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Dear Mr. Biden, First, I would like to say happy 4Th of July to you, the troops, and to all of the Americans at DV! I am one of the members of the Dinar Vets forum. I believe it is safe to say I speak on behalf of 14,000+ members when I request the following from you: 1. Do not come back until all 3 major positions are filled in Iraq. Hold the meeting while convening parliament. You have no use to our country but this one task at the moment. We will Tivo the remaining episodes of "The Bachelor" for you until you get back. 2. Do not start the conversations with compliments... please cut straight to the chase. 3. Please use your patented F-bombs early and often. Remember shock and awe! 4. Do not assume they will work it out on their own because you and 4 suits showed up. Please get Chuck Norris and Mr. T from "The A Team" over there asap! Leave Jean Claude van Damme where he is because he is French and probably won't help you anyway. Jackie Chan won't help either cause he's busy negotiating an oil field purchase for China. 5. If Maliki speaks out of turn kindly back hand him across the mouth. If he gives you a bad look after, then do it again. Try and sound like Tony Soprano if you can (for effect). 6. If Sadr says even 1 word please have Mr. T evict him from the room and then Iraq. Tell him to stay in Iran and do not pass go or collect $200. Have him tell Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to start digging a bunker cause he's next on the docket. Were gonna need an Iranian Rial revaluation soon too. Adam Montana needs a new book to write and we the members will need a new currency fix for our blogging addiction. 7. If the Kurds appear kind and aloof, it is because they lack a spine and simply want to be on your good side whilst talking behind your back at the 5 minute potty break time. 8. If by day 2 you still are at an impasse, please use the Russian roulette method. Everyone but Allawi and Maliki will back out. They are clearly bullheaded and stupid enough to stay. If I were you I would keep a safe distance when it's Maliki turn. Clearly, Allawi will win because that cat done still has 7 of his 9 lives left. 9. Lastly, stop by the CBI and pay a visit to ole Shabs himself. Give him the invoice for the cost of the war marked C.O.D. Wait no longer than 30 minutes for him to come back with the revaluation paperwork (cause I heard he types slow). Make sure the amount stated is in between $1 and $3.86. If you are feeling fairly invincible and like your alter ego of Captain Awesome, then make him white out the amount and hand write in $3.86 or more depending on your awesomeness level at the time. We thank you for your time and completion of this matter. Please phone the UN on your plane ride home and tell Mr. Ban Ki Moon to release the final sanctions. With thanks, Drox and the DV people of the world.

If you look at the pinned articles on DV regarding the economist that estimated the number of individuals who own IQD at 750,000 (mostly in America) and combine it with the July 1, 2010 population estimated at 309,643,000 ... let's look at the math: (750,000/309,643,000)*100=.24% That's slightly less than 1/4 of one % (no, not 25%) ... or, specifically, in answer to your question ... roughly less than 1 in 4,000,000 What that means is that very few people took your advice and very few will be rewarded If memory serves the average IQD purchase is 2.266Million ... depending on the RI/RV that could be extraordinarily important I hope that this helps Peace Doc31

Saturday, July 3, 2010; 10:58 AM BAGHDAD -- Vice President Joe Biden landed Saturday on what appeared to be a dual mission in Baghdad: to visit U.S. troops during the July Fourth weekend and coax Iraqi leaders into ending their government impasse. Top Obama administration officials have been reluctant to visit Iraq since its deadlocked March election failed to produce a clear winner. Biden's trip may signal the U.S. is stepping up its efforts to hammer out an agreement among Iraqi political rivals and get a new government in place as soon as possible. Biden is the White House's point man on Iraq issues, and was last in Iraq in January. The vice president landed at an air force base in Baghdad and was immediately scheduled to head into meetings with U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill, the top American military commander in Iraq, U.S. Army Gen. Ray Odierno, and the top UN envoy to Iraq, Ad Melkert. Biden is expected to meet with Iraqi leaders Sunday. In an unrelated trip, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, met Saturday with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in the Iraqi capital. McCain was in Baghdad on a congressional delegation traveling separately from the vice president. Biden's trip comes at a sensitive time for Iraq. The newly elected parliament is scheduled to meet later this month for the second time since the March 7 vote, but vying political factions remain deadlocked over which bloc has enough support to pick its new leaders, including prime minister. Parliament has only about a month to end the impasse before the start of Ramadan in August, when little official business gets done in the Arab world. Adding to the urgency, all but 50,000 U.S. troops are set to leave Iraq by the end of August in a test of whether the fledgling democracy's security forces are ready to protect its people from insurgents and other terror threats. Persistent violence has raised fears that al-Qaida in Iraq and other militants are trying to exploit the political deadlock to foment unrest and derail security gains as the American military prepares to withdraw all of its troops by the end of next year. Analysts and some Iraqi lawmakers have warned that the end to the political gridlock still could be months away. Al-Maliki, who leads a Shiite political coalition, is battling to keep his job after his rival Sunni-backed Iraqiya list narrowly won the most seats in the March 7 balloting. But al-Maliki has tried to outmaneuver his challengers by creating a so-called super-Shiite alliance that would give him more seats in parliament than the Sunni-backed Iraqiya list led by his chief rival, former prime minister Ayad Allawi. Iraqiya leaders have claimed they should have the first crack at forming the government because they won the most seats on election day. But a March court opinion opened the door to the possibility that the largest bloc could be one created after the election through negotiations - meaning that if the super-Shiite coalition holds together, it could have the right to form the government. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/03/AR2010070301151.html

Fox News just did a 3 minute announcement that VP Joe Biden made a SECRET TRIP to Iraq. John McCain, Joe Lieberman, Mark Udal amd Lindsey Graham are also there. The VP and 4 US Senators --- In Iraq --- on the 4th of July weekend. I find it very hard to believe that they are there for the BEACHES. Baghdad is not exactly a RESORT CITY. Makes you go HMMMMMMMMM --- Don't it?

My friends of fortune, I have gained a lot of knowledge here. And some laughs. But while I am very optimistic about our future and the possibilities, I am concerned about the rest of the country, just like the rest of you. Many of us talk about buying a whole lot of expensive items, such as boats, planes and the big house- minus the orange jumpsuit of course. My dad taught me to fly when I was 4, so I am in the category of 'want that' myself.I present a handfull of coming events that should cause all of us to reconsider our decisions of self gratification. 1. The Bush tax cuts end this year. I'm not a big Bush fan, and see him as the lesser of two evils. That said, this year every business that has any clue is doing everything it can to stuff its money onto the books so that the taxes will hit them considerably less next year. 2. The obamacare taxes take effect next year. 3. There is more and more talk about a 'revenge vote' by congress after the November elections. I expect to see 'cap and tax', the VAT, and several other of 'big brother' taxes all to take effect next year. Next year is going to SUCK. So with that my friends, I humbly suggest that we prepare ourselves not only to do well with investments, but to do well by our neighbors and friends that either didn't know about this historic opportunity, or couldn't do anything about it. We need to take care of our own. I think a lot of families are going to be counting on us very soon.

VP Joe Biden in Iraq on July 3, 2010. He is there to visit the troops AND to help settle the long disputed election results.

News Summary July 3, 2010 - 12:48:32 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Following is a summary of news reports posted until 04:00 p.m. Baghdad local time Saturday – July 3: *Politics: BAGHDAD - A U.S. Congressional delegation that is currently visiting Iraq aims at bridging the gap between Iraqi politicians to accelerate the process of forming a new government, a source from the U.S. embassy in Baghdad said on Saturday. BAGHDAD - The Washington Post reported that China didn’t take part in the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq or the bloody military battles that followed. It hasn’t invested in reconstruction projects or efforts by the West to fortify the struggling democracy in the heart of the Middle East. *Security: NINEWA - Iraqi border forces on Saturday arrested four smugglers on the borderline with Syria, west of Mosul city. NINEWA - One policeman was wounded when a roadside bomb went off on Saturday in central Mosul city. NINEWA - An Iraqi-U.S. combined force on Saturday arrested three Sufi gunmen of the so-called The Naqshabandiya Group in southern Mosul city. BABEL - A police force released on Saturday a kidnapped female teenager after only four hours of her abduction south of Hilla city. BASRA - Iraqi police forces on Saturday arrested 11 men wanted for different cases in Basra province, southern Iraq. KARBALA - Police forces found rockets and mortar shells of the former Iraqi regime west of Karbala city. *Sports: BAGHDAD - Iraq on Saturday has achieved a medal in Badminton for the first time in its sports history. *Variety: NINEWA - An Egyptian man who carries Iraqi citizenship was killed and his wife on Saturday in a criminal incident eastern Mosul city. MH (S)/SR Print version http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=134035

http://www.bank-holidays.com/holidays.php?annee=2010&id_pays=84#

I hope all you guys have a wonderful and safe July 4th....I will be be back on Monday going to be hanging out with family and friends by the pool and drinking a few and trying to work on a tan......And rest my brian( well what is lefted of it anyways lol) I have a new job YEA Me no more hauling chicken crap LOL.......So to all of my DV freinds be safe the weekend. God bless to you all and your familys GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Med Chat: Dinar Speculator 7/2/10 9:38pm MED says to (21:38:18): OK LISTEN UP MED says to (21:38:23): THERE IS A CHAT I HAD MED says to (21:38:29): IT IS VERY IMPORTANT MED says to (21:38:43): IT SEEMS REALLY STUPID butterfly says to (21:38:45): pay atention another site and you other sites butterfly says to (21:38:52): hurry up and get ready to copy it butterfly says to (21:38:55): lol Please RV Today says to (21:38:58): lol MED says to (21:39:04): BUT THE MESSAGE IS INSIDE THE STORY MED says to (21:39:15): ANYTIME YOU ARE READY PB MED says to (21:39:24): YOU MUST READ BETWEEN THE LINES Polarbear says to (21:39:48): ok READY? MED says to (21:39:52): GO AHEAD PB Polarbear says to (21:40:04): [Med] OK I JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE Polarbear says to (21:40:18): [Med] AND I WAS PRIVVY TO SOME INFO Polarbear says to (21:40:33): [Med] ON THE RV Polarbear says to (21:40:48): [Med] I WAS ASKED TO NOT USE ANY NAMES Polarbear says to (21:41:00): [Med] OR DIRECT IT EVEN IN THE ACTUAL AREA OF GOVT Polarbear says to (21:41:11): [Med] SO I AM GIVING THE ABRIDGED VERSION Polarbear says to (21:41:21): [Med] IT IS STORY TIME Polarbear says to (21:41:31): [Med] MICKEY AND MINNIE WERE SITTING WITH GOOFY Polarbear says to (21:41:44): [Med] GOOFY IS A CIVY Polarbear says to (21:41:57): [Med] AND MICK AND MIN WEAR THE MOUSKETEER UNIFORM Polarbear says to (21:42:07): [Med] WELL THE MOUSKETEERS HAD PRIVY INFO Polarbear says to (21:42:20): [Med] AND DECIDED TO SHARE IT WITH GOOFY Polarbear says to (21:42:33): [Med] SO MICKEY SAYS Polarbear says to (21:42:46): [Med] YOU KNOW THAT MOUSKETEER MONNIE Polarbear says to (21:42:55): [Med] YOU USE AT DISNEY WORLD Polarbear says to (21:43:08): [Med] WELL IT IS GOING TO BE WORTH A HOLE LOT MORE IN JULY Polarbear says to (21:43:22): [Med] AND YOU CAN THEN GO ON ALLOT MORE RIDES Polarbear says to (21:43:34): [Med] I LIKE HAPPY ENDINGS Polarbear says to (21:43:43): [Med] THE END MED says to (21:48:46): SAID HE SAW ON FOX NEWS THAT ALLAWI IS GOING TO BE THE PM IN IRAQ NOW IF THIS IS TRUE THEN MORE THAN 1 PERSON OUT OF 300 MILLION HAD TO HAVE SEEN IT Polarbear says to (21:49:31): you think lol aceandspeed says to (21:49:44): Has Moe’s site ever been right? MED says to (21:49:44): REMEMBER WHEN ANOTHER SITE REPORTED THE TICKER THAT RAN ACCROSS OBAMA’S CHEST IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE RV BUT ONLY HE SAW IT NOW PARLIAMENT IS NOT IN SESSION jim1943 says to (21:50:27): you mean there actually another site,really lawlesslucy says to (21:50:30): wishful thinking? lol irishbrian says to (21:50:33): Yeah it was probably an ad for Als RV dealership!!! MED says to (21:50:38): SO THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY ALLAWI IS THE NEW PM YET THE ONLY THING THAT BF AND I COULD THINK OF IS THAT THEY WERE REPORTING AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BLOCS AGAIN PARLIAMENT IS NOT IN SESSION AND BEFORE A PM CAN BE ANNOUNCED THERE MUST BE A PRESIDENT ELECTED OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ SINCE THERE IS NOT ONE THEN NONE WAS ANNOUNCED AS THE OFFICIAL PM YET BUT AS I SAID THERE IS ONE POSSIBILITY WE WILL FIND OUT IN A MATTER OF HRS I WILL BE BACK OK I PROMISE I JUST WANT TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON FOR AWHILE spraky says to (21:54:26): is there any thing u would like us to be looking for MED says to (21:54:37): YES THERE IS ANY AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE RULE OF LAW AND THE IRAQI LIST OR AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE HAS PICKED A PM NOMINEE THEY SAID THEY WERE TODAY SO LET’S SEE OK LATER ALL

As in any war, the victor has always maintained a military government until it was ready to turn the country back to the people. That means, we, the United States and those allies with the courage to support us, who got rid of a totalitarian government in Iraq, should be leading the government before turning the country back to them. We're the insane ones for thinking that a nation of people who for generations have been under the thumbs of merciless, murdering warlords can suddenly break the mold and start behaving like civilized, ethical people without having a cattle prod guiding them in that direction. In the meantime, our presence should be there to remind the vanquished people and their so-called leaders that we won't tolerate the same barbarism, political intrigues and lack of care for the people that is obviously still going on in Iraq. We lost a lot of solid, good kids there in order to help make the country an autonomous, free democracy. Now our leaders are allowing their "leaders" to behave like the warlords that we just eliminated. I can only foresee more internal killings being expanded as their way of gaining power. We've got to step back in and hold the adversaries back from each other and make the choices for them. We should then leave, only when there is a presence of ethical, loyal and dedicated Iraqi police there to pick up where our military leaves off. As far as the RV is concerned, that should have happened several years ago. By now, Iraq would at least have been able to emerge from the stone age that they were and evidently still are in. The RV should be happening, now, to get Iraq in synch with the rest of the countries who are trying to maintain some monetary equilibrium with the rest of the world community. Rumor as of today, Saturday, July 3, 2010, is that there is a large number of countries RV'ing their currency, and that Iraq is one of them. Let's hope that's a reality.

US Congressional delegation to bridge gap between Iraqi politicians – source July 3, 2010 - 10:10:40 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: A U.S. Congressional delegation that is currently visiting Iraq aims at bridging the gap between Iraqi politicians to accelerate the process of forming a new government, a source from the U.S. embassy in Baghdad said on Saturday. “The delegation, headed by Sen. John McCain, seeks to meet Iraqi leaderships to bridge gap between them,” the source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. He noted that the delegation will have a press conference today to explain its trip’s schedule and targets. MH (P)/SR http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=134024

not to be negative but I'll believe it when I see it.

fyi....bret bair is on national fox news....sounds like a positive move forward for all of us.....and who the heck watches cnn anyway?....lol

I have something to share that some of my fellow brothers and sisters here on DV may be experiencing like me. For whatever reason, it seems, that when I get on this web site or check for the latest news on Iraq or the dinar, I hear a voice in my head. It is not necessarily a small still voice whispering in my head or my heart for that matter. It is not always clear, due to my focus and attention that many articles require when reading them, so, I do not always pay close attention to the voice. I can't say that the voice is always loud. Sometimes it is loud and ugly and something I am unable to shake as I sit and browse the forums on here. The voice almost always says the same thing though, and sometimes I wish the voice would just, "SHUT UP," but to no avail. I am just curious if any of you hear a voice, or possibly voices, while checking up on the dinar? The voice I hear usually goes something like this, "Oh give me a break, you're not on Dinar Vets again are you? You wasting your time sitting there worrying about something that may never happen. Blah, Blah, Blah." Now I love my beautiful wife, she's just sick and tired of all my time I spend reading articles and believes I may even be addicted to this cause. I am not addicted to this. The definition of addicted is the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming. This definitely is not me. Addicted, me? Never!!!!!! I could quit when ever I want to and today I choose not to, so there. Does any one have any thoughts and what I can do the next time I hear this voice, that one won't get me into trouble and two that will appease the person I love?

TEAM, Happy Fourth of July --- I hope you have an enjoyable and safe weekend!!! Here's the next version of a regional comparison -- review at your convenience. Enjoy, Scooter ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Question for Enorrste – Frank’s reasoning on rate JULY 2, 2010 · POSTED IN CHATS / POSTS Professor Enorrste, I’m not sure if you read Frank’s (KTFM) posts or not but he always alludes to the “MOP/MOF report from last summer” that reflected a rate of 3.22 plus an “additional 20%” that “the committee” said needed to be added due to inflation. I have pasted below excerpts from Frank’s last three posts wherein he alludes to this MOP report. Are you aware of what he is talking about? Is his interpretation valid in your opinion? I hope Frank is reading this correctly but would welcome your feedback on this. As always, REALLY APPRECIATE your time and effort to help!!!! FRANK POST 6-29-10 Now what if it was by chance the rate that was in the MOP/MOF report from last summer that was put together to establish the 3.22 rate they agreed for the 2010 budget? Well then the mathematics would look like this……..3.22 x 390 = $1255.80 . WAIT A MINUTE……..did we forget to add the 20% that the committee said needed to be added to the 3.22? Let’s try the math again. 3.86 x 390 = $1505.40 . Based on all the movements that have occurred in the last 6 months these last two monthly figures are surely more logical than a little over .30 a month. IMO this article is like a Rosetta Stone. FRANK POST 6-30-10 Keep in mind what I have been drilling into you all year. Last summer the MOP/MOF asked the Ministers what rate would work for the 2010 budget. They came back with $1.17 which was rejected. Three months later they came back with 3.2108 and included a caveat that it would require an additional 20% to fulfill the 2010 budget. When you add the 20% to the 3.2108……it equals 3.86. “” the year (2011) and Zaidi previous year’s budget that was worth 625 billion Iraqi dinars after that we expect that the allocation for the year 2009 (2) trillion Iraqi dinars. He explained that the increased level of funds “” AQ, you threw me a little when you didnt highlight this stuff Now that you read it pertaining to the years involved, it makes sense when using the FOIL method of Franks post. 2009 – 2 Trill dinar @ .00085 = 1.7 billion USD 2010 – 625 bill dinar @ .00085 = 531.25 million USD Yet there is said to be an increase in funds, which economically makes sense… which makes this not make sense, so we try to make them equal 2009 – 1.7 b USD 2010 – 531.25 m USD * 3.20 (new rate) = 1.7 b USD or 1,700,000,000 / 531,250,000 = a rate of 3.20 But again, this is supposed to be an increase in funds, so lets assume that it is about 5%. So 2010 should really be greater than 2009, not equal. In other words, they are spending more in 2010. So lets increase 2009 by 5% to equal 2010. 2009 – 1.7 b USD * .05 = 85 million added to 1.7 billion = 1,785,000,000 2010 – 1,785,000,000 / 531,250,000 = a rate of 3.36 Synopsis- This assumes a rate of 3.20 or greater depending on what amount of spending increases they are using. Yes these two articles were my favorites today from the many colorful ones that were released. If I could have a third wish it would be the article from today where the US Ambassador to Iraq…..Christopher Hill said that the USA will support the coalition: FRANK POST 7-1-10 Now I know the following is very long. But when you have time look at what they have planned for the next 5 years. Then ask yourself how can they do this at an 1170 rate? Many mechanisms are being constructed but the most important IMO is the SEATING of their government!!! IMO sometime between now and this coming Sunday “A” should tell us his position along with everyone else’s. IMO……..the new RI rate should be released before Sunday. If they do not tell us what the rate is for the NDP then we will have to remind the MOP of what he said it would be ………3.2108 + 20% to be added

Iraq income is very much on the up swing and has been. In 2003 Iraq saw 0.2 billion dollars in oil export revenue. In 2004 8.1 billion,2005-10.3 billion,2006-15.2 billion,2007-15.4 billion 2008-35.5 billion. There was a drop in the profit in 2009 but that is due to oil going from well over 100 dollars p/b. to well under 70 dollars p/b. event with the drop in prices they made 18.5 billion dollars. We are only half way into the yuear and Iraq has seen over 23 billon dollars in oil export revenue. Iraq is doing well with oil revenues being estamated at well over 50 billion dollars in 2010.

Iraqia Leader discuss progresses, deadlines Saturday, July 03, 2010 12:18 GMT The leaders of Iraqia List discussed during an extended meeting on Friday results of the negotiations with political parties and the constitutional deadlines to choose a Speaker and a President. The constitutional deadline should end in July 10, 2010. A statement issued by Iraqia List said that its leaders took the convenient decision regarding this deadline; however, it was not divulged in the statement. The leaders also discussed the negotiations that took place with the sundry coalitions determining the issues and matters to be discussed during the meeting that will take place this week with senior figures scheduled to visit Baghdad. At the end of the meeting, the bloc discussed its internal situation and the efforts exerted in order to make it a political entity that adopts a methodology in administration and decision taking. إقرأ هذا المقال باللغة بالعربية http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Iraq-News/1-51310-Iraqia-Leader-discuss-progresses%2C-deadlines.html

Nice compilation ... it amuses me that many of the folks on DV don't read Frank26 ... if you are going to study IQD he's a must. The guy gets 24,000 - 55,000 hits per night!!!!!!!! He is the most requoted guy on IQD (usually without giving credit to him and many times bashing him). If it's so bad why read his stuff and quote him in your emails ... but his numbers are hard to argue with. I think we can all live with his numbers ... right?! Thanks for the post

As for me and my house, we plan on staying in the good ole' USA and doing everything within our power to help restore her to her former glory. HELLO NOVEMBER!

VP Biden arrives in Baghdad for July 4th weekend with troops amid Iraqi government deadlock Published July 03, 2010 Associated Press BAGHDAD (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden is in Baghdad for the Fourth of July weekend with U.S. troops as Iraqi leaders struggle to seat a new government. His arrival on Saturday marked the American vice president's second visit to Iraq this year. Biden is the Obama administration's point man on Iraq issues. But top U.S. officials have resisted visiting Iraq while the country's leaders remain deadlocked over which political faction will lead Iraq. No clear winner emerged from Iraq's March 7 parliamentary election. Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki's coalition won 89 seats, compared to 91 seats for a rival coalition led by former prime minister Ayad Allawi. Neither group won a clear majority, leading to extensive negotiations and wrangling to find allies to form the next government.

You state a valid appraisal Squaredaway since America is invested with the lives of our military and our national resources from the treasury. Did we go to Iraq and get rid of one dictator only to enable another set of grafters in his place? It is difficult to imagine that President Bush, or for that matter LBJ, would allow this circus situation to continue. As we sit here, the bumbler BIden is mucking things up further, no doubt, in Baghdad. In the old days, the CIA would have "settled out of court; ala Joe Pesci in the movie Casino" and progress would be made. Today we have an effeminitized, politically correct agency that can't even give the enemy a good old fashioned waterboarding. They would rather continue to lose the precious lives of our men and women in the U.S. military than even dream of pushing along the despots.

They are talking about this trip right now on msnbc. Meetings are scheduled with all the players

Thanks for the post Dinarkicker - The U.S. envolvement was the most costly investment of all in Iraq. We are the ones that made all of this possible. GOD Bless our soldiers - and contractors that made all this possible.

Risk-tolerant China investing heavily in Iraq as U.S. companies hold back – report July 3, 2010 - 11:26:58 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The Washington Post reported that China didn’t take part in the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq or the bloody military battles that followed. It hasn’t invested in reconstruction projects or efforts by the West to fortify the struggling democracy in the heart of the Middle East. But as the U.S. military draws down and Iraq opens up to foreign investment, China and a handful of other countries that weren’t part of the “coalition of the willing” are poised to cash in. These countries are expanding their foothold beyond Iraq’s oil reserves — the world’s third largest — to areas such as construction, government services and even tourism, while American companies show little interest in investing here. “The U.S. really doesn’t know what to do in Iraq,” said Fawzi Hariri, Iraq’s industry minister. “I have been personally, as the minister of industry, trying to woo U.S. companies into Iraq. There is nothing yet. Nothing tangible.” In the past two years, Chinese companies have walked away with stakes in three of the 11 contracts the Iraqi Oil Ministry has signed in its bid to increase crude output by about 450 percent over the next seven years. They also renegotiated a $3 billion deal that dates to when Saddam Hussein was in power. Only two American firms won stakes in oil deals, an underwhelming showing that industry analysts and U.S. officials say reflects deep concerns about doing business in a country besieged by insecurity, corruption and political turmoil. “They made a mistake and overestimated the risk,” said Ruba Husari, an oil analyst in Baghdad who runs the Iraq Oil Forum, a trade Web site. “I think they did not realize on the spot that it was the biggest window of opportunity, and they missed out.” In an effort to meet the rising energy demands of its fast-growing economy, China has invested aggressively in oil-rich nations. Chinese companies have made notable inroads in the Middle East and Africa, in part because of a higher tolerance for risk and a savvy diplomatic corps that has laid the groundwork for advantageous deals. Iraqi officials say they are heartened by their expanding ties with China but are still pursuing investment from other nations. “They have gained a number of plum contracts for energy,” Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said of the Chinese. “Wherever there is an oil well in the world, you’ll see a Chinese flag next to it.” Working ‘as partners’ At al-Ahdab oil field in Wasit province, roughly 100 miles south of Baghdad, about 200 Chinese laborers have begun work under a contract renegotiated in 2008 by a Chinese state-owned consortium, Al Waha Oil Co. Workers in red jumpsuits operate imported oil rigs alongside their Iraqi counterparts. Their workplaces are heavily protected by barricades and guards. “People know they didn’t participate in the invasion or the sanctions, and they have an old participation in Iraq that predates Saddam Hussein,” said Ahmed Abdul-Redha al-Zanki, the senior engineer for Iraq’s North Oil Co., which is working with the Chinese to develop the field. “They work with us as partners,” in stark contrast to the condescending practices of Western companies, he said. The French and Chinese have also made forays into the cement industry. The Chinese have started building a billion-dollar power plant in the south. The Chinese and the United Arab Emirates are in advanced talks to build residential complexes. The French automaker Renault and Germany’s Mercedes-Benz are in advanced talks to make trucks for industrial transport, according to Iraqi officials. The South Koreans signed a memorandum of understanding to build a multimillion-dollar steel mill in the south and a power plant, and the Turks have scored a series of construction and government services contracts. Except for a $3 billion General Electric contract to provide power-generating equipment and a Boeing deal, Iraqi and U.S. officials are hard pressed to point to any significant U.S. investment in Iraq. Outside of the two oil service contracts that American companies were awarded and U.S. government contracts, the United States “consistently ranks in the bottom” among investors, according to a 2009 study by Dunia Frontier Consultants, which tracks private investment in Iraq. The United Arab Emirates is Iraq’s top private investor, with plans to invest $70 billion across the country, followed by South Korea, a 2010 study by the same firm said. Turkey and Iran also are major trade partners with Iraq. “We’re coming off a financial crisis,” a senior U.S. diplomat said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of embassy rules. “You have to look at your bottom line. It’s not the best time to be suddenly in the market as a new place to invest.” Worth the risk? U.S. companies will probably continue to shy away, particularly after the State Department’s latest Iraq investment climate assessment, issued in March. “Potential investors should prepare themselves for significant security costs; cumbersome and confusing procedures for business visas or new business registrations; long payment delays on some Iraqi government contracts; and sometimes unreliable, non-transparent dispute resolution mechanisms,” the assessment said. “Allegations of corruption are still endemic, and the legacy of central planning and inefficient state-owned enterprises continue to inhibit economic development.” But several countries have come to see Iraq as an incredibly promising market despite the risks. The French government, which also did not participate in the war, recently set up a center in Baghdad to support French companies seeking to test the waters. “This is a rich country,” French Ambassador Boris Boillon said. “In this world of recession, in this period of global crisis, we need to get growth and expansion wherever you can find it.” Last fall, the French government helped arrange for 100 French businessmen to attend a five-day trade fair in Baghdad. Most other European and American delegations decided at the last minute that attending would be too risky. The French chartered five buses and ferried the businessmen daily to the fairgrounds. “I think Americans are fed up,” Boillon said. “There is Iraq fatigue in the U.S. When you tell an American: ‘You can go to Iraq and make business, because there are opportunities,’ the guy thinks twice and says, ‘Oh, Iraq — that bloody country.’ ” MH (I)/SR http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=134026

This isent a LOP for us.....in order for them to remove the zeros from circulation they will need the smaller bills to be put out into the hands of the citizens....for them to remove the zeros and do this, the value of the dinar will have to go up otherwise they would be making transactions harder to complete because people would have to carry around more bills to buy the same goods....when this happens i for one will not be trading my larger bills for the smaller bills....im trading my larger bills for US DOLLARS!!!! if we were citizens or iraq it would be different....but when they are saying the purchasing power of a new 25 dinar note will be the same as a 25k note, they are speaking of exactly that...PURCHASING POWER....not that a 25k note will be equal to 25 dinar all of a sudden....you cant do that....when you print a currency you have to honor what you printed no matter what....you have to remember they speak differently and use different words to describe things then we would....so what sounds bad to you is actually a good thing to happen for all of us....when we see the smaller denoms out and they give us a window for exchanging the larger notes, thats when we trade in for US dollars.....not dinar for more dinar....cause your not going to be trading your 25k notes, for new 25 notes and the value still be 1170 dinar equals 1 US dollar...then you would have to carry a ton more physical bills in your hands to do simple things like grocery shopping and thats what they are tryin to get away from because everyone now has to pay in bags full of dinar......

Why are you following the chats then? Thats your problem and why you keep getting filled with BS.....just read whats goin on over there....they dont hide the info on forming the govt....the reason you arent hearing this stuff about them being in place is because its not true.....believe me if they had all the positions chosen already they wouldnt be holding out on everyone.....they need to get control of their country pronto!! and the sooner they have the govt in place the sooner they can vote on economical situations dealing with investors in the private sector which is what they have been talking about needing for a long time!!

NIce rumor unfortunately they would have to of done this at an official parliment meeting and there wont be one until the 10th.....they would all have to be sworn in.....not to mention the first one we will hear about is the president.....then he gives the winning bloc the right to form the govt which would take longer......this one def filed in the right area......rumor

Found on another site for what its worth??? Good morning all, I know i'm late today,but have been busy with work. I have something to share with you all. I do not spread rumors or fascilitate them. Let me say that I can give you no link or means of proving the following info, but it comes from a source that I trust and believe. He also is no rumor spreader. I just got word that Iraq HAS A GOVERNMENT IN PLACE. Line looks like this: 1. PM- ALLAWI 2. President- Maliki 3. Speaker of the House- Talabani. This is what i was just told via email. Take it for what it is worth. Again, I have no way to verify this other than its source is very conservative, skeptical and would not spread anything unless he has some assurance that it is authentic. Just passing this along. DO NOT SHOOT ME!!! I hope for all of our sakes he is correct in this. Snow Goose.

I'm looking and I have not, as of yet, found a link ... can anyone provide one. This is "big time" if it's true. Thanks for the post

That's funny! I have no thoughts on what you can say to keep your voice quiet because my little voice won't shut up enough for me to hear them. I hear a voice that says "Did it RV yet? Huh? Huh? Did it? Did it RV yet? I haven't checked DV in a whole 2 minutes. Maybe it RV'd while I was gone. Maybe it did. Hurry up and check already. Did it RV yet? Did it?"

lol we are in the same boat....my girl thinks the same exact thing!! lol she just huffs and puffs whenever she sees me checkin the forums....at least we arent out at the strip club! they should be happy its something innocent at this!!!

Thank you for your reply........That was totally my sarcasstic humor on display. It is hard sometimes to tell from the printed word. This bigfoot68 guy has had me curious about him for a couple of weeks now......maybe longer. I started to notice his comments on the chat post where sonny1 made his prediction of July 26 or sooner for the RV. Then he began to say July 1st a few times more. I took notice. I went through and read all his previous posts. This did not take long as he did not join DV until mid May. Almost all his posts are a single sentence. He began this prediction process in a unassuming manner. Not really trying to draw too much attention to himself. Just saying July 1st with confidence everytime. I personally liked the impression he appeared to make in this on-line world of ours. When you combine his prediction with the Guarantee of sonny1 by July 26. Then combine the posts from Chief V and comments from the secretary general of UNSC about removing chapter 7 sanctions in the next phase. Also, we saw that the IMF was doing a re-boot of the CBI ledgers and the removal of 70% of the liquidity. I thought maybe this guy really is on to something. So I started checking some of the other dinar sites to see if he was a member using the same name and making any predictions. I found him at 3 other sites. However, he has zero posts. I have checked his profile here to see if he has logged in during the day. Yesterday he loged in at least 3 times but did not post any messages. As of today, he has not logged in. This may sound like alot of work.......but really it is not. It can all be done in just a few minutes. Maybe he really does want to be mysterious. Or worse....maybe he just wants to see how many people he can get to respond to his posts by building false hope for so many people. If true, this would make him the worst type of person. I think it was Drox that speculated that this could be the infamous RHNDA. That was demonstrated to be a liar. He profoundly declared that he knew the date. Saying things like....I am right or You will see. Trust me when I say that I want him to be right. I could really use it. I guess we all could. I keep telling my wife that I will be a really great rich guy! But at the end of the day, Bigfoot68 is really just like the photographs of bigfoot...... Phony. I am still willing to give his prediction until July 4 in Iraq when the CBI re-opens for their auction. If it does not happen by then......then I hope that bigfoot will disappear just as the mythical one has. All the best Lgraham

Awww well Thank you! I think it took me a good 30 minutes to edit..no joke! LOL.. I hope you have a great 4th of July as well and hopefully we will have something else to celebrate very soon! I also wanted to say how much I appreciate all the info you bring to us..I know you have heard that a million times before..but I thought I would make note of it as welll

As per the tale of Bigfoot, and then we can move on to Nessie, and what have you . . . . I think too many people have concluded that it is over already. It's not. Or it MAY not be. If the banks were closed on July 1 and in fact the person or entity commissioned to be the herald for our RV was off, BigFoot could still be right, or not wrong yet. On the 5th of July, we will have either more of Woody's **crickets** or an announcement that we RV'd last Thursday. Either way, then we will get to THE END. P.S. If Bigfoot turns out to be right, he's gonna be one awfully hard to handle 7 foot hairy biped. Cheers, Maynard

One thing I can say, is that Adam Montana, Sonny 1, and many others here can be trusted. There are Many that you can trust for good reliable information. That being said, there are ones you won't want to listen too at all. Not naming names here, but you will quickly learn who these are and stay away from them. Welcome to the group, wish you well.

I believe you probably nailed it on the head. Looks like there's only two ways to end this... the UN & USA step in... or assassination.

That's impressive work Scooter. Thank you. Do you believe that Iraq's rate will be in line with one of the two groups of rates in the region (i.e., within the $2.59 - $3.44 Oman/Kuwait range or the .26-.27 Saudi Arabia/UAE range) or do you think Iraq will choose a rate that fits somewhere between those two?

I'll tell you, Jill CASHING IN HER SUITCASE OF DINAR AT THE NEW RATE AND BEATING THE CROWDS ... Pour Joe couldn't figure out what was going on and why Jill wanted to go to the bank ... no the BIG bank! Thanks for the post

If this is what the Iraqis strive for, then they had better not choose Nouri Maliki for Prime Minister!!! JMO

Thanks for the post

supposedly from TerryK

Blogo69, Where can you buy 1,000 notes of the 50 dinar for around $100.00? SCGS gets $39.88 for a bundle of 100 notes, which would be $398.80 for 1,000 notes. I would like to get 1,000 notes of the 50 dinar for around $100.00. Please share the info on where to get them for that price. Thanks

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. and Iraqi forces have killed or captured 34 of the top 42 al Qaeda leaders in Iraq in the past 90 days, severing the group from al Qaeda's senior leadership and leaving it struggling to regroup, Army General Ray Odierno said on Friday. Odierno, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, said al Qaeda in Iraq was working to rebuild its leadership despite continuing military pressure and he cautioned against complacency. "Over the last 90 days or so, we've either picked up or killed 34 out of the top 42 al Qaeda in Iraq leaders," Odierno told reporters during a Pentagon briefing. "I will never take my eyes off of al Qaeda," he said. "We will always watch them." The United States has handed over security control to Iraqi forces and is working to remove all combat troops by the end of August, an operation Odierno said was running a little ahead of schedule. The plan is to have only about 50,000 military personnel in Iraq after Sept. 1 for training and other non-combat roles. Odierno said the number of contractors would drop to about 65,000 by that time. There are currently 88,000 U.S. troops and about 90,000 contractors in Iraq, he said. Odierno said the success against al Qaeda's leadership came after Iraqi and U.S. forces infiltrated a network in Mosul in the early part of the year. They traced the leadership structure in an operation that ultimately led to a strike in mid-April that killed al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Ayyub al-Masri and the head of a local affiliate, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi of the Islamic State of Iraq. "We made some significant inroads in Mosul, where their headquarters basically was. And we got inside of AQI. We picked up several of their leaders that did the financing, that did planning, that did recruiting," Odierno said. "They are clearly now attempting to reorganize themselves," he added. "They're struggling a little bit ... They've lost connection with (al Qaeda senior leadership) in Pakistan and Afghanistan." Odierno said Iraqi and U.S. security forces were continuing to pressure the group in an effort to keep it from re-establishing its leadership, "to make it more difficult for them to come back." "They've named some names. But we're not even sure if there's actually people behind those names," he said. "We do believe they will attempt to reconstitute. We think it will take them a bit longer, if they're able to. And we continue to put a lot of pressure on them, with the Iraqi security forces," Odierno said. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/6/5/worldupdates/2010-06-05T014613Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-490586-1&sec=Worldupdates