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Congress: Pompeo agreed to testify about politics toward Iraq and Iran


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Congress: Pompeo agreed to testify about politics toward Iraq and Iran

12:15 - 01/29/2020
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Information / Baghdad ..
A committee in the Democratic-controlled US House of Representatives announced that it had reached an agreement with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to testify in a public session regarding US policy toward Iraq and Iran, after threatening to summon him because of his previous refusal to appear before the committee.
Representative Elliot Engel, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he had spoken to Pompeo on Tuesday, and that the minister had agreed to attend a separate session of the committee's annual budget session.
Engel added in a statement that he would announce the date of the session soon.
Members of Congress, including Republicans, are pressing the administration of President Donald Trump to provide more information about the killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in a strike by a US plane marching in Iraq this month.
The Foreign Affairs Committee had previously tried to set a date for at least two sessions with Pompeo, one of which was scheduled for Wednesday, January 29, but the minister refused to attend. Ended / 25

https://www.almaalomah.com/2020/01/29/452683/

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US lawmakers pass legislation to restrict the use of military force against Iran

US lawmakers pass legislation to restrict the use of military force against Iran

 

 January 30, 2020 11:20 PM

 

 

Direct: The US House of Representatives voted to block funding for any use of offensive military force in or against Iran without congressional approval.

The measure was one of two bills discussed in the House of Representatives ruled by Democrats on Thursday aimed at restricting the ability of US President Donald Trump to wage war against Tehran with a population of 82 million.

Relations between the United States and Iran were severely strained recently after the US strike against General Qassem Soleimani earlier this month, prompting the Iranians to respond with missile attacks on American forces in Iraq.

Worried about getting involved in a new conflict in the Middle East, Democrats have sought to demand that Trump seek permission from Congress to use military force in the future.

The second measure that will be discussed later in the day will overturn the 2002 decision that allowed the use of military force against Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, and since then it has been used as an argument by successive presidents who have launched attacks against new enemies.

https://www.mubasher.info/news/3585544/النواب-الأمريكي-يقر-تشريعا-لتقييد-استخدام-القوة-العسكرية-ضد-إيران/

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Pentagon seeks Iraqi permission to deploy missile defences

The US request for permission to put Patriot missile systems at Iraqi bases hosting US troops comes after Iran attacks.

5 hours ago

 

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaking during a press briefing in the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, US [Yuri Gripas/Reuters]
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaking during a press briefing in the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, US [Yuri Gripas/Reuters]

The United States has asked Iraq for permission to put Patriot missile systems at bases hosting US troops to improve defences against attacks like the January 8 Iranian missile attack that caused brain injuries to more than 50 US troops, Pentagon officials said Thursday.

"That is one of the matters we have to work on and work through" with the Baghdad government, Defense Secretary Mark Esper told a Pentagon news conference. He and Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made clear that they want Patriots in Iraq as part of an effort to improve the protection of US forces there.

 

The Iran attacks came after the US killed top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in Iraq less than a week earlier.

The commander responsible for US forces in Iraq "feels he needs" the Patriot defences, Esper said, and "we support the commander." He did not say what reasons the Iraqi government may have given for not approving the US request thus far. 

Iraqi officials did not immediately comment. 

The US has about 5,000 troops in Iraq to train and advise Iraqi security forces in their fight against armed groups like ISIL (ISIS). The relationship is especially rocky in the aftermath of the US killing of Soleimani.

The Iraqi government has indicated it could expel all foreign forces, although it has not yet taken action against the US presence.

There were no Patriots or other air defences in Iraq capable of shooting down ballistic missiles at the time of the Iranian attack that hit Ain al-Assad airbase in western Iraq. Milley said the missiles were armed with 1,000-pound and 2,000-pound high-explosive warheads.

US troops
US soldiers and journalists inspect the rubble at a site of Iranian bombing, in Ain al-Assad airbase, Anbar, Iraq [Qassim Abdul-Zahra/AP Photo] 

Milley said that in addition to securing Iraqi government permission, the US military needs to work through mechanical and logistical issues to move a Patriot battalion to Iraq. There was not already one there because US commanders judged that Iraq was a less-likely target for an Iranian ballistic missile attack than other Gulf countries.

Asked whether the Iranian missiles could have been shot down before reaching their target if Patriots had been deployed at Ain al-Assad, Milley said, "That's what they're designed to do. Can't say for certain, obviously" that they would have succeeded.

Esper defence Trump over brain injury comments

During Thursday's news conference, Esper also sought to defend US President Donald Trump's response to US troops being diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries.

Last week, Trump appeared to play down the injuries, saying he "heard that they had headaches and a couple of other things," prompting criticism from legislators and a US veterans group.

"I've had the chance to speak with the president; he is very concerned about the health and welfare of all of our service members, particularly those who were involved in the operations in Iraq, and he understands the nature of these injuries," Esper said.

Milley said that the service members suffering from traumatic brain injuries had been diagnosed with mild cases. He added that the diagnosis could change as time went on.

U.S. Soldiers stand at a site of Iranian bombing at Ain al-Asad air base in Anbar, Iraq, Monday, Jan. 13, 2020. Ain al-Asad air base was struck by a barrage of Iranian missiles on Wednesday, in retali
US soldiers stand at a site of Iranian bombing at Ain al-Assad airbase in Anbar, Iraq [Qassim Abdul-Zahra/AP Photo] 

Pentagon officials have said there had been no effort to minimise or delay information on concussive injuries, but its handling of the injuries following Tehran's attack has renewed questions over the US military's policy regarding how it deals with suspected brain injuries.

Since 2000, about 408,000 service members have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, according to Pentagon data.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/pentagon-seeks-iraqi-permission-deploy-missile-defences-200130201848134.html

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American forces are carrying out new expansion operations at Ain al-Assad base in Anbar

16:34 - 02/02/2020
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Information / Anbar ..

A security source in Anbar province revealed, on Sunday, that the American forces have made new expansion operations at Ain Al-Asad air base west of Anbar.

The source said, in a statement to the Information Agency, that "the American forces have started expansion operations for the area of Ain Al-Asad Air Base in Al-Baghdadi district, Hit District, west of Anbar, to include new areas near the base building."

He added, "The American forces are carrying out expansion operations to cover the area of the base building in which these forces are stationed, and to place various barbed wire and security fortifications, while setting warning signs that prevent any security authority from approaching it."

He continued, "The Iraqi security forces stationed inside the base do not have any information about the expansion operations and movements inside the base building, because the movement of the American forces is linked to the details of the Office of the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces." End / 12A

https://www.almaalomah.com/2020/02/02/453508/

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McGurk: Muhammad Allawi is a strong choice and deserves full and early support

 

Former US envoy to the international coalition against "ISIS" Brett McGurk confirmed that Muhammad Allawi is a strong choice for the post of Iraqi Prime Minister, indicating that he deserves full and early American support.

 
"Muhammad Allawi is a strong choice for a position of Iraqi prime minister, but he will face the same challenges in light of the formation of the Iraqi parliament after the 2018 elections," McGurk said in a tweet on Twitter.

"Let us hope that he can implement the reforms while directing Iraq towards new elections under the supervision of the United Nations. He deserves full and early American support," he said.
 
 
Allawi had announced earlier Saturday that the President of the Republic had entrusted him with the position of Prime Minister of the transitional government officially.
 

Mohammed Allawi is a strong choice for PM of Iraq but will face the same challenges given the makeup of Iraqi parliament after 2018 elections. Let's hope he can execute reforms while also steering Iraq towards new UN-monitored elections. He deserves full and early US support.

 
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Deputy: Mackenzie asked the three presidencies to approve the Patriot deployment

14:10 - 05/02/2020
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The information / Baghdad ..

The deputy of the Al-Fateh Alliance Hamid al-Moussawi revealed on Wednesday the contents of the visit of the commander of the US Army Central Command, General Kenneth Mackenzie, to the three presidencies yesterday, while he indicated that Mackenzie submitted a request to the three presidencies to deploy the Patriots in the American bases.

Moussaoui said in a televised statement, followed by (the information), that we have received certain information that a request was made by the commander of the US forces during his visit to the three presidencies, that there be a Patriot anti-ballistic missile system on Iraqi soil to protect American bases from ballistic missiles ”

He added, "This is a dangerous indication that the coming days will be Iraq an arena for conflict, especially if America repeats its folly as it did the folly of targeting the leaders of the victory."

Moussawi explained, "The danger of the Patriot missiles is that they intercept ballistic missiles in the sky and fall off another direction. They may hit cities, military forces, or civilians, and thus this is considered a serious issue." Ended / 25

https://www.almaalomah.com/2020/02/05/454095/

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Al-Maliki: The Assassination of Engineer and Suleimani is a stark example of American despotic behavior

13:38 - 02/05/2020
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Information / Baghdad ..
The head of the State of Law coalition Nuri al-Maliki considered, on Wednesday, that the assassination of the deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Committee, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and the commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Qassem Soleimani, was a blatant example of the despotic and tyrannical behavior.
Al-Maliki said in an article that he had seen / information /, “The recent crimes that killed two of the best Mujahideen of the nation and its field leaders: the martyr Abu Mahdi, the engineer, the martyr Qasim Soleimani, and a group of Mujahideen of the Popular Mobilization in the city of Al-Qa’im and others represent a striking example of the tyrannical and tyrannical behavior that extends Through time. ”
Al-Maliki added, “These cumulative practices are dangerous for the United States government against IraqHis people, political forces, resistance, and guests; torpedo their allegations once again by preaching democracy, freedom, respect for human rights and the will of peoples; because by their practices, they violated the most basic principles of international law. ”
He continued, “We have repeatedly warned of the dangerous conditions in Iraq and the region, because of the violations and tampering with the security forces of hegemony in the security of Iraq and the region, which led to the world’s chaos, failure, internal warfare and paralysis in many of the state’s joints. Their goal is to return to the occupation project that we have failed as Islamic national forces, through focused political resistance, for sixteen years of the foreign military presence on the land of Iraq , stressing that “we will remain on the lookout for everyone who tries to tamper with the identity , independence, sovereignty and capabilities of Iraq .” Ended / 25

https://www.almaalomah.com/2020/02/05/454090/

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Washington warns of demonstrations in Baghdad and Najaf

Washington warns of demonstrations in Baghdad and Najaf

 

Policy

2020-02-10 | 07:13

 

On Monday, the US embassy in Baghdad issued a warning about demonstrations that may be launched in Baghdad and Najaf, while calling on American citizens not to approach the embassy in the capital.

In a statement, Alsumaria News received a copy of it, the embassy said, "According to reports, large-scale demonstrations, events and processions are expected to take place in Baghdad from 11 to 13 February, as well as in Najaf on 14 February."

 

She added that "the general consular operations in Baghdad are still pending," calling on "American citizens not to approach the embassy."

 

She stressed that "the US Consulate General in Erbil is open for visas and appointments for the services of the American citizen, including the issuance of a passport."

https://www.alsumaria.tv/news/سياسة/334080/واشنطن-تنبه-عن-تظاهرات-في-بغداد-والنجف

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Foreign employment in Iraq is one of the causes of the hard currency drain

 

Foreign employment in Iraq is one of the causes of the hard currency drain

Localities

2020-02-10 | 06:05

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A political source said that foreign labor in Iraq is one of the reasons for the depletion of hard currency, noting that there is an aspect of financial corruption in the recruitment process.

The source said that "the chaos of foreign labor in Iraq through random recruitment is one of the reasons for depleting hard currency and transferring it abroad", indicating that "owners of companies and factories have become preferring the Asian foreign worker over the local as it is less expensive."

 

The source added that "there is an aspect of financial corruption in the recruitment process, as well as a lack of commitment to employment laws that impose that the largest percentage of labor be in any project for local employment, which is not currently available, especially in oil and energy companies as well as infrastructure companies." .

 

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs revealed earlier the number of foreign workers in Iraq, and said in a statement that "the number of foreign workers working in foreign companies operating in Iraq exceeds 750 thousand workers, contrary to what the International Labor Organization stated in previous reports." However, it did not specify the size of the increase.

https://www.alsumaria.tv/news/محليات/334075/العمالة-الاجنبية-بالعراق-احد-اسباب-استنزاف-العملة

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10-02-2020 02:10 PM

The FBS diagnoses corruption deals that were made during the appointments accompanying the demonstrations

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Baghdad / news

An Iraqi official said today, Monday, that since the start of the wave of popular protests on the first of last October, the government announced hundreds of jobs in a number of ministries, but the method of distributing these positions was not in accordance with legal contexts.

He added, in a statement to an Arabic site, that "the ministers and general managers have worked to pass many deals during that period, especially with weak oversight, and direct attention to the protest movement and its repercussions."

The official, who declined to be identified, continued, "These violations are diagnosed by the Financial Supervision Bureau, and special reports will be issued, but more importantly, there will be accountability for the officials responsible for these violations, which have fueled the protests increasingly, although the aim of these appointments is to calm the demonstrations." And reassure the Iraqi street. "

 

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