For those who can't get on OM, and who don't have access to the forum. I will post here the articles I like for the day and some of my thoughts. Check back later
(KUNA) - The three Iraqi presidencies (the Republic, the government and parliament) stressed on Wednesday the importance of speeding up the formation of the new government. This position came during a meeting that included the Iraqi President, Barham Salih, the head of the caretaker government, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, and the speaker of parliament, Muhammad al-Halbousi, according to a statement of the Iraqi Presidency headquarters. The statement said that the two societies stressed the importance of meeting the various requirements of reform, political, economic and service, "in a manner that preserves the sovereignty of Iraq and the security of Iraqis from the challenges of terrorism." The attendees stressed, according to the statement, the importance of adopting balanced positions towards regional and international crises, "Iraq shunned conflicts and emphasized calm, restraint and prevent escalation." The meeting called for the preservation of national sovereignty and its safeguarding against external interference and the prevention of transgressions in this regard. The meeting of Iraqi presidencies comes at a time when the political scene in that country is witnessing serious challenges, especially the continuation of popular protests for more than 100 days.
A legal center demands the Presidency of the Republic to implement Article 81 with the aim of ending the constitutional crisis
Thursday 16 January 2020 | 11:37 amFollow-up / ...
The Iraqi Center for Legal Development (ICLD) today, Thursday, sent a letter to the Presidency of the Republic, requesting that it is necessary to implement Article 81 of the Constitution in order to end the constitutional crisis that the country has been going through for nearly two months, against the backdrop of the resignation of the Prime Minister.
In its book, the Center stated that failure to assign the largest number of parliamentary candidates to any cause, including the reason for awaiting the decision of the Federal Supreme Court in this regard, does not grant any party the right to exceed the constitutional period.
He pointed out that the Presidency of the Republic should have gone in the direction of implementing Article 81 of the Constitution after the failure to assign the candidate of the largest number of parliamentary blocs, especially after the vacancy of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers in practice. The government is restricted, and it cannot fully exercise its powers, which caused a clear deterioration in the security scenes And service, in addition to obstructing the preparation and legislation of the Federal Budget Law for the fiscal year 2020, which represents the people's strength.
The Center concluded its book by asking the President of the Republic to the necessity of applying Article 81 of the Constitution because he is his guardian and according to the provisions of Article 67 thereof, due to constitutional breaches and the circumstances that our beloved Iraq is going through. End 2
The Iraqi president is visiting Italy within days to discuss the latest repercussions of the killing of Soleimani
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi de Mayo announced today, Wednesday, that Iraqi President Barham Salih will visit Italy in the coming days, and de Mayo made clear - during a briefing before the Italian Senate, according to the Italian news agency "Aki" - that "due to the escalation that erupted against the background of The killing of the Iranian General Qassem Soleimani near Baghdad Airport and the serious Iranian attack on two Iraqi bases hosting the anti-ISIS coalition soldiers on January 8, Italy has preferred four directions for action: strengthening dialogue, protecting soldiers on the ground, supporting the war against ISIS, and affirming the full implementation of Iran's nuclear program with less. "
The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs pointed out that everything he mentioned should be done at the European Union level.
De Mayo stated that Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte "had telephone conversations with the Iraqi president, who will be in Rome in the next few days, as well as with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Prince Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan."
On my part, he added, I held several talks with regional partners, in which I strongly encouraged them to avoid any additional action that could increase tensions. And Iraqi President Barham Salih warned against plunging his country into a new war, stressing that Iraq refuses to be a threat to any of its neighbors. The Iraqi Presidency - in a statement reported by "Alsumaria News" channel - stated that it is following with great concern the dangerous developments taking place in the region, and condemns the Iranian missile strikes that have targeted military sites on Iraqi soil, and its renewed rejection of the repeated breach of national sovereignty and turning Iraq into a battleground for the conflicting parties. She stressed that "Iraq has already announced its refusal to be a starting point for aggression against any country ... It also refuses to be a source of threat to any of its neighbors, but rather seeks to be a pillar of stability and a space for convergence of interests between the peoples of the region, and that its security and sovereignty must be maintained in accordance with international covenants and relations And bilateral agreements. " And the Iraqi presidency stressed that "the presence of the international coalition forces in Iraq was based on the agreements concluded between the Iraqi government and the countries that make up the coalition from them, because of the necessities of fighting terrorism ... and that the context and fate of the presence of these forces is an internal Iraqi matter concerned with the Iraqi government and parliament, according to the frameworks Legal, constitutional and diplomatic, based on national consensus and Iraqi national security priorities. " In this context, the statement called on all parties to exercise restraint and wisdom, and to give precedence to the language of dialogue and not to be drawn into open war that threatens the security and peace of the region and the world.
Berlin reveals Iraq's decision on the German army
January 16, 2020
Berlin currently has about 120 military personnel in Iraq, as part of the US-led international coalition against ISIS, mainly carrying out training tasks.
Germany, through its Foreign Minister, Haikou Maas, revealed on Wednesday that the Iraqi government supports the survival of German soldiers on its soil, as part of the international coalition fighting ISIS.
Mas said, in an interview with the parliament, that the resigned Iraqi Prime Minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, told representatives of the German government that "Baghdad is very interested in continuing the international commitment."
He said during his speech that Baghdad "also supported during the talks that took place with us the German army stay in Iraq."
On January 7, the German army announced the withdrawal of a portion of its soldiers deployed in Iraq for training missions, and transferred them to Jordan and Kuwait, due to tension in the region, against the background of the assassination of the commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, General Qassem Soleimani, with an American strike near Baghdad.
Berlin currently has about 120 military personnel in Iraq, as part of the US-led international coalition against ISIS, mainly carrying out training tasks.
But Maas reiterated that Germany would always "respect the sovereignty of Iraq", especially if Baghdad ultimately requested the departure of foreign forces.
But he added, "We recommend that we be able to continue the support we have provided so far because we believe that anything else will contribute to instability in Iraq."
On January 8, the Iraqi parliament called on the government to "end the presence of any foreign forces," including the approximately 5,200 US troops.
For his part, US President Donald Trump threatened to impose billions of dollars in sanctions if the United States was forced to withdraw its forces, saying: "Unless the United States leaves Iraq on a friendly basis, the United States will impose sanctions on it like never before."
Two soldiers were killed by an ISIS attack in Iraq
Two Iraqi soldiers were killed and five others were injured during an attack by ISIS militants on a security checkpoint, according to Iraqi government sources.
And the "Sky News Arabia" website quoted the Iraqi security media cell as confirming in a statement, that ISIS gunmen attacked one of the checkpoints in the Dujail area in Salah Al-Din Governorate, in the center of the country, which resulted in the killing and wounding of a number of the security point members.
The statement indicated that the attackers managed to escape, while the Iraqi security forces are looking into the circumstances and circumstances of the attack on the security checkpoint in the province.
The Security Media Cell said in a statement yesterday that the attack carried out by ISIS gunmen took place near the Al-Waleed Iraqi crossing with Syria, and that an officer was injured and 3 others were wounded from the Iraqi border guards.
Determine the current 24th as the date for a million demonstration called by Al-Sadr
Iraqi demonstrators defy the cold and continue to crowd into the squares
Publication date: 01/16/2020
Yesterday, the Iraqi protesters continued their gathering in the demonstration squares in Baghdad and the governorates of Babel, Karbala, Najaf, Diwaniyah, Muthanna, Wasit, Dhi Qar, Maysan and Basra, despite the severe cold, as the temperature in some areas was below zero, while the Sadr movement was set on the twenty-fourth of the current month , As the date for the launch of the millionth demonstration called by the leader of the movement, Muqtada Al-Sadr. And emerged during the demonstrations groups calling themselves "anti-permanence", which prevents employees and students from working in their departments, schools and universities to pressure the government to meet the demands of the demonstrators. In Basra yesterday, university students joined the demonstrations square in order to demand that this year not be counted as a year of failure, and the demonstrators also continued to exercise their artistic and cultural activities within the demonstration square. In Wasit governorate, the situation returned to normal, especially in the city of Kut, the provincial center, after the mosques in the city demanded that students be returned to their schools after an agreement between the parents and government agencies. In Najaf, the demonstrators flocked to the demonstrators' demonstrations in the governorate, burning tires to block the Najaf International Airport road, and the University of Kufa was also closed. In Dhi Qar, a state of complete calm prevailed in the governorate, as all bridges were reopened, with the exception of the olive bridge, which remained closed. The protesters in al-Haboubi Square were divided over allowing the schools to reopen; some protesters refused to open the schools again, while others felt that this was not correct and students should be allowed to return to the schools. In Babel, the protesters continued to crowd into protest plazas despite the cold weather. On the other hand, Saleh Muhammad al-Iraqi, close to the leader of the Sadrist movement, said in a statement: "We will demonstrate in order to condemn the occupation and its violations of the sovereignty of Iraq," noting that all chants that offend the non-occupier, or that enrich the love of the country, are prevented, as our demonstrations (neither eastern nor Western revolution .. Iraqi revolution).
Kauaihn Iraq Articles:dd
PM Barzani, Qatari FM Discuss Regional Security, Bilateral Trade Ties
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani received on Wednesday Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani, Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, to discuss the regional security and trade ties.
"I received Qatar’s Deputy PM and FM @MBA_AlThani_ today to discuss regional security issues of shared concern, and how we can improve bilateral trade links," Barzani wrote on Twitter.
Concerning the recent developments in Iraq and the wider region, the pair called for the de-escalation of tensions, urging all sides to preserve peace and security in the Middle East, Barzani's office said in a statement.
"Prime Minister Barzani affirmed that renewed conflict and instability will undo the significant progress achieved in the reconstruction of Iraq," the statement continued.
Meanwhile, they also exchanged views on Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) reform agenda "to modernise and diversify the regional economy, Prime Minister Barzani emphasised that the KRG is committed to making Kurdistan an attractive destination for investors."
"Minister al-Thani recognized the economic opportunities presented by the Kurdistan Region for Qatari investors and praised the KRG for its efforts in promoting economic growth and stability."
The Qatari envoy also stressed on his country's desire to further strengthen the bilateral ties between the sides, "particularly in relation to trade."
The decision to restart military operations in Iraq came less than two weeks after Iraq’s Parliament voted to expel all American forces from Iraq.
American soldiers on Monday at Ayn al Asad air base in Iraq.
By Alissa J. Rubin and Eric Schmitt
Jan. 16, 2020, 6:09 p.m. ET
BAGHDAD — The United States military resumed joint operations with Iraq on Wednesday, military officials said, ending a two-week pause that began when the American Embassy in Baghdad was attacked on New Year’s Day.
The decision to restart military operations came a little more than two weeks after Iraq’s Parliament voted to expel all American forces from the country. The government accused the United States of violating Iraqi sovereignty by carrying out airstrikes in Iraq, including one on Jan. 3 that killed Iran’s top military commander, a leader of Iraqi militia forces and eight other people.
Two American military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the missions to reporters, confirmed that the joint operations had restarted.
They said the military wanted to resume operations against the Islamic State as soon as possible to blunt any momentum the group might have and to stifle any propaganda victory it might claim because the United States had suspended the operation.
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It was unclear on Wednesday whether anyone in the Iraqi government approved the resumption of joint missions — it was the Americans who stopped them, not the Iraqis — and Iraqi officials could not be reached for comment.
Iraq’s acting prime minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, who has said that his government would comply with Parliament’s order to expel American forces, seemed to soften his position on Wednesday.
In a speech to his cabinet, he suggested that Parliament’s decision might not be the final word, saying “If we reach the decision to get the forces out of Iraq, then this would be the decision of the Iraqi government.”
He also noted that if the government expelled the Americans, it would follow “an appropriate time line,” suggesting that any departure might not be immediate. He also reminded the ministers that “ISIS has begun to reorganize and plan invasions and attacks.”
Mr. Abdul Mahdi had asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over the weekend to send delegates to Iraq to work out the details of a troop withdrawal, according to a statement released by his office.
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Mr. Pompeo refused, saying the American mission in Iraq was to train Iraqi forces to fight the Islamic State, and “we’re going to continue that mission.”
The State Department said that the United States would only be willing to discuss “appropriate force posture in the Middle East.”
Despite the Iraqi government’s moves toward expelling the Americans, some Iraqi security officials have opposed the idea, saying they were needed to help fight the remnants of the Islamic State and prevent its resurgence, as well as to support coalition troops from other countries.
If the Americans and most other coalition militaries left, the Iraqis could continue to fight the extremists on their own, but would likely be hampered by a lack of drone-based intelligence and air cover, according to senior coalition military officials.
The Islamic State, which a few years ago controlled a large part of Iraq, no longer controls territory there but remains active in some pockets and claims a few Iraqi lives almost every week.
Removing the United States military from Iraq would take more than a vote in Parliament. According to American officials, it would require the Iraqi government to annul the agreements it has made allowing the American and coalition forces to train, advise and assist in the fight against the Islamic State.
The coalition’s mission was suspended on Jan. 1 after a crowd of angry fighters for pro-Iranian militias stormed and defaced the American Embassy in Baghdad in response to American airstrikes against one of the militia groups, Kataib Hezbollah.
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Two days later, an American MQ-9 Reaper drone fired missiles into a convoy at the Baghdad airport, killing the Iranian commander, Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy chief of a coalition of Iraqi militias, and eight other people.
That attack led to the vote by Iraq’s Parliament to expel American forces from the country and a counterstrike by Iran on two American military posts in Iraq last week.
From Iran calls for Iraqi sovereignty .. Who is Muqtada Al-Sadr?
January 16, 2020
At the beginning of last December and amid the continuing demonstrations against corruption and the Iraqi political class and the growing Iranian influence in Iraq, Muqtada al-Sadr suddenly appeared in Iran, and he is exhorting one of the lessons of Ayatollah Jaafar Al-Sabhani in the Great Mosque in the city of Qom.
Al-Sadr is still a religious student, as he does not carry the degree of "diligent" that allows him to give fatwa. And he was in Qom attending the "external lesson", the last stage of study in the scientific semesters, which gives him the degree of diligence.
But the presence of al-Sadr on Iranian soil exceeds the request for the seminary study, as he has almost resided for months exclusively in Iran.
In September, he appeared in the Hosseini condolence council set up by the Iranian guide, Ali Khamenei, in Tehran, in the presence of the Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, who was later killed by an American strike near Baghdad airport.
From Tehran, too, a series of meetings were launched that brought together Soleimani in Al-Sadr and Iraqi figures that resulted in a political agreement to keep Adel Abdul-Mahdi in his post, after Muqtada was until recently calling for the resignation of the government.
Then Sadr appeared in the home of Qasim Soleimani, offering his condolences to his family, and today, he is also calling from the heart of Iran for a "millionaire demonstration" against the American presence in the country, because "the sky of Iraq, its land and its sovereignty is violated."
Iran and the ambiguous relationship
Al-Sadr’s relationship with Iran is very ambiguous, as he does not believe in the guardianship of the jurist upon which the Iranian political system is based, even though his teacher in the Hawza, Jafar al-Sabhani, is a fierce defender.
In fact, Al-Sadr’s ambiguous relationship with Iran is almost reduced to the entire relationship of the Al-Sadr family with the Islamic Republic. His relative, Muhammad Baqir Al-Sadr, and his father, Muhammad Muhammad Sadiq Al-Sadr, do not believe in the wilayat of al-Faqih as well.
But the first is the founder of the Dawa Party (before he withdrew), who received full support from Iran, and did not hide his standing with the Khomeini regime, against Saddam Hussein during the short period before the war.He was assassinated by the Iraqi regime in April 1980.
The second, Muqtada's father, was one of the spiritual fathers of the "popular uprising" in southern Iraq in 1991, which also received Iranian support.
Muhammad Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr was the first to hold Friday prayers in the Kufa mosque in a historical opposition to most of the Shiite references who do not see the necessity to hold Friday prayers pending the appearance of Imam al-Mahdi.
During that period, Muqtada, who was born in Najaf in 1973, had little political presence.He was also the youngest of his brothers.
But the assassination of his father, Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr, in February 1999, along with two of his sons, Mustafa and Muammal, led Muqtada to the fore.He became a supervisor of the religious estate in Najaf.
The estate bears arms
America’s entry into Iraq in 2003 opened the way for Sadr to emerge strongly on the political scene, presenting himself as a leader to resist the “American occupation”, especially with a preference for the supreme authority, Ali Sistani, the path of negotiations to reach a political solution.
Al-Sadr announced the establishment of the Mahdi Army in late 2003, and entered into fierce confrontations with US forces in the cities of Najaf, Basra, and Amara, and inside Sadr City in Baghdad.
During this period, the new Shiite leader revived the same slogans of his father.His followers accused the Supreme Shi'a authority of meekness, and they described it as a “silent estate” in exchange for their “speaking possession.”These are the slogans that they chanted after Friday sermons during the 1990s.
The US military placed Sadr at the top of the wanted list, before the crisis found its way to a solution with a ceasefire initiative, led by the supreme authority, Ali Sistani.
Also in that period, in 2003, the Iraqi judiciary accused the leader of the Sadrist movement on charges related to the assassination of Abd al-Majid al-Khoei, son of the late Supreme Leader Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei, and he was just back in Iraq.
During the war, the Mahdi Army was getting financial and military support from Iran.One of the American investigation documents with his right-hand man, Qais Al-Khazali, indicated that these amounts of money ranged between 750 thousand and one million dollars a month as support for the operations.
After the end of the war, Muqtada tried to enter the political process.The Sadrist movement participated in the 2005 parliamentary elections, and even became a major supporter of the government of Nuri al-Maliki.
However, engaging in the political process did not prevent al-Sadr from being charged again, for he accused the Mahdi Army of being involved in purges during the sectarian war between 2006 and 2008.
Sadr denies these accusations and blames "escaped elements" of the Mahdi Army, called "rude militias," referring to Asaib Ahl al-Haq, which will be formed in 2006 under the leadership of Qais Khazali.
A man in the government and a man on the street
Sadr was distinguished by his extreme volatility during his political career.The announcement of his support for any government does not prevent him, but the participation of his ministers in it, from withdrawing his support for it and threatening to resort to the street.
In 2007, Sadr entered into an acute conflict with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who had previously supported him, to launch the Operation Knights of the Knights against the Mahdi Army, which ended in a severe defeat for Sadr's militia.
Following this, Sadr traveled to Iran in self-imposed exile, announcing his retirement from politics, but he returned to Iraq in 2011 to ally with Maliki in his second government, before the dispute between the two men erupted again, and Sadr withdraws his support to the government.
In 2014, the Sadrist movement supported the government of Haider al-Abadi.And one of his leaders (Bahaa Al-Araji) was chosen as Deputy Prime Minister.But Sadr once again announced his withdrawal of support for the government.His followers staged violent protests against it, storming the parliament building.In March 2016, he himself pitched a tent inside the Green Zone in protest.
Al-Sadr announced retirement from politics and retreat more than once.In mid-February 2014, without introductions, he announced his withdrawal from political work, the closure of all his political offices, and the dissolution of his current.
He said in a statement released at the time: "I declare that I do not interfere in all political matters and that no bloc represents us anymore and we have no position inside or outside the government, nor in parliament."
But the man soon reversed his decision and pushed his followers to the demonstrations that erupted from Tahrir Square in July 2015.
Al-Sadr froze his armed militias more than once as well, starting from the Mahdi Army in 2008, passing through the "Promised Day" brigade and reaching the "Peace Brigades".
The last episode of the freeze and activation, Al-Sadr announced, just two weeks ago, orders "the readiness of the Mahdi Army and the promised day brigade" to confront America.
Alliance with "Rude Militia"
Sectarian war caused severe damage to the image of Sadr and his trend.For the following years, he worked on drawing it again and erasing everything related to the stage of sectarian war.
Sadr struggled to establish a distance between him and Tehran, opened up to Sunni currents, adopted a national anti-sectarian discourse, and visited Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2017.
In the last parliamentary elections (May 2018), he allied with the civil currents, independents, and even the Iraqi Communist Party within the "Marchers" coalition.
The surprise was that the list won 54 seats in Parliament, achieving first place in the elections.
All indications during which were going in the direction that Al-Abadi and Al-Sadr formed an alliance to form the new Iraqi government, especially since the two men announced this in a joint statement and appeared together in a press conference.
But soon the leader of the victory coalition found himself outside the government, after Sadr placed his hand in the hands of the "Alliance of the Fate", which includes factions in the popular crowd. The leader of the Sadrist movement until recently described them as brazen militias.
It was noteworthy that Muqtada al-Sadr stood in a press conference alongside his "arch rival" Qais Khazali.
This alliance led Adel Abdul Mahdi to head the government after a political consensus that took place within hours, despite the lack of clarity of the largest bloc in the parliament.
But after less than a year, Sadr threw his hand out of the government, calling for Adel Abdul Mahdi to resign in conjunction with the outbreak of Iraqi protests, which have been continuing since October 2019.
Iran again
Sadr sought to adopt a political line committed to the demands of the demonstrators, demanding the resignation of the government of Abdul Mahdi, the drafting of a new election law, reform of the judiciary, the fight against corruption, and the prosecution of those responsible for killing the demonstrators.
In fact, he could have fired the government from day one.It is sufficient for him to agree with the leader of the Al-Fatah coalition Hadi al-Amiri to form a new government, which Abdul Mahdi himself referred to in a letter to the leader of the Sadrist movement.
But Sadr has not moved forward in this direction, probably under Iranian pressure.The French Press Agency revealed a series of meetings sponsored by the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Qassem Soleimani with Iraqi religious and political leaders, including Sadr, and resulted in an agreement on the survival of the government, but street pressure succeeded in forcing Abdul-Mahdi to resign.
With the killing of Soleimani, at the beginning of this month, the congruence between the positions of Sadr and Tehran increased.He called for removing the American forces from Iraq, closing the American embassy, and even criminalizing communication with it.
He considered that the parliament’s decision to invite the government to end the presence of foreign forces is weak and insufficient.Rather, he called for an urgent meeting of "resistance factions" outside and inside to form "international resistance regiments."
Today, Moqtada calls for an "Iraqi, Oriental or Western" revolution against America.It will be first with "Million", probably in Tahrir Square, with only "popular, political and parliamentary stops" followed by Muqtada who knows its details.
Sadr's call was unequivocally rejected by many Iraqis.A statement of the Iraqi popular movement said that "the call that is launched from Iranian soil against Washington is politicized and does not flow into the Iraqi issue."
The statement stressed that the goal of the Iraqi popular movement is to recruit Iraqis "to rid themselves of Iranian influence and the dominance of the Quds Force over the country's sovereignty."
China takes further steps to build consulate in the Kurdistan Region
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – In a ceremony at the Office of Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Municipalities and Tourism, China and the Kurdistan Region signed an agreement to start the construction of a new Chinese Consulate General in Erbil.
The Ministry of Municipalities and Tourism announced in a statement that the ceremony was held under the supervision of the minister, Sasan Awny. The ceremony included the signing of a document by China’s Consul General Ni Ruchi and the Head of the Erbil Municipality, Abdulwahid Ahmed. The document certified the approval of Kurdish authorities to begin the building of a new facility for China’s Consulate General in Erbil.
The statement explained that the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has provided a section of land on Pirmam Road, in accord with a 2018 agreement to build the Consulate General.
On December 30, 2014, China opened its first Consulate General in Erbil. The ceremony was attended by Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Zhang Ming and then-Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani.
In recent years, relations between the Kurdistan Region and the People’s Republic of China have developed further in terms of economy and education. Last month, the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced the establishment of a Chinese language program at Salahuddin University in Erbil. During the ceremony, the Chinese Consul General confirmed that Peking University would open a Kurdish language department in the near future.
Diplomatic relations between Iraq and China were established on Aug. 25, 1958, following the overthrow of Iraq’s pro-British monarchy the month before. A key alliance, known as the Baghdad Pact, had emerged after World War II—involving Turkey, Iran, Britain, and the US. It was intended to “contain” communism and the leading communist power, the Soviet Union.
The collapse of Iraq’s monarchy, however, meant the demise of the Baghdad Pact, and for the next three decades, Iraq’s ties with the Soviet bloc were closer than its ties with the west.
In the decade following the 1991 Gulf War, Baghdad remained relatively isolated, subject to a strict US economic and political embargo. With the 2003 war that overthrew Saddam Hussein and his regime, Iraq’s isolation ended. Baghdad’s relations, thus, revived with China and other countries.
Following the 1991 war, the Kurdistan Region was also subject to the embargo imposed on the rest of Iraq. However, after Saddam’s overthrow and the end of the US-led embargo, the Kurdistan Region developed the international political and economic ties that it enjoys now. Presently, there are over 30 foreign consulates and representative offices in the Kurdistan Region, and the number continues to grow.
kurdistan24
Baghdad refuses to turn into a theater of external conflict
The Iraqi President, Barham Salih, affirmed that his country would not be a launching pad for aggression against any neighboring country.
Saleh stressed that "Iraq can be a factor for positive understanding, and a point of stability and peace between regional and international powers, and supports the unification of efforts to address the current crises, in order for the peoples of the region to enjoy peace and prosperity."
He pointed out that "Iraq will not be a launching pad for any aggression against any neighboring country or arena for a new war that drains the energies and capabilities of peoples."The head of the caretaker government, Adel Abdul Mahdi, said earlier yesterday that the Iraqi government is working to preserve the security, sovereignty, and national sovereignty of Iraq.
And not to turn it into an arena for international conflicts.Abdul Mahdi said, while receiving separately, the ambassadors of Canada, Australia and Russia accredited to Iraq, that the government is making efforts to "preserve the country's security and national sovereignty, and not to turn it into an arena for international conflicts, and to affirm Iraq’s keenness to establish and strengthen the best relations with all, and to be A point of harmony and peace in its Arab, regional and international surroundings.
He stressed «Iraq’s pride in the positions of friendly countries in support of its security and stability, and the continuation of cooperation against terrorism, and the common trends towards calm, and the removal of the risks of tension from the region, and focus efforts to combat ISIS».
Al-Rafidain launches a new meal from the predecessor of 25 million dinars to state employees {Baghdad: Al Furat News} Rafidain Bank launched a new meal from the advance of state employees, which ranged between {5, 10, 15, 20, 25} million dinars through the international MasterCard.
The bank's media office said in a statement, "A new batch of the predecessors of state employees has been disbursed to more than 2,200 employees whose salaries have been localized with the bank and obtained the electronic card." The statement pointed out that "that advance was disbursed by the customer's fingerprint and then the employee was informed by sending a text message informing him of granting the advance, after completing all the legal procedures to grant it to him and disbursing it via electronic payment tools to which the financial balance has been filled."
1-15-2020 Intel Guru Frank26 [From Eddie (Firefly77) They are telling us on TV that The International Management law that was passed is a tool to be used when the rate is changed...relating to International Standards.] Wow. Let that sink in…the International Management law that was passed yesterday (amended)It was passed a while ago and the caretaker Govt. can only amend it….but they are telling the Iraqi citizens on TV that this law is a tool that will be used when the rate is changed!!! WHEN THE RATE IS CHANGED!!!! Relating to international standards!! In order for it to meet international standards it must be under article 8...seriously that is awesome.
1-15-2020 Intel Guru Bruce [via WiserNow] Now, what I’ve been told from several sources...is,shortly after the signature takes place...we do believe that we are on track for this to go...We’ve got 10-12 days to do our exchanges at the redemption centers – From whatever date we start...and then they will reset screen rates and so on for the public after the redemption centers are closed...We have the RV / GCR in our spirit –all we’re looking for now is the manifestation of it which we believe could very well be tomorrow [Wednesday]. [post 2 of 2]
1-15-2020 Intel Guru Bruce [via WiserNow] ...our Treasury Secretary - Mnuchin said that there was a chapter in the China Trade Agreement – One chapter that dealt with currencies...we know there are some things in that agreement that deal with our currencies - okay - I thought it was interesting that he brought that up in the interview...So, what I’m saying is;When President Trump puts his presidential signature and seal to this agreement tomorrow that in effect is locking in everything for us to move forward into our redemption period... [post 1 of 2....stay tuned]
1-15-2020 Intel Guru MarkZ Big expectant day today…China Trade deal signing today…All eyes and sources are fixed on this afternoon for things to break loose. My sources say the public signing is necessary for the reset release. At redemption Centers – they are fully staffed again today…going on week number 2 for full staffing…they are very expectant this week. I really feel we are in a fantastic spot today.
1-15-2020 Newshound Guru Jeff ...I spoke with my Iraqi contact who works within the Iraqi government...I asked him...could Iraq be transitioning to a different fiscal period from April through March? ...He could not give me an answer either way...the next question I asked him was, their'when do you think Iraq might be completing 2020 budget' andhe said they're gonna probably get to it a little bit later this year. They're just busy. They have a lot going on. He said they probably won't be completing the 2020 budget until the month of May...that raised a red flag with me. Here's what that might mean...there's a good chance that the Iraqi Government might not even start the voting process on the budget until after the rate changes which means they might not even start the budget until the month of April.
1-15-2020Newshound Guru Kaperoni...Can the dinar go up in value?Yes, and it may once they start getting a substantial amount of investment coming in to help rebuild the country.There is no overnight RV.
Elmer:
Not in today
Artmeister:
Not in today
Catnip:
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ARTICLE 1 (from PM Mahdi's website; posted only on Arabic side, not on English side; 4 pix)
Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi receives Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul-Rahman Al-Thani
Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi received today, Wednesday, the Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani, and during the meeting they discussed relations between the two countries, developments of the situation following the crisis between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and efforts to achieve Calmness and the necessity to work to spare the countries of the region the repercussions of the crisis and the dangers of the military conflict.
The Qatari Deputy Prime Minister conveyed the greetings of His Highness the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and affirmed his support for the security and stability of Iraq and the unity of his people, and his appreciation for the policy of the Iraqi government to establish balanced relations in its Arab, regional and international surroundings, and its contribution to calm efforts in the current regional crisis, and to emphasize the importance of continued consultation Communication between the two brotherly countries and the strengthening of brotherly relations and joint efforts.
The Prime Minister welcomed the visit of the Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and affirmed his pride in the development of relations between the two brotherly countries, reiterating Iraq’s position of the need to achieve calm and end the state of tension and prevent any escalation and spare the region the threat of military confrontation, as well as asserting Iraq’s right to preserve its security and national sovereignty and prevent interference in its internal affairs And turning it into an arena for settling scores, making sure to establish the best relations with all brotherly and friendly countries, and the need to focus efforts on combating terrorism, getting rid of ISIS remnants and protecting the interests of all the peoples and countries of the region.
Media office of the Prime Minister
January 15, 2020
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ARTICLE 2 (from Government of Iraq twitter account)
At the time this report was submitted, there are no new tweets posted on the Government of Iraq twitter
account.
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ARTICLE 3
Wisdom: Abdul-Mahdi rejects the idea of reassigning him
1/15/2020 22:19 • 34 times read
[Baghdad-where]
The Parliamentary Bloc announced that resigned Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi rejected the idea of reassigning him again.
Representative Hassan Khallati told the official agency, "There is a conversation going on on the matter of reassigning Adel Abdel-Mahdi to the next government," pointing out that "Abdel-Mahdi rejects the idea of reassigning him and awaits the hours in which the choice of the new prime minister is decided."
He stressed the need for the new prime minister to be ready to hold early parliamentary elections in accordance with the law and the commission approved by the House of Representatives. "
It is noteworthy that the Bid bloc set seven conditions for restoring confidence in the resigned Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, indicating that the reasons for his re-assignment relate to his success in a short period in the electricity, agriculture and oil sectors.
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ARTICLE 4
The three presidencies emphasize self-control, avoiding escalation and speeding up the formation of the government
1/15/2020 21:39 • 40 times read
[Baghdad-where]
The three presidencies, in a meeting today in the Peace Palace, stressed the preservation and maintenance of security and money for Iraq.
A presidential statement received by the agency, [ANA], said, "The two parties agreed to continue the principle of taking into account the interests of Iraq and its political and financial security in a balanced national position from the regional and international crises surrounding Iraq and what precludes it from conflicts, and emphasizing calm, restraint and preventing escalation."
He added, "The importance of accelerating the formation of the new government and meeting the requirements of reform at various political, economic and service levels was emphasized, so as to preserve the sovereignty of Iraq and the security of Iraqis from the challenges of terrorism until achieving the victory achieved."
The meeting also focused on "the necessity of taking into account the concern for national sovereignty and preserving it from external interference and preventing excesses in this regard."
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ARTICLE 5
America calls for the appointment of a "strong" Prime Minister of Iraq and rules out the withdrawal
1/15/2020 22:09
[Follow-up]
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Middle East Affairs Joy Hood said that the US administration is looking to strengthen the relationship of strategic partnership, denying "any talk now about the withdrawal of American forces from Iraq."
In an interview, Hood called for Iraq to "accelerate the appointment of a strong prime minister who would control security forces and lead Iraq towards prosperity and the strengthening of sovereignty."
The official added that "the current time is appropriate for the United States and Iraq to sit together to talk about commitment to strategic partnership at the diplomatic, financial, economic and security levels."
On Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that all Iraqi leaders had told him on private councils that they supported the US military presence in their country, despite public calls for American soldiers to leave Iraq.
Pompeo added that what he heard during talks with about 50 Iraqi officials, since the beginning of this month, contradicts what they publicly announce, stressing that they all welcome the American campaign to combat terrorism.
The Iraqi parliament had voted on a resolution calling for an end to the presence of foreign forces in the country, after the air strike in which the commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Qassem Soleimani, and the deputy head of the Popular Mobilization, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, were killed on the third of this month.
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