TNT
Tishwash:
New targeting of the American base on the Iraqi-Syrian border s---p
A security source reported today, Saturday, that the American base in the Conoco field in eastern Syria was targeted.
This is the third targeting in three consecutive days. link
To reduce the threats of the factions.. Washington sends two bombers to the Middle East
The American magazine “Air and Space Forces”, concerned with air forces, revealed today, Saturday (July 27, 2024), that the American forces sent two giant, newly modified B-52 bombers to the Middle East with the aim of “securing” Saudi Arabia and Jordan from “threats from Iraqi factions.”
The magazine said in a report translated by “Baghdad Today”, “The two modern aircraft that were sent to the Middle East to secure Saudi Arabia and Jordan and test their capabilities as part of a show of force to deter Iran and its arms in the region, took off from an air base in Romania and arrived in Saudi Arabia and Jordan in a flight that lasted thirty-two hours.”
“One of the planes suffered a technical malfunction that forced it to remain at one of the American air bases in Qatar, while the other plane returned to the United States alone to make the necessary adjustments after the testing process, which sources within the Pentagon told the Wall Street Journal aimed to demonstrate the capabilities of the United States to its allies in the region, in addition to putting an end to Iranian threats through its arms,” she said.
The magazine indicated that “the two planes arrived in the Middle East after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, during which he expressed his concern about the threats posed to Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and some regional countries cooperating with Israel by the Houthis and armed factions in Iraq.”
On Friday, newspapers such as the Jerusalem Post published reports confirming that Washington and Tel Aviv are “concerned” about the threats to the countries of the region from the Iraqi factions and the Houthis, explaining that “the threats are an attempt to put pressure on those countries to close the land trade routes that pass through their territories and on which Israel now depends to finance itself during the war,” referring to five countries, including Saudi Arabia and Jordan, that are extending supply lines to Israel through their territories as a result of the naval blockade imposed by the Houthis on ports in Israel. link
Why did Iraqi militias resume operations against Americans?
Pentagon to Asharq Al-Awsat: No injuries or damage in attacks in Iraq and Syria
Advertisement
______________________________________________________
Since a drone attack in late January k----d three American soldiers in a desert area on the Iraqi-Jordanian-Syrian border triangle, and the US responded with extensive strikes against pro-Iranian factions in Iraq and Syria, Iraqi factions have backed off from their attacks.
Some saw the American response at the time as a “deterrent” message aimed at warning Iran against expanding the conflict in the region, against the backdrop of the Israeli war in Gaza. But last Thursday’s attack on two bases housing forces from the international coalition led by Washington, raised questions about the reasons behind the new “harassment” of American forces.
Pressure and embarrassment for Baghdad
The war in Gaza no longer seemed to be the motive behind the attack, while a Pentagon spokesman downplayed its importance and referred the question of whether it was related to the security agreement signed by Iraqi and American officials in Washington this week to the State Department.
The defense official told Asharq Al-Awsat that questions related to political relations between the United States and Iraq and political relations between the United States and Iran are the responsibility of the State Department.
“Regarding the attacks in Syria and Iraq, one rocket was fired at a military support site in the Euphrates region of Syria. The rocket did not impact the base and no injuries or damage were reported. In Iraq, two rockets were fired at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. They did not impact the base and no injuries or damage were reported to US or coalition forces,” the official added.
Thursday’s attack came after a security meeting held in Washington to discuss the future of the international coalition forces against I--S in Iraq, while Iranian-backed armed factions are demanding the withdrawal of these forces.
The US Department of Defense said last Wednesday that the talks “reached an agreement on the concept of a new phase in the bilateral security relationship.”
Advertisement
______________________________________________________
An Iraqi security official suggested that the attack was intended to “embarrass” the Iraqi government and “pressure” for the departure of the international anti-extremist coalition forces, a demand repeated by the pro-Iran factions.
Messages with regional and nuclear dimensions
Some believe that the attacks are “Iranian messages with regional dimensions,” including the stalled nuclear negotiations file, but why were they renewed at this time, while Iran has not yet arranged its files with its new president and America is preoccupied with its e-------s?
“Deterrence is never permanent,” said Behnam Ben Taleblu, an Iran researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, a Republican-friendly think tank. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, he added that the halt in attacks by Iranian-backed Shiite militias on American sites in the region came after an “impressive” use of force by the Biden administration in late January after three American soldiers were k----d.
But since then, the militias have tested the waters at least three times with missile and drone attacks. The more these attacks are understood, the more they have grown in scope and scale.
“Despite seeing the link between the nuclear and regional challenges that this poses, Tehran is trying to persuade Washington and Europe to separate the files,” Ben Taleblu adds. “To this end, the presidency of Masoud Pezeshkian will be designed to lure the West into a futile nuclear diplomacy, while the increase in Iranian-backed regional attacks will create the impression that there is no end in sight to the cycle of v------e in the region other than appeasing Iran.” link
Iraq’s billionaire surge, rampant c--------n amid economic challenges
The number of billionaires in Iraq rivals that of nine other countries combined, a stark reflection of the deeply rooted c--------n within the state.
C--------n has plagued Iraq, exacerbated by the misuse of its budget, which official statements claim has led to the loss of $250 billion over the past 17 years. However, economists argue the actual figure could be nearly double.
The number of billionaires in Iraq rivals that of nine other countries combined, a stark reflection of the deeply rooted c--------n within the state.
The Commission of Integrity (COI) is set to reveal the amount of money recovered and the measures taken to prevent further financial waste.
Many Iraqis are calling for transparency regarding governmental agreements, imports, and expenditures. On June 3, 2024, the Council of Representatives approved the amended Federal General Budget Law No. 2024, which allocates approximately 211.9 trillion dinars, a 7% increase from the previous year’s budget.
Advertisement
______________________________________________________
Former Iraqi Finance Minister Ali Allawi previously stated that out of the over $1 trillion budget from 2003 to 2020, more than $250 billion was lost due to administrative c--------n. Economists, however, estimate the loss to be between $400-450 billion, nearly 40% of Iraq’s total budget. This squandered amount could have funded significant infrastructure projects, such as building 400,000 modern schools or 20,000 hospitals.
Experts cite f--e and overpriced contracts, c-----t officials, mismanaged investment projects, and poor economic planning as major contributors to the financial drain. Since 2003, Iraq’s workforce has grown from 850,000 to over 4.5 million, yet efficiency in public service sectors remains low, with only about 30% of the budget effectively utilized.
According to Haider Hanoun, head of the COI, Iraq ranks 154th out of 180 countries on the global c--------n index. Hanoun admits that enormous sums have been stolen and transferred to international banks, with some funds even financing t-------m. The COI’s 2023 report indicates that over 391 billion Iraqi dinars and $500,000 have been recovered, with an additional 82 billion dinars and $5 million prevented from being wasted.
Iraq’s Poverty Levels
The Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq reports that over 10 million Iraqis live below the poverty line, with the 2024 budget failing to support more than one million needy families.
The ongoing economic crisis and the appreciation of the dollar have driven up commodity prices, exacerbating poverty. Southern provinces are particularly affected, with Muthanna Governorate experiencing a 52% poverty rate, followed by al-Diwaniyah, Maysan, and Dhi Qar at 48%. Baghdad and Nineveh have poverty rates of 13% and 34.5%, respectively, while central provinces average an 18% poverty rate.
On July 21, 2023, Labor and Social Affairs Minister Ahmad al-Assad announced government measures to combat poverty, noting that Iraq has fallen 20 places in international rankings.
The economic challenges and rampant c--------n in Iraq continue to hinder the country’s development and exacerbate poverty. The COI’s efforts to recover stolen funds and prevent further financial mismanagement are critical steps toward rebuilding trust and ensuring a more equitable distribution of wealth. link
Source: Dinar Recaps
=======================================
Tishwash:
Parliamentary Committee Expects Oil and Gas Law to Be Approved Soon: Delayed Because It Is a Political Pressure Card
The Parliamentary Oil and Gas Committee expressed its “optimism” on Sunday about the imminent approval of the Oil and Gas Law, which has been suspended for 19 years, noting that its delay was due to it being a political pressure card used throughout the past years in forming successive governments.
Advertisement
______________________________________________________
Committee member Nazim Al-Shabli said, “The oil and gas law is the most important of the suspended laws,” noting that “it was being exploited as a political pressure card in forming governments.”
But Al-Shabli expected that “the most serious government in this file is Al-Sudani’s government,” noting that “clear committees have been formed between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government, but so far the government has not sent the final version to the House of Representatives or the Oil Committee.”
Al-Shabli expressed the Oil Committee’s hope that “the relevant committees will resolve the issue and send it to Parliament, given the benefits of the law in regulating oil exports and stopping smuggling or selling oil outside SOMO,” believing that “this issue will be resolved in the coming days.”
He stressed that “the delay of the law came because it is a political card, especially since the region wants the law and considers it to be in its interest, in addition to the fact that it has old obligations and contracts with foreign companies, in addition to the continuation of smuggling.”
About a year has passed since the formation of the committee to draft the oil and gas law, after a 19-year delay in the law that regulates the relationship between Baghdad and Erbil with regard to the management of oil in Kurdistan and the rest of the provinces,” while the law is considered one of the most important laws that have been suspended for years, amounting to more than 150 laws. link
Iraq stores gold and expects it to rise in the next two months
Economic expert, Abdul Rahman Al-Shaikhli, expects Iraq’s gold reserves to rise over the next two months.
Al-Mashhadani told {Euphrates News} that: “Owning gold is considered part of the investment portfolio that countries seek, and Iraq has been storing gold and increasing its reserves for many years, especially with expectations of its rise during the next two months, and this means that the rise in gold prices is continuing and is part of the countries’ investments.”
He explained that “maintaining dollar reserves or investing in treasury bonds does not achieve profits commensurate with the size of the profits achieved from the increase in gold prices, although Iraq increased its reserves by two and a half tons of gold.”
Al-Mashhadani pointed out that “these are not large numbers that enhance citizen confidence and diversify investments, and this is the policy of a group of countries and banks, not just Iraq.”
Data from the International Monetary Fund showed an increase in gold reserves in Iraq and Qatar.
The data indicated that Iraq increased its gold holdings by 2,644 tons to 148,305 tons in May 2024.
The data showed that Qatar raised its gold stock by 3,112 tons to 106,423 tons in June 2024, according to Reuters. link
Advertisement
______________________________________________________
Source: Dinar Recaps
______________________________________________________
If you wish to contact the author of a post, you can send us an email at voyagesoflight@gmail.com and we’ll forward your request to the author (if available). If you have any questions about a post or the website, you may also forward your questions and concerns to the same email address.
______________________________________________________
All articles, videos, and images posted on Dinar Chronicles were submitted by readers and/or handpicked by the site itself for informational and/or entertainment purposes.
Dinar Chronicles is not a registered investment adviser, broker dealer, banker or currency dealer and as such, no information on the website should be construed as investment advice. We do not support, represent or guarantee the completeness, truthfulness, accuracy, or reliability of any content or communications posted on this site. Information posted on this site may or may not be fictitious. We do not intend to and are not providing financial, legal, tax, political or any other advice to readers of this website.
Copyright © Dinar Chronicles
