Grumpy

Where did you find this posting? I am curious as to where you found this and why your posting instead of Adam If this is from another site, please post a link

You are not banned from chat, if your still having issues please look here for answers http://dinarvets.com/forums/showthread.php?7954-

Do you share a computer with someone else? I will dig into this but you have to give me more information. I will say with a attitude like above I am not sure I want to but I will give you the benifit of the doubt

God bless hyper, we will keep you in our thoughts

thanks all of you

If I came off tonight rude in chat, I apoligize to the members, Its very hard to sit back day in and day out and listen to the same lies coming under new user names. The regulars that have been around know how to spot the bs but we get new members daily and its unfair to mislead them with all innuendo's and rumors as if they are the "truth". There are way to many outlets if you put some time in to do your own research. UN, IMF, and Iraqi news outlets, this constant "its going to RV tomorrow" is not fair to the newbies and I lost my cool a litlle and I just wanted to apoligize. Please don't buy into everything you hear, most is for entertainment here. Please do your own research and follow your gut!

I think they meant on the thread header, not in the post and replys

When Ready1 can repost we will delete this thread, Sorry for the problems Ready1. There was a glitch in the software and we would appreciate you opening a new thread and reposting

The roller coaster ride takes a toll on you after awhile. You just need to sit back and watch once in awhile

And the bus goes *thump* *thump* hows that saying go? with a friend like you, who needs enemies ROFL

Alright, now who is starting that rumor?????

I think this thread has run its course, I don't want to see hard feelings so I am shutting it down.

you impressed me admitting this

Najaf Airport Tussle Shows Risks in Iraq Investing Sign in to Recommend Twitter Sign In to E-Mail Print By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Published: February 14, 2010 Filed at 10:38 a.m. ET NAJAF, Iraq (AP) -- Najaf's airport was meant to be a symbol of Iraq getting back to business, and in many ways it's been a success, creating jobs and spurring a construction craze in the Shiite shrine city. But an increasingly bitter dispute between local authorities and the Kuwaiti contractor brought in to run the facility is casting a cloud over one of Iraq's proudest postwar accomplishments and prompting accusations of political meddling. The standoff serves as a warning to other companies considering answering Baghdad's calls to snap up investment opportunities and pump needed development money into the country. It highlights how risks go beyond bombings to widespread corruption, uncertain legal protections and inadequate government oversight. Najaf International Airport opened a year and a half ago to great fanfare. It was a landmark in developing Iraq's mainly Shiite south, which ousted ruler Saddam Hussein had largely neglected. Since then, foreign carriers such as Gulf Air have moved in, ferrying planeloads of pilgrims to Najaf, home to some of Shiite Islam's holiest sites. That provides work for locals, including thousands of taxi drivers outfitted with brand new Chevrolet Aveo yellow cabs financed by the provincial government. The boosted visitor numbers have fueled a wave of new building projects in the city. ''The airport changed the landscape of the place,'' said Nouri Jawad, general manager of Qasr al-Dur, a four-star hotel in the city center. The airport, which was converted from a military air base, is noteworthy for its normality. Unlike Baghdad's dated and foreboding departure hall, the compact terminal here is light and airy, evoking the optimism of the booming holy city it serves. Well-heeled visitors from the Persian Gulf dressed in white robes and black abayas stream across the terminal's polished stone floor. A new ATM -- a rare sight in Iraq -- awaits travelers. The dispute, however, has left unclear who exactly is in charge. Najaf's provincial council seized control of the facility last month. It accuses Kuwaiti contractor Aqeeq Aviation of investing only a fraction of the $50 million promised for the airport, forcing the government to pay for some terminal fixtures and leaving the airstrip without adequate navigation and landing equipment. Aqeeq, a division of Kuwaiti investment company al-Aqeelah, in turn blames the Najaf authorities. It says it pumped millions into the airport, though it does not claim it paid the full amount. That, it argues, is because local authorities broke the contract at several key points, including failing to turn over administration of most of the airport, such as the new passenger terminal. Najah al-Balaghi, an Aqeeq executive who continues to list his title as CEO and managing director of the airport, blames the problems on Najaf officials' inexperience working with the private sector and what he calls their ''lack of basic knowledge about policies and law.'' He said that if Najaf officials believe Aqeeq violated its contract, they should take the matter to court. Instead, they blocked access to the company's local bank account before taking over operations last month. Political posturing between Iraq's Shiite-dominated parties also plays a role ahead of parliamentary elections on March 7. Al-Balaghi said his company was caught in the middle when control of the Najaf council shifted to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's party in local polls a year ago and tussling over the airport heated up. ''Both parties in Najaf are utilizing Aqeeq's achievements in the airport and attributing it to their party ... to win more seats,'' al-Balaghi said. Enticing foreign investors such as Aqeeq to bet on Iraq's future has taken on increased urgency as security improves and U.S. troops pull out of the country. Iraqi and American officials see foreign investment as vital for rebuilding the country's tattered infrastructure and providing jobs that provide an alternative to violent extremism. But foreign companies have been slow to arrive in Iraq, which is still plagued by violence that authorities fear could increase as American forces speed their withdrawal after the March elections. German automaker Daimler opened an office in Baghdad last year, and Lufthansa is planning to resume direct flights from Europe after a 20-year hiatus. Agriculture equipment maker CNH Global has started assembling tractors south of Baghdad. Iraqi leaders are pushing for more companies to take the plunge. In October, al-Maliki headed a large delegation to Washington to tout Iraq's potential as an investment destination. For the most part, though, big corporations are keeping their distance or dipping into the Iraqi market via local distributors for now. Even the country's vast oil reserves initially struggled to garner enthusiasm, with Western oil giants balking at the terms of offer for developing some of the fields. Security is not the only concern. The economy under Saddam was tightly controlled by the state, limiting Iraqi officials' experience with the hard-nosed realities of free-market capitalism. Legal reforms have not kept up with the need for investment. ''I can't say the entire problem is caused by Aqeeq,'' Fayed al-Shemri, the head of the Najaf provincial council, acknowledged when asked who was responsible for the dispute over the airport. ''It's (also) a problem of old laws dating back to the former regime.'' A lack of adequate checks and balances to protect both investors and the local population is often a problem in countries racked by conflict, said Robin Hodess, director of policy and research at Transparency International. She said Iraq still suffers from rampant bribery and nepotism, and a shaky regulatory framework. The anti-corruption watchdog ranks Iraq alongside Sudan near the bottom of its corruption perceptions index, an annual survey of perceived levels of graft. Only Myanmar, Afghanistan and Somalia received lower scores. Aqeeq's parent company is still deciding whether to fight for its rights at the airport or simply walk away, al-Balaghi said. Either way, he advises caution over putting money into Iraq for now. ''There is huge potential but an ambiguous regulatory and legal framework,'' he said. ''What happened to Aqeeq is likely to happen to any other private potential investor.'' ------ Associated Press Writer Sameer N. Yacoub contributed to this report.

Document of honor signed in Basra to ensure integrity of election February 14, 2010 - 09:05:16 BASRA / Aswat al-Iraq: Nearly 22 political alliances and blocs in Basra have signed a document of honor to guarantee the integrity of the upcoming parliamentary election.

I think you should read Barbs post several times so that it sinks in

can't get in chat, try clearing your cache and cookies, reboot and you should be fine

its in off topics where it belongs! I am closing this thread, thank you

Just take a break, come back fresh

sounds like a great program, please post it for all the members

I don't know who you think you are, but we have moderators like myself that will handle the postings. If you don't like what some members say, don't read it its that simple

What makes you the new resident expert? I hate it when people try to belittle others ... you may be right, but you may also be wrong.

If any of you use the same password here that you use on other sites, you may want to use a unique one on each site. DV servers are 100% secure, but we can not say that about other places you visit. This is strictly a precationary move by DV to make sure our members are safe and secure. Thanks

Welcome, enjoy yourself

'POWS, property prerequisites to Iraq Chapter VII lift' Thanke you for rating! Rate Article Thu, 11 Feb 2010 KUWAIT: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged Kuwait and Iraq to redouble their efforts to make progress on the issue of missing Kuwaiti POWs and stolen Kuwaiti property. According to the secretary general, such progress will help Iraq exit the UN Chapter VII listing. In his report to the UN Security Council, Ban said that there has not been further progress in these two issues. However, the secretary general welcomed a decision by the Kuwaiti Cabinet to donate a sum of 974,000 US dollars to assist Iraq's Human Rights Ministry in its efforts to uncover mass graves and identify Kuwaiti POWs, noting that normal relations between Iraq and the rest of the world remain a key goal. He urged regional cooperation and non-interference to achieve stability. Ban equally called upon Iraq to demonstrate more cooperation with its neighbors regarding issues of mutual interest, including commerce, energy and border security, as well as refugees.