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| Iraq |
| Mostly Goods News From the State Department on Iraq |
| 2007-08-07 |
| Highlights. More details at link, including a graphic showing electricty demand since 01/10/04 has doubled, while supply has been relatively constant. Remember the article a few days ago about the electrical grid collapsing? 1. Defeat the Terrorists and Neutralize the Insurgents The number of caches found and cleared continue to grow, with the number seized in the first six months of 2007 greater than all of 2006 combined. In the last week alone, Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces seized more than 120 weapons caches. Leads and tips from Iraqi citizens are responsible for leading to the discovery of many of the caches. The current number of tips received per month, approximately 23,000, is nearly four times as many as the number from this time last year. 2. Transition Iraq to Security Self-Reliance Iraq’s 25,000+ member National Police is in the second of a four-phase transformation program to help them become a proficient, loyal law enforcement organization that serves all of Iraq’s citizens. The first phase of the program, initiated by General Casey in 2006, was an overall look at operations. The second phase, being conducted now and due to conclude October 10, is a month-long training program for each national police brigade. About 75% of the curriculum teaches students how to perform law enforcement duties in a democracy, while the other 25% focuses on tactical skills, such as patrolling, cordon-and-search operations, and conducting checkpoints. 3. Help Iraqis to Forge a National Compact for Democratic Government All six ministers from Iraq's largest Sunni bloc tendered teir resignation from the Prime Minister’s coalition government August 1 following a month-long spat. Spin alert The decision by the Tawafuq Party effectively ends any claim by the Shiite-dominated coalition to be a government of national unity, and strikes another blow at Iraq's already faltering program of national reconciliation. 4. Help Iraq Build Government Capacity and Provide Essential Services The Governor of Karbala hosted a regional municipality conference focused on improving service delivery with the participation of delegations from Wasit, Najaf, Diwaniyah and Babil. The delegations presented best practices on public works and established a regional municipality coordination committee. 5. Help Iraq Strengthen Its Economy The Council of Representatives (CoR) approved four World Bank loan agreements July 29 for highway reconstruction, hydro-electric power plants in Dokan and Darbandkhan, education projects, nd electricity-related reconstruction. These agreements were signed by the Minister of Finance in April, approved by the Council of Ministers July 3. 6. Help Iraq Strengthen the Rule of Law In Baghdad, the Iraqi government has established a well fortified compound to shelter judges and their families and secure the trials of some of the most dangerous suspects. The Rule of Law Complex, as it is known, is in the Baghdad neighborhood of Rusafa and incorporates the existing Baghdad Police Academy and Rusafa Jail. Since beginning operations in May, it has received over a thousand pretrial detainees from over-crowded Iraqi facilities, held judicial reviews of 1,470 cases, and begun holding trials. To date, it has tried 43 suspects. The Ministry of Finance has signed a $48.8M Letter of Offer and Acceptance, committing the GOI to fund the operations of the Complex fully from August 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007. 7. International Support for Iraq Saudi Arabia pledged August 1 to explore opening diplomatic relations with the Shiite-led government in Iraq, an endorsement long sought by the United States. The Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, told the visiting U.S. Secretaries of State and Defense that his country would soon send a diplomatic mission to Baghdad to "explore how we can start an embassy in Iraq.“ Saudi Arabia has had strained relations with the Iraqi government of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki and has not hidden its suspicions that Maliki does not have the interests of the Sunni minority of Iraq at heart. 8. Strengthen Public Understanding of Coalition Efforts and Public Isolation of the Insurgents Iraqi television channels broadcast images of united Iraqis celebrating the national soccer team’s win over Saudi Arabia, earning the country’s first Asian Cup title. |
| Posted by:Bobby |
| #2 Yes we do have "good news" but there is also "bad news" on the political front both there and here. With Maliki there is no reconciliation leadership nor is there any unification champion. They have to make that attempt and make it very public. Here the dhimmicrats and shaky Republicans will use any weakness in the military/political strategy to call it quits (for real by closing the purse). It was also very "french" of the Iraqi Parliment to go on vacation in August the month before Petraeus progress report. I am starting to believe that the Sunnis and Shias deserve each other. Let Iran and Saudi Arabia fight it out while we watch and lick our lips at the spoils we can pick clean after its over with. Just too damn bad we will tank our economy without their damn oil. |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2007-08-07 15:25 |
| #1 "Mostly Goods News..." Thanks Hots Cakes! |
| Posted by: OyVey1 2007-08-07 11:38 |