the State of Law Coalition is failing in sustaining the votes
needed in the next election. PM Maliki just issued an order to
reinstate former Iraqi Army officers and has instructed them
to never use the words "the former Iraqi Army."
The new order would bring back 20,000 former Iraqi Army officers
who wanted to join the Iraqi Army and were denied due to
past affiliations. Now all is forgiven and PM Maliki needs the
votes from the former Iraqi Army officers.
The former Prime Minister Dr. Iyad Allawi, appears to be making
gains in the political arena against PM Maliki State of Law
Coalition list.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued a stand-by-agreement
(SBA) loan to Iraq for 3.6 billion usd. This is the third SBA
loan to Iraq. It is a credit line of 3.6 billion dollars
for the Iraqi government to use to cover any shortfalls in
the current 2010 federal budget.
Just because the IMF issued a loan does not mean the Iraqi
government has to spend the money. I do not believe that Iraq
will spend any of the money from the SBA loan. It is my beliefs
that the Iraqi government will hold the SBA funds and not spend
a single cent just like they did with the other two SBA loans.
The 2010 federal budget was based on $62.50 a barrel of oil and the
Iraq federal budget does have a deficit of 19.6 billion dollars.
If the price of oil is hovering around $80 and analysts have
stated the price of oil could go up in 2010 then the deficit is
not a problem for Iraq. Meaning, the Iraqi government would not
need to spend any money of the third SBA loan from the IMF.
By the way, the IMF loan has nothing to do with a reval or the
changing of the Iraqi dinar currency.
The Iraqi governments previous two SBA loans both of them less
than 1 billion dollars were never used. You can verify this by
logging onto the IMF web site and look at the withdrawn column
and it says zero for both loans. When you look at the IMF web
site I'm referring to the withdrawn column.
The rookie, would have you all believe that the Iraqi government
needs an internationally traded currency to pay back an IMF loan.
The IMF article IV states no such thing and really you have to
look at article V of the IMF member laws. When making a payment
to the IMF the member pays in the currency that is agreed upon
between the members states before hand. The Iraqi government
converts the Iraqi dinar to U.S. Dollars and if a payment were
to be made it would be in U.S. dollars.
The Iraqi dinar currency is freely tradable with no restrictions
inside Iraq according to the Central Banking laws.
The IMF has scheduled payments for Iraq in 2010 and 2011 and that
is only if Iraq spends any of the SBA loan. I predict that
they will not spend any money due to the increase in oil prices
this year.
The country of Libya is a IMF member state. Do you think the
country of Libya has an international tradable currency? The
answer is no, they do not and they manage to pay their loans to
the IMF just fine.
Another example, the Iraqi government in Dec 2007, paid off an
IMF loan two years ahead of schedule and are paving their way to
theSBA IMF loans they currently receive. How did Iraq pay the IMF
loan if they did not have an international tradable currency in
Dec 2007? Well, I guess you all know the answer now.
On 26th February, the World Bank approved a loan for $250 million
to help with any projects that would need funding in the likely
hood that the oil price drops.
Web links for your reference:
1. Iraq renews $744 million loan from the IMF
http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.3671.aspx
2. World Bank approves $250 million loan for Iraq
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN259611720100226
3. Iraq: Financial Position in the Fund as of January 31, 2010
http://www.imf.org/external/np/fin/tad/exfin2.aspx?memberKey1=460&date1key=2010-02-25
4. Iraq: IMF Credit Outstanding as of January 31, 2010
http://www.imf.org/external/np/fin/tad/exportal.aspx?memberKey1=460&date1key=2010-01-31&category=EXC
5. Iraq clears $470m IMF debt
http://www.ameinfo.com/141958.html
6. Article IV - Obligations Regarding Exchange Arrangements
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/aa/aa04.htm
7. Article V - Operations and Transactions of the Fund
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/aa/aa05.htm#1
8. Iraqi parliament endorses $72.4 bn 2010 budget
http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=ODc1MTA2OTQ1
9. IMF Agrees to $3.6 Billion Standby Loan for Iraq
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a9lBME.GFRk8&pos=6
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Considering all the preparations that are going on in the run
up to the elections, it is inconceivable at this current time
that a reval will occur with the Iraqi dinar currency before
the elections.
In my last posting on 21 Feb, I mentioned that no government
salaries had been reduced for any government employees. The
Ministry of Oil Hussain al-Shahristani, made statements that no
employee will have reduced salaries. The Prime Minister, Maliki
gave all government workers raises in the second quarter of 2009.
Rumors of pay deductions are sometimes expected just before an
election to discredit an Iraqi politician. The pay deduction rumor
is not true. Just to give you an idea, the Iraqi Police salary was
5,000 Iraqi dinars and is now 65,000 Iraq dinars. In addition, the
Ministry is still wanting to increase the pay of all Police and
Security forces.
The Ministry of Finance has made an announcement that the laborers
will receive their bonus salary on 1 March.
The security for the upcoming elections will be complex as the
Interior Ministry will be dispatching 500,000 security forces and
14 Iraqi Army units. We can only be hopeful that the upgraded
security measures will be successful in having a violent free Iraq
election.
Other upcoming Security measures will be, closure of sea, land and
airports between 0000 on 7 March and 0500 8 March. I will add that
there will be a vehicle ban which is a given as they typically do
have one. The ban is to include motorcycles and animal carriages.
The Independent Higher Electoral Commission (IHEC) has approved a
total of 325 parliament seats. They include; 310 general seats, 8
for Christians, Ezidis, Shabak, Sab'iah and 7 national compensatory
seats.
The Vice President Abd al-Mahdi has stated that the IHEC has printed
an additional 7 million ballots and the IHEC did not give an
acceptable reason for doing this.
More to follow...
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UPDATE:
An error was made on the Iraq police salary it should be 90,000 ID
http://dosfan.lib.uic.edu/ERC/cpa/english/security/MOI_Info_Packet.html
Iraq Important Dates
5 March 2010 Early Special voting (security/military)
5,6,7, March 2010 Vote for Iraqi citizens abroad (16 countries)
7 March 2010 Iraq Election Day
1 April 2010 U.N. Report Secretary-General Iraq report to UNSC
15 April 2010 Iraq Investment Conference Istanbul, Turkey
24 April 2010 IAMB meeting DFI mechanism
21 June 2010 U.N. Tarsov mandate extended
1 October 2010 Iraq national census rescheduled (was Oct 2009)
31 December 2010 DFI expiration date (possibly extended)
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has voted to lift the ban on
Iraq Scientific Research.
U.N. Chapter VII is still in effect and will be until the end of the year,
Dec 31, 2010. The Iraq government has until July 2010 to establish a
mechanism for the Development Fund of Iraq (DFI). If this is not done
it will impact Chapter VII from being lifted at the end of the year.
The Ministry of Trade (MOT) is setting up a program to allow government
employees the opportunity to acquire loans for vehicle's somewhere in the
range of 36,000 cars.
By the way, the salaries of the government employees are not being reduced
as previously reported. Remember, a year ago the government raised salaries
against the advice of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). PM Maliki
gave them the raise.
The redenomination articles that have been circulating are true according to
my sources. The Central Bank of Iraq is considering changing the Iraq dinar
currency and as of this date no decision has been made. The Ministry of
Finance (MOF) is against changing the currency at this time. Later in the
year, the CBI will have another meeting with the MOF in regards to the
reprinting of the currency.
Look for more articles educating the public on the currency reprint. The
Iraq GOI is increasing their staffing at the border guards by adding police
to secure the borders.
******
RV UPDATE
******
I stand by my statement that no RV will occur in February 2010. The CBI,
MOF and PM Maliki are not interested in this project to change the currency
at this time. There are too many other important issues on the table unresolved.
Who will be lucky if they have a Prime Minister appointed by the Iraqi
Parliament by 7th of May the way things are looking in Iraqi
politics.
As always, more to follow from the American Contractor, who truly has
better info than those experts waging psyops campaigns which are very
entertaining to say the least.
More to follow...
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Iraq Important Dates
7 Feb 2010 Extraordinary Session Iraq Parliament (Canceled)
12 Feb 2010 Start of political campaigns for election
15 Feb 2010 Press Conference; Five year plan for Iraq (MoP)
5 March 2010 Early Special voting for Elections (Security/Military)
5,6,7 March 2010 Vote for Iraqi citizens abroad (16 countries)
7 March 2010 Iraq Election Day
1 April 2010 U.N. Report Secretary-General Iraq report to UNSC
15 April 2010 Iraq Investment Conference Istanbul, Turkey
21 June 2010 U.N. Tarsov Mandate extended
1 Oct 2010 Iraq National Census rescheduled (was oct 2009)
However, before the Parliament meeting on Sunday I also mention-
ed that the Prime Minister, President and other Iraq government
officials would be having their own meeting on Saturday, 6 Feb.
The meeting Saturday, was called off after the Accountability and
Justice Committee (AJC) had relented from pressure to expedite
the appeals process. The AJC have rejected 27 appeals and are
looking at another 177 which the AJC could have them finished
by Thursday, 11 Feb.
The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) have said that
the elections could possibly be postponed to a later date
if no decision from the federal court is made due to the limited time for
election campaigning. The IHEC is giving it one more week to
decide if there will be a delay. Just so you know, the deadline
is 12 Feb which is the starting of the campaigning.
There will be a press conference by the Ministry of Planning (MoP)
detailing the five year plan for Iraq on 15 Feb. The MoP
released some details and will have 2,700 projects worth
186 billion dollars more details will be disclosed on the 15th.
The five year plan is the governments plan, I am sure foreign
companies will be in attendance and may get a complete copy
of the plan. I hope the press conference goes without any
issues as foreign direct investment is badly needed in Iraq.
U.N. Chapter VII
Yes, it is still in effect and if you look at the Iraq important
dates at the top you will see the Secretary-General has a
report to submit to the U.N. Security Council. It is in regard to
all binding resolutions that Iraq is under at the moment.
RUMOR
There is a rumor going around that the U.S. Forces will be
paid in Iraqi dinar using the eagle cash card. This is false,
the only currency that can be placed on the eagle cash card
is the U.S.dollar. The eagle cash card is linked to the soldiers
U.S. Bank accounts in the United States and to my knowledge
no U.S. Bank has Iraqi currency accounts for their customers.
The U.S. government pays the U.S. Military in U.S. dollars only
via direct deposit.
Eagle Cash info
http://fms.treas.gov/eaglecash/index.html
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IRAQ IMPORTANT DATES
7 Feb 2010 Extraordinary Session Iraq Parliament
7 Feb 2010 (Canceled) Campaigning begins for elections
12 Feb 2010 Political Campaigning starts for elections
4 March 2010 Early voting of Parliamentary Elections
7 March 2010 Iraq Parliamentary Elections
1 April 2010 U.N. Report by the Secretary-General on Iraq
15 April 2010 Iraq Investment Conference - Istanbul, Turkey
21 June 2010 U.N. Tarsov Mandate Extended
01 Oct 2010 National Census (rescheduled from Oct 2009)
**********************
Political Developments
**********************
This is the update for the week ending by American Contractor. If you have read the Iraq Important Dates, you will see the political campaigns for the upcoming elections had been scheduled to start on 7 Feb. It has now been canceled per IHEC meaning no campaigning can start on the scheduled date and moved back to 12 Feb.
The Iraqi Parliament extraordinary session is scheduled 7 Feb, however, if a solution to the crisis is resolved by a meeting on Saturday by PM Maliki, and other officials then the extraordinary session will be canceled.
Per law the Iraqi parliament can only discuss what the PM invited them to discuss and that is the decision for banned candidates to participate in the upcoming elections. The Iraqi parliament can not discuss or deliberate anything else. So you can’t try and pass the Oil and Gas law not going to happen. They are saving that for the next new incoming Iraq parliament. I will say that there are Iraqi parliament members that would like to vote on other bills or legislation and will keep watching to see what happens in the next few days.
American Contractor analysis of the Revaluation of the Iraqi dinar currency has been confirmed and will not happen in the month of February 2010. It is 100% confirmed. How? You may ask. It is confirmed by credible professionals living the dream overseas. American Contractor has a network of credible sources and not to mention the owner of the coffee shop on Hiafa St..
As always more to follow…
* * *
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01 February 2010
IRAQ IMPORTANT DATES
7 Feb 2010 Campaigning begins for elections
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
21 June 2010 U.N. Tarsov Mandate Extended
01 Oct 2010 National Census (rescheduled from Oct 2009)
The Presidency can call the Iraqi Parliament back in session if
they have a veto or need to debate further on the 2010 Federal
Budget that was recently passed by the Iraqi Parliament. If the
Presidency Council has a question or need answers then the Iraqi
Parliarment will have to be called back in and they can do this
all the way up to 16 March. I will keep you informed of this
as this develops.
It is possible that the 2010 Federal Budget could be veto'd by
the Presidency Council, as the Budget contains an item that stops
the governmnet from providing job vacancies until the Service
Council can be formed.
As I have said before the Iraqi Parliamnet failed to pass over
100 draft laws that are in need of passing the parliament.
Such laws as the Oil and Gas Law, the parties law, journalists
protection law, the activation of the political reformation pact
law, the Infrastructure law, and electoral conduct supplementary
rule and a host of other drafts.
Now we have the job vacancy crisis of about 115,000 new jobs that
can not be filled without the appointment of Service Council
members, which has not been formed. The Council of Ministers
nominates the members and the Iraqi Parliamnet ratifies it.
They failed to do so. Now, you have 115,000 jobs that are vacant
ready to be filled by willing Iraqi's but can not fill the job vacancy
due to not having Service Council members.
Just so my readers know what I am talking about here is the
by-laws for the Iraqi Parliarment. Information you will not
get any where else not even the *expert* has the type of
information that readily available to the American Contractor
at any given time.
Please Read below!!
* * *
Article 22 of the Parliament's bylaw says: "The Council of
Representatives has an annual session over two legislative terms
of eight months duration; the first starts on 1 March and ends
on 30 June each year, and the second starts on 1 September and
ends on 31 December." while Article 28 says: "The Presidency
Council, the prime minister, the Council of Representatives
Speaker, or fifty MPs have the right to invite the Council of
Representatives for an extraordinary session, providing that
the meeting discusses only the topics specified in the invitation."
* * *
Now, the elections occur on 7 March you all know it will be a month
before anything is settled in the election results. So now we are
talking about 7 April to have everyone who was elected sitting in
Iraqi parliament. As you can see from the Parliament by-laws they
are in session from 1 March to 30 June. After the newly elected
Parliament has settled in the newbies have 90 days to do some
serious debating and voting on those 100 draft bills the last
parliament failed to do.
I am sure the parliemant will be prioritizing the draft bills like
maybe the one's I mentioned above. Who knows with the newbies in
parliament are going to decide on. We hope for the best.
* * *
The Candidates have been given the green light as of 7 February
is the date when the political blocs can start their campaigns
for the next election being held on 7 March. That's campaining
not rv'ing!! Speaking of which as I've said no rv in Jan and no
rv in Feb 2010. Have I ever been wrong before?!
The law has to be changed and with no parliament who's going to
pass the law. Now, you see why no rv in Feb 2010!
Last week, I had informed you that the banned list is as high as
800 names and now the IHEC has the number set at 766 names that
have been banned from the upcoming elections. My vast network
of information and contacts is superb.
The U.N. Chapter VII is still in effect and will be at for
several more months as you can see in my Iraq important dates
the reviews and reports will be forthcoming from the U.N.
Secretary-General, Moon about 1 April. The Secrteray General
will draft a nice report and Chapter VII will remain.
China cancels 80% of Iraq's debts to China. I would too if I
obtained a major oil contract in Iraq. Also China is opening
consulates in Erbil, Baghdad, Basra. Did you know the trade
between Iraq and China has been over 3 billion usd!!
The Oil lawsuit trial starts today and we will be watching closely
and so will big oil.
* * *
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PRIVACY
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Contractor will be protected and will not be disclosed to
anyone.
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Hope you enjoyed this addition of the American Contractor
Intel AC-I, email newsletter. Feel free to forward this
E-mail to anyone with similiar interests.
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]]>
Thanks for reading,
American Contractor
americancontractor@gmail.com
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)
**********************
Political Developments
**********************
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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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.
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American Contractor
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I would reveal it but sworn to secrecy!
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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.
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.
]]>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.]]>
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...
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