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Slow Week in Iraq as Surge Takes Effect
State Dept. weekly summary is remarkably free of violence.
Construction Complete on “Safe Neighborhood” Project in Adhamiyah:

•The 82nd Airborne Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT) completed the nearly two-month long project “Safe Neighborhood” May 28, emplacing temporary concrete barriers and checkpoints around a three-mile area of Baghdad’s Adhamiyah neighborhood in order to restrict terrorist movement and protect the local population.
•2nd BCT of the 82nd Airborne Division reports the initial results are positive, with a noticeable decrease in violence. Murders are down 61% in Adhamiyah between the beginning of April (when construction began) and May 28 (when it ended).
Remember the short-lived howling protests about the wall?

Security Efforts Assist Market Re-Openings:

•Multi-National Forces-Iraq reports that since temporary protective barriers were emplaced in attempts to keep suicide bombers at bay, many markets around Baghdad have recently resumed business, returning a sense of normalcy to the Iraqi population in local neighborhoods.
•According to U.S. Army LTC John Rudolph, assistant chief of staff of civil military operations for Multi-National Division-Baghdad, Doura market went from an unorganized street market of only a few dozen vendors to a thriving market place with more than 200 sellers. Shoppers also reportedly feel safer in the Rusafa District’s market as evidenced by a significant increase in the number of local citizens using that market.

Kurdish Regional Government Assumes Control of Security:

•The Kurdish Regional Government assumed control of security in the three provinces of Dahuk, Irbil, and Sulaymaniyah from Coalition forces at a ceremony May 30. Provincial transfer of security is gained when four security criteria are met. Set by the Joint Committee to Transfer Responsibility, the four criteria involve assessing threats, combat readiness of Iraqi army and police, governance capabilities, and Multi-National Force-Iraq force posture.

First Women Graduate from Kirkuk Police Academy:
•The first two women to train at Kirkuk Police Academy were among the 980 police officers and non-commissioned officers to graduate from the academy May 27.
I can't wait until a female cop busts a hard boy!

Intersect Muslim Council Formed:

•Sunni and Shiite religious scholars came together in Baghdad June 4 to form a new inter-sect Muslim council, calling for an end to violent extremism. While none of Iraq’s truly influential religious leaders were present, the representatives from major traditions of Islamic thought were present and the delegates pledged to heal the rifts tearing the society apart.

National Dialogue Group Claims to Create New Parliamentary Coalition:

•National Dialogue group officials claim they are working to create a new parliamentary coalition to bring down the Shiite-led government following multi-party talks with the main Sunni grouping in parliament, the Accordance Front, former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and smaller nationalist parties. Sunni officials acknowledged that such a bloc would not be able to form a majority in the 275-member assembly dominated by Shiite-led groups, but could influence any government “in the right direction.”
So maybe some Sunnis have given up on the idea of control, and will settle for influence?

Sadr Gives Rare Interview:

•Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, in a rare interview with the British newspaper “The Independent,” rejected direct talks with the U.S., threatened a new uprising, and revealed that he fears the U.S. will kill him. Sadr spoke after leading prayers in the Grand Mosque at Kufa for the second time in two weeks. Sadr has worn a white burial shroud both of these times, symbolizing his readiness to become a martyr.
Grandstanding, power-hungry twit. Why doesn't he just strap on a boom belt and get his virgins?

Czech Companies Win Contract in Iraq:
It's the little things that count.
•Czech companies Techno-Export and Pro-Coupe Engineering Birno recently signed a contract with Iraq’s Oil Ministry, worth approximately $1.19 million, in order to supply equipment for two of the country’s oil refineries. This equipment will assist in the production of an additional 70,000 barrels of refined fuels daily.

Kirkuk Governor Creates Contract Review Committee:

•The Governor of Kirkuk province created a special committee to review contracts before he signs them; adding another layer of bureaucracy that will likely slow the process of obligating the province’s 2007 funds. The Provincial Council’s Economic and Finance Committee Chairman said that he doubts that the province will achieve the June 15 milestone of obligating 25% percent of its 2007 budget.
Another layer of bureaucracy! Iraq is becoming western!

Iraqi Police Break Up Terrorist Cell:

•Baghdad Iraqi Police, acting on a tip from an anonymous citizen, captured nine suspected al-Qaida in Iraq operatives May 27 and seized materials believed to be used for small arms attacks, murder, kidnapping and ransom. The raid netted a small weapons cache, large sums of money and a video camera with evidence of a recent car bomb attack in Samarra. This raid was conducted in order to disrupt an insurgent cell operating in the Samarra area. No Iraqi forces were injured during the operation.

Reduction of British Forces in Southern Iraq Near Completion:

•British military spokesman Major David Gell announced that the reduction of British forces in southern Iraq from 7,000 to about 5,500 soldiers is almost complete. The next step will be for British forces to pull out of Basrah Palace, their last post inside the oil port city of Basrah, and move to Basrah airport on the outskirts, which will become the sole remaining British military base in southern Iraq.

Four Million Iraqis Displaced Since 2003:
More hand-wringing from the UNHCR.
•The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that more than 4 million Iraqis have become displaced since 2003, and that they anticipate this number to increase as conditions in Iraq continue to deteriorate. The number of Iraqis who have fled the country as refugees has risen to 2.2 million while another 2 million have been driven from their homes but remain within the country. Further, more than half of Iraq’s 18 governorates are preventing displaced people from entering their territories, either by stopping them at checkpoints or by refusing to register them for food aid and other basic services. While many of the checkpoints were originally established for security reasons, they are being increasingly used to prevent displaced Iraqis from moving around the country.

South Korea Asked to Extend Military Presence:

•Iraqi Deputy Defense Minister Sabah Ajil Daud asked South Korean officials to extend Seoul’s military presence in Iraq, referring to the positive view Iraqis hold toward South Korean troops in Irbil.

Reporters Without Borders Calls for Police Unit to Investigate Media Killings:
If the jihadis are killing journalists, they must be desperate - or the smart ones are all dead.
•Paris-based media advocate Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontieres-RSF) has called for the establishment of a special police unit to investigate media killings in Iraq. RSF said more should be done to investigate the deaths and to organize awareness campaigns among the Iraqi security forces and the public for the protection of journalists.
•In a statement on its website, RSF called “for the creation of a special force within the national police to identify the perpetrators and instigators of killings of journalists.” Further, “To help the investigators, a witness protection program should also be set up with the help of countries in the region.”
But no secret prisons or panties on heads. Yet.
•A record 12 journalists were killed in Iraq during the month of May, including –most recently -Saif Fakhry, an Iraqi cameraman working for the Associated Press news agency. Fakhry was killed May 31 near his home in Baghdad.
Posted by: Bobby 2007-06-09
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=190381