Chat Room – News Excerpts & Highlights
Okie Dinar says():Iraq, US in talks to keep American troop presence after IS
By Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Bradley Klapper | AP The Americas
May 4 at 9:55 AM BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is in talks with the Trump administration to keep American troops in Iraq after the fight against the Islamic State group in the country is concluded, according to a U.S. official and an official from the Iraqi government.
Both officials underlined that the discussions are ongoing and that nothing is finalized.
But the talks point to a consensus by both governments that, in contrast to the U.S. withdrawal in 2011, a longer-term presence of American troops in Iraq is needed to ensure that an insurgency does not bubble up again once the militants are driven out.
“There is a general understanding on both sides that it would be in the long-term interests of each to have that continued presence. So as for agreement, yes, we both understand it would be mutually beneficial. That we agree on,” the U.S. official said.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
The talks involve U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Iraqi officials over “what the long-term U.S. presence would look like,” the American official said, adding that discussions were in early stages and “nothing has been finalized.”
U.S. forces in Iraq would be stationed inside existing Iraqi bases in at least five locations in the Mosul area and along Iraq’s border with Syria, the Iraqi government official said. They would continue to be designated as advisers to dodge the need for parliamentary approval for their presence, he said.
He said al-Abadi is looking to install a “modest” Iraqi military presence in Mosul after the fight against the Islamic State group is concluded along with a small number of U.S. forces. The forces would help control security in the city and oversee the transition to a political administration of Mosul, he said.
Okie Dinar says():The U.S. official emphasized that there were no discussions of creating independent American bases in Iraq, as such a move would require thousands more personnel. He said the troops levels would be “several thousand … similar to what we have now, maybe a little more.”
Currently, the Pentagon has close to 7,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, many not publicly acknowledged because they are on temporary duty or under specific personnel rules. The forces include troops training Iraqi forces, coordinating airstrikes and ground operations, and special forces operating on the front lines.
The news comes as Iraqi forces are struggling to push IS fighters out of a cluster of neighborhoods in western Mosul that mark the last patch of significant urban terrain the group holds in Iraq, nearly three years after the militants overran nearly a third of the country.
Such an agreement would underscore how the fight against IS has drawn the U.S. into a deepening role in Iraq.
At the height of the surge of U.S. forces in 2007 to combat sectarian violence that nearly tore Iraq apart, there were about 170,000 American troops in the country. The numbers were wound down eventually to 40,000 before the complete withdrawal in 2011.
The U.S. intervention against the Islamic State group, launched in 2014, was originally cast as an operation that would largely be fought from the skies with a minimal footprint on Iraqi soil. Nevertheless, that footprint has since grown given Iraqi forces’ need for support.
During a visit to Iraq in February, Mattis and Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, described an enduring partnership between the U.S. and Iraq.
“I imagine we’ll be in this fight for a while and we’ll stand by each other,” Mattis said.
Townsend, who was standing by Mattis, declined to say how long the United States will stay in Iraq.
But, he said, “I don’t anticipate that we’ll be asked to leave by the government of Iraq immediately after Mosul.”
He added, “I think that the government of Iraq realizes their very complex fight, and they’re going to need the assistance of the coalition even beyond Mosul.”
The talks over a longer-term U.S. presence has greatly concerned Iran, which in turn is increasing support to some of Iraq’s Shiite militia forces, said Jafar al-Husseini, a representative from Kataib Hezbollah, an Iraqi Shiite militia group with close ties to Iran.
“Iraq’s security forces and the Popular Mobilization Forces (mostly Shiite militia groups) have the ability to protect (Iraq’s) internal roads and borders, so why is al-Abadi using American security partners?” al-Hussein asked.
Al-Abadi has long struggled to balance Iraq’s dependence on both the U.S. and Iran. Both
Okie Dinar says():Both countries are key security and economic partners for Iraq, yet are often at odds with each other when it comes to regional politics and security in the greater Middle East.
Over the nearly three-year-long fight against IS, Iraqi forces closely backed by the U.S.-led coalition have retaken some 65 percent of the territory the extremists once held in the country, according to the U.S.-led coalition.
But Iraq’s military is still in the process of rebuilding and reorganizing after it was largely gutted by widespread corruption under former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
Beeson says():what is the picture of the yellow cards the Iraqis are holding up ?
Beeson says():on facebook ?
Okie Dinar says():ugh 🙂
Okie Dinar says():Kuwait sends 75 tons of food commodities to western Mosul residents
Mosul (IraqiNews.com) Kuwait has sent 75 tons of basic food commodities to several districts in the western flank of Mosul city, northern Iraq.
Speaking to the Kuwaiti news agency KUNA, Ismail abdul Aziz, of the Kurdish Barzani Charity Foundation, said 75 tons of the basic commodities are offered by the Kuwait Red Crescent Society to the freed regions in western Mosul.
The commodities included 2500 food baskets, each weighing 30 kilograms, abdul Aziz said. They included rice, flour, cooking oil and beans that cover needs of one family for two weeks.
The initiative, according to abdul Aziz, is a response to calls by human rights groups and residents who suffer acute shortage of food due to military offensives ongoing to liberate the city.
Several rights groups previously warned against aggravating crisis of the besieged residents in the west due to shortage of food, drinking water as spread of diseases.
A previous report by the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights said quarter a million persons in Mosul have been living on grass as they ran out of food in light of ongoing military operations.
At least half a million persons have been displaced since Iraqi forces launched a major offensive to retake Mosul from IS fighters in October, according to the United Nations and Iraqi migration officials.
Doug_W says: Okie do U do FB?
Doug_W says():I was wondering waht Beeson was saying?
Beeson says():Rafidain confirms its obligation to pay pensioners ‘ salaries without delay
Okie Dinar says to Doug_W():I missed it apparently?
Beeson says():this is on facebook
Okie Dinar says to Doug_W():What’s the question?
Beeson says():it wasnt tranlated…so i didnt know what it was
Beeson says():translated
Doug_W says():what is the picture of the yellow cards the Iraqis are holding up ?
Doug_W says():got me IDK either
Okie Dinar says():Let me go check it out – give me a minute 🙂
Beeson says():I found out ————-> pensioners ‘ salaries
Beeson says():they are proud of them 🙂
Okie Dinar says():Awe – good 🙂
Beeson says():even if it has nothing to do with what we want…im glad for them
kepha2000 says():Hey kids….not sure if anybody brought this in already….apologies if so…Reuters reporting from this morning, “Mosul offensive gains fresh momentum as army attacks IS from northwest”
kepha2000 says():Anyone in the room? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
kepha2000 says():Well…if anyone sees this, here is the link…
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-mosul-idUSKBN1800H1
kepha2000 says():Outee….
Okie Dinar says():Thank you Kepha 🙂
Okie Dinar says():Iraq receives World Bank grant worth $ 41 million
Forty-one million dollars is the value of the European loan to the Ministry of Finance, the money will go according to those responsible for the reform and modernization of economic management and investment process in the country.
“The loan is worth one and forty-five million dollars, for the process of modernizing the management of the Ministry of Finance and the investment management process between the Ministry of Finance and Planning, and there will be a grant from the European countries for the Iraqi development process,” said Abdul Razzaq al-Issa, acting finance minister.
World Bank officials have confirmed that the money is protected and will be deposited in the Ministry of Finance to be disbursed.
“This project will put the funds at the disposal of the Ministry of Finance and there will be tenders for the purchase of services and the modernization of regulations,” said Repero Bojuda, Special Representative of the World Bank Mission in Iraq.
Experts believe that the realization of economic reforms will contribute to the creation of attracting factors for foreign investment, which will expand the country’s productive base and ease the burden of the budget.
Okie Dinar says():Parliamentary finance supports World Bank policy in Iraq
The parliamentary finance committee confirmed that the World Bank’s step in reforming the financial system in Iraq is an important step in supporting investment in the country.
“The World Bank is following a tough policy because it is lending Iraq huge sums of money. At the same time, Iraq is demanding proper management of the financial institutions through deepening financial management and financial performance,” said Abdul Qader Mohammed Mouloud, a member of the committee. Government “.
He described the “positive step by the World Bank through building a solid ground for the work of Iraqi ministries and institutions and financial discipline, as the project includes key axes, including the direction of the integrated system of financial management information and computerization of the operations of public financial management of the preparation and implementation of the budget in the Ministry of Finance and other ministries and exchange units all” .
This is a waste of time because Iraq is in dire need of time because of the current challenges of economic crisis, austerity measures and security challenges related to the war on terror, as well as the energy crisis and low oil prices, observers say.
Okie Dinar says():http://www.dinarupdates.com/showthread.php?48800-Parliamentary-finance-supports-World-Bank-policy-in-Iraq
Okie Dinar says():Both from MadDScout 🙂
SRW says to subgirl():Are you sure it is at 6:30? 😀
Mr. Ammar al-Hakim Kubiš: Everyone in front of an opportunity to bring about a radical change in the Iraqi reality
{Baghdad: Euphrates News} Chairman of the National Alliance, Mr. Ammar al-Hakim stressed that everyone in front of an opportunity to bring about a radical change in a positive Iraqi reality.
According to a statement of his agency {Euphrates News} received a copy of it , “Mr. Ammar al – Hakim met with the representative of the Secretary – General of the United Nations , Jan Koptc in his office in Baghdad,
and discussed with him developments in the security and political situation in Iraq and post – terrorist Daesh gangs further to near the resolution of page military as well as discuss national reconciliation put forward by the national Alliance Kkharth file through the Iraq crisis to end the political and security. ”
Mr. Ammar al – Hakim said , according to the statement that ” the next stage , the stage of national lists that form the majority of the national government, and everyone in front of an opportunity to bring about a radical change in a positive Iraqi reality, where everyone is responsible for the launch of reassurance messages.”
The United Nations has called for “support for Iraq and urged the international community to carry humanitarian and moral responsibility towards the liberated cities and towns Isargaran who liberated” .anthy
http://alforatnews.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=142188
ol lar says():Mr. Ammar al – Hakim said , according to the statement that ” the next stage , the stage of national lists that form the majority of the national government, and everyone in front of an opportunity to bring about a radical change in a positive Iraqi reality, where everyone is responsible for the launch of reassurance messages.”
ol lar says():I like that part
eman4u55 says http://dinaresgurus.blogspot.com/2017/05/philip-tilton-short-and-sweet-he-has.html?spref=tw
Mudder says to eman4u55():You should be booted for brining that…lol
eman4u55 says():omg what bs at that website dont knoet 1240000w how they get 1240000
eman4u55 says():plus hits
eman4u55 says():know
subgirl says to eman4u55():what is that website???
Mudder says to eman4u55():Tells ya how desperate people are…. Very Sad
eman4u55 says():http://dinaresgurus.blogspot.com/
Holly1 says():subby … a very sad web site .. take it off the check list s39
Mudder says to eman4u55():And to think people still have hope for the zim
subgirl says to Holly1():oh ok lol thank you lol s39
Holly1 says():yes
eman4u55 says():o yea major bs
eman4u55 says():124000 hits thou
eman4u55 says():im sorry thats 129,884,492
http://www.dinarupdates.com/showthread.php?48760-Thursday-May-4-2017
