" The Dinar Daily ", Saturday, 26 July 2014
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  1. #1

    " The Dinar Daily ", Saturday, 26 July 2014

    It is EVICT MALIKI DAY + EIGHTY - SIX ( 86 ) or " E - M DAY + 86 "

    PREVIOUSLY AND CONTINUING

    "..... despite the superiority of Maliki’s electoral coalition, the competing Shiite forces, the Kurds and the Sunnis, are together able to form a comfortable majority to prevent Maliki from remaining in office. "......................

    Maliki likely fears that if he rushes to do business with parties outside the Shiite alliance, his Shiite rivals would do the same and that they may have a better chance to win over the Kurdish and Sunni forces, because there is a general consensus among them to not keep Maliki in power.

    At the same time, the rest of the Shiite groups fear that this consensus is not solid enough to withstand discussing the details, and that going alone to the Kurdish and Sunni forces may put them in a weak bargaining position and make them appear responsible for breaking Shiite unity.

    An important factor here are the choices that the Sunni and Kurdish forces will make. If the Sunnis and Kurds rush to form ethnic and sectarian alliances, then the Shiite alliance may do the same.

    Some are proposing scenarios such as replacing Maliki with another figure from the State of Law Coalition as a compromise to ensure the continuation of the Shiite alliance.

    [* a source said in a statement to the Agency ((eighth day)) that there is an agreement semi-final between the U.S. and Iran to take on Ahmed Chalabi as prime minister for the next government as a compromise candidate.]

    Yet, such a solution may come at a later stage, after the favored options by most parties have been exhausted.

    What is certain now is that a harsh negotiating season will [ * HAS ] begin [ * BEGUN ] as the conflict moves from its electoral aspect into the closed negotiating rooms and deals among the elite. - - from al Monitor

    and

    Chalabi announce his candidacy on Facebook for prime minister

    Wrote on: 07/17/2014 16:29:17

    Future news / Baghdad: -

    MP for the coalition of citizen Ahmed Chalabi, said Thursday, "his candidacy for prime minister as a competitor for the owners."

    Chalabi said on his Facebook today: "Since the Muslim Brotherhood in the state law, adhere to the nomination of Nuri al-Maliki as Prime Minister and bookmark her condition admissibility of all spectrums of people for this to enter as a candidate and I'll be the alliance's candidate and 328 deputy are will resolve it within the parliament vote Democrat. "

    The State of Law coalition has expressed his commitment to the nomination of current Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki for the assumption of office for the third time in a row. "

    and

    A newspaper close to Iran stresses the intention of Al-Maliki's resignation

    16-07-2014 06:41 PM

    Orbit-Arabic. NET/sources of Lebanese Akhbar, close to Iran, abandoned the outgoing Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, his candidacy to head the new Government for a third term, after a request from the reference of Najaf and Iran.

    The paper reported that the request for religious reference came in a bid to end the conflict within and outside the National Coalition for the Prime Minister.

    The leaks that negotiations within the National Alliance are underway regarding the timing of the announcement of the nomination of a replacement for the succession of Al-Maliki, after the latter give up the run, where some parties prefer to announce this step results in the field.

    https://www.almadarnews.info/index.ph...rticle&id=5347

    and

    Ktlta al-Hakim and al-Sadr refused to renew Maliki's nomination to head the government and call for the coalition to provide irreplaceable

    Thu Jul 17 2014 22:33 | (Voice of Iraq)

    long-Presse / Baghdad

    New coalition al-Hakim and al-Sadr, on Thursday, refusing to nominate the prime minister expired, Nuri al-Maliki, for a third session, while Pena possibility of acceptance of another candidate presented by the coalition, threatened first by resorting to the opposition, revealing the second support the nomination of Adel Abdul Mahdi and Ahmad Chalabi for the post.

    Was Deputy for a coalition of citizen, of the Supreme Council of the Islamic, led by Ammar al-Hakim, to hold the prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, the state third, a "problem" to reject so many components of the National Alliance and other blocs, noting that many of them is the same, will turn to the subject If you do not submit a coalition of state law, an alternative candidate for the post.

    Ali said an inch, in an interview to the (long-Presse), said that "stuck to the prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, the state third, a problem within the National Alliance, could hinder the formation of the government for a long time," adding that "a lot of the components of the National Alliance and other blocs outside reject Maliki's nomination. "

    He added an inch, that "the political blocs could accept another candidate presented by a coalition of state law for the position," noting that "a lot of political blocs, including a coalition of citizens, would prefer to stay opposition if they insisted al-Maliki to head the next government," returned that there are "many figures that can occupy the prime minister runs the country. "

    For her part, the Liberal block of the Sadrist movement, rejected the state's third generation, revealing its support for the other two candidates. The MP said the Liberal bloc, F Bureau, said in an interview to the (long-Presse), "The bloc rejects the state's third generation, and supports the nomination of Adel Abdul-Mahdi, or Ahmad Chalabi to head the new government."

    According to the Court, that "the National Alliance can accept dissector last for a coalition of state law, non-Maliki," returned to "Maliki's insistence on the nomination itself would make him aloof from the National Alliance."

    The president of a coalition of state law, Nuri al-Maliki, new in (the fourth of July 2014 present), adherence to the nomination for a third term, amid worsening opposition to the majority of political forces Therefore, most notably the Sadrists, and a coalition of citizens, and the Kurdistan Alliance and the Sunni Arab blocs, as well as a coalition of national leadership Iyad Allawi, to do so.

    It is noteworthy that the National Alliance, a parliamentary blocs, the largest, has failed so far to choose its candidate to head the next government, amid worsening differences between components on more worthy than others in the job, amid confirmation actors in it, the need to undergo a candidate for "compatibility and acceptability" within the coalition in the national space.

    https://translate.googleusercontent.c...#ixzz37oG3bVdd

    and

    Prime Minister's file is thorny and complex
    24/07/2014 09:30:00

    BAGHDAD / NINA / MP, of the Ahrar bloc, Hakim al-Zamili said that talks between the parties of the Iraqi National Alliance to nominate a person for the post of prime minister are still without a result.

    Zamili told the National Iraqi News Agency / NINA /[SIZE=3] "The file of prime minister is the most important file among other three presidencies," pointing out that "the Sunni political blocs have chosen Salim al-Jubouri as the chairman of the House of Representatives and the Kurdish groups have agreed on a personal as President of the Republic, and remaining file is the post of Prime Minister. "[/SIZE]

    He added: "The name of Prime Minister will be resolved next week, after the religious authority, popular forces and regional and neighboring countries, confirmed the need to resolve this file as soon as possible."

    He said: "choosing prime minister with wide admissibility will be a positive factor towards the calm and solving many problems in the country," noting: "The religious authority was clear in its speech, that the candidate must be accepted nationally, and this does not exist at the current Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who has problems with the Ahrar and the citizen blocs on one hand, and with the Sunnis and Kurds, on the other hand. "

    He explained that there is more than one character to be a substitute for Maliki in the next phase, from inside the Dawa Party, and the National Coalition has two candidates, Ahmed Chalabi and Adel Abdul-Mahdi, therefore, the process of selecting one of the characters will be a thorny and complex. "

    https://www.ninanews.com/english/News...ar95_VQ=HFJFDJ

    and

    Officially, Speaker, his 2 Deputy Speakers assume their posts

    Tuesday, 15 July 2014 21:23

    Baghdad (AIN) –The Speaker of the Parliament and his two Deputy Speakers assumed their duties officially.

    The Parliament succeeded in electing Speaker of the Parliament, Salim al-Jebuori, and his first Deputy, Haider al-Ebadi, as well as his 2nd deputy, Aram al-Sheikh Mohamed.

    and

    Iraq parliament elects Kurdish politician Fuad Masum as new president

    KURDISH politician Fuad Masum has become the new president of Iraq, in a step towards forming a new government that visiting UN chief Ban Ki-moon says must be inclusive for the country to survive.

    Fierce fighting ... volunteers who joined the Iraqi army to fight against Jihadist militants of the Islamic State (IS) brandish their weapons as they come as backup at a checkpoint north of Baghdad. Source: AFP

    A June onslaught on Sunni Arab areas north and west of Baghdad, led by the jihadist Islamic State group, has brought Iraq to the brink of breakup, with the government struggling to assert any authority beyond its Shiite power base.

    Parliament elected Masum, who served as the first prime minister of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region more than two decades ago, by an overwhelming majority of 211 votes to 17.

    He had been almost guaranteed the job after Kurdish parties struck a late-night deal to support him.

    Under an unofficial power-sharing deal, Iraq’s Kurds traditionally get the post of president.

    The move could pave the way for a deal on the much more powerful post of prime minister.

    The UN chief met current Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and stressed the need for a broadbased government to be formed as soon as possible to save the country from collapse.

    “Iraq is facing an existential threat, but it can be overcome by the formation of a thoroughly inclusive government,” he said at a joint news conference with Maliki.

    “It is critical that all political leaders fulfil their responsibilities to ensure that the government formation process falls within the constitutional timetable,” he said.

    Maliki has complained the world is not doing enough to help him tackle IS, an Al-Qaeda offshoot which appears to be outgrowing the network founded by Osama bin Laden.


    As the premier met the head of the US Central Command, General Lloyd Austin, in Baghdad on Thursday, his defence minister was in Moscow with a wish list of military equipment.

    and

    Kurdistan: We have not made ​​a decision to distribute salaries in dollars rather than local currency

    Thu Jul 24 2014 22:56 | (Voice of Iraq)

    long-Presse / Erbil

    Denied the Kurdistan Regional Government, on Thursday, the existence of a formal decision on the distribution of the salaries of their employees in dollars rather than the local currency, and confirmed that the province did not issue any decision in this regard, while suggesting that the issue of the distribution of salaries in dollars not only the idea had been discussed between the Ministry of Finance and the prime minister in the region to treat the problem of delay Salaries in the region.

    The Ministry of Finance and Economy in the region, in a statement received (range Press) a copy of it, "she has not made ​​any decision on the issue of the distribution of salaries of employees of the Kurdistan region of the dollar," indicating that "the subject was only a proposal and the idea has been discussed with the prime minister of the province as a solution to the problem of delay salaries , especially since the distribution of salaries of oil imports, which are then dollar needs to the conversion process to the dinar a long time, so this idea has been put forward. "

    The statement continued that this issue is under extensive study by the provincial government and the ministry, and will implement everything in the interest of citizens and employees in the region, noting that "any such decision will be through coordination with the prime minister of the province.

    The region is witnessing an economic blockade imposed by the government of Prime Minister outgoing Nuri al-Maliki since more than seven months, due to the deterioration of relations between Erbil and Baghdad over oil-exporting region independently abroad, which led to a delay in the distribution of salaries of employees of the Kurdistan region.

    https://translate.googleusercontent.c...#ixzz38SPHuqyl

    and

    Chalabi: all political blocs signed a national coalition that requested the block elder

    Baghdad newspaper of integrity

    Coalition leader said citizen MP Ahmed Chalabi, a national coalition to sign parliamentary blocs as the largest bloc.

    Chalabi told reporters, "we have a request from the first meeting of the Parliament aatiar the national coalition is the largest bloc, signed by both blocs."

    He said "some heads blocks National Alliance (Ziya al-Asadi, Ahmad Chalabi Baquer Al-Zubaidi) met with Parliament Speaker Salim Al-jubouri to inform him of their declaration that they are the largest bloc".

    He was speaker of the House of Salim Al-jubouri, said today that "the Constitution is clear in explaining the larger parliamentary bloc combined within the Parliament."

    He said that "the parliamentary bloc with the largest number of seats, and the Constitution was careful to use the word Parliament is formed after the House of representatives at its first meeting".

    "We are going back to the old Mahdi Al-Hafidh as if it had received a request from the State of law bloc, for he was Moderator exclusively back then."

    The President said the House "label greatest mass determined in accordance with the Constitution and there is dialogue between the National Alliance and State of law coalition and the President will meet with a number of political leaders after I finished for me," he said.

    The President of the Federal Court judge, Midhat al-Mahmoud, the biggest parliamentary blocs that formed the Government in 2010 itself would constitute Ministerial cab in 2014.

    Attorney for the State of law Coalition, Hussein Al-Maliki, said today, "the State of law Coalition had received the Federal Court as a parliamentary majority by Nouri al-Maliki remains a candidate for Prime Minister."

    The National Alliance was revealed on July 12 that the State of law coalition has applied to the Federal Court to inquire about the biggest bloc of seats in the new Parliament, noting that "the demand made in isolation from the National Alliance."

    https://www.microsofttranslator.com/b...F%3Fp%3D104917



  2. #2

    Does Iraq's president hold any real power?

    Does Iraq's president hold any real power?


    The position of president in Iraq has always been described as an honorific one without privileges, which does not allow its occupant to affect the political course of events. However, this description does not stem from the Iraqi constitution’s texts, which grant the president significant privileges that put him in competition with the prime minister.


    Summary⎙ Print Iraqis are watching to see if new President Fouad Massoum will take the initiative and restore the privileges of the president’s position.


    Author Mushreq Abbas

    Posted July 25, 2014


    Translator(s)Pascale Menassa




    The Iraqi parliament elected Fouad Massoum president during the July 24 session as part of the second voting round, with a majority of 211 MPs out of the 269 who attended.

    As soon as he receives the tasks attributed to his position, Massoum will have to recreate the position of president by regaining this role’s privileges, which have been suspended in recent years.

    The task of restoring the privileges of the president starts by reviewing Article 66 of the Iraqi constitution, which states, “The federal executive power shall consist of the president of the republic and the Council of Ministers, and shall exercise its powers in accordance with the constitution and the law.”

    This article is pivotal, since it joins the president and cabinet under one definition, which is summarized by the “executive power.”

    Moreover, Article 67 of the constitution gives another clarification for the privileges and states, “The president of the republic is the head of the state and a symbol of the unity of the country and represents the sovereignty of the country. He shall guarantee the commitment to the constitution and the preservation of Iraq’s independence, sovereignty, unity and the safety of its territories, in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.”

    There aren’t any legal approaches capable of turning the president’s tasks mentioned in the Iraqi constitution into legitimate ones. The constitution, as well as the laws that are supposed to be approved by the Iraqi parliament, have not specified how the president can apply his description as the symbol of the country’s unity and ensurer of the respect of the constitution, and turn his tasks into clear executive plans of action.

    It was important in the past few years for the Iraqi parliament to prepare a law that grants the president executive mechanisms to fulfill his constitutional description, especially when it comes to ensuring the respect of the constitution.

    Article 60 of the Iraqi constitution presents proof that the president has executive powers. This article stirred wide controversy in the past four years after the Constitutional Court issued in 2010 an explanation for it, restricting the right of presenting draft laws to the executive authority. Parliament’s task became limited to voting on the draft laws submitted by the executive authority or presenting “law proposals” that the executive authority wouldn’t necessarily have to turn into draft laws.

    Article 60 of the constitution states the following, “First: Draft laws shall be presented by the president of the republic and the Council of Ministers. Second: Proposed laws shall be presented by 10 members of the Council of Representatives or by one of its specialized committees.”

    The first clause of the article joins again the cabinet and the president under one definition and grants both parties the right to submit draft laws. However, the past four years did not show that the president practiced his right to submit draft laws or even participate in preparing ones for the cabinet to present to the parliament, as per the constitution. The only exception was when former President Jalal Talabani presented the “demarcation of provinces” draft law in November 2011. The law was more political, rather than being an attempt to restitute the privileges of the president.

    In fact, the consensual system in Iraq did not allow Talabani to perform a role in the structure of the executive authority. He could not contribute to preparing the laws that the country urgently needed — laws whose absence constituted a weak point for the political process in Iraq.

    Today, the question is raised to the Iraqi president: Is he or the political party to which he adheres, the Kurdistan Alliance, willing to take a personal initiative, or use the presidential system, to effectively participate in filling the huge legal vacuum in Iraq? Is he ready to start by seizing his constitutional privileges and exerting them on par with the prime minister?

    The answer to this question will be very important in the coming weeks. Past experiences have proven that the legal gap was one of the main aspects of the governmental failure, on the security, political and economic levels, to explain the constitution. Moreover, the parties have accused each other of violating the constitutional texts, and this is because the constitutional text that grants the president the privilege of “ensuring the respect of the constitution” was not applied.

    Iraq needs dozens of laws that would clear the air between the executive and legislative authorities as well as among Baghdad, Iraqi Kurdistan and the provinces. It also needs laws that remove the system of governing the state through a group of acting officials. Those have been occupying interim positions for years, although the constitution stipulates the positions must be elected in Article 61.

    Continuing legal chaos in Iraq requires that the Iraqi president play a new role to contribute to the foundations of the state and seeking the needed balance between the government and the presidency. The president should also play a role in improving Iraq’s foreign relations and governing a consensual system between the political parties, thus restoring the dialogue that has been disrupted between them for years.

    The presidency is a position with suspended powers. It is not true that the presidency in Iraq is an honorific position, as some have been saying. The Iraqi constitution places the president in a very delicate position, whether regarding his ability to propose laws and protect the constitution, or through his effective contribution in formulating governmental political and security decisions.

    The next stage in Iraq should be accompanied by a reconsideration for the position of president, whose privileges have been suspended under a previous political consensus.

    https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/orig...#ixzz38Y0y9obW

  3. #3

    House votes to tie Obama's hands in Iraq

    House votes to tie Obama's hands in Iraq

    House lawmakers voted overwhelmingly on July 25 in favor of a resolution demanding a say before President Barack Obama can send more troops to Iraq.



    The 370-40 vote demonstrates growing concern that Congress has abdicated too much power to the executive branch in the decade-old war on terrorism. While non-binding, the vote could make it more difficult for the president to ramp up the fight against Islamist militants by making clear the widespread reluctance to engage the United States in what many lawmakers view as a sectarian civil war.

    “The main text of this resolution is simple: The president shall not deploy or maintain United States armed forces in a sustained combat role in Iraq without specific statutory authorization,” said Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C. “This is a monumental step toward reclaiming our constitutional authority.”

    Jones co-sponsored the resolution along with Reps. James McGovern, D-Mass., and Barbara Lee, D-Calif. It would initially have demanded the withdrawal of all US troops not there to protect US diplomats and other personnel but was toned down in negotiations with the Republican leadership.

    The resolution follows the president’s decision to ramp up US support, with 825 military personnel now reportedly in the country.

    “The time to debate our re-engagement in Iraq, should it come to that, is before we are caught in the heat of the moment — not when the first body bags come home, not when the first bombs start to fall, not when the worst case scenario is playing out on our TV screens,” McGovern said.

    He made it clear that his personal opinion was that “it would be a grave mistake for the United States to re-engage militarily in Iraq.”

    Iraq war veteran Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., was one of the few voices of dissent.

    “Instead of giving the president an ability to blame Congress for his indecisiveness,” he said, “I think it’s time that we stand up and say we have to defend our interests.”

    al-monitor.com

  4. #4

    Can Iraq's new president save country from fragmenting?



    Fouad Massoum (C-R), the newly elected president of Iraq and a veteran Kurdish politician, stands with Kirkuk Gov. Najm al-Din Karim (C-L) during a news conference in Baghdad, July 24, 2014. (photo by ALI AL-SAADI/AFP/Getty Images)

    Can Iraq's new president save country from fragmenting?

    Iraq has a new president. In the wake of the capture of the second-largest city, Mosul, by the Islamic State (IS); ever-growing demands by the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Massoud Barzani; and rising dissent against a new mandate for incumbent Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Iraq has seemed on the verge of collapse. There has been a quasi consensus among Iraq observers that Iraq has ceased to exist and was awaiting de jure confirmation of its de facto fragmentation.

    Many have thought that this country, which had inured international opinion to its endless succession of crises since 2003, would not survive this latest crisis. But we could be mistaken. First, Salim al-Jabouri (affiliated with the Iraqi Islamic Party, the Iraqi Muslim Brotherhood) was elected speaker of the parliament. Then, a week after the return home of President Jalal Talabani — who had been under medical treatment in Berlin for the past 1½ years and who obviously couldn’t continue with his functions — a new president was elected, indicating that Iraq could actually be more resistant to division of the country.

    This writer has known the man elected president, Fouad Massoum, for nearly a quarter of a century. I got to know Massoum through his predecessor, Talabani, my close friend for more than 40 years. During tumultuous years that included the Gulf War of 1991, he was one of Talabani’s most trusted envoys and comrades-in-arms.

    Five years younger than Talabani, Massoum, 76, was born in Koysancak in 1938, a town close to Erbil where Talabani spent his childhood; they have been friends ever since.

    Massoum studied in religious schools until he was 18 and ended up at Cairo’s Al-Azhar University, the most prestigious center of learning for the Sunni world. He received his master’s in Islamic studies and his doctorate in philosophy.

    Massoum’s political life started as a member of the Iraqi Communist Party in 1962, a galvanizing assembly of dissent for people of Shiite and Kurdish origin. He left the party after traveling to Syria and joining the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) of Mullah Mustafa Barzani, who had ignited the Kurdish uprising against the Arab authorities in Baghdad. In 1968, he became a university professor in Basra in southern Iraq, and headed the KDP office there.

    In 1973, he became Cairo representative for Mustafa Barzani, the then-leader of KDP and the father of current KRG President Massoud Barzani. The same year, Talabani, heading the leftist-Marxist faction of the party against Barzani, became the party’s Beirut representative and engaged with Palestinian organizations that had made Beirut the center for the Palestine Liberation Organization.

    Massoum remained in this position until 1975, when he left to become one of the six founding members of the PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan) along with Talabani.

    In the PUK hierarchy, Talabani was the uncontested No. 1, followed by the current leader of the Goran (Change) Movement, Nushirevan Mustafa, and the legendary peshmerga commander Kosrat Resul. The next tier consisted of Massoum and Latif Rashid, the brother-in-law of Talabani.

    After the 1991 Kurdistan regional uprising, Massoum become the first prime minister of the Sulaimaniyah region. Iraqi Kurdistan had a dual government at the time, with Erbil under Barzani (KDP) and Sulaimaniyah under Talabani (PUK) rule. Ever since, Massoum has remained a loyal friend and confidant of Talabani.

    In the history of Iraq, only two people have been democratically elected as president and both were Kurds. Jalal Talabani became the first non-Arab president in 2005, followed now by Massoum.

    Massoum was the candidate of the Kurdish Alliance and after two election rounds in the federal parliament, he became the second Kurdish president of Iraq by winning 211 out of a total of 275 parliamentary votes.

    The process and procedural details that led to Massoum’s election reveal some lesser-known facts about the Kurdish political arena that have implications for the current political situation and future of Iraq and its neighborhood. There are 63 Kurdish members of the Iraqi parliament. That Kurdish bloc had to nominate a Kurdish candidate for the post of president that was allocated to the Kurds by an earlier gentlemen’s agreement.

    The Iraqi parliament was scheduled to convene July 24 to elect the president of Iraq. Late July 23, in a closed-door gathering in Baghdad, Kurdish members of parliament voted for their presidential candidate in a contest between PUK senior leaders Massoum and Barham Salih.

    In a close race, Massoum won a majority, 30-23. The rest of the Kurds' parliamentary bloc was absent.

    Massoum received 15 votes from the PUK, six from Goran (a splinter group from the PUK), four from Islamic parties and five from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), while Salih got four votes from the PUK, two from Goran, three from Islamic parties and 14 from the KDP.

    This voting pattern shows that Turkey, and its closest ally in the region, the KDP, tilted toward Salih. His candidacy had been opposed earlier by a powerful PUK figure, Talabani's wife, Hero Khan. There were widespread rumors in Sulaimaniyah that Iran, which has a strong behind-the-scenes presence in the area, had been backing her for a long time. A third contender for the post, the governor of Kirkuk, another Talabani loyalist, Najmaddin Kerim, had been opposed by Barzani.

    Massoum emerged as a compromise candidate for various Kurdish factions. He has been in the Iraqi parliament since 2005, was the acting speaker for a while and also had chaired the committee that drafted the constitution. Massoum had strong credentials and good relations with both Sunnis and Shiites in Baghdad. He is a personally endorsed by Talabani and cannot be opposed by Barzani.

    From these and other developments we can conclude that the United States (which doesn’t support the independence of Kurdistan and favors an inclusive Baghdad government with renewed power-sharing) and Iran (which has openly said it is against independence for Kurdistan) were pleased with the quick election of Massoum as president.

    There were also strong rumors in Baghdad that the United States was also in favor of Salim al-Jabouri, a Sunni Arab, as speaker of parliament.

    Following the election of Massoum, Iraq was actually and surprisingly ahead of the constitutional timeline for forming its next government. The most problematic task will be agreeing on a prime minister. Nouri al-Maliki, whose State of Law Coalition list gained more seats more than any other party, has no inclination or willingness to leave his post. The new president has 14 days to nominate the prime ministerial candidate from the largest bloc in parliament.

    The name of Maliki is problematic, but any other name is no less so. What is interesting is that Massoum, after he won the presidential post, swore to protect the unity of Iraq as the president of the country that he himself helped write the constitution for in 2003. That would be oxymoron to bring forward the issue of an independent Kurdistan, seceding from Iraq, while a new Kurdish president in Baghdad has taken an oath to preserve the unity of the country.

    There is no doubt that Massoum’s presidency has a tacit blessing from Iran, has pleased Washington and put Erbil on hold with its main ally in Ankara.

    With the Kurdish Massoum in the presidential seat, Kurds’ eyes are once again focused on Baghdad. But, their quest for Kurdish independence has had to be postponed and put on the back burner for a while.

    Cengiz Candar is a columnist for Al-Monitor's Turkey Pulse. A journalist since 1976, he is the author of seven books in the Turkish language, mainly on Middle East issues, including the best-seller Mesopotamia Express: A Journey in History.

    al-monitor.com

  5. #5

    Islamic State destroys sacred shrine in Mosul

    Islamic State destroys sacred shrine in Mosul

    The Islamic State (IS) bombed and destroyed the tomb of the Prophet Jonah east of Mosul on July 24.

    Summary⎙ Print The shrine of Prophet Jonah was held as sacred by Jews, Christians and Muslims.

    Author Ali Mamouri

    Posted July 25, 2014

    Translator(s)Cynthia Milan

    Previously, IS had carried out numerous bombings, destroying important cultural sites such as the shrine of the Prophet Daniel west of Mosul, the shrine of one of the grandchildren of the second Caliph Omar Bin al-Khattab, as well as mosques, various shrines and numerous other churches. These sites are not only for Shiite Muslims or non-Muslims. Most of them are sacred places for Sunni Muslims as well, and some are even only affiliated with them, in addition to a significant number of statues of famous figures and other cultural sites that also were destroyed.

    Sources inside the city confirmed this information to Al-Monitor. Activists on social media networks uploaded pictures and several videos showing the magnitude of the destruction of cultural sites around the city. Sources told Al-Monitor that a state of sorrow and regret reigns in the city and that they have seen plenty of people crying while witnessing the destruction of Jonah’s tomb. Jonah is considered sacred by all Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

    What these groups are doing is based on an endemic Salafist principle common to most Salafist movements, whether they are jihadists or not. This principle underlines the need to purify the earth of polytheism and disbelief. These groups consider religious shrines or any other sites related to a certain person to be a kind of sanctification, which is, according to them, a true sign of polytheism.

    The destruction of these sites is part of the process of returning to the authentic Islam and eliminating all alien elements, according to the Salafist understanding. This contradicts the traditional understanding of Islam by all Muslim confessions, which means that Islam does not contradict other sanctities, but rather understands them and considers them sacred, especially when the people of these sacred places are prophets of the Quran, such as the prophets Jonah and Daniel and many others from both the New and Old Testaments.

    1

    The tomb of the Prophet Jonah before its destruction. (Twitter/@IraqPics)

    Therefore, international Muslim figures, such as the mufti of Egypt, condemned the destruction of sacred places by IS. The mufti also called for an urgent intervention from the authorities in Iraq and international organizations such as UNESCO to protect these sacred places.

    The destruction of sacred places also happened during the establishment of Saudi Arabia, which was described as the first political entity for Salafists in the Islamic world. Hundreds of shrines of the prophet’s companions and family have been destroyed, in addition to other important historical sites related to different eras of Islamic history, from the establishment of the first and second Saudi states until this day. These actions also occurred in Afghanistan, Syria and certain areas in Iraq that fell under the control of Salafist groups.

    IS threatened to continue the process of destroying sacred places of other confessions and religions, as well as others related to Sunnis. These threats raised the concerns of most Iraqis, especially the Shiites and the religious minorities, in addition to Sunnis who share the same respect and sanctification for these shrines and religious places.

    It's mandatory for the international organizations concerned about human rights and preserving religious freedom and heritage, specifically UNESCO, to work harder and on a larger scale to put an end to this destruction. This is essential since a large number of these places are sanctified and respected by Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

    The concerns about the destruction of sacred places are not limited to them being historic and cultural sites; they include forgiveness and coexistence between different religions and confessions in Iraq. Such destruction harms the long history of coexistence among Iraqi religions. It targets the symbols and main sites which attracted and gathered all confessions and paved the path for communication and understanding, and thus, their coexistence.

    It also heightens intolerance and religious hatred and hostility between different confessions. This usually does not quickly fade away, and could create social divisions and demographic subdivisions on a large scale across Iraq. This could eliminate any sort of communication between the various elements of society and create severe conflicts between them.

    Iraq is heading toward total destruction of its historic and human heritage, which will turn it into a barren desert isolated from its time-honored cultural and religious history. This is taking place in light of chaotic circumstances involving terrorism that is on the offensive, Iraqi government ignorance, global silence and an international letdown — specifically from the United States, which completely abandoned its responsibilities toward the situation in Iraq.

    https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/orig...#ixzz38Y5zYbCG

  6. #6

    Jubouri and infallible meet in the parliament building after leaving al-Maliki

    26/07/2014 11:42
    Jubouri and infallible meet in the parliament building after leaving al-Maliki






    BAGHDAD / obelisk: Hold House Speaker Salim al, on Saturday, a closed door meeting with the President Fuad Masum, after the end of his meeting with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

    https://translate.googleusercontent.c...bc9pWFiPsNKmZA

  7. #7

    An agreement between al-Maliki and al-Jubouri on the formation of a joint committee a

    An agreement between al-Maliki and al-Jubouri on the formation of a joint committee and activate the work of government and parliamentary powers


    11:21
    26/07/2014

    The head of the parliament, Salim al, Saturday, agreeing on the survival of cooperation with the executive branch and let past differences, pointing out that he has been discussing the issue of the arrest of the President of the Baghdad Provincial Council Riyad dentex with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, meanwhile, announced the recent formation of a joint committee between the executive and the legislature to approve broken the laws and the budget.


    https://translate.googleusercontent.c...Qe4gmCe3i2YGgA




  8. #8

    Jubouri undertakes adoption laws "correcting the path of the state" and describes his


    Prime Minister outgoing Nuri al-Maliki during his arrival at the parliament session Imaging (Mahmoud Raouf)

    Jubouri undertakes adoption laws "correcting the path of the state" and describes his meeting with al-Maliki to "positive"


    Author: HH, MK
    Editor: HH
    26/07/2014 11:16
    Number of readings: 207



    Long-Presse / Baghdad
    Vowed House Speaker Salim al, Saturday, adopt Aqranin "correct the path of the state" and especially the law of the financial budget for the current year of 2014, and stressed that the parliament will cooperate with all authorities for the advancement of the country, and in what was described by Iraqi Prime Minister outgoing Nuri al-Maliki to meet him Paljbura to "positive" , promised to "support the displaced and compensation."

    https://translate.googleusercontent.c...q6xwiSbIF1eviw


  9. #9

    Direct payment of pensions for the month of August civilians

    ​sczin11- look closely- appears to be stating electronic technology is working....


    Direct payment of pensions for the month of August civilians





    26-07-2014 11:20 AM
    Baghdad (news) .. announced the national pension, for the direct payment of the salaries of retired civilians.
    The head of the Ahmed Abdul Jalil in a statement received by the Agency (news) copy of it, that 'the national pension commenced to pay the salaries of retired civilian meal (August 2014)'.

    He added that retirees covered by theholding smart cards can review the payment centers to receive their salaries.



    https://translate.googleusercontent.c...yPwlzMX-1qF2jA



  10. #10

    Jubouri and Maliki agree on legislation, among other laws and cooperation between the

    sczin11- look at these words..from joint press statement after meeting! HUGE!!!!


    Jubouri and Maliki agree on legislation, among other laws and cooperation between the two authorities




    Twilight News / presidents agreed the parliament and the Iraqi government on Saturday, the common laws hampered in previous sessions of the House of Representatives, and stressed the cooperation between the legislative and executive authority.
    Said Salim al in a joint press conference with Nuri al-Maliki after their meeting, attended by "Twilight News", "our future prospects was addressed to the situation of displaced persons and ways to ensure To solve the security problems particularly problematic what he suffered Chairman governor of Baghdad. "
    It added that the House will begin the next phase to initiate laws to make the path the state is going in the right direction, and focuses on the budget legislation and the law of oil and gas legislation and numerous. "
    He stressed cooperation "unlimited" with all the powers of the state in order to promote the country and takes its real role and people enjoy security and stability.
    For his part, Maliki said: "I came to offer their congratulations and blessing of what happened from the confidence of the people at the forefront of solutions for moving the work of the state close cooperation between the legislative and executive authority for the existence of correlation between them and needs to be more meetings and understanding. This needs to be more meetings and dialogues, understanding, and I find that the Speaker of the House Welcome to this mission. "
    He added, "We discussed issues related to security matters and especially the executive branch and the judicial, legislative and things, especially the structure of the state single out the issue of oil and gas laws and the budget, parties and private security aspects."
    He said: "The government continues to provide maximum assistance to the displaced and compensation for the damage done to them in their towns after cooperate in confronting the security challenge."


    https://translate.googleusercontent.c...Cdy47u5-neLHAQ

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