Recent Appearances...

Warning: Undefined array key "rbname" in /data/rantburg.com/www/pgrecentorg.php on line 14
Hello !
Recent Appearances...

Iraq

Former Iraqi PM: Iraq allocates over $10 billion for ''Iraqi-Chinese framework agreement'' in tripartite budget

2023-09-27

[Shafaq News] Former Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi announced during the fourth session of The China-Arab States Forum on Reform and Development in Shanghai that Iraq has allocated more than $10 billion in the tripartite budget for the implementation of the "Iraqi-Chinese Framework Agreement."

Abdul Mahdi highlighted China's comprehensive strategic partnerships with 14 Arab countries, including Iraq, emphasizing that trade exchange between China and Arab countries in 2022 amounted to $431.442 billion, representing a 30% annual increase.

He noted that 17 Arab countries have become members of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and highlighted the progress made in China's Belt and Road Initiative with Arab nations. Abdul Mahdi also mentioned the Arab foreign ministers' support for the initiative and strengthening the Arab-Chinese Cooperation Forum mechanism.

Iraq, among other Arab nations, has approved substantial funds in its state budget for 2023-2025 to support the "Iraqi-Chinese Framework Agreement."

The Belt and Road Initiative, launched in the 19th century to connect China with the world, is considered one of human history's most extensive infrastructure projects. It aims to enhance regional connectivity and build a brighter future. The project is set to be completed by 2049, coinciding with the centenary of the founding of China.

Link

Iraq

RPG hit nears a gathering place for Tishreen Movement activists in Najaf

2022-02-08

, no causalitieshttps://t.co/ABuyDCNsX2
— SHAFAQ News (@Shafaqnews) February 7, 2022

Shafaq News/ An "RPG" missile targeted a hall that receives supporters of the Tishreen Revolution in Kufa.

A security source told Shafaq News that unidentified men fired an RPG at Al-Naranj hall in Kufa district, Najaf governorate.

"The attack caused material damage to the building, without any human losses."

According to our source, the Hall is a place for frequent meetings of supporters of the October Revolution

In October 2019, mass demonstrations engulfed Baghdad and southern Iraq as citizens protested widespread corruption, unemployment, and poor public services. Nearly 500 people were killed.

The Tishreen (October) uprising became the largest and longest-lasting social movement since 2003. The protests caused the resignation of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.

Link

Iraq

Advisor's killing deepens Iraqi leader's face-off with militias

2020-07-10

[THEBAGHDADPOST] Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi talked tough after the killing of a high-profile analyst and government advisor, pledging to hunt down his assailants and curb the actions of gangs.But the face-off between the U.S.-friendly Iraqi leader and powerful Iran-backed militias whom his entourage privately blames for Monday’s murder of Hisham al-Hashemi indicates how difficult this will be.

A series of bold moves by Kadhimi in his first two months in office, including two unsuccessful arrest raids against militias, showed the limits of his power in the face of hostile groups with influence across state institutions, according to government officials, politicians and diplomats.

Kadhimi in May succeeded Adel Abdul Mahdi, during whose tenure Iraqi militias loyal to Iran’s theocratic government deepened their sway over Iraq’s politics and economy.

Link

Iraq

US has withdrawn half of its forces from Iraq

2020-06-13

[ALMASDARNEWS] The United States confirmed on Friday that it will discuss with the Iraqi government the status of its remaining military forces, stressing that it does not seek military bases or a permanent military presence in Iraq.

According to a joint statement of the first session of the strategic dialogue, Washington and Baghdad announced the continuation of the talks on the status of the remaining American forces in Iraq, where the two countries’ focus is towards developing a normal security relationship based on common interests.

The governments of the two countries said in the statement that "in light of the significant progress made towards eliminating the threat from ISIS, the United States will continue in the coming months to reduce its forces in Iraq."

The United States also confirmed that it is not seeking to establish permanent bases or a permanent military presence in Iraq, as agreed previously in the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement, which states that security cooperation is based on mutual agreements.

The U.S. pointed out that they had already withdrawn half of their forces from Iraq since the start of the new year.

For its part, the government of Iraq is committed to protecting the military forces of the International Alliance, and the Iraqi facilities that host them in line with international law and relevant arrangements regarding the presence of those forces and in the form that will be agreed upon between the two countries.

It is noteworthy to mention that the Iraqi Council of Representatives had voted in January in an extraordinary session in the presence of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, on a decision obliging the government to work to end the request for assistance submitted to the international coalition led by Washington and end any presence of foreign forces on Iraqi soil.

Link

Iraq

Iraq On The Path Of National Recovery From Iranian Hegemony

2020-05-13

[MEMRI.ORG] Iraq's national recovery has been brewing internally over nearly seven months of political unrest, ignited by protesters who erupted into the streets in October 2019 to demonstrate against the country's endemic corruption and lack of basic services, and against Iran's increasing meddling in Iraq's internal affairs.

Iran's attempt to silence protesters by force using its Iraqi militias failed when the protesters forced the Tehran-backed prime minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, to resign in November 2019, after only one year of his four-year tenure. Abdul Mahdi's resignation signaled the beginning of the shattering of Iran's grip over Iraq's political system.

During the odyssey of the political attempts to replace Abdul Mahdi, Tehran failed to reinstate him as prime minister, and also failed to secure the path to this office for any of its proxies in Iraq.

Link

Iraq

Four brigades split from Iraq's PMF in sign of internal rift

2020-04-23

[The National] Four Iraqi militia brigades have reportedly split from the Popular Mobilisation Forces and are now under the directives of the office of the outgoing Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi.

The killing of the PMF's chief of staff Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis in January by the US deprived the forces of their leading policymaker and challenged the standing of Iran-backed militias in Iraq.

In a letter addressed to Faleh Al Fayyad, the new head of the PMF - also known as Hashed Al Shaabi - Mr Abdul Mahdi said "their operations and administration" will now be directed by his office.

"The details will be disclosed at a later time," the letter said.

The brigades who have split are the Imam Ali, Ali Al Akbar, Abbas and Ansar Al Marjaiya, all loyal to the top Shiite holy man Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani.

Mr Abdel Mahdi is no longer in office, with former head of intelligence Mustafa Al Kadhimi having taken up the role as Prime Minister designate earlier this month. He is still considered the last holder of the office, however, until a new leader can be decided on by parliament.

The outgoing prime minister has come under pressure from Washington to curb Iran's influence in Iraq, particularly after several recent unclaimed attacks against US interests in the country.

The militias, which helped Iraqi and US-led international coalition forces drive out ISIS, have broad influence in Iraqi politics.

However,
you can observe a lot just by watching...
Iraq declared victory against the holy warriors in 2017. The decision is a direct message to the PMF that Mr Al Sistani's religious call to form a coherent fighting force against ISIS has come to an end, an Iraqi parliamentarian told The National.

"The Marjaiya [brigade] and the outgoing prime minister made this decision, that in itself sends a strong message," he said.

An electoral alliance made up of militia leaders and fighters came second in a 2018 parliamentary election and went on alongside populist holy man Moqtada Al Sadr, whose political group came first, to jointly nominate Mr Abdul Mahdi as premier.

Mr Abdul Mahdi issued a decree ordering the militias to come to heel by the end of July 2019, or be deemed "illegitimate".

His decree forces groups that make up the PMF to choose between political and paramilitary activity.

Link

Iraq

Iraq names its third prime minister in 10 weeks

2020-04-10

[THEBAGHDADPOST] Iraq’s president named intelligence chief Mustafa al-Kadhimi as prime minister-designate on Thursday, the third person tapped to lead the country in just 10 weeks as it struggles to replace a government that fell last year after months of deadly protests.

Kadhimi was nominated by President Barham Salih, state television
... and if you can't believe state television who can you believe?
reported, shortly after the previous designated prime minister, Adnan al-Zurfi, announced he was withdrawing having failed to secure enough support to pass a government.

Iraq, exhausted by decades of sanctions, war and political corruption now faces economic ruin, social unrest and a growing outbreak of the new coronavirus (aka COVID19 or Chinese Plague)

coronavirus (aka COVID19 or Chinese Plague)

...the twenty first century equivalent of bubonic plague, only instead of killing off a third of the population of Europe it kills 3.4 percent of those who notice they have it. It seems to be fond of the elderly, especially Iranian politicians and holy men...
, all of which it must face with only a caretaker cabinet.

Adel Abdul Mahdi, who resigned under pressure from anti-government protests in November, still heads the government as caretaker prime minister. Salih’s first choice to replace him, Mohammed Allawi, withdrew on March 1 after four fruitless weeks trying to gain support.

Like Salih’s previous choices to replace Abdul Mahdi, Kadhimi is seen as a political independent, who will have to amass support from the powerful sectarian parties that dominate Iraq’s legislature to approve a cabinet within a month.

The former journalist, who wrote against dictator Saddam Hussein from exile in Iran
...a theocratic Shiite state divided among the Medes, the Persians, and the (Arab) Elamites. Formerly a fairly civilized nation ruled by a Shah, it became a victim of Islamic revolution in 1979. The nation is today noted for spontaneously taking over other countries' embassies, maintaining whorehouses run by clergymen, involvement in international drug trafficking, and financing sock puppet militias to extend the regime's influence. The word Iran is a cognate form of Aryan. The abbreviation IRGC is the same idea as Stürmabteilung (or SA). The term Supreme Guide is a the modern version form of either Duce or Führer or maybe both. They hate ~~Jews~~ ~~Zionists~~ Jews. Their economy is based on the production of oil and vitriol...
and Britannia, returned after the U.S. invasion in 2003. He has held his role heading intelligence since 2016.

"I will work tirelessly to to present Iraqis with a program and cabinet that will work to serve them, protect their rights and take Iraq towards a prosperous future," Kadhimi wrote on Twitter.

Zurfi had been rejected immediately by parties allied with Iran who viewed him as a threat to their political and economic power in Iraq, calling him an "American joker" for his ties with the U.S.-backed authorities that ruled Iraq after the 2003 invasion. Thursday marked the 17th anniversary of the day that U.S.-led troops occupied Baghdad.

Zurfi had signalled he would check the power of Iran-aligned militias in Iraq. Kurdish parties finally decided on Wednesday not to back Zurfi, sealing his fate.

Link

Iraq

Iraq’s feuding politicians impervious to emerging calamity

2020-04-04

Typical. This is why they don’t have nice things.

[THEBAGHDADPOST] Two weeks ago, Iraqi President Barham Salih nominated Adnan al-Zurfi as prime minister-designate and tasked him with forming a Cabinet to be approved by parliament. This was the president’s latest effort to form a government after Adel Abdul Mahdi stepped down in November last year in the face of widespread public criticisms of his government’s failure to provide services to the people.

Al-Zurfi faces a daunting challenge. A former governor of Najaf province, he has dual US-Iraqi citizenship and has been associated with Iraq’s politics since the US invasion in 2003. He took a tough stand against the militia of Moqtada Tater al-Sadr
Moqtada <q>Tater</q> al-Sadr

...hereditary Iraqi holy man and leader of a political movement in Iraq. He had his hereditary rival al-Khoei assassinated shortly after the holy rival's appearance out of exile in 2003. Formerly an Iranian catspaw, lately he's gagged over some of their more outlandish antics, then went back to catspawry...
in 2004. He is the head of the Nasr parliamentary grouping that includes former Prime Minister Haider Abadi.

Link

Iraq

Divided Iraqi Parliament Votes to Expel All U.S. Troops

2020-01-06

[PJ] At the urging of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, the Iraqi parliament voted 170-0 to expel all coalition troops from Iraq.

But Sunni and Kurdish members did not attend the session, revealing a sharp divide in opinion over the issue.

New York Times:

The vote is not final until Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi of Iraq signs the draft bill. But since he drafted the language and submitted the bill to Parliament, there was little doubt he would sign it. Mr. Abdul Mahdi had urged lawmakers to oust the United States-led coalition after President Trump ordered a fatal drone strike against General Suleimani in the Baghdad airport.

Members of Iraq’s Parliament were divided on the demands to expel American troops. While factions that grew out of Shiite militia organizations have pushed hard for the expulsion, Sunni Muslim factions and the Kurds wanted the United States to stay.

The reaction to Suleimani's death shows just how far Iranian influence has penetrated the upper levels of the Iraqi government. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis poured into the streets to mourn Suleimani's killing. Was it really a violation of Iraq's "sovereignty" if the government is just an extension of the power of the Iranian mullahs? Where does Iraq begin and Iran end in that country?

"Sovereignty," indeed.

No matter. The Europeans are rushing to show Iran that they're on the side of the mullahs. The EU's foreign minister invited Iran's Javad Zarif for talks and Germany has indicated it wants direct talks with Iran.

Link

Iraq

Thousands gather in Baghdad to commemorate Soleimani after airstrike

2020-01-04

[The Hill] Thousands of people marched in Baghdad Saturday to mourn Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s late top general, and several Tehran-backed militia fighters who were killed in a U.S. airstrike this week.

The procession ‐ organized by Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of Iranian-supported paramilitary groups ‐ began in Baghdad’s heavily-fortified Green Zone and continued to the Shiite holy cities of Karbala and Najaf, according to Reuters.

Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a militia leader, and other Iraqi fighters will be buried in Najaf, while Soleimani will be buried in his hometown of Kerman in southeast Iran.

In a sign of the gravity of the repercussions of Soleimani’s death, Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi attended the procession.
Emphasis added.

Link

Iraq

Political deadlock delays choice of new PM to steer Iraq out of crisis

2019-12-20

[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Iraqi politicians said on Thursday that deadlock in parliament was holding up the selection of an interim prime minister, meaning leaders would miss a deadline to name a replacement for Adel Abdul Mahdi and prolong nationwide unrest.

More than 450 people, mostly unarmed demonstrators but also some members of the security forces, have been killed since a wave of popular unrest began on Oct. 1. Protesters, most of them young, are demanding an overhaul of a political system they see as profoundly corrupt and keeping most Iraqis in poverty.

The protests have shaken the country out of two years of relative calm following the defeat of ISIS bully boys.

Infighting between political parties who are clinging onto power has fueled the crisis and threatens to cause more unrest as protesters lose patience.

Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi resigned last month under pressure from the streets but has remained in office in a caretaker capacity. The constitutional deadline to name a replacement expires on Thursday.

President Barham Salih this week asked the largest bloc in parliament to nominate a new premier to form a government.

Lawmakers and politicians said Salih could now delay the nomination to Dec. 22, based on a federal court ruling allowing national holidays to be excluded from the run-up to the constitutional deadline.

The house failed on Wednesday to pass a new electoral law, a key demand of protesters, which would make elections fairer after each round in recent years has been marred by allegations of fraud.

Protesters demand a new electoral law and committee, but also the removal of the entire political class, and a prime minister with no party affiliation.

Link

Iraq

Iraqis rally for slain activist as Baghdad summons Western envoys

2019-12-10

[Al Jazeera] Iraqis have gathered to mourn a prominent activist rubbed out in the latest violent episode in anti-government demonstrations in which more than 450 people have died.

Hundreds joined Fahem al-Tai's funeral procession on Monday, hours after the 53-year-old was killed in a drive-by shooting in Iraq's shrine city of Karbala while returning home from protests late on Sunday.

"We will not forget our deaders," read one sign carried by a tearful protester.

The rally came as Iraq's foreign ministry summoned four Western envoys over their condemnation of a deadly attack against protesters at the weekend.

Iraq's capital, Baghdad, and its Shia-majority south have been gripped by more than two months of rallies against corruption, poor public services and unemployment. Demonstrators also want a complete overhaul of the political system installed after the 2003 US invasion of the country, where power is apportioned among religious and ethnic groups.

Activists have called for large-scale marches from other cities towards Baghdad but paramilitary leaders have warned such protests would be "ruinous".

"It will bring the most massive chaos yet to Baghdad," said Qais al-Khazali, the head of the prominent Asaib Ahl al-Haq armed faction, who was blacklisted last week by the United States.

Asaib Ahl al-Haq is one of the most powerful groups in Iraq's Hashd al-Shaabi security force (also known as the PMF), a network of Iran-backed gangs officially integrated into the Iraqi state security forces.

Hashd chief Faleh al-Fayyadh over the weekend ordered the factions to stay away from rallies.

The British, French and German ambassadors to Iraq condemned the violence in a meeting with caretaker prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, who resigned on December 1.

"No gang should be able to operate outside of the control of the state," the envoys said in a statement, urging the government to "urgently investigate".

The envoys also pressed the government to implement its recent order that the Hashd "stay away from protest locations".

In response, Iraq's foreign ministry on Monday summoned all three ambassadors, as well as their Canadian counterpart, who had similarly condemned the violence.

The ministry said their comments were an "unacceptable intervention in Iraq's internal affairs".

A diplomatic source told the AFP news agency that the envoys were "not surprised" at having been summoned, particularly after Abdul Mahdi had defended his government in response to their criticism at the earlier meeting.

Link

Warning: Undefined property: stdClass::$T in /data/rantburg.com/www/pgrecentorg.php on line 132
-12 More