Can Sadr swing Nonsectarian Government?
By Ali Mamouri for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.
After the Sairoon (On the Move) Alliance emerged victorious in the May 12 Iraqi elections, its leader, Muqtada al-Sadr, has been seeking meetings with the leaders of the other top-vote-getting alliances to discuss the possibility of forming the largest bloc in the new parliament and ultimately form the new Cabinet.
At a May 19 joint press conference after talks with Sadr, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, whose Al-Nasr (Victory) Alliance came in third, said, “During our meeting, we agreed to work together and with other parties to expedite the process of forming a new Iraqi government.”
A few days later, on May 22, Al-Nasr spokesman Hussein al-Adeli said Abadi had reached an agreement with Sadr on a map for forming a new government. Abadi himself, in his weekly press conference the same day, said his coalition was close to reaching an understanding with the Sairoon Alliance “to form a strong technocratic government.”
In a May 20 meeting with Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the second-place Fatah Alliance, consisting of the political wings of the pro-Iran militias of the Popular Mobilization Units, Sadr had said, “The process of government formation must be a national decision, and importantly, must include the participation of all the winning blocs along a national path.”
Sadr appeared to select the phrasing “national decision” and “national path” especially for Amiri, who had days earlier met in Baghdad with Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Quds Force, in an attempt to form a pro-Iranian parliamentary bloc.
Sadr also held talks with Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the Hikma Alliance, on May 21 and spoke of the importance of forming the upcoming government in a way that ensures “fixing the path of the political process to suit the aspirations of the Iraqi people who reject sectarianism and corruption.”
Sadr also met May 21 with Iyad al-Allawi, leader of the predominantly Sunni Al-Wataniyah Alliance, and two days earlier had received a letter from Kosrat Rasoul Ali, first deputy for the secretary-general of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, in line with discussions on potential alliances requiring Sunni and Kurdish participation alongside the Shiite majority to form a government.
After failing to assemble a parliamentary bloc under Iranian auspices consisting of the four largest Shiite lists — the State of Law Coalition and the Al-Nasr, Hikma and Fatah Alliances — Iranian Ambassador to Iraq Iraj Masjedi attempted to lure Sadr to his side to prevent the formation of an anti-Iran government. Masjedi told Iran’s Al-Alam TV May 21, “Iran has constructive relations with all parties, blocs and coalitions that won the majority of parliamentary seats in the fourth elections.”
Masjedi also denied rumors of a dispute between the Iranian leadership and Sadr, saying, “Iran’s relations with Sadr are historical and deep-seated. The country had close relations with the martyrs Mohammed Baqr and Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr [Muqtada’s uncle and father, respectively].” Masjedi added, “Iranian officials’ relations with Sadr are friendly and brotherly, and many of them, including Soleimani, appreciate Sadr greatly.”
In fact, Sadr’s father and Iranian officials were not friendly at all. His representative in Iran, Jaafar al-Sadr, son of Mohammad Baqr, was arrested and his office shuttered in Qom in 1998. In addition, everything indicates that relations between Muqtada and Iran have gone downhill as well in recent years.
Sadr had made several statements critical of Iranian interference in Iraqi decision-making, and his alliance competed against the pro-Iran lists — Al-Fatah and the State of Law Coalition — in the elections. In the preceding years, Sadr’s supporters chanted slogans against Iran at protests calling for reform. Sadr, unlike his rivals Maliki and Amiri, has not met with Soleimani in recent years.
Sadr greeted a group of ambassadors from neighboring countries May 19 after his list’s victory was confirmed. In attendance were the ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Turkey and Syria. Official Iranian websites, including Al-Alam’s, criticized Sadr’s relations with Saudi Arabia and charged that Riyadh had been behind Iran’s exclusion from the meeting.
Sadr insists that the largest parliamentary bloc include all Iraqi components, which would be unprecedented if successful. The largest parliamentary bloc has always consisted solely of Shiite parties, which then negotiated with Kurdish and Sunni blocs over forming the government.
On May 21, Sadr tweeted, “I am Muqtada. I am Shiite, Sunni, Christian, Saebean, Yazidi, Islamist, civil, Arab, Kurdish, Assyrian, Turkmen, Chaldean and Shabak. I am Iraqi. Do not expect me to side with any sect against the other to renew enmities and lead to our demise. We are headed toward a comprehensive Iraqi alliance.”
Al-Hayat newspaper on May 21 cited Iraqi sources close to Sadr discussing efforts to bring together Abadi, Allawi, Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Massoud Barzani and Sunni Al-Qarar Alliance leader Khamis al-Khanjar to explore forming the leading parliamentary bloc with all their parties’ participation. If Sadr succeeds, Iraq might overcome sectarian quotas in forming a government, and Iranian influence would dwindle with its political allies, Al-Fatah and the State of Law Coalition, excluded from the bloc.
Article Credit: Iraq-businessnews.com
BGG ~ While this was originally published in one of the most reputable Middle East outlets… this isn’t a real question. It is clearly rhetorical. He can – the real question isn’t can he, the real question is – “Will everyone else..”? Things are shaping up well. I am very hopeful they come to a speedy resolution – without the corrupt.
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Why am I selling my Dinar?
Simple answer: I’m not – I’m buying. I only sell so that we can increase holdings. We keep everything we can afford to. That’s the general concept anyway.
Sometime back we were able to help some folks in a big way with their currency. This was at a time when the dealers were being very harsh with people on their buy-backs and not really passing much of that on to buyers.
We helped. When their advertised buy-back was $500-600 (depending on condition) we were able to get one man $850 x 60 million and helped save his farm. We didn’t make much – but we helped. It was then I realized, if we were gonna’ keep this up, we ought to get registered as a dealer.
We did. We try to offer the best number for those wanting to get out – and the best number we can for those wanting to get in or add more.
Current Sale Price: $995 per million (2014 25k notes – perfect quality – uncirculated)
615-509-6256 (BGG)
P.S. You are welcome to PM me on FaceBook for more (currency related) info as well.
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Chattels (Dinar Guru) – 165 seats are necessary. Sadr’s Sairoon (54 seats), PM Abadi’s Nasr (42 seats), Hakim’s Hikma (19 seats), VP Allawi’s Wataniya (21 seats) and the KDP (25 seats) and Qarar (13 seats) makes a total of 173 if my math is correct. Can I get a “Bingo!“? With the Kurds as part of the government we have the best chance to avoid quotas and establish an efficient majority government for legislation without consensus, IMO. Godspeed the completion of the Iraqi Banking Sector Reform Project!
Read more: http://www.dinarupdates.com/observer/
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Source: the convergence of these lists to form the largest bloc .. Amiri and Maliki outside the coalition!!
Baghdad today – A parliamentary source familiar with, on Wednesday, a “kind of convergence” between the blocks supporting the Prime Minister Haider Abadi and the block Sason and the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the National Alliance led by Iyad Allawi to form the largest parliamentary bloc.
The agency “Sputnik” Russian, the source, who was not named, saying, “The deliberations and consultations are taking place between the Iraqi parliamentary blocs that have the largest percentages in the recent elections to reach the majority necessary to form the next government.”
The source added that “the blocks that have occurred among them a kind of convergence are supporters of the current Prime Minister Haider Abadi and the block going, plus the Kurdistan Democratic Party and perhaps the mass of Iyad Allawi may join them the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan,” asserting that “these can form the largest bloc Which can name the prime minister and form the next government. ”
He pointed out that “any of the blocs that have the largest percentages of seats can not individually form a government that needs more than 160 seats, and here the largest bloc are the Sadrist bloc, which did not reach 60 seats,” ruling out “Sadr’s alliance with the Maliki group or group Hadi al-Amiri. ”
He pointed out that “the group Abadi is the closest to the block going because it acquires 47 seats and thus the total seats of the two blocs more than 100 seats,” noting that “they need 60 others, and may come from the Kurdish blocs and Allawi bloc.”
Article Credit: Baghdadtoday.news (Special Thanks to Tim Tarkington)
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Sadr announces completion of final touches of government
Alsumaria News / Baghdad – The leader of the Sadrist movement Moqtada al-Sadr announced on Wednesday the completion of the final touches of the government, indicating that it is a genuine Iraqi government and opposition to constructive political and peaceful peace.
“Today, I have completed the picture and I have completed the final touches after you have completed the advice and satisfied you with the government,” Sadr said in a tweet followed by Alsumaria News. “It is a Sunni, Shiite, Arab, Kurdish, nationalist and non-sectarian government. Political peace “.
“We will brief them on the details of the many meetings so that they can have good sayings, and then we will wait for the honest and patriotic blocs that are precious to form a strong patriarchal government that will give the people their rights,” he said.
The leader of the Sadrist movement Moqtada al-Sadr met with a number of officials in the Iraqi government and heads of blocs and coalitions, including Prime Minister Haider Abadi, and discussed with them the formation of the next government and its program.
Article Credit: Alsumaria.tv
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sandyf (Dinar Guru) – It is a fact that Iraq has for years discussed the project to delete the 3 zeros. It is a fact that ten years ago that Iraq considered the “Turkey model” for their redenomination. It is a fact that in April 2012 the Iraqi cabinet postponed the redenomination indefinitely. It is a fact that in 2009 an investigative report was published into redenominations. It is a fact that the 2009 report concluded that a major contributor to a “successful” redenomination was low inflation. It is a fact that a redenomination introduces a new national currency and that the previous national currency co-exists in-country for a period of time. It would become an ISO historical currency. It is a fact that ISO historical currencies are not recognised internationally…
BGG ~ There are some claims here that I simply don’t agree with… the actual text of the noted articles show differently.
Read more: http://www.dinarupdates.com/observer/
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Iraqi Shiite Muslim leader and head of Hikma party Ammar al-Hakim (L) and Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr meet in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf on May 17, 2018. Photo: Haidar Hamdani / AFP
Sadr meets Hakim to discuss possible governing alliance
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Muqtada al-Sadr, leader of the winning election alliance Sayirun, has met with the prominent Shia leader Ammar al-Hakim, head of the National Hikma (Wisdom) Movement, in Najaf to discuss forming a government.
Both sides say they agree on the need to form a representative government.
“I am thankful to the Iraqi people who voted in the current elections, those who helped reform triumph. [For] even those who abstained from voting, thank you, as they didn’t give their votes to the corrupt,” Sadr told journalists following the meeting.
“God willing, we are looking at a new stage for building in Iraq a democratic, paternal and technocratic government,” Sadr added.
The two leaders have not always been on good terms, according to many sources, with Sadr once saying he would not engage with Hakim politically or share a platform with him prior to the election.
Hakim’s alliance came out as the sixth largest party in the election, even trailing behind the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), with a preliminary result of 22 seats.
Hakim termed the meeting a “valuable opportunity,” where they discussed the election and its results and potential party combinations in government.
“We examined the necessity of forming a government that is national, strong, independent in its political decisions, dependent on the will of the free Iraqi nation, and with a national orientation that transcends components and represents all the sons of the people of Iraq,” Hakim told journalists.
Talk of a possible Sayirun-Hikma alliance marks a good start, Hakim said. Both leaders are open to further talks with any party standing on an anti-corruption, cross-sectarian and cross-ethnic, and pro-reform platform, he added.
He also called on the election commission to seriously examine complaints and allegations of fraud.
“It is clear that the decrease in turnout in elections is a message from the people of Iraq that they want new faces, serious programs and steps to provide the necessary and proper services to the sons of our people,” Hakim added.
Sadr has said he could support incumbent Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi for a second term, owing to similarities in their election pitch.
In a recent pun-heavy tweet, Sadr hinted at potential alliances he wishes to see in an upcoming government.
The KDP, Abadi’s Nasr (Victory) Alliance, Hakim’s Hikma, and some other parties were included in the tweet. It is not clear whether Sadr deliberately omitted Hashd al-Shaabi’s Fatih and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) among others.
Brett McGurk, the US special presidential envoy, met with former Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani and PM Nechirvan Barzani in a bid to influence the shape of the next government.
Meanwhile, Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp’s (IRGC) extraterritorial Quds Force, is in southern Iraq seeking to assemble a pro-Iran Shia majority government among the divided Shia blocs.
Article Credit: Rudaw.net
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Mnt Goat (Dinar Guru) – Article: “MOQTADA AL-SADR, AGREED TO GIVE PRIME MINISTER HAIDER ABADI A SECOND TERM, DURING THE MEETING THEY HAD JUST GATHERED IN BAGHDAD” Okay so now we know Al-Abadi is going to be the next prime minister. We also gain some more insight at to the two conditions that al-Sadr is requiring of him. 1) fight corruption all the way to the top levels of govt 2) publish the list of names of those corrupt political officials.You can bet that on his mind is going after this Nori al-Maliki.
Read more: http://www.dinarupdates.com/observer/
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Kaperoni (Dinar Guru) – I stated last week that current PM al-Abadi does not want to be PM again. Today, some news surfaced that seems to support that. There may very well be a new PM chosen.
Read more: http://www.dinarupdates.com/observer/
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Iraqi parliament decides to hold an extraordinary session on Thursday
Khandan – Is scheduled to hold the Iraqi Council of Representatives on Thursday, an extraordinary session to discuss the parliamentary elections that took place on May 12.
The Information Service of the House of Representatives in a statement reported by local media, the Presidency of the House of Representatives decided to hold a special session at the fourth hour of the afternoon on Thursday, May 24.
She pointed out that the convening of the meeting was based on the request made by a number of deputies who throw the focus on the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.
The House of Representatives held a deliberative session last Saturday in the presence of 105 deputies to discuss the elections. The President of the Council, Salim al-Jubouri, announced that the Presidency will direct a book containing the demand for the Electoral Commission to take all means to ensure confidence in the electoral process, including random counting and referral Criminal cases to the competent authorities in cases where mismanagement of the integrity of the electoral process and providing the political entities with an electronic copy a photocopy of the results sent via satellite and verify the process of matching data sent electronically with B The funds are counted through the counting of funds, as well as the request of the electoral judiciary to deal with appeals in a very thorough and impartial manner.
Article Credit: Xendan.org
BGG ~ Can’t you just hear that SUCKING SOUND?? It’s the SWEET SOUND of the Iraqi S-W-A-M-P going down the drain!!
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Some interesting headlines…
Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s bloc wins Iraq election
Why Iraq’s election is a remarkable victory for democracy
Leaders of the Dawa Party are seeking to revive a previous agreement between Abadi and Maliki
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Iraq’s Maliki to engage in more negotiations with Kurds on next govt
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) Iraqi Vice President Nuri al-Maliki’s coalition intends to continue recent talks with kurdish political representatives regarding the formation of the next Iraqi government, his office said.
Hisham al-Rikabi, director of Maliki’s office, said in statements on Wednesday that the State of the Law coalition will launch a new phase of talks within the next couple of days with Kurdish political forces after a meeting between Maliki and a former Kurdish president, Masud Barzani, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, in Baghdad yesterday.
According to Rikabi, “the meeting between the head of the State of the Law Coalition, Nuri al-Maliki, and the KDP delegation in Baghdad has resulted into resolving lots of past issues between both sides, as well as reaching understandings in relation to the formation of the largest parliamentary bloc”.
Iraqi parliament elections, the first after victory over Islamic State militants, were held on 12th of this month, with results, announced on 19th. Maliki’s list came forth according to the final outcome.
No list has ensured an outright majority, and according to the constitution, the new government should be announced before 90 days after the announcement of results.
Kurds, whose relations with the central government in Baghdad deteriorated since they voted for independence in September, are anxious to secure a place in the next government. Kurdish representatives have met with various political groups, including Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose list came first in the polls.
Kurds have been at loggerheads with Maliki, a former prime minister who is widely blamed for stoking sectarianism and for Islamic State’s takeover of Iraqi territories by the end of his term in 2014.
Article Credit: Iraqinews.com
BGG ~ I really, really, really hope these two jackwaggons go ahead and do a FRUITLESS, IGNORANT, self-serving deal in public and GET RAM-JACKED for it.
ABOUT TIME!!
For our newcomers – these two guys are responsible for all kinds of hideous outcomes for much of the Middle East and likely why we should have seen value change in the Dinar as far back as 2012 but still haven’t.
The reason – they had some really nasty, hinky, CROOKED deals cooked up behind the scenes that no one knew about.
I sincerely hope they both get exposed and thrown in prison soon for their crimes against humanity. Barzani too – he’s in this for his own interests. I GUARANTEE IT (Barzani’s motives – NOT AN RV)!!
P.S. to JWFLATT – who regularly asserts “on the internet” I GUARANTEED an RV some while ago, QUIT LYING!! I did no such thing. In fact, I rarely give a direct answer to such inquiries. Who can know?
There was, however, a man named SteveI, who was convinced an RV was imminent. He shared his opinion on the matter. He “guaranteed” the event. He has since passed away. Quit saying things that aren’t true and you might get to discuss it with him one day. Or not.
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Click this link to join the DU “private” FaceBook Group…
https://www.facebook.com/groups/571383766355188/
(go here and ask to join… then add some Dinar Friends!!)
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Post RV Checklist (it’s getting to be that time!! Listen up!!)
Dos and Don’ts of Windfall Wealth:
Treat it like a PowerBall win
– Tell no one, not even family. If you must talk, do so with one who is already in the know.
– Don’t run out & buy new “stuff”. People notice.
– Get an unpublished number and give it out very sparingly.
– Get a tax accountant you can trust to make sure the IRS is satisfied (Certified Opinion is something to look into) and pursue asset protection…
Read Complete List: http://www.dinarupdates.com/showthread.php?18519-The-Post-RV-Checklist-and-Flashback-documents&p=128477#post128477
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