US Issues Travel Warning for Iraq Due to Attacks on US Personnel, 22 OCT

 US Issues Travel Warning for Iraq Due to Attacks on US Personnel, 22 OCT

An Advisory Amidst Rising Conflict

In the recent light of events, the U.S. State Department has issued an advisory cautioning U.S. citizens to refrain from traveling to Iraq. The advisory is a call for precaution amidst growing incidents of violence in the region, primarily encompassing threats of terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflicts and civil unrest. The advisory states, “Do not travel to Iraq due to terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, civil unrest, and Mission Iraq’s limited capacity to provide support to U.S. citizens.”

Indeed, the past few months have seen a surge in hostile activities against U.S. forces stationed in Iraq and Syria. The escalation in conflicts arrived in tandem with the surfacing strife between Israel and the Hamas militants in Gaza. Recent highlights include an incident where a U.S war vessel intercepted over a dozen drones and several cruise missiles fired by Iranian-backed Houthi militias from Yemen.

Alert for Personnel and State Activities

Furthermore, the advisory has reinforced the plea for U.S government affiliates like non-emergency personnel and eligible family members based in the U.S embassy in Baghdad and the U.S consulate General Erbil to depart the premises. This action is grounded in the context of proliferating security threats against U.S. personnel and interests.

The war and its associated tensions, primarily between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist faction Hamas, have caused regional tensions to skyrocket. The war induced by Hamas’ violent actions against Israel has resulted in devastating consequences, including the loss of over 1,400 lives. In retaliation, Israel has launched numerous lethal airstrikes on Gaza, bringing the death toll to over 4,700, as per Palestinian official reports.

Emerging security challenges are an essential factor for the State Department’s advisory, as U.S. government personnel stationed in Baghdad are strictly advised against using Baghdad International Airport. The reason lies in the scope of threat that the region currently represents.

US Military Reinforcements

Given growing security concerns, the United States has escalated its naval power dispatched to the Middle East. Recent reinforcements include two aircraft carriers, their ancillary support ships as well as approximately 2,000 Marines. In addition to the naval force, a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, along with supplementary patriot air defense missile system battalions, is slated to be deployed to the Middle East, as confirmed by the Pentagon.

https://bnn.network/world/us/us-issues-travel-warning-for-iraq-due-to-attacks-on-us-personnel/

Iraqi Prime Minister and French President Unite in Urgent Call for Ceasefire and Humanitarian Aid for Gaza, 22 OCT

 Iraqi Prime Minister and French President Unite in Urgent Call for Ceasefire and Humanitarian Aid for Gaza

In a crucial diplomatic development, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and French President Emmanuel Macron have jointly called for an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing crisis in Gaza. This heartfelt plea underscores the urgent need for humanitarian aid delivery to the besieged residents of Gaza and concerted international action to prevent further escalation.

Urgent Plea for Peace

Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Sudani and French President Macron joined forces to emphasize the pressing need for a swift ceasefire to end the violence in Gaza. They are deeply concerned about the grave incidents unfolding due to continued assaults on civilians in the Gaza Strip.

(Read Also: Teachers and Retirees in Iraqi Kurdistan Demand Salary Disbursements and Job Security )

Addressing Ongoing Crisis

Both leaders stressed the profound roots of the Gaza crisis, extending back decades of non-compliance with international laws by Zionist occupation authorities. They underlined that the unjust imprisonment of an entire population has led to a pervasive sense of oppression and injustice, not only in Palestine but beyond.

(Read Also: Israel deepening attacks on Gaza to prepare for ‘next stages of the war’, says military)

Preventing Escalation and Humanitarian Suffering

President Macron and Prime Minister Al-Sudani underscored the necessity of serious actions to prevent the conflict from spreading and to protect civilians from further consequences of escalation. They agreed on the vital importance of securing an immediate ceasefire, opening humanitarian corridors for aid delivery to Gaza, and ending the humanitarian suffering in the region.

https://bnn.network/politics/iraqi-prime-minister-and-french-president-unite-in-urgent-call-for-ceasefire-and-humanitarian-aid-for-gaza/

"RV UPDATE" BY SANDY INGRAM, 22 OCT

 Sandy Ingram 

 Article: "Iraq to end all dollar cash withdrawals by Jan. 1 2024 - Central Bank official". 

  Iraq is back on track...starting January 1, 2024.  The Central Bank of Iraq will only do banking with Iraqi citizens using the Iraqi dinar...

IQD investors outside of Iraq may have difficulty exchanging the currency.   Why? 

 Because we will not have access to IQD banking. 2.  The IQD may not be available on the Forex market thus not exchangeable by US banks...

In other words it is not beyond the US Federal Bank to help Iraq come up with a plan that could exclude individuals with Iraqi dinar but include different countries around the world...If we do not address this issue there is a real possibility we may have difficulty exchanging the IQD for the USD.

  [Note:  Be sure you're on the Dinar Guru Alert list to stay informed about possible exchange procedure updates.  Blue box at top of this page...it's free.]

SECURITY ALERT EMBASSY IRAQ – OCT-22-2023, 22 oct

 SECURITY ALERT EMBASSY IRAQ – OCT-22-2023

By U.S. Embassy In Baghdad  October 22, 2023  The Department of State has updated the Travel Advisory for Iraq to reflect the ordered departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and eligible family members from U.S. Embassy Baghdad and U.S. Consulate General Erbil. Full text of Travel Advisory here .  Additionally, please read the most recent Security Alert from October 18, 2023 below:

Demonstration Alert: U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq (October 20, 2023)

Location: Baghdad, Iraq   Event:  U.S. Mission Iraq is monitoring calls for demonstrations throughout the country, including a large demonstration with potential for anti-U.S. sentiment in Baghdad on Friday, October 20 around the 14th of July Bridge.

The U.S. Mission continues to advise U.S. citizens to monitor local media for updates and to avoid protests and large gatherings. U.S. citizens should be aware of the potential for demonstrations and protests related to the ongoing events in Gaza to spread rapidly throughout Iraq. Such demonstrations can develop quickly without prior notice, often interrupting traffic, transportation, and other services, and sometimes turning violent.

The State Department’s Travel Advisory for Iraq remains at Level 4: Do Not Travel due to terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, civil unrest, and Mission Iraq’s limited capacity to provide support to U.S. citizens. For more information, please visit the Iraq Country Information page on travel.state.gov . Please also review what the U.S. government can and cannot do to assist you in a crisis overseas .

Actions to Take:

– Avoid the area of the demonstrations and large gatherings.

– Exercise caution if unexpectedly in the vicinity of large gatherings or protests.

– Keep a low profile.

– Monitor local media for updates.

https://iq.usembassy.gov/security-alert-embassy-iraq-oct-22-2023/

Iraqi PM chairs meeting to discuss treasury account and electronic payment system, 22 OCT

 Iraqi PM chairs meeting to discuss treasury account and electronic payment system, 22 OCT

Shafaq News / Today, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani chaired a meeting dedicated to discussing the completion of the unified treasury account and the progress of the electronic payment system. The meeting also addressed challenges facing public and private sector institutions and electronic payment companies. The participants reviewed the facilities and incentives that can be provided to citizens and user entities to encourage electronic payments.

During the meeting, the officials examined the progress and necessary requirements to achieve the objectives. Prime Minister Al Sudani emphasized the need to prioritize encouraging the public sector and identifying any underperforming or lagging entities. They also approved a report containing recommendations to be presented to the Cabinet.

Furthermore, Al Sudani directed the activation of the Central Bank's (CBI) Payments Council and the importance of submitting a final report on the achievements for presentation at the Cabinet meeting. Concerning the completion of the unified treasury account, he stressed the need for all ministries to implement the fourth paragraph of Cabinet Resolution No. 3581 for the year 2023. This includes the swift formation of committees and the analysis of the stagnant bank accounts for each ministry within one month.

The meeting aimed to enhance the use of electronic payment methods in Iraq, streamline financial processes, and improve accountability in public financial management.

https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq-News/Iraqi-PM-chairs-meeting-to-discuss-treasury-account-and-electronic-payment-system

Iraqi Dinar✅Finally CBI Significant Exchange Rate Stability / Iraqi Dina...

International and international pressure to pass the oil and gas law, 22 OCT

   International and international pressure to pass the oil and gas law

{Politics: Euphrates News} KDP leader, Wafaa Mohammed Karim, revealed international and international pressure to pass the oil and gas law.

“The issue of passing the oil and gas law cannot be overcome if there is no political agreement on the draft law,” Karim told {forat News}.

"At the moment there are political parties that are not served by the passage of the law, but there is international and international pressure on the government to pass the law," he added.

Karim explained, the reason for this to "Iraq's position as the second oil-producing country in OPEC by exporting 4 million and 250 thousand barrels and does not yet have an oil export law."

It is noteworthy that since the first session of the House of Representatives, in 2005, the oil and gas bill has remained locked in drawers, as disagreements prevent its final approval.

After 18 years, he announced, in late August, the formation of a committee to draft an “oil and gas law and present it to the government and the House of Representatives.”

The committee formed between Baghdad and Kurdistan to draft an oil and gas law includes "the Minister of Oil, the Minister of Natural Resources in the region, the Director General of Sumo Company and the advanced staff in the Ministry of Oil, as well as the oil-producing provinces such as Basra, Dhi Qar, Misan and Kirkuk."

The Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, said at the beginning of last August that "the draft oil and gas law is one of the basic and important laws, represents a factor of strength and unity for Iraq, and it has been stuck for years, at a time that the country today is in dire need of its legislation and benefit from this natural wealth, in all fields and sectors, as well as the contribution of the legislation of the law to solving many outstanding problems."

The Prime Minister's financial adviser, Mazer Mohammed Saleh, confirmed in a press statement that accelerating the approval of the federal oil and gas project law in the House of Representatives as soon as possible will establish a stable national road map for investment and production for the country's main sovereign resource, which is oil and gas.

Iraq exports an average of 3.3 million barrels of crude oil per day, and black gold accounts for more than 90 percent of Iraq's treasury resources.