Thursday, November 23, 2023
Washington has reached the "stage of insanity". Bombing of Iraqi headquarters and blood 'will not end without repercussions', 23 NOV
Washington has reached the "stage of insanity". Bombing of Iraqi headquarters and blood 'will not end without repercussions'
Baghdad Today - Baghdad
The leader of the Coordination Framework, Turki Al-Atabi, confirmed on Thursday (November 23, 2023) that America has reached the stage of madness in dealing with Middle East issues, especially after the recent targeting of the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization, which may lead to a major confrontation.
Al-Atabi said in an interview with "Baghdad Today" that "America is the gateway to chaos in the Middle East and is the one who is running the war of extermination that has been taking place for more than 40 days in Gaza and the rest of the Palestinian cities by pumping weapons and money to the Zionist entity and thwarting any attempts aimed at stopping the fire."
He added, "Targeting a force of the Popular Mobilization Forces and the fall of 8 martyrs and a number of infections is a blatant attack that indicates that America has reached the stage of madness in the Middle East and wants to create a major confrontation to protect the usurping Zionist entity in Palestine."
Al-Atabi pointed out that "the bombing of the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization will have serious repercussions and the blood of the martyrs will not be in vain," noting that "the people with all its components have become aware of all the malicious agenda "Sponsored by Washington in Iraq in order to protect its interests."
"The demand to remove the remaining US forces in Iraq is a popular demand because there is no stability or security with a brute force that kills its sons in broad daylight under flimsy pretexts," he said.
Earlier, MP Rafik Salhi, a member of the Coordination Framework, revealed the existence of a parliamentary movement aimed at legislating the law "Prosecute the United States of America.
Al-Salhi told Baghdad Today that "a movement of deputies from different political blocs is currently working to collect signatures in order to submit a draft law aimed at prosecuting the United States of America for the crimes it committed against Iraqis, from the day of the occupation of Iraq until now, especially after its recent crimes in the Jurf al-Nasr district."
He added that "the recent US crimes targeted an official government force, and this is a serious violation of Iraq and its autonomy and a threat to its security and stability, and this requires firm positions towards the American presence, and we will work in every way to end this illegal presence, and we will work to prosecute Washington for all its crimes against Iraq and Iraqis."
US drones bombed the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces in the Jurf al-Sakhar area of Babil province, killing 4 victims and wounding two others, after a similar operation targeted a vehicle of the crowd in the Abu Ghraib area, west of Baghdad.
A parliamentary committee answers: Is Kurdistan forced to pass the oil and gas law?, 23 nov
A parliamentary committee answers: Is Kurdistan forced to pass the oil and gas law?, 23 nov
Today, Wednesday, the Oil, Gas and Natural Resources Committee explained the way to improve the Kurdistan Region’s relations with the federal government, and while it confirmed that the region has become “forced” to submit to the requirements of the next stage, it pointed to the importance of the Oil and Gas Law.
Committee member, Intisar Al-Jazairi, said in an interview with the Maalouma Agency, “The current government has come a long way in its understandings with the Kurdistan region regarding the oil file, and handing over the quotas imposed on it in the financial budget.”
She added, "The Kurdistan region has become forced to submit to the requirements of the next stage, especially regarding the oil and gas law, given that the law is not specific to the governorates for which the federal government is responsible only, but also includes oil that is under the control of Kurdistan."
The oil parliamentary member explained, “If the Kurdistan region wants to improve its relations with the federal government, by paying taxes, or by exporting oil, it must submit to the oil and gas law.”
Al-Jazairi confirmed, “The government and Parliament are waiting for the legislation of this law until it finishes the issue of how to export oil, or invest gas in the coming stages.”
Earlier, a member of the House of Representatives, Kazem Al-Touki, confirmed that all technical problems surrounding the oil and gas law have been resolved, with the exception of the political problems between Baghdad and Erbil regarding the law, which require intervention from the active parties to resolve the problems surrounding the law.
The oil and gas law is one of the issues that has sparked controversy between Erbil and Baghdad for many years, but it was agreed to approve this draft law between the two parties within the framework of a political agreement that led to the formation of the current government. link
"RV UPDATE" BY MNT GOAT, 23 NOV
Mnt Goat
So, how long will us investors in the IQD have to wait before Iraq is allowed to liberate it’s own currency? Why do I say “now is the time”? We know they are completely out of Chapter VII sanctions since December 2022, and so why not treat them as such? We know they want the Iraq funds (nearly USD 115+ billion) released from the NY banks and put in their custody to do what they want with it... We know they have plans for yet more Sovereign Funds to invest their reserves. We know they are making agreements now for “currency swaps” and will no longer be using any US dollars in Iraq as of January 1st 2024
We know since January they have undertaken a massive “de-dollarization” program and told it should have taken 6 years but they decided to do it in 1 year (2023). Why such a hurry? We know the value of the IQD right now without any further economic development does exceed even pre-1991 era ($3.22) but still at 1/6 of a penny? We know Iraq now pumps 2/3 more oil than in pre-1991 era. We know Iraq also has announced 132+ tons of GOLD reserves. We know they are pushing this year alone, more than any other year since 2005, for the passing of Oil and Gas law. Why?
The saga about the Iraqi dinar RV only gets better and better as the months roll on. Folks, we are almost done with this long journey. More and more pieces of the puzzle are put in place over these past weeks. We can now see the picture and see it clearly. It has become not a matter of “if” this event will occur but “when”. Iraq has given us further nuggets of information to speculate but with pretty good evidence that our speculative conclusions maybe spot on.
Wednesday intel call to my contact at the CBI: I was told there was a TV media output broadcast that told the citizens the official rate of the dinar would be over $1 in the coming days. They used the PM Al-Sudani in a speech like format to explain most of it...This is part of the education process. So, it did begin...I was told that the process of the revaluation is now in motion and they expect to begin issuing the newer lower denominations to the banks in exchange for the larger 3 zero notes...
when they do distribute the lower denominations to the public for circulation, they will start at the airports first...they are only going to use dinars exclusively as of January 1st, 2024 in Iraq. This is also why they needed and allowed to let the banks now hold other foreign currencies besides dollars.
Iraq-Azerbaijan ties will lead to connection with Gulf, Mideast nations, Report, 23 NOV
Iraq-Azerbaijan ties will lead to connection with Gulf, Mideast nations, Report
Shafaq News / A recently published report by Azer News suggested that the Iraqi-Turkish "Development Road" and the railway connection between Iraq and Iran are of huge importance to Azerbaijan.
The report said that the official visit of Iraqi President Abdullatif Jamal Rashid to Azerbaijan foreshadows soaring economic cooperation between the two countries in the near future. The two countries have great potential to cooperate, but due to the invasion and instability following the invasion in Iraq, this potential has not been able to turn into reality.
When Azerbaijani gas projects were launched, the media outlets spoke about the possibility of Iraq joining the project to export its natural gas to Europe. Besides, Iraq could be an alternative for Azerbaijan to access the Persian Gulf as well. Prior to COVID-19, Baku was a desirable destination for Iraqi tourists. Even some companies from both countries tried to conduct trade before the emergence of ISIS.
Despite all attempts, these two fraternal countries have not been able to form desirable economic relations due to regional conflicts in the Middle East, where Iraq is located, or global instability such as COVID-19. Last year, the trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $29m which is too little in comparison with the potential of both countries. Azerbaijan exported products worth $28m and imported products from Iraq worth $0.5m. So, it is hoped that this official visit will mark a new page in the relationship between the two fraternal countries. For the further strengthening of bilateral relations, both countries signed MOUs and agreements in different fields to boost political, economic, trade, and tourism cooperation.
The Azerbaijani Minister of Labour and Social Protection of Population, Sahil Babayev, and the Iraqi Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Ahmed Al-Asadi, signed a MOU on cooperation between the two ministries.
The Chairman of the State Tourism Agency of Azerbaijan, Fuad Naghiyev, and the Chairman of the Tourism Authority of Iraq, Zafer Mahdi, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of tourism between the two countries.
The Azerbaijan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeyhun Bayramov, and the Iraqi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Bahr Al-Uloom, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on political consultations between the two sides.
The Azerbaijan Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabiyev, and the President of the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA), Imad Al-Asadi, signed an air services agreement between the two governments. So the signing of these meaningful MOUs would be the first step towards greater socio-economic cooperation and trans-regional connectivity, creating beneficial dividends for both countries.
In a comment to Azernews on the issue, Dr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan noted that it seems that due to rapidly changing socio-economic partnerships, conflicting geopolitical realities, and contradictory geostrategic preferences, Azerbaijan, under the leadership of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, has initiated regional and trans-regional grand economic diplomacy to further diversify the potential of the macro-economy, energy and food security, and volumes of bilateral exports with Iraq, which has now become an ideal hub of trans-regional connectivity.
“In this connection, Iraq’s trans-regional development project and Iran-Iraq railway connectivity would be mutually beneficial, even for Azerbaijan, which has the status of a Middle Corridor. The bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Iraq are gaining momentum, which vividly reflects befitting propositions for both countries."
Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan reminded that in the near past, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and his Iraqi counterpart Abdullatif Jamal Rashid met and discussed relations between the two countries and ways to develop them in all fields. He added that during the meeting, President Ilham Aliyev termed Rashid's visit an opportunity to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and an affirmation of the two countries' desire to advance their political and economic relations to new levels.
“The Iraqi President, who desired to expand the prospects of cooperation in the economic, investment, tourism, and energy fields, rightly emphasised the need to encourage businessmen to make investments. Thus, tourism, economics, culture, education, real estate, energy, food, and people-to-people contact would be mutually beneficial for both countries. To attract more and more FDIs, Iraq’s government is ready to protect and provide security and stability, the provision of services to the people, the protection of infrastructure, and raise the economic and investment levels to improve the living standards of citizens,” he said.
Dr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan added that the meeting of the Joint Commission on trade-economic, scientific-technical, and cultural cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iraq has now further strengthened bilateral relations in diverse sectors of the economy, investment, infrastructure, energy and food, science and technology, and smart living. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that a meeting of the Joint Commission on trade-economic, scientific-technical, and cultural cooperation will be held in Iraq in the near future, which will play an important role in the further expansion of trade-economic ties.
“On the other hand, the Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein, met with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, on the sidelines of his participation in the ministerial meetings of the Non-Aligned Movement held in Baku from July 5–6, 2023. Both sides stressed the importance of enhancing trade exchange and cooperation in various fields, including the railway, aviation, and tourism. President Aliyev instructed the Ministry of Transport to resume operating air flights between Iraq and Azerbaijan for tourist purposes, stressing the desire of the Azerbaijani government to strengthen relations between the two countries.
Hopefully, increasing bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Iraq would be a balancing act to promote peace, prosperity, stability, and economic sustainability in the region. It would also further strengthen the alternative route strategy of Azerbaijan to connect with greater Gulf and Middle East countries in the days to come,” Dr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan concluded.
For more than 30 years, Azerbaijan has had no land connection with Nakhchivan, the biggest exclave of Azerbaijan in its south-west. The territory blockaded by Armenia has been supplied with energy through Iran for a long time, and at the same time, travel was possible only by air.
In Soviet times, two railway connections used to link Nakhchivan ASSR (Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic) with the main territory of Azerbaijan SSR. The shorter line that passed via the Zangazur region was built earlier, in 1941, whereas the Yerevan-Ijevan-Qazax line further to the north was constructed in the 1980s as an alternative route, connecting Yerevan to Baku and Russia. However, both lines have been abandoned since 1992 due to the First Garabagh War.
According to American pundit and political analyst Peter Tase, having Nakhchivan without any land connection and Armenia's holding the Azerbaijani territory under blockage is inadmissible.
"It is impossible for any nation to wait infinitely in order to have a land connection and transportation corridor with its prosperous enclave. The Republic of Azerbaijan has pursued a deeply purposeful diplomacy, and the White House and European Union have repeatedly ignored Baku’s very legitimate request to achieve this corridor that will tremendously benefit the economic integration of Eurasian nations," Tase said.
He also strongly condemned the US state administration's cold-blooded approach to Azerbaijan's recent regional problems as well as its support for Armenian separatism.
"Washington has missed the opportunity to play an impartial role in securing a peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia; above all, the current administration is harming with its incomprehensible rhetoric against the current state of security that has been achieved with many sacrifices by the People of Azerbaijan and its thriving government in Baku," the pundit added.
The American political analyst touched upon the softening of diplomatic relations between Baku and Tehran in recent days and noted that such a development of the process is considered more favourable for the region. He also considered it inadequate that the United States was against this issue.
"Normalisation of relations between Baku and Teheran should have been welcomed by the US State Department, knowing that the very same office allocated, enabled billions of US dollars to benefit the Iranian government. Going against the Baku-Teheran normalisation is inappropriate and very unsuitable for Washington," he stressed.
In addition, Peter Tase criticised US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien's action that was aimed at harming Azerbaijan and Turkiye's relations with Europe. It is sad in the truest sense of the word that the US diplomat did it under the dictates of the Armenian lobby, ignoring the fact that Azerbaijan and Turkiye are the most important and inseparable allies for Europe. Besides, Azerbaijan has been a strategic ally of the United States in the South Caucasus since its independence.
"Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs O’Brien is doing everything possible to damage the culture of pragmatic bilateral alliances between Washington and viable European partners, among them Azerbaijan and Türkiye.
Mr. O’Brien and members of US Congress, blindly defending Armenian aggressive revanchism, do not understand that we are living in Cold War II, at a time when rule of law is descending, technological complexities are prevailing globally, and PR China is emerging with its currency as a reserve currency status; these are only a few of the strategic matters that Washington cannot contain and address without building momentum together with allies such as Azerbaijan, Türkiye and the Organisation of Turkic States," the pundit concluded.
"RV UPDATE" BY WALKINGSTICK, 23 NOV
Walkingstick (KTFA)
[Aki Iraqi Bank Friend Update]
Number 1 [Aki’s Boss] has informed Aki the CBI is going to have…’All hands on meeting’ to share the results of a recent CBI meeting. These meetings are continual and only with the banks, no politicians.
These meetings were with all the upper management of every bank in Iraq…IOO they’re talking about the new exchange rate of the Iraqi dinar and the new small category notes…We told you there would be one last rate change on the exchange rate of the Iraqi dinar. Aki suggested to us it would be 1,200 to 1…
WALKINGSTICK: …Look more for 1000 to 1 because when they get there then they can lift the three zeros.
Remember, we started with a MR that led to an RV that leads now today to an RD that will lead to an international float. Now...When it gets to the point of the float, a supply and demand of the Iraqi dinar...will determine which exchange rate of the RV that they cap it at.
[Iraqi bank friend Aki update] How will Aki profit by having these banks ? >By exchanging the Iraqi dinar for dollars. This is a profit for the bank. For Aki...
[Iraqi bank friend Aki update]
How will Aki profit by having these banks? By exchanging the Iraqi dinar for dollars. This is a profit for the bank. For Aki...
The economic reform is blossoming...because the monetary reform was a success...It is due to the security and stability that Sudani and Alaq have created for the reforms.
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Frank26 [Bank story] This time we didn't go down, we just called [the bank]... We said we want to see if we can exchange some cu...
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Bank appointment for Currency EXCHANGE Instructions/Checklist Bank Name_________________________________________ Bank 800#____________...
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Walkingstick All these meetings that the CBI had with all these agencies that were helping them with their monetary reform are done. Al...