Al-Abbadi met in Baghdad and moved to Erbil. Fatis: We will focus on the unity of Iraq and Iranian influence

[yota691]

Matisse is visiting Baghdad tomorrow and the goal is to postpone the referendum

Political

 Since 2017-08-21 at 11:19 (Baghdad time)

 Baghdad Mawazine News

Up US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, on Tuesday to Iraq to visit Baghdad and Erbil.

Political sources said that "US Defense Secretary Mattiece will visit Baghdad and Arbil on Tuesday to discuss the  latest developments in the war against da'ash and coordination between Iraqi forces and Peshmerga forces and discuss the referendum in the Kurdistan region with officials in the region and Baghdad."

The sources added that "the visit of Matisse may be a message to the Kurds to postpone the referendum in the region."

It is noteworthy that the United States of America has told Barzani for more than once the need to postpone the referendum, while Barzani announced yesterday that he rejected Washington's requests.

[nannab]

Mattis will make them an offer they cannot refuse. And only tell them once. He

does not strike me as being a patient man.

Thank yota and good morning DV.

[Half Crazy Runner]

By that headline, I thought Baghdad was hosting an art exhibit ...

[DinarDavo]

31 minutes ago, Half Crazy Runner said:

By that headline, I thought Baghdad was hosting an art exhibit ...

 

Half Crazy.......you are half right. It turns out that since their currency is so under valued that they were too baroque and couldn't even afford to make their van gogh.

[Jmcc]

8 hours ago, nannab said:

Mattis will make them an offer they cannot refuse. And only tell them once. He

does not strike me as being a patient man.

Thank yota and good morning DV.

Don't think I would want to tell him no. A very disciplined blunt individual that knows what he is doing. Great guy.

[CaptainBVI]

11 hours ago, yota691 said:

Barzani announced yesterday that he rejected Washington's requests.

Reject Washington, that happens every where/every day.

Reject Mattis directly, probably not a good career choice for Barzani...

[bigwave]

12 hours ago, yota691 said:

The sources added that "the visit of Matisse may be a message to the Kurds to postpone the referendum in the region."

Great.

[WaitIsOver]

Mr Matiss I hope you are going there to provide oversight as they push the rusty green button ,, hug and kiss.

[3n1]

'mad dog' don't play,,,,

[King Bean]

10 hours ago, DinarDavo said:

It turns out that since their currency is so under valued that they were too baroque and couldn't even afford to make their van gogh.

 

   So come on CBI, quit Haydn the real rate and get Debussy. I'll even buy Rubens for all DV, no Dali pickles. 

[tigergorzow]

US Defense Secretary James Mattis arrives in Baghdad

August 22 2017 09:47 AM

US Defense Secretary James Mattis arrives in Baghdad

 

 

US Secretary of Defense James Mattis has arrived in Iraq ahead of meetings with US and Iraqi officials, CNN reported Tuesday.

 

Mattis was greeted by the Commander of the Us-led coalition, Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend, and US Ambassador to Iraq Douglas Silliman at Baghdad Airport.

 

Mattis will first meet with US commanders on the ground before meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Defense Minister Erfan al-Hiyali.

The visit comes on the heels of an Iraqi army offensive to take the northwestern Iraqi city of Tal Afar from ISIS.

 

http://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/story/16014/US-Defense-Secretary-James-Mattis-arrives-in-Baghdad

[tigergorzow]

Pentagon Chief to Visit Erbil on Tuesday

Basnews English

22/08/2017 - 11:31

Kurdistan

 

 

 

ERBIL — US Secretary of Defence James Mattis is scheduled to visit Kurdistan Region after concluding his visit to Baghdad on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Peshmerga Ministry said.

“The US senior military delegation will arrive in Erbil later today and will be received by Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani and Interior Minister Karim Sinjari,” said Halgord Hikmat.

He also revealed that Mattis will meet with Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani to discuss the latest security developments as well as military coordinations between Erbil and Washington.

The ongoing battle to liberate Tel Afar from Islamic State (IS), which is expected to be followed by another operation aiming at recapturing Hawija, and the role of the Peshmerga forces will be also discussed.

Hikmat said that the Pentagon Chief’s visit to Erbil is a response to the reports which claimed Washington may halt its support to Erbil due to Kurdistan Region’s decision to hold the independence referendum.

 

http://www.basnews.com/index.php/en/news/kurdistan/372722

[gregp]

He might be staging a "Go East Campaign". 

[tigergorzow]

US Defense Secretary Arrives in Baghdad on Unannounced Visit 

 

Basnews English

22/08/2017 - 09:57

Iraq

 

 

 

 

ERBIL — US Secretary of Defense James Mattis arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday on an unannounced visit to discuss war against the Islamic State (IS) with the US and Iraqi officials.

Mattis is expected to hold meetings with the US commanders on the ground before meeting with the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Defense Minister Erfan al-Hiyali, CNN reported.

The visit comes on the third day of the Iraqi army’s offensive to liberate the northwestern Iraqi city of Tal Afar from the IS organization.

Mattis is also expected to head to Erbil to meet with the Kurdish officials in the Kurdistan Region.

 

http://www.basnews.com/index.php/en/news/iraq/372687

[yota691]

US official: Matisse will ask Barzani to cancel the idea of independence from Iraq

Political

 Since 2017-08-22 at 12:49 (Baghdad time)

 

Baghdad Mawazine News

US Defense Secretary James Matisse, who is currently visiting Iraq, will ask Kurdistan Regional President Massoud Barzani to cancel the idea of a referendum on the independence of the region scheduled for Sept. 25, a US official said on Tuesday.

The official said according to Reuters, that Matisse will ask the President of the Kurdistan region of Iraq Massoud Barzani to cancel the idea of a referendum on the independence of the territory.

US Defense Secretary James Matisse arrived in Iraq on Tuesday, just days after the start of an offensive to restore the city of Tal Afar for talks with Prime Minister Haider Abadi on the next steps in fighting the so-called "Daash".

[yota691]

URGENT US officials: Matisse will ask Barzani to cancel the referendum

Date of release: 2017/8/22 13:08 • 118 times read

[Ayna-Baghdad] 
US officials said that Defense Minister James Matisse will ask in his visit to Erbil from the President of the Kurdistan region Massoud Barzani to cancel the referendum on the independence of the territory from Iraq.

"At the moment, armed militants have been stranded on the Euphrates River, which divides Iraq and Syria," he said. 
"There are few days of talk," he said. 
The US Defense Secretary will meet with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and his Iraqi counterpart Irfan al-Hayali to discuss the developments of the war on the pre-liberation and post-liberation. 
Washington would ask the region to postpone the referendum but was rejected. 
He is currently visiting a high-level Kurdish delegation in Baghdad to explore the views of the federal government and political forces on the referendum amid a near consensus by rejecting and calling for the unity of Iraq and resolving outstanding problems in the dialogue.

[yota691]

The US defense secretary assured Abadi of his country's support for maintaining Iraq's unity and rejected any action to divide it

Release Date: 2017/8/22 13:56 • 4 times read

[Butifldrm]

 

Prime Minister Dr. Haider al-Abadi receives US Defense Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

			22 August-2017 Prime Minister Dr. Haider Al-Abbadi received in his office Tuesday US Defense Secretary James Mats and his accompanying delegation.  During the meeting, they discussed enhancing cooperation between the two countries in the field of military training and armament, in addition to the war on terrorism and the victories achieved by the Iraqi forces against the gangs of the terrorist.  The US Defense Secretary reiterated his country's support for Iraq in its fight against terrorism and praised the victories, stressing that the United States supports the maintenance of Iraq's unity and rejects any action aimed at dividing and destabilizing it.    Prime Minister 's Media Office  22 - August - 2017   http://pmo.iq/press2017/22-8-20171.htm

[Butifldrm]

#WORLD NEWS

AUGUST 22, 2017 / 12:54 AM / 26 MINUTES AGO

U.S. defense secretary in Iraq as troops battle for Tal Afar

 

Idrees Ali

5 MIN READ

•  
•  

 

 

 

 

 

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis visited Iraq on Tuesday just days after the start of an offensive to oust Islamic State from the city of Tal Afar, with talks focused on backing Iraqi efforts to stabilize areas recaptured from the militant group.

Prior to arriving, Mattis said the fight against Islamic State was far from over despite recent successes by Western-backed Iraqi government forces. The battle for Tal Afar would be difficult, U.S. officials said.

Iraqi security forces opened the offensive to take back Tal Afar on Sunday, their latest objective in the war following the recapture of Mosul after a nine-month campaign that left much of the city in ruins.

Lying 80 km (50 miles) west of Mosul in Iraq's far north, Tal Afar is a long-time stronghold of the hardline Sunni Muslim insurgents,

"ISIS' days are certainly numbered, but it is not over yet and it is not going to be over anytime soon," Mattis told reporters in Amman.

Mattis said that after retaking Tal Afar, Iraqi forces would move against the western Euphrates River valley.

Brigadier General Andrew Croft, responsible for coalition air operations over Iraq, said that between 10,000 and 20,000 civilians remained in Tal Afar. The plight of civilians was a big factor in the battle of Mosul as Islamic State tried to keep them areas it controlled to act as human shields against air strikes and artillery bombardments. Several thousand are believed to have been killed.

Croft said that over the past two or three months, he had seen a fracturing in Islamic State leadership.

RELATED COVERAGE

• 
  Iraqi forces breach Islamic State stronghold Tal Afar: statement

"It just seems less coordinated. It appears more fractured, less robust, and sort of flimsy, is the word I would use... it is sporadic," Croft told reporters.

Islamic State leaders fled Mosul during the fighting there and the whereabouts of its chief, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, are unknown. Unconfirmed reports in the past few months have said he is dead.

Brett McGurk, U.S. special envoy to the coalition, said that while the battle for Tal Afar would be difficult, Iraqi forces had retaken 235 square km (90 miles) in the first 24 hours.

U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Mattis, who will meet Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Defence Minister Arfan al-Hayali, will discuss the future of U.S. forces in Iraq after the recapture of the remaining cities under Islamic State, and the role they could play in stabilizing operations.

The officials said that while big cities like Mosul have been largely been cleared of Islamic State militants, there were concerns about the ability of Iraqi forces to hold territory.

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of Defence Jim Mattis gives a news conference after a NATO defence ministers meeting at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on June 29, 2017.Eric Vidal/File Photo

Mattis said pockets of resistance remained in west Mosul, including sleeper cells. Iraqi security forces were capable of carrying out simultaneous operations, he added.

Islamic State is also on the back foot in Syria, where Kurdish and Arab militias backed by the U.S.-led coalition have captured swathes of its territory in the north and are assaulting its main Syrian stronghold of Raqqa.

McGurk said about 2,000 Islamic State fighters remained in Raqqa and as much as 60 percent of the city had been retaken.

The jihadist group is now falling back deeper into the Euphrates valley region of eastern Syria.

 

FILE PHOTO: A general view of Tal Afar west of Mosul, Iraq November 18, 2016.Thaier Al-Sudani

Mattis said the next step for forces fighting Islamic State in Syria would be a move against the middle Euphrates valley, a reference to the militants' stronghold in Deir al-Zor province southeast of Raqqa.

KURDISH REFERENDUM

A U.S. official also said Mattis would press Massoud Barzani, president of the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government, to call off a planned referendum on independence.

Iraq's Kurds have said they will hold the referendum on Sept. 25 despite concerns from Iraq's neighbors who have Kurdish minorities within their borders and a U.S. request to postpone it.

 

However, a senior Kurdish official said the Kurds may consider the possibility of a postponement in return for financial and political concessions from the central government in Baghdad.

McGurk said the Kurdish delegation's recent visit to Baghdad was encouraging.

The Pentagon signed an agreement with Peshmerga forces last year to provide hundreds of millions of dollars in weapons and equipment.

The U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the memorandum of understanding would expire soon and suggested that Mattis could use it as a bargaining chip.

The United States and other Western nations fear the vote could ignite a new conflict with Baghdad and possibly neighboring countries, diverting attention from the ongoing war against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-usa-iraq-idUSKCN1B20EC

[DinarDavo]

Having a salty old Marine for US Secretary of Defense is a really good feeling....

[SnowGlobe7]

57 minutes ago, DinarDavo said:

Having a salty old Marine for US Secretary of Defense is a really good feeling....

 

 

It is frigging un believeable and awesome!!!!

[tigergorzow]

1 hour ago, DinarDavo said:

Having a salty old Marine for US Secretary of Defense is a really good feeling....

DD, SG7,  100% agree....😊😁

[yota691]

Abadi: Our troops entered the district of Tal Afar

23/8/2017 1:54 AM     BAGHDAD / Alaa al-Tai   as expected, even faster, the Prime Minister and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Haider Abadi, on Tuesday, the entry of the joint military units in the district of Tal Afar, which surprised the whole world, as expressed by US Defense Secretary James Matisse said: " The speed of achieving Iraqi victories. "  "The success of the fighting is coming," Talabar said. "The operation progressed very well and quickly. The sectors entered the judiciary directly from the eastern and southern sides with the collapse of the enemy al-Da'ashi. .  "We have secured safe corridors for the remaining civilians, we have directed troops to respect human rights and preserve property," the commander-in-chief said. "We have full confidence in our fighters." And on the Social Insurance Law, the Prime Minister said: "Before two sessions was introduced the draft law, and for the first time is included workers in the private sector, and must provide protection for them, and the care of martyrs fighter (Daash)," expressing "surprised by some who defend All categories except the martyrs and opposes giving them privileges. " On the visit of the Kurdish delegation, he described the talks as "frank" and "positive" and in accordance with "the principle that we are partners in this country and understanding on a unified Iraq and taking into consideration the public interest. We are ready to discuss all the files within the law and the constitution," denying " Especially after we have achieved a great victory and historic in Nineveh cooperation of the Iraqi army and the Peshmerga. "  On the anti-corruption measures, Abbadi said that "some of the officials have been prosecuted, the fugitives are being prosecuted and there are others." The Prime Minister stressed the need to "non-militarization of Iraqi society," noting that "Jihad is also in construction and reconstruction."  In the meantime, the Cabinet voted to regulate the process of settling the salaries of employees in government departments, and the inclusion of teachers and teachers in real estate loans and advances.

[yota691]

2017/08/22 (21:01 PM)   -   Number of readings: 275   -   Number (4003)

 

 

Al-Abbadi met in Baghdad and moved to Erbil. Fatis: We will focus on the unity of Iraq and Iranian influence

 Baghdad / AFP range 
 

US Defense Secretary James Matisse on Tuesday met Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi after arriving in Baghdad for an unannounced visit. 
This visit coincides with the entry into the battle of the liberation of Tal Afar the third day, and the storming of the joint forces lines of organization within the judiciary. 
Abadi said the office had received US Defense Secretary James Matisse and his delegation. 
The statement added that the two sides "discussed strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the field of military training and armament, in addition to the war on terrorism and the victories achieved by the Iraqi forces against the gangs of terror." 
The US defense secretary reiterated his country's support for Iraq in its fight against terrorism and praised the "victories achieved". 
Matisse stressed that "
Late on Tuesday, US Defense Secretary James Matisse arrived in Erbil for an official visit. He was received on arrival at Irbil International Airport, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Qubad Talabani, the President of the Office of the Presidency of the Kurdistan region, Fuad Hussein, Interior Minister Karim Shinkali, and the external relations in the Kurdistan Regional Government, Falah Mustafa. 
Matisse arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday morning for an undeclared visit. "Our focus now is on defeating Iraq in Iraq and re-imposing Iraqi sovereignty and territorial integrity," Matisse told reporters before the visit. 
On the course of the battle, the US Secretary of Defense said that "certainly a few days, but it is not over yet and will not end soon." He added that the battle of Mosul "cost the Iraqi forces more than six thousand wounded and more than 1200 
 dead."
The talks with the Iraqis will focus on the future course, including how to keep Iraq against a new political split or more indulging in Iran's influence, the defense minister said, after years of fighting against a militant organization. 
Matisse said he would also discuss the issue of reconstruction and the return of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis forcibly displaced from their homes and cities by the fighting, especially in Mosul. 
"It will not be overnight, it will be a great help for them to move forward," he said. 
In addition, there is a reference to Kurdistan's intention to hold a referendum on the independence of the region on 25 September next. 
"The referendum at this time will be catastrophic for the campaign against a supporter," said Brett McGuck, the US president's envoy to the international coalition. "Not only the United States, every member of the coalition believes that this is not the time to hold this referendum."
The initial progress on the outskirts of Tel Afar "is going well," he said, with 235 square kilometers cleared during the 
first 24 hours .

[ComPLX]

16 minutes ago, yota691 said:

including how to keep Iraq against a new political split or more indulging in Iran's influence

 

Translation: Get the HCL signed and Saudi Arabia's here now. Those others need to move out