Trump envoy assures Barzani and support the training of US forces Peshmerga
Twilight News / met Kurdistan Region President Massoud Barzani at his residence Bmsif Salah al-Din on Monday with Brett Macgork US presidential envoy to the international coalition against Daesh his accompanying author of Douglas Silliman US ambassador to Iraq, and Ken Cross, US Consul delegation in Erbil province and a group of advisers in the US trip in Baghdad
The meeting discussed the situation on the ground in the face of terrorists in Mosul, and the challenges that will follow the post Daesh in Iraq
He Macgork During the meeting, the continued support and military training by US forces for the Peshmerga forces
The meeting shed light on the relations between the Kurdistan region and Baghdad, and the future of the political process in Iraq
On the other side of the meeting, they discussed the political and security affairs in Syria, as well as the elimination of the Daesh plans
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BGG (Dinar Guru) – Iraqi Day…(not a terrible news source)… tweeted this… #ISIS CALIPHATE HAS ENDED. #Iraq forces storm 4 districts in #Mosul today & gains are incredible, only 2 districts left under ISIS control. “gains are INCREDIBLE”… Earlier today [Sunday] the Fox News Ticker said that Iraqi Spec Ops and U.S. backed-Commandos had breached the final line of defense and fortifications held by ISIS in Mosul. They could actually have Mosul completely liberated by tomorrow [Monday] (if they make the same gains as today). Not that I am saying that – or predicting it… I am just putting some context on things. I care greatly about the actual fruition of our investment.
Read more: http://www.dinarupdates.com/observer
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Trump’s Announcement of the Kurdish-Centric Plan to Take Raqqa
Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) use binoculars from a view point overlooking a northern Syrian town held by ISIS. Photo: AFP
On May 9th, the Trump administration made public its plan to provide the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) with substantial heavy weaponry. The announcement signals Washington’s decision to rely on the SDF, which is dominated by the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), for the operation to liberate Raqqa from Islamic State (ISIS) control.
Ankara’s reaction to this decision, as it was to the Obama administration’s similar conclusion, will be vociferous. Turkey views, with a good deal of justification, the PYD as the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) affiliate in Syria. The PKK has been fighting the Turkish state for most of last 33 years. Your humble columnist dearly wishes he could be a fly on the wall listening to the upcoming meeting between Trump and Erdogan on May 16th.
Mr. Trump nonetheless made the only right, and only real, choice for an administration that promised to defeat ISIS in both Iraq and Syria. Going with Turkey for the Raqqa operation would have been a terrible choice. The Turks were never willing to send much of their army to Raqqa, their Free Syrian Army (FSA) proxies are not as good or proven fighters as the Kurds, the Turkish-aligned FSA are less numerous than the SDF/PYD, and in many cases they seem about as Islamist as ISIS. Turkish forces and their proxies would also have been fighting the Kurds all along the way to Raqqa.
Naturally some policy elites in Washington appear intent on second guessing Mr. Trump’s decision on the matter. James Jeffrey, former U.S. ambassador to Turkey and Iraq, argues in an April 10 Foreign Policy Magazine piece that the U.S. should have gone with Turkey on the Raqqa operation. Although this columnist has not seen any evidence for Mr. Jeffrey’s contention that local tribes want a Turkish role in the liberation of Raqqa, the rest of his argument deserves some scrutiny.
Jeffrey argues that by focusing on the short-term tactical goal of destroying ISIS, the Americans are forgetting the more important strategic contest (which he likes to a “great game” of chess) going on in the area: Efforts by Turkey, Israel and other Arab Sunni states to push back against Iranian and Russian attempts to overthrow the regional order in the Levant. Jeffrey’s then goes on to draw a misleadingly simple tradeoff, where Washington can either 1) Fight ISIS without Turkey and let Iran and Russia win the larger game; or 2) Join Turkey against the Iranian-Russian attempt at hegemony in the Levant.
Mr. Jeffrey, like many American and Turkish policy makers, appears unable to see more than a two-dimensional game of chess. He works hard to argue that Turkey is an American ally while the PKK (and its Syrian PYD sister) are proxies of Iran, Assad and Russia. Things are a lot more complicated than that. Sometimes the PKK and these actors cooperate, while at other times they fight each other.
To understand what the Iranians’ and Russians’ three-dimensional chess game looks like, in contrast, one need only ask how Iran, which Jeffrey himself acknowledges to be much less economically and militarily powerful than Turkey, enjoys so much leverage and influence outside its borders? Russia as well, with an economy the size of Australia’s, seems to punch in a foreign influence weight class far beyond its real size and power.
The answer has to do with both Iran and Russia’s complex policies of supporting and working with various actors internationally, adroitly applying patronage and cooperation to maximum effect. Iraqis, for instance, know very well how Iran supports myriad groups in that country including various Shiite parties competing with one another, some Kurdish political parties and even Sunni Arab parties. When Iran thus wants to get something done in Iraq, it has a lot of often mutually hostile groups it can turn to. If something occurs in Iraq that Iran opposes (such as the 2012 no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Maliki), it can use its influence to overthrow the whole process.
If the Americans, either by shrewd design or by accident, are to play a similarly high level of three-dimensional strategic chess in the Levant, they might well start with more support for the PYD at the same time that they remain NATO allies with Turkey. This seems especially wise given Turkey’s own ties with Jihadi groups in Syria and elsewhere (Jeffrey conveniently ignores the question of replacing ISIS with Jabhat al Nusra or Ahrar al Shams, which would hardly offer much of an improvement from the American point of view).
In such a game, why couldn’t the U.S. support the PYD against ISIS and simultaneously oppose Iran? A simple rhetorical flourish might even do the trick: While leaders in Washington have repeatedly stated that American weapons given to the SDF/PYD must not end up in PKK hands or be used against Turkey, they never said anything about such weapons finding their way to the PKK’s Iranian branch, the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK). PJAK, of course, has been fighting a guerrilla war against the government in Tehran since 2004.
This way, Ankara gets to keep supporting Hamas, Jabhat al Nusra (al Qaeda in Syria) and other American friends, while Washington can pursue its own Kurdish friendships outside of Turkey, and both can still pretend to be the best of friends at NATO summits — just like Turkey and Iran pretend to be friends at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
David Romano has been a Rudaw columnist since 2010. He holds the Thomas G. Strong Professor of Middle East Politics at Missouri State University and is the author of numerous publications on the Kurds and the Middle East.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rudaw.
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“In America, we don’t worship government. We worship God” – President Trump
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The Central Bank announces the sale of full national bonds
The central bank announced on Tuesday the sale of full national bonds, noting that the receipt of bonds will be announced as soon as they are printed.
“The sale of national bonds has been completed within the second issue on behalf of the Ministry of Finance and the nominal value until May 9,” the bank said in a statement.
The bank said that “the completion of the sale comes to the depletion of all the issuances,” adding that “will be announced receipt of bonds once they are printed.”
Read more: http://www.dinarupdates.com/showthread.php?49155-Central-announces-the-sale-of-full-national-bonds
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Parliament discusses the third amendment to the law of the provinces
Baghdad / Range The House of Representatives, on Monday, read a report and discuss the draft amendment to the Third Law of Governorates not organized in the territory.
Some MPs said that the third amendment aims to reduce the powers granted by the center to the provinces, while other deputies pointed out that “the amendments do not meet the ambitions of local governments.”
This came during the 34th session held by parliament yesterday, headed by Salim al-Jubouri in the presence of 167 deputies.
The session witnessed interventions of a number of deputies on the (Law of the Third Amendment to the Law of Governorates not organized in the territory), submitted by the Legal Committees, Regions and Governorates.
MP Riad Ghraib stressed the importance of delaying the transfer of powers to the provincial councils until the heads of the councilors and functionally and politically qualify for the provincial councils to deal with marginal matters and internal conflicts at the expense of services, which means a total failure of their work. Positions of responsibility according to job description. ”
In turn, MP Mahdi al-Zubaidi pointed out that “the draft law has not yet met the needs of the provinces,” adding that “the abolition of district councils will lead to a vacuum which requires not to proceed with this step,” calling for “to determine the duration of the complaint filed by members of the provincial councils to the judiciary Administrative “.
The discussions included an intervention by MP Najeeb Najib, who stressed “the need to hold workshops with the concerned parties in order to finalize the draft law, expressing support for the non-abolition of district councils and districts.
To this MP Ammar Tohma, “the need to develop mechanisms and strict controls for the selection of candidates in the provincial councils with the increase of educational achievement from the preparatory to the college candidates for districts and districts.”
In the same context, called MP Abbas al-Bayati to “accelerate the vote on the draft law with the near election entitlements, both in the provincial councils and districts and districts,” suggesting “the formation of councils of districts and districts by the provincial councils instead of elections.”
“The aim of the bill is to reduce the government from the powers granted to local governments, which is contrary to the Constitution in the promotion of decentralization,” MP Hassan Turan, stressing “the refusal of some local governments towards independence.”
MP Ibtisam al-Hilali suggested that the appointment of security chiefs should not be subject to provincial councils to avoid any pressure on their performance.
The Committee stressed “taking into account the views and proposals of the deputies,” stressing that “the Commission is in the process of developing controls and criteria to develop aspects,” noting that “there is a difference between disengagement and transfer Powers “.
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Abadi: The stability of oil prices is important and we support the extension of OPEC’s production cut
“The stability of oil prices is important for us,” Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Tuesday. “Iraq, with the reduction of OPEC production to raise prices and increase our resources.”
He pointed out that “Iraq is committed to reduce production of 210 thousand barrels under the OPEC agreement.”
Read more: http://www.dinarupdates.com/showthread.php?49157-Abadi-The-stability-of-oil-prices-is-important-and-we-support-the-extension-of-OPEC
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Abadi: the liberation of Nineveh will be founded to liberate Hawija
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Tuesday that the liberation of Nineveh province from the control of the Daqash organization will establish for the liberation of Hawija province in Kirkuk province. He pointed out that there is an agreement with the Kurdistan Regional Government on the recent military operations west of Nineveh .
Abadi said during his weekly press conference that “the liberation of Nineveh will establish the liberation of Hawija,” pointing at the same time that “there is an agreement with the Kurdistan Regional Government on the recent operations west of Nineveh .”
“We started a few days ago a military operation north of the north and north of Nukhayb to hunt remnants of terrorists .”
The Joint Operations Command announced on Tuesday that 16,667 terrorists had been killed since the liberation of Mosul, while 89.5 percent of the city’s right-hand areas were liberated .
Abadi said that “the most debt borne by Iraq internal and not external,” pointing out that “the government began to extinguish some of the debt despite the decline in oil prices .”
He added that “Iraq with the continued reduction of oil prices and without this action will collapse prices,” noting that “the volume of spending, despite the reduction is still greater than revenues .”
He added that “the government continues to provide services to citizens despite the lack of imports,” stressing that “it focuses on important projects such as water and sewage allocations less than previous years .”
“The fighting in Mosul must proceed according to a calculated speed,” Abadi said, noting that “our intelligence capabilities have evolved as we run ahead of the enemy now and become exposed to us .”
He added that “we prepare elements calling for a fair trial and invite them to surrender,” pointing out that “political differences help the enemy terrorist operations by spreading confusion and problems .”
He pointed out that “we have uncovered many of the kidnapping cells in Baghdad, linked to armed factions, but these factions disavow them,” referring to “the establishment of a cell of political kidnappings because they need to be treated of another kind .”
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“Iraqi oil”: the process of exporting Kirkuk oil is not clear and beyond the control of the central government
A spokesman for the Iraqi Oil Ministry, Asim Jihad, during his conversation with Roudao correspondent, Mustafa Koran
The spokesman for the Iraqi Oil Ministry, Assem Jihad, that “despite disagreements and differences in views on the subject of oil agreement between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the central government, but hope remains always, and seek to accelerate the creation of a new agreement to serve the national interest.”
“We are always seeking an agreement that serves the citizens in all Iraqi provinces, as well as the Kurdistan region, and therefore we must work on this subject in a common national spirit, and look for the national stage,” Jihad told the network.
Jihad said that “despite the lack of implementation and commitment from both sides on the previous oil agreements, but the people remain one, and therefore must always remain hope because we are all Iraqis in the end.”
On the issue of non-disbursement of the “Petrodollar” of the province of Kirkuk, the spokesman for the Ministry of Oil, “Kirkuk province has become a complex and difficult issue, and there are a lot of things out of control, and the federal government does not have authority over all the oil fields in Kirkuk, Not clear, and all this leads to the non-disbursement of (petrodollar) of the province of Kirkuk. ”
As for the city of Basra, which is a source of the economy of Iraq, which suffers from marginalization in all respects, Assem Jihad said that “the Ministry of Oil and the Ministry of Technical, and its work is to explore and the issuance and sale of oil, and the return of cash to the central government, The Petrodollar issue, where this amount is spent permanently. ”
With regard to the establishment of a province in Basra, and its economic impact on Iraq, Jihad said: “We do not want to anticipate events and judge this issue, the subject was an idea, but not realized until this moment, and when it is realized there will be another talk about this subject.”
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BGG (Dinar Guru) – Article: “Iraq offers compensation settlement and Kuwaiti debt against investment” Quote: “…the meeting also discussed the file of compensation with the State of Kuwait and ways to settle through the window of investment inside Iraq.“. two separate items talked about – how to pay back Kuwait (not to be confused with) – their eagerness to settle investments inside Iraq? One of the big problems needing dealt with – is they have few mechanisms in place to safe guard investors. Why would the IMF care about Iraqi investors. They don’t – this is referring to OUTSIDE investors. Period. Really good news – entering final talks – it appears.
Read more: http://www.dinarupdates.com/observer/
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Transport announces the opening of a direct air line between Baghdad and Belgrade at the end of this month
BAGHDAD – A spokesman for the Ministry of Transport, Salim Musa, announced on Tuesday the opening of a direct air link between Baghdad and the Serbian capital Belgrade at the end of this month in the absence of “obstacles” administrative, indicating that the Minister of Transport Kazem A cup has been working for some time on the opening of direct air links between Baghdad and the European capitals to restore the Iraqi Airways to the reality.
He explained, “These efforts were strengthened by the opening of direct flights between Baghdad and some countries, where was going to Serbia and the holding of several meetings and agreements resulted in the creation Formula to open a direct line with Belgrade and accepted with Athens, ” Pointing out that “the collection of direct visa from the airport needs efforts should be made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and there is an actual approach to this matter.”
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Kaperoni (Dinar Guru) – Article: “ATMs for MasterCard card users” …it is fun to watch all the pieces be put in place for the economy to take off. Iraq is literally going from the stone age to the 21st century with technology in a few years.
Read more: http://www.dinarupdates.com/observer/
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Iraq Stock Exchange discusses technology solutions in Beirut for its applications
BAGHDAD – The Iraqi stock market opened Monday in the Lebanese capital of Beirut its conference on the applications and solutions of technology trading securities, stressing the need to bring investments to the securities market.
“The conference is currently being held in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, the second of its kind since last year in the United Arab Emirates. There were also conferences and workshops between the two conferences,” said Taha Ahmed Abdel Salam, A knot inside Iraq and yielded positive results supported the market in his work. ” He added that “the conference was attended by a group of senior officials of the Central Bank of Iraq and a number of ministries of the Iraqi state, adding brokerage firms and international investment companies.”
He pointed out that the aim of the conference is to achieve the objectives related to bringing investments, correcting and correcting the trends adopted by financial markets and plans, especially their relationship with financial institutions, as well as with the market elements represented by joint stock companies and brokerage companies, specifically investors.
“The Iraqi Stock Exchange Law speaks about the capital market in Iraq, which consists of key elements supporting the development of the market and the Securities Commission, which is an organization of the rules of instructions needed by the market as well as joint stock companies to disclose their data and review levels of performance annual and quarterly.
Abdul Salam expected that “the meetings of the conference will witness further discussions and meetings between investment companies and those interested in stock markets.”
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Adam Montana (Dinar Guru) – [What will happen to the other major currencies when the CBI RV’s the IQD/USD exchange rate? The countries using the EUR, the GBP, the CHF, the JPY, and the CNY all have international corporations invested in Iraqi oil with contracts based on today’s exchange rates. How will a radical upward IQD/USD RV (which effectively decreases the value of the USD against the IQD) affect the EUR/USD and the GBP/USD and the CHF/USD and the JPY/USD and the CNY/USD exchange rates? Will these other major global currencies also be devalued and what in your opinion will that do to an already stressed global economy?] This is a great question, because it opens up the floor to discuss how an RV is really a zero-sum game, mostly because we are talking about a fiat currency. When the FED prints more USD, we don’t actually gain that money. It just dilutes the dollar a little bit more. IQD, and an RV of the currency, works the same way, just on a global scale. My opinion is that almost every other currency will take a slight hit, and then rebound once the IQD rate stabilizes, and within about a month all currencies will be back to normal… except the IQD will be dramatically different than it was a month prior.
Read more: http://www.dinarupdates.com/observer/
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Parliament votes tomorrow on the proposed law on the operation of the first graduates
(Baghdad: Al-Furat News) The House of Representatives will resume on Tuesday its regular session to vote on two draft laws.
A statement of the Council, received by the agency {Euphrates News}, a copy of it, tomorrow’s session includes “the completion of the vote on the draft law to reform inmates and depositors, and vote on the proposed law to run the early graduates.”
The meeting will also discuss the recommendations of the Education Committee regarding school buildings and an oral question addressed to the head of the Federal Audit Bureau, as well as the report and discussion of the draft law granting the employee a long standard leave and handling the conditions of the contractors.
The statement said the meeting included “the report and discussion of the draft law on the residence of foreigners, and the report and discussion of the draft law on delegation of powers.”
The House of Representatives lifted on 30 April last, its normal to Tuesday, the ninth of May, after voting on a parliamentary resolution prohibiting the attendance or participation of politicians or officials conferences in and outside Iraq without the consent of the Iraqi authorities.
Read More: http://www.dinarupdates.com/member.php?47292-MadDScout
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Deputy for the citizen: The next battle requires the return of the work of factories stalled
(Baghdad: al-Furat News) The MP from the mass of citizen Mohammed al-Masoudi, on Monday, that the battle of Iraq next requires the return of the work of government plants stalled.
“There are instructions issued to the local governments not to approve and according to the powers granted to them to promote the transfer of employees of the Ministry of Industry and Minerals to the rest of the ministries to preserve the competencies in them and not to empty, and because the Iraqi industry and only The future vision of both the Iraqi parliament and the federal government is on the verge of a major industrial boom. ”
He added that “the Iraqi industry suffers from several problems trying both the parliament and the government to eliminate or reduce them, including the high cost of production of one commodity compared to competition of foreign goods because of high costs of production, especially with regard to energy, in addition to the financial allocations related to loans Support and facilities for the establishment of Iraqi national industries and the reluctance of the investor to enter the Iraqi market for lack of financial cover and a strong bank protects him.
He pointed out that “the federal government is working on the abolition of the Bramir law on the settlement of the salaries of industry and dependence on the advances granted by the government, and thus deprive workers in this sector of financial allocations and irregular in their salaries and their withdrawal to the ministries that may provide them with these financial resources.”
Masoudi pointed out that “the battle of Iraq next will be in one aspect save hundreds of government factories stalled and return them to the ranks of Arab industry at least.”
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Iraq: Lack of accuracy in statistics confuses business
Baghdad – Journal News A number of specialists attributed the reasons that led to the weakness in the availability of accurate statistics for the trade of services in Iraq to the exceptional circumstances experienced by the country during the past years, which greatly affected the provision of statistical data.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation, Abdul-Zahra al-Hindawi, told the “Journal News” on Tuesday, “The statistical data on many important joints turned into projects that seek the Central Bureau of Statistics of the Ministry of Planning achieved by the adoption of United Nations organizations, especially data on population and health “But with regard to the commercial aspect,” there are some problems in this sector, especially in the field of trade exchange between Iraq and other countries. ”
On the other hand, the Iraqi economic expert, Majid al-Suri, in a statement to the “Journal News” on Tuesday, that the statistics on the file of international trade in the field of services “exist but suffers from lack of coordination both by the Ministry of Planning and the Ministry of Oil.” A statistic issued by the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Planning in respect of services imported to Iraq while there are no services exported from Iraq. ”
He pointed out that “the confusion in the registration of statistics has a negative impact as it is the basis of scientific analysis and auditing and the development of strategies and auditing and planning and therefore the lack of accuracy on these statistics cause a major imbalance can not be overcome by all specialists in the various fields, whether economic or social.
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Iraqi Dinar/Dollar auction 05-16-17 (most recent listing)
Currency Auctions Announcement No. 3443
This daily currency auction was held in the Central Bank of Iraq on the 05-16-2017
| DETAILS | NOTES |
| Number of banks | 38 |
| Number of remittance companies | 11 |
| Amount sold at auction price (US$) | 169,606,710 |
| Amount purchased at Auction price (US$) | —– |
| Total offers for buying (US$) | 169,606,710 |
| Total offers for selling (US$) | —– |
Read More: http://www.dinarupdates.com/observer/
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| CURRENCY | CODE | SELL | BUY |
| US dollar | USD | 1184.000 | 1182.000 |
| Euro | EUR | 1299.085 | 1298.435 |
| British pound | GBP | 1530.675 | 1529.910 |
| Canadian dollar | CAD | 867.972 | 867.538 |
| Swiss franc | CHF | 1186.135 | 1185.542 |
| Swedish krona | SEK | 134.167 | 134.100 |
| Norwegian krone | NOK | 139.201 | 139.131 |
| Danish krone | DKK | 174.621 | 174.534 |
| Japanese yen | JPY | 10.441 | 10.436 |
| Special Drawing Rights |
SDR | 1622.506 | 1621.695 |