"The Dinar Daily ", Thursday, 19 December 2013
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  1. #1

    "The Dinar Daily ", Thursday, 19 December 2013

    New Technology in Kurdistan Will Use Wasted Natural Gas to Fuel Power Station
    By RUDAW

    According to project engineers, 640 megawatts of electricity will be produced in the first phase, with an additional 350 megawatts coming online in phase two, to be completed in 2015.

    By Hedi Karim

    ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Some of the Kurdistan Region’s vast quantities of natural gas that are burned off at oil wells, causing waste and pollution, will be used to generate 1,000 watts of electricity under a $1.5 billion plan by an Erbil-based company.

    The privately-owned KAR Energy Works, involved in the Khurmala oil wells, plans to introduce cutting-edge technology that will turn waste into electricity, in cooperation with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

    According to project engineers, 640 megawatts of electricity will be produced in the first phase, with an additional 350 megawatts coming online in phase two, to be completed in 2015.

    Kurdistan generates its electricity from the Dukan and Darbandikhan hydroelectric stations, in addition to the Ahmad Ismael power plant in Erbil and another at Chamchamal, which are both fueled by gasoline and gas.

    KAR currently loses $80,000 a day to flared gasses at oil wells.

    According to engineers, during the first phase of the project four huge turbines will be installed, each able to generate 168 megawatts of electricity. They will be ready in the next few months, generating some 640 megawatts.

    The second phase, which will generate 350 megawatts through two circular units, will be completed by the end of 2015.

    KAR has signed agreements with leading companies such as ABB and Siemens of Germany to set up the station. The cost of the project is estimated at $1.5 billion, and all engineers and workers involved are locals.

    The project engineers expect to generate enough power to solve electricity shortages in the Kurdistan Region, and envisage the excess sold off to other parts of Iraq.

    https://rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/1....E0f1kHrv.dpuf



  2. #2
    Democracy in Iraq: A Tool to Dominate, Not Administrate
    By Falih Hassan Fezaa

    The US invasion of Iraq in 2003 could partly be seen as planting the seeds of democracy in the Middle East and breaking the long-established cycle of tyranny. But sowing democracy in a soil that has a long history of authoritarianism and despotism appears to be quite an impossible mission. This kind of environment lacks the right structure or cultural fabric to help formulate new visions and democratic ideas. Arab dictatorship and ethnic divisions in the Middle East go back centuries, their roots go deeper than just the controversial Caliphate heritage. The glorified Arab Muslim history has been unable to present one example of peaceful transfer of power. It is all a narrative of killings, horrific suppression and forceful seizure of power by one group from another. Even the so-called modern Arabs or revolutionary regimes, created in the second half of the last century, rode to power amidst deep social and political unrest. Life in this region has always been stifling, thanks to oppressive rulers. National armies and security forces that are supposed to maintain order and protect people and their freedoms have been tools in the hands of the rulers, not controlled by the law. Whenever law has been enforced, it has been to consolidate the dominance of one group over another. People in the new Middle East may now tell themselves: “The state is me; I am the state; the state is ours.” But ethnic strife will always be there. Tribalism, sectarianism and politics are intertwined and inseparable in Arab and Middle Eastern life. The 2003 regime change in Iraq could be read as a break with the long-standing culture of despotism, if this were combined with a process of modernization. But Iraq has got the empty shell of democracy. There has been no fundamental change because the old culture of groups, factions and tribes still overshadows all state institutions. Accountability in all sectors is vital to guarantee justice, integrity and democracy. Without these, there would only be chaos, as we see in Iraq today. Here, inherent Arab tribalism strangles modern governance. In short, democracy in Iraq has turned into a tool in the hands of some parties and groups who use it to dominate, not administrate.

    *The author is an independent Iraqi researcher and former editor-in-chief of the Foreign Culture Magazine in Baghdad.

    https://rudaw.net/english/opinion/191....iY7lHhy1.dpuf

  3. #3
    Iraq’s sectarian militias assume larger role


    Militiamen in Iraq do not only carry weapons, they also wield religious, moral and economic power over their social environment. They play the role of neighborhood governors in times of peace and murderers in times of war.



    Mohammed, a member of a well-known Shiite militia in Iraq, insisted on being called "Sheikh Mohammed," by which the residents of his area in Baya, south of Baghdad, know him. Speaking to Al-Monitor, he said he does not normally carry weapons without receiving orders from within his circles. What happened in the Baya neighborhood was a response to the bombing of a cafe, in which one of the neighborhood’s residents was involved.

    While he spoke, the young sheikh tried to express a high degree of religious conservatism: “We are not involved in killing, as our religion prohibits us. We simply fend off certain negative influences and try to protect the residents of the area.”

    Mohammed denied committing any crime that would be punishable by law. What he does is a mere self-defense, even if it comes in the form of an assassination. The residents of the neighborhood, however, depict the "sheikh" in a different light. According to one female worker, he is seen as practically the governor of the neighborhood. When someone wants to sell his house to escape threats, Mohammed specifies the price and buys the house himself as a final settlement. No one dares to offer a higher bid.

    In the Sunni Amiriya neighborhood, the scene is no different. The "sheikh" there is not only the religious guide and preacher but also the governor of the neighborhood. He does not hesitate to enforce the law by militant means if need be.

    “The residents know that the sheikh is involved one way or another in the killing and support of armed groups. Although he has not been seen carrying a gun, he maintains a terrifying power over the people, justified by the rumors spread about a group of youth being threatened, attacked and killed due to their lack of religious commitment,” Ali, an Amiriya resident, told Al-Monitor.

    When not carrying weapons, militiamen play roles in governing the lives of residents of the neighborhoods where they work. Sometimes, however, they seem particularly concerned with scrutinizing the movements of women. They do not hesitate to talk to the father or husband of a woman if her attire or hijab are dissatisfactory to them. Usually, female employees and students wear the niqab (full-face veil) when going into or coming out of a neighborhood that is under the control of militiamen.

    “Sometimes I feel that Sheikh Mohammed is scrutinizing me. He constantly sits in front of his house and does nothing but monitor the residents. I feel as if he is implicitly telling me, 'We will get you, sooner or later,'” Marwa, a woman who lives in the Baya neighborhood, told Al-Monitor.

    Some former militants, especially those who have been jailed on charges related to sectarian violence, are known in their neighborhoods. The residents do them favors to avoid trouble. Some pay them salaries and give them financial aid, while others ask for their guidance to settle familial or tribal problems. Gradually, the former prisoner is transformed into an unspoken leader, imposing his influence on the people and deciding their fate.

    Militiamen practice their influence whether or not they take up arms. In the absence of the rule of law, residents are increasingly relying on militias to provide security.

    Historian Sinan Abdulkhaleq said that this situation brings to mind the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century in Baghdad, where every neighborhood had a “'bad guy' governing its affairs. The 'bad guy' relied on his physical power to instill fear among residents or the 'bad guys' of other neighborhoods. They gradually became a social class that essentially controlled the affairs of the city’s various neighborhoods.”

    Reviving the phenomenon of "bad guys" through militiamen, militants and new clerics seems on the face of it a natural reaction to the lack of security and law in large areas of Iraq. On a deeper level, however, and if it proves to be persistent, this phenomenon denotes a recession of the concept of the modern state, which will necessarily usher in regressive social values the modern era has already moved past.

    https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/orig...overnance.html

  4. #4
    Iraqi weapons market surges during Syria conflict


    More than two years ago, Mohammed al-Fatlawi was selling light weapons to men who felt threatened by security militias, those who were involved in carrying out acts of tribal revenge or even those who wished to acquire arms just to brag about it to their families or friends. Fatlawi is a young, dynamic man who takes the risk of going to areas filled with Iraqi security members to buy or sell firearms for a small profit of no more than $50. However, intensified fighting between the Syrian opposition and President Bashar al-Assad’s regime helped him expand his arms trade business.



    A policeman with the Ministry of Interior, young Fatlawi said, “The price of weapons has risen in Iraq as they are being gathered and smuggled to Syria, while the demand in Iraq has dropped significantly.” Fatlawi buys weapons in Baghdad from households giving up weapons. He gathers these arms at his home east of Baghdad, then delivers them in batches to a prominent weapons dealer. The latter then moves them to Anbar province to sell them to another dealer who will then smuggle them into Syria. Before the outbreak of the revolution in Syria, the price of a Kalashnikov assault rifle was about $100, the price of a Glock pistol was $1,900. Now these prices have increased nine-fold, with assault rifles costing as much as $1,000, according to Fatlawi

    Fatlawi told Al-Monitor that the majority of dealers gather weapons and sell them to higher-up dealers. The young man, who sees the risk of his activity, uses the privileges of the Ministry of Interior to transport weapons in areas of Baghdad filled with security services. At the end of last year, the Iraqi government acknowledged the existence of weapons smuggling and fighters into Syrian territory across Ninevah province in northern Iraq. For its part, the Syrian government at the start of the protests also declared the confiscation of arms shipments and the entry of 400 fighters into Syrian territory.

    In August 2013, US Secretary of State John Kerry said that more must be done to prevent arms smuggling between Syria and Iraq, while Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs Hoshyar Zebari confirmed Iraq's commitment “not to provide money, weapons or oil to the Syrian regime.” Moreover, while Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee MP Hassan Jihad denied in a statement to Al-Monitor any previous discussion by this committee of the subject of smuggling weapons to Syria, MP Mazhar al-Janabi confirmed that the committee had in fact broached the matter a year ago.

    Janabi told Al-Monitor, “The Security and Defense Committee summoned the commanders of three military troops and Anbar chief of operations. They were asked whether there was a case of smuggling, to which they answered that these cases are negligible.” Janabi added, “In the event weapons are still smuggled to Syria, this would mean either a lack of interest or ability to preserve the country.”

    Syrian writer Dara Abdullah said, “There has been no accurate information about the quantities of weapons smuggled from Iraq to Syria since the start of the Syrian revolution.”

    “Just like when the border from Syria into Iraq used to be controlled by the Syrian regime upon the US invasion, the border from Iraq to Syria is now open and freely accessible under [Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri] al-Maliki’s control.” Abdullah, a writer opposed to the Assad regime, warned that “the most dangerous thing is not the entry of arms to Syria, but the armed sectarian militias.” He continued, “These militias have played a major role in the sectarianization of the Syrian conflict, increasing civil congestion and turning the Syrian revolution from a social movement into a civil sectarian conflict.”

    An Anbar border guard told Al-Monitor, “There are smuggling operations but they are not as important as was declared.” The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “There are some groups smuggling prohibited substances and weapons.” He indicated that a small number of smugglers had been killed and a large number arrested during the last period after monitoring their movements and detecting their method of transportation. “The security situation is stable and there is no danger to the security of the Iraqi border, since Iraqi forces have all matters related to security under control,” said the officer.

    Syrian journalist Wael al-Nabwani pointed out to Al-Monitor that arms smuggling from Iraq may be divided into two categories: “The first is the international, organized smuggling by Iran, which has been supplying the Syrian regime with large quantities of weapons, as well as Shiite and Sunni jihadists ... The second is the smuggling by arms dealers of light weapons through unorganized operations that have eventually led to chaos in Syria.”

    Nabwani said, “The parties that provided most support to the smuggling of arms were Maliki backed by Iran, followed by President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Massoud Barzani and his government.” He elaborated: “The worst weapons exported to Syria are in the form of human bombs [suicide bombers].”

    https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/orig...-conflict.html

  5. #5
    *** Thoughts on Currency Exchange and the Wisdom of Aesop ***

    " Much wants more and loses all " - Aesop

    Once upon a time there lived a couple in a village. They had a beautiful goose that laid a golden egg everyday. They were indeed quite well-off. But the man was not happy with what he got daily.

    The man wanted to get all the golden eggs from his goose at one single go. So, he thought hard and at last hit upon a plan. He decided to kill the goose and get all the eggs together.

    So, the next morning when the goose laid one golden egg, he caught hold of it. Taking a sharp knife, he chopped off its neck and cut its body open.

    Untold was his sorrow indeed, when he got nothing—no more golden eggs.

    Once upon a time there was a group of people, some smart, some desparate, but all fortunate, who in time, place and circumstance had the financial opportunity of a lifetime(s). Blessed with much, they wanted more, and ........... each of us will write our own IQD exchange story ................. but may it end as .............. they all lived happily thereafter.

    Caution friends and remember the wisdom of Aesop :

    “You cannot believe a liar even when he tells the truth”
    ― Aesop, Aesop's Fables

    “Look and see which way the wind blows before you commit yourself.”
    ― Aesop, Aesop's Fables

    “Never trust the advice of a man in difficulties.”
    ― Aesop

    “We often give our enemies the means for our own destruction”
    ― Aesop

    “Better be wise by the misfortunes of others than by your own.”
    ― Aesop

    “The more you want, the more you stand to lose”
    ― Aesop

    “Self-help is the best help”
    ― Aesop

    “Once a wolf, always a wolf.”
    ― Aesop, Aesop's Fables

    “Facts speak plainer than words”
    ― Aesop

    I encourage each of you as I encourage myself and I pray for each of you as I pray for myself .........fight the good fight, holding onto faith and good conscience. We will finish the race. Godspeed the completion of the Iraqi banking sector reform project, and lastly but importantly remember ............

    “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
    ― Aesop

  6. #6
    Currency Auctions

    Announcement No. (2558)

    The latest daily currency auction was held in the Central Bank of Iraq on the19-Dec-2013. results were as follows:

    Details Notes
    Number of banks 20
    Auction price selling dinar / US$ 1166
    Auction price buying dinar / US$ -----
    Amount sold at auction price (US$) 165,455,000
    Amount purchased at Auction price (US$) -----
    Total offers for buying (US$) 165,455,000
    Total offers for selling (US$) -----

    Exchange rates

    2558 / 19-Dec / 1,218 / 1,166 / 165,455 / 14,630 / 150,825

    https://cbi.iq/index.php?pid=CurrencyAuctions

    U.S. Dollar (USD)

    1,161.1000
    U.S. $ 1 = 1,161.1000 Iraqi dinars
    1 Iraqi Dinar = U.S. $ 0.0009

    1,161.4000
    U.S. $ 1 = 1,161.4000 Iraqi dinars
    1 Iraqi Dinar = U.S. $ 0.0009

    -0.03%

    https://translate.google.com/translat...ages%26id%3D85

  7. #7
    Parliament starts session .
    19/12/2013 13:07:00

    Baghdad/ NINA /--Parliament started before afternoon session of its second legislative term of the last legislative year, headed by Speaker Osama Nujaifi, with the presence of 222 deputies out of a total of 325 MPs.

    The agenda of the hearing includes voting on the draft law on Iraq's accession to the Convention on the Prohibition of harmful or random Conventional Weapons, and voting on the proposed law to grant finance aid to elementary school students.

    The hearing also includes discussion the repeated targeting of Turkmen component in the district of Tuz and certain areas north of the country .

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

    and


    The convening of the second session of the last legislative term of the parliament in the presence of 222 deputies

    19-12-2013 | (Voice of Iraq)

    Alsumaria News / Baghdad
    The Council of Representatives, on Thursday, its second session of the second legislative term of the legislative year, the fourth and last, headed by Speaker and the presence of 222 deputies, with parliamentary source said that the meeting will vote on the two bills and second reading of the bill, as well as discuss the targeting component of the Turkmen in Tuz.
    The source said in an interview for "Alsumaria News", "The House of Representatives held at noon today, its second of the second legislative term of the legislative year, the fourth and last President of the Council Osama Najafi and the presence of 222 deputies," noting that "the meeting will vote on the bill grant school students primary. "
    The source, who requested anonymity, that "the meeting will also vote on the draft law on Iraq's accession to the Convention on Prohibitions or tradition of conventional weapons, as well as discuss the targeting component of the Turkmen in Tuz Khrmatwa and north of Baghdad, and the second reading of the draft law of the Academy."
    The House of Representatives voted during its first session of the second legislative term of the legislative year, the fourth held the first Tuesday (17 December 2013), a bill to service the university and the second amendment to the Law of the Ministry of Higher Education, with its lift to Thursday.

    https://translate.googleusercontent.c...#ixzz2nvPsCEBJ
    Last edited by chattels; 12-19-2013 at 12:58 PM.

  8. #8
    Nujaifi looking with Shanshal most prominent obstacles for accountability and justice committee and ways to overcome them.
    19/12/2013 12:11:00

    Baghdad/ NINA /-- Speaker Osama Nujaifi touched today at his office in Baghdad with the head of the accountability and justice committee Falah Shanshal the role and responsibilities of the committee and its authority as well as how to activate its big entrusted tasks entrusted to it.

    A statement by the Information office of Nujaifi said : "The two sides discussed during the meeting and highlighted the obstacles facing the work of the committee and ways to overcome them.

    The statement noted "that the two sides emphasized the importance of dealing independently, transparently and without selective esprit with the candidates of the upcoming elections so that to achieve social justice, support the democratic process and correct it as well .

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

    and

    SLC MP: J&A Commission to determine participation of nominees in next elections

    Thursday, 19 December 2013 12:23

    Baghdad (AIN) –MP, Ibrahim al-Rikabi, of the State of Law Coalition stated "The Justice and Accountability Commission is to determine the participation of the nominees in the next elections."

    "The J&A Commission will approve whether the nominee is legible to participate in the elections or not," he added to AlN.

    "All the nominees will adhere to the procedures of the J&A Commission," he concluded.

    https://www.alliraqnews.com/en/index....tical&Itemid=2
    Last edited by chattels; 12-19-2013 at 12:41 PM.

  9. #9
    Kurdistan Regional Government refuses to postpone provincial elections in Kurdistan
    19/12/2013 09:01:00

    BAGHDAD / NINA / Kurdistan Regional Government refused to postpone provincial elections in the region , stressing the need to hold it in its time .

    A statement of the provincial government quoted, Saad Khalid , Minister of the Kurdistan region for coordination between the government and the parliament , as saying : "The IHEC called for the postponement of provincial elections in the Kurdistan region , but we will not agree to this demand in any form it is necessary to take place on time " .

    Khalid added : "The time for holding the elections , which was approved by the provincial government , was on the basis of a proposal submitted by the IHEC to hold provincial elections with parliamentary elections in Iraq."

    He continued: "It is hoped that we meet with the IHEC on this subject , and we will tell them formally our rejection for the postponement of provincial elections in the province ."

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

  10. #10
    Sales of dollar by the CBI rise on Wednesday auction.
    18/12/2013 16:06:00

    Baghdad/ NINA /-- Sales of dollar by the Central Bank of Iraq CBI and purchases of other foreign currencies rose on Wednesday auction to 178 million and 220 000 dollars , after just only hit on yesterday auction the level of 148 million and 945 000 dollars with stable exchange rate of 1166 dinars per dollar.

    The daily bulletin issued by the Central Bank said : "The demand for dollar was ranging on today's auction around the level of 29 million and 540 000 dollars which sold in cash

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

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