My FX Buddies News Catch-Up For AUG 19-21 Does Iraq face a "scenario" of Afghanistan's collapse after America's withdrawal?

My FX Buddies News Catch-Up For AUG 19-21 Does Iraq face a "scenario" of Afghanistan's collapse after America's withdrawal?

No WOTS Word on the Street for today  I am just posting the articles I covered on the My FX Buddies Podcast recorded today  but it covers  some history and the news for August 19th through the 21st, 2021.

WOTS will resume tomorrow

Barham Salih, President of China: The stability and sovereignty of Iraq are central to the security of the region

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The President of the Republic, Barham Salih, made a phone call to Chinese President Xi Jinping, on Wednesday.

A statement by the Presidency of the Republic, a copy of which was received by Mawazine News, said that Saleh congratulated President Xi Jinping on the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, and the phone call emphasized the depth of the historical relations between the two countries, the importance of expanding the horizons of joint cooperation in the economic, commercial and industrial fields, and the role of Chinese companies in the reconstruction of Iraq and their contribution to the sectors of infrastructure, energy and oil in a manner that serves the interests of the peoples of the two friendly countries.

The statement added that, during the call, it was emphasized the need to enhance cultural cooperation between the two countries, increase the number of fellowships for Iraqi students in Chinese universities, and value China's role in helping Iraq confront the Corona epidemic by sending vaccines and experts to help Iraqi health cadres.

The phone call also discussed developments in the region, where President Barham Salih stressed the importance of work and coordination in order to defuse crises and reduce their tensions, noting that Iraq's security, stability and sovereignty are based on the security and stability of the region. 

The Council of Ministers decides to restore the work of banking companies in Nineveh Governorate

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The Council of Ministers decided to approve the Central Bank of Iraq to take the appropriate measures regarding the re-work of banking companies in Nineveh Governorate, in accordance with the laws and instructions in force, after the Iraqi National Security Apparatus has audited a security audit, within a period not exceeding a maximum working month from the date of reaching The request for auditing from the Central Bank of Iraq, and upon its completion, the approval shall be considered if there is no answer.

Does Iraq face a "scenario" of Afghanistan's collapse after America's withdrawal?

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The American "Foreign Policy" magazine said, "The Iraqis fear that their turn will come after the collapse of Afghanistan and its fall into the hands of the Taliban, following the US military withdrawal from the country, after a 20-year war."

And the newspaper added, in a report published on its website: “Perhaps no one is more shocked by the disaster in Afghanistan than the Iraqi people, who are very afraid that Iraq will face the same fate.”

Preconceived fears

: "Even before the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan led to the complete collapse of the government and the Taliban's complete control of matters, many Iraqis were very concerned about what the US withdrawal from Afghanistan would mean for Iraq."

And she continued: “The questions of the Iraqis focused on: Will the United States end its military presence of 2,500 soldiers in Iraq? And if this happens, will it lead to Iranian militias taking over the country? Or the return of the terrorist organization ISIS? Or maybe a civil war?”

And she added: “The scenes of despair that occurred at Kabul airport last Sunday, raised feelings of tension and anxiety among the Iraqis, and were a reminder of what happened in 2014, when the army and police in Iraq collapsed, after being trained and armed by the United States, and they lost 3 provinces. In battles against the terrorist organization ISIS.”

The United States withdrew from Iraq in 2011, but was forced to return again to confront ISIS, which killed and massacred Iraqis.

Iraqis also fear renewed discussions in Washington and Baghdad about a full US withdrawal from Iraq.

"Foreign Policy" indicated that, as happened in 2011, Iran is pressuring the Iraqi government to ask US forces to leave, and Washington may be more willing to take that step now.

The similarities between Iraq and Afghanistan

“Foreign Policy” saw that “it is very easy to find similarities in the situation between Afghanistan and Iraq.”

“Like Afghanistan, Iraq has a divided government, which prioritizes the politics of patronage over the proper management of competent security forces and other government services,” she said. Most notably, the Iraqi government and the collapsed Afghan government are vying for the title of most corrupt.”

 

She added: “As in Afghanistan, the Iraqi government and the Iraqi army are not willing to stand up to the militias that threaten the sovereignty and security of Iraq, and attack the Iraqis.. In Afghanistan, it was not a question of ability, but of political will, as Washington complains that the Iraqi government It can lead the country militarily against the terrorist organization ISIS and counter-terror operations, but it does not do that in front of the militias.”

"Like the Taliban, these militias, despite public and international pressure, seek to gain power and have more patience to achieve this goal," she said. "They are playing a long game in this regard and have Iran's support, while the Iraqis doubt the resilience of the United States."

And “many Iraqis fear that the discussion about the withdrawal from Baghdad, which Iran is pushing towards achieving, could find an open door in Washington, not only because the team that carried out the American withdrawal from Iraq in 2011 returned once again to the White House, but because the administration of US President Joe Biden can coexist with a militia-led Iraqi government if attacks on American interests decline,” the newspaper said.

The magazine went on to say, "There are fears among many Iraqis about the repercussions of the US administration's deadline to withdraw combat forces from Iraq by the end of this year... It is certain that Washington's changing priorities, and the stress from Iraq is not limited to the position of the Democratic administration only... The administration has threatened Former Republican President Donald Trump closed the US embassy in Baghdad, after an increase in militia attacks on US military and diplomatic staff.

Moreover, Washington's sharp political vicissitudes are confusing its friends and partners in Iraq, many of whom have begun looking for other foreign sponsors to counter Iranian influence.

How to avoid Iraq the fate of Afghanistan?

And the American magazine considered that “despite these similarities, Iraq differs, of course, which gives it an opportunity to avoid the fate of Afghanistan.”

“Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq has a history of strong national institutions.. There is support from the Democratic and Republican parties in America to continue the path in Iraq, and to lead the anti-ISIS coalition, to prevent the terrorist group from re-emerging, and to strengthen economic relations, and the United States cannot He ignored the threat that Iran's expansionist agenda in Iraq posed to the region, according to the newspaper.

The newspaper emphasized that “regardless of American interests, Iraq has a better chance of curbing the rule of militias strongly backed by Iran, and unlike the Taliban, the diverse Iraqi militias lack unified leadership and national acceptance, and the success of the American mission against ISIS and al-Qaeda in Syria.” It depends on the presence of the United States in Iraq.”

She added: “However, Iraq can move towards the Afghan path, if relations between Washington and Baghdad are not controlled, and this is represented in preserving and diversifying the US role in combating terrorism as well, and preventing Iran from implementing the scheme to destroy US-Iraqi military relations, with The militias’ insistence on continuing to attack American interests, knowing that the United States lacks patience and deterrence.”

A joint US-Iraqi role

“Foreign Policy” went on to say that “in order for the US-Iraqi relations to continue, there is a need to shift the focus towards investing in building the Iraqi military and security forces, and strengthening the institutional capacity to confront terrorism and in other areas. Therefore, achieving this goal requires that the US presence in Iraq is apolitical, and Washington must clearly state that redrawing its military presence in Iraq to turn to providing advice and assistance, does not mean abandoning Iraq at all.

Crucially, the Iraqi people need to feel the benefits of the relationship in areas such as commerce, health care and education, as a series of US-Iraq strategic dialogues attempted to reach such a goal.

"Foreign Policy" concluded its report by saying: "After what happened in Afghanistan, Iraqi leaders may see that the United States is no longer a reliable partner... However, the trend is towards finding an alternative to Washington, whether it is Iran or Turkey, or any foreign country." Others, will only exacerbate Iraq’s dependence on unreliable partners.. Iraqis must reform their government, and recognize the extent of corruption, as the real challenge to Iraqi national security.”

 

Vice President of Kurdistan Region: The international coalition will not leave Iraq

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Sheikh Jaafar Sheikh Mustafa, Vice President of Kurdistan Region for Military Affairs, said that the international coalition forces will not leave Iraq.

 

Sheikh Jaafar said, in a statement carried by the National Union media, that he does not believe that the coalition forces will leave Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, noting that in Iraq there are several components, and there are Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds, and everyone is involved in the federal government.

He also ruled out the possibility of any conflict between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government in the event of any withdrawal of coalition forces from the country.

Sheikh Jaafar added Sheikh Mustafa, a leader in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. In the Kurdistan Region, there are the Peshmerga forces, which are capable forces and were able to confront the most extremist and violent organizations in the world, which is ISIS, and they defeated it, without the help of any soldier from the coalition and were able to defend the people and land of the Kurdistan Region.

 

Minister of Oil: We have developed plans to provide an appropriate investment environment for international companies

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The Iraqi Oil Minister, Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar, confirmed that his ministry has set in its plans to provide an appropriate investment environment for international companies to work in the oil and gas sector in Iraq.

On the sidelines of his participation in a video meeting with the American Chamber of Commerce in Houston, he said, "The ministry has set in its plans and priorities to provide the appropriate investment environment for international companies wishing to work in Iraq, especially in the gas, clean and renewable energy sectors, infrastructure development and improving the environment."
Abdul-Jabbar pointed out that "the government and the ministry are keen to develop the oil and gas sector and increase the volume of investments in clean and renewable energy projects in cooperation with specialized international companies."

The white paper and the private sector

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Historically and in the most important experiences, the private sector has not had the invisible hand that regulates its decisive performance in establishing the modern state with its government and sovereignty. On the contrary, the state had a decisive role in creating the conditions for the success of the private sector, from creating markets externally and internally, to interfering with scales, prices and specifications. It prevents what floats basic needs with social justice, and that is why it was said (a person without a state loses everything). 

The principle of the state’s reference in managing the economy is the cornerstone, and this does not mean closing down as much as it means promoting openness to the private sector in the light of this. 

Is our private sector ready for this role? Yes, it will be ready whenever the law is supportive, and we know that, in practice, there is no representative of this sector legally, as the largest alignment belongs to the public sector, which is still seeking to rehabilitate the financial sector, including reforming government banks, and enabling the civil ones, to play Her required role as stated in the white paper p. 54. 

How can private banks organize with the financial sector when it is not qualified after 18 years of striving and programs to rehabilitate the Rafidain and Rasheed Banks? Also, mere qualification does not mean that private banks integrate with the two banks or with the Central Bank, automatically with a unified development policy.

The reason is known, which is the banks that violate the simplest rules of banking, which did not shed enough light on them, so that depositors regain confidence in banking work, so the role of private banks has become specific. 

By 10% or less, not to mention the supporting confusion. Transparency in it is not just a guide to integrity, but rather it is a vital element without which it is impossible to imagine any complete success.

As long as there was money outside banks equivalent to two-thirds of the monetary bloc, the internal and external debt was a solution, and with a budget deficit, the opponents of the white paper were tossing it around, a deficit that comes in the context of the growing relationship with the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

But the arc is still detached. Retreat does not serve anyone, and so does closure. After an experience that took place in the public and private spheres before and after 2003, we were not envious of it, so it deserved and fulfilled the review. 

The white paper is well aware of the seriousness of the matter from structural adjustment to trade liberalization and its objective and subjective growth factors. It was subjected to constructive criticism from parties that were active in the two phases before and after 2003, and it cannot be compromised in any case, but rather to proceed with the national option through e-governance and e-government with a national will First .

An economist identifies several things for the success of attracting investment in Iraq

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An economist identified several issues for the success of attracting investment in Iraq.

Basem Jamil Antoine told {Euphrates News}: "In order to receive investment, a good legal environment must be provided and red tape and bureaucracy be rid of."

He pointed to "providing the security factor in the main, as well as providing awareness, culture and investment creation."

And Antoine stated, "The investment is transferred to the countries, as well as the vessels that go to the appropriate attractive environment."

Tueller: The situation of Iraq is different from that of Afghanistan.. There are groups that challenge sovereignty

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The US ambassador to Baghdad, Matthew Tueller, confirmed, on Saturday, that the current Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, was able to restore Iraq’s relationship with neighboring countries, noting that the Iraqi situation is different from the case of Afghanistan.   

Toler said, during a televised statement, to “Al-Hadath” channel, followed by “Nas” (August 21, 2021), that “Al-Kazemi was able to restore Iraq’s relationship with neighboring countries despite all the challenges,” noting that “the United States is aware of the importance of Iraq in the region.”  

He added, “We are in the final stages of defeating ISIS completely, and the Iraqi forces can complete the mission of the war against ISIS.”  

In the file of foreign relations, the US ambassador stressed that “we are facing an important opportunity to consolidate the relationship with Iraq, as we work with Baghdad to secure energy without relying on neighbors.”  

He pointed out that “the United States is ready to lead an international coalition to assist the Iraqi forces, especially since those forces are now able to stop hostilities against the facilities.”  

He stressed that “the Iraqi government is the one who requested the survival of our forces, as there are groups inside Iraq that challenge the sovereignty of the state,” noting that “the attack on the American embassy by some groups underestimates the Iraqi state…there are groups inside Iraq working against the Iraqis who want to build the nation.”  

“Our mission in Iraq is different from Afghanistan,” he said.

Japanese Foreign Minister: We support the White Paper programs

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Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi expressed Japan's support for the government's economic reform program represented by the White Paper programs, and reiterated Japan's readiness to support the implementation of the White Paper, through the Economic Interaction Group formed in late 2020. 

And he stressed, "His country is continuing to provide aid and cooperation programs with Iraq in the field of combating terrorism, combating extremism, and confronting the Corona pandemic."

A presidential statement stated, "President Barham Salih received at the Peace Palace in Baghdad, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, and during the meeting, they discussed friendship and joint cooperation between the two countries dating back decades, and affirmed the common will towards strengthening relations in various economic and trade fields." and industrial, and the role of Japanese companies in the reconstruction of Iraq and the transfer of technological expertise to Iraq, praising the types of support provided by Japan to the Iraqi people, as well as discussing a number of regional and international files of common interest.

Saleh stressed, according to the statement, that "there is a joint international and regional responsibility to protect security and stability, defuse crises in the region and reduce their tensions through serious and effective dialogue that takes into account the immediate challenges on the regional and international arenas, foremost of which is the fight against terrorism and extremist ideology, and cooperation in combating administrative and financial corruption." health fields, environmental protection and confronting the climate change crisis.

For his part, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi discussed, with the Japanese Foreign Minister, ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, intensify economic exchange, and joint coordination between the two countries.

Al-Kazemi stressed, in a statement to his office, "the importance of the Japanese experience from an Iraqi perspective, and the relentless pursuit to benefit from it," stressing that "the Iraqi arena has become open to Japanese investments in various fields, especially the fields of energy, oil, electricity, and alternative and renewable energies."

He expressed his "appreciation for the role played by Japan on regional issues", praising "the projects financed by Japan, in the areas liberated from terrorist gangs of ISIS through the path of establishing security and sustainable development in them."

And he reiterated his "invitation to Japan to attend, as an observer, in the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, which Iraq will host at the end of this month."

For his part, the Japanese Foreign Minister praised "the Iraqi initiatives, which received a positive response at the regional and international levels, and considered them one of the pillars of consolidating security and stability in the region, and efforts to calm it down."

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein reviewed, with his Japanese counterpart, the progress of bilateral relations between the two countries, and ways to advance them to meet the aspirations of the two friendly countries.

Hussein called, in a statement to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "the Japanese side to increase the volume of trade exchange between the two countries, hold the meetings of the Iraqi-Japanese Joint Committee, open more prospects for joint cooperation, and urge Japanese companies to invest in Iraq, noting that the Iraqi market is a fertile market, and the product The Japanese are respected by the Iraqi citizen."

 

An Iraqi plan to develop air defense... with big money!

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Today, Friday, the Joint Operations Command in Iraq announced a plan to develop the air defense force and equip it with advanced radars, and pointed out that implementing the plan requires huge funds .

 

The spokesman for the Joint Operations Command, Major General Tahsin al-Khafaji, said, "The Air Defense Command possesses radars, as well as medium and low air defense weapons," noting that "the command needs other advanced weapons in the field of high altitudes, and in the field of radar detection in the field of discrimination, This takes a lot of money ."

 

Al-Khafaji explained that "there is a plan to develop the Air Defense Force and the Air Defense Command, including advanced radars and weapons that enable them to confront and destroy any target trying to penetrate Iraqi airspace," noting that "the plan includes purchasing advanced equipment, as well as training cadres in a professional manner so that it can perform its duty." According to the advanced weapons can be obtained ."

 

He explained that "there are no specific countries to purchase this equipment, and if funds are available, there is a committee that selects the appropriate weapon for the Iraqi environment, capabilities and capabilities, as well as challenges," noting that "the process of deploying radars and the extent of their need is related to the funds allocated according to the diagnosis of the field of operations and as needed ."

 

The Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee called, earlier, to increase financial support for the Iraqi air defense, and stressed the government's endeavor to provide Iraq with a modern air defense system .

 

The Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee, Nayef Al-Shammari, said in a statement to the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The financial budget for 2021 included allocations to provide the Iraqi armed forces with modern equipment to keep pace with the development taking place in the armies of the world ."

 

He added, "The committee held several meetings with the Minister of Defense and the Commander of Air Defense in this regard," stressing "the Minister of Defense's keenness to build an integrated air defense system ."

 

Al-Shammari indicated that "the government will contract during the next few months with important companies to provide Iraq with a modern integrated air defense system," noting that "the contract is within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense exclusively, and through the Department of Equipment and Armament in the ministry, and that the Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee will monitor all contracts that The Ministry of Defense concludes it.