Al-Kazemi Responds To Iran's Provocations With The Battle Of The Land Ports !

[DinarThug]

CNN. Broadcasting While Sounding The Iraqi Battle Horn Kazoos - Which Is Sure To Strike Epically Paralyzing Fear Into ‘The Shiite For Brains’ Iranians !
 

 

Al-Kazemi responds to Iran's provocations with the Battle of the Land Ports

- 4 Hours Ago

 

 

BAGHDAD - Baghdad responded strongly Saturday to indications indicating Tehran's intention to stimulate hostile security activities inside Iraq, when the Armed Forces Command in Basra, in the south, announced direct drilling of a trench in the vicinity of a border port to cut off drug and arms smuggling from Iran.

Pictures showed mechanisms operating under the guard of Iraqi army soldiers to cut off irregular dirt roads used by smugglers linked to armed militias, to introduce drugs and weapons from Iran to Iraq and transfer the US dollar from Iraq to Iran.

And the sale of Iranian drugs in Iraq generates big profits, after this country turned from a mere passage of this substance to other countries, to a consumer.

Iran depends on selling drugs in the southern Iraqi cities, exchanging the return for the American currency, then returning it from the borders.

Iran also provides weapons to its militias and sells to all clans and those willing to possess all the weapons and ammunition they need.

Most of this material is introduced through dirt roads near the Shalamcheh border crossing between Iraq and Iran in Basra Governorate.

Military sources said that the Iraqi army forces received direct instructions from Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi to stop smuggling operations between Iran and Iraq urgently, confirming that the Basra Operations Command has started since Saturday morning the establishment of a trench protected by an earthen shield that runs along the flat area near the Shalamcheh port, where it was built Militias are dirt roads.

This development comes after the Iraqi authorities announced hostile security activities - believed to be carried out by pro-Iranian groups in Baghdad and southern cities - targeting American interests.

It also came a few days after Al-Kazemi ended a visit to Tehran, which was surrounded by widespread controversy, and leaked from her that the Iraqi Prime Minister rejected an Iranian request to facilitate Tehran's acquisition of the US dollar.

The Iraqi and Iranian governments are reluctant to disclose the nature of the relationship between the two countries now, and whether they are really tense, against the background of the failure of Al-Kazimi's visit to Tehran.

Al-Kazemi’s directives did not stop at the level of stopping the smuggling of drugs and weapons from Iran to Iraq through the Shalamcheh outlet. Rather, it extended to include 13 other outlets, the most prominent of which is with Iran, including one with Saudi Arabia that was not opened mainly.

The Joint Operations Command, which is the highest military formation in Iraq, said that Al-Kazemi issued directives to “seize all border crossings, enforce the law in them, combat abuses and corruption and waste public money,” announcing its initiation of “allocating security forces to all outlets and the size of the assigned security force according to the nature of each Outlet, where protection responsibility has been defined for all outlets on the Iraqi army’s parts. ”

The leadership indicated that the forces empowered to protect the port and the customs sanctuary are “empowered with all legal powers to hold accountable any violation and from whomever it was.”

Sources say that this type of measure directly affects militia activity linked to Iran within Iraqi territory.

The government's actions reveal a clear plan to tighten control of the road linking Iran and Syria, via Iraq.

And if Iran uses its ports with Iraq in Basra and Diyala to introduce weapons, then it uses Anbar outlets to transfer weapons from Syria to Iraq.

These measures may provide a picture to answer the question that arises in multiple circles regarding the nature of the relationship between the Kazemi government and Iran.

But Al-Kazemi, according to observers, does not want to enter into an all-out war with Iran's arms in Iraq, which is besieged by the stifling economic and health crises.

Therefore, Al-Kazemi moves slowly and chooses files that do not raise media hustle, with the aim of strengthening the state’s influence versus that of the militias.

Observers say that without the support of the international community, Al-Kazemi may find himself powerless to cope with the tremendous momentum that Iran can manufacture in Iraq, through forces that view the country and its organs lightly.

The Arabs

LINK

[DinarThug]

LINK

Al-Kazemi makes sweeping military changes in Baghdad’s security to make important decisions

 

 

10:17 - 07/26/2020

Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed newspaper revealed, on Sunday, that the Prime Minister transferred security leaders from Baghdad and the use of other security leaders, stating that the military changes are previous steps to take decisive decisions.

"The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kazimi, intends to make changes in the military forces that take over the security file in the capital, Baghdad, in a step that will be the first of its kind since 2011, due to the apparent security retreat in the capital," the newspaper said in a report seen by the information. Iraq, and the increase in violence, including assassinations, kidnappings and armed attacks.

Sources told the newspaper that "the changes will be made gradually over the next few days, as part of a plan for the prime minister to enhance the security of the capital." And the decline in security in the capital, in particular, poses great risks that may affect the entire political process, which requires taking decisive decisions that exceed the limits of compliments and yielding to pressure from some quarters.

The newspaper quoted a senior government official as saying, "The first changes will take place through the transfer of military and field leaders in Baghdad to other joints of the Ministry of Defense, and the recruitment of leaders and field officers from the combat forces who have fought battles against ISIS in recent years," noting Until "the 54th Brigade of the Iraqi Army that grabs the land in Baghdad, it will be changed, and a brigade or two of the Army may be replaced by the forces that fought Anbar and Nineveh battles from ISIS." He emphasized that in the next few days, a plan to strengthen the security of the capital will be launched, according to a study by some security leaders to confront the dangers of outlaw groups. 

[DinarThug]

The former Minister of Defense: Abdul Mahdi’s government considered implementing 7 landing planes on the Turkish restaurant and retreated for a technical reason

 

security 2020/07/25 20:24 628     
Baghdad today - Baghdad 

 

The former Minister of Defense Najah Al-Shammari revealed that the previous government considered conducting an airdrop to the Turkish restaurant during the demonstrations, while pointing out that one of those involved in killing the demonstrators insisted on implementing the decision despite its cancellation, which would have caused great strife.

Al-Shammari said in a televised interview that I followed (Baghdad today) that "the file of killing the demonstrators was referred to the Iraqi judiciary, which is a fair and professional judiciary. It included the names involved through the governmental committee headed by the Minister of Planning.

He added that "a number of those involved and minors were imprisoned, the killers of the demonstrators are known, and the third party killed the demonstrators, the army and employees of the Ministry of Interior, and he is not from the security forces or a government agency." 

He pointed out that "things happened during the period when Abdul-Mahdi assumed power that he was not aware of, and I hope that the current Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, does not allow the same mistakes to be repeated. I clearly say that there are security departments that must finish their work because they dispersed the security situation." 

Demonstrations 

Al-Shammari revealed an extremely dangerous event during the demonstrations by saying, "During the demonstrations, the government crisis cell met and talked about implementing a landing operation on the Turkish restaurant. During my presence, I spoke with former Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and told him that any plane that goes to the Turkish restaurant will fall because it will lose balance in us and it is possible If you kill 500-600 protesters, things will get more complicated and the idea will be canceled. "

He continued, "2 hours after midnight, a call came to me from the commander of the army aviation, the first team, Hamid Attia, to implement an airdrop of 7 planes on the Turkish restaurant and Tahrir Square. I called the President of the Republic, Barham Salih, and he said the matter was delayed, meaning it was canceled. "

He revealed, "On the second day we attended a meeting with Abdel-Mahdi and told him what happened and that 'so and so' while he was present at the meeting, he issued the order based on a notification from you and the Prime Minister denied that he informed him of anything."

He stressed that "this person is supposed to be referred for investigation and stripped of all positions and he is one of those involved in the killing of the demonstrators and is still taking office", pointing out that "there is a defect in the armed forces and not in the security decision and on the date of September 18, 2019 the joint operations command was formed and a number of Official formations, including the army and combat units in the interior, without consulting us. "

He added, "The Minister of Defense is a political position and is responsible for strategic security. As for the issues of the movements' movement movements, they are linked to the leadership of joint operations and intelligence." 

And he saw that "Al-Kazemi is a professional security man and he is aware of the course of things and I think he has solutions and the current situation will not continue." 

In the beginning of October last year, demonstrations and protests broke out in the capital, Baghdad, and a number of central and southern governorates, which were renewed on the twenty-fifth of the same month, calling for ministerial and constitutional reforms, amendment of the electoral law, and early elections under international supervision. 

Since the first day, the protests were interrupted by clashes and clashes, which resulted in thousands of injuries and hundreds of deaths, including demonstrators and security forces. 

On May 9, the Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kazimi, called for the protection of peaceful protesters and the non-tolerance of kidnappings and the prosecution of those involved in them. 

"The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, during the consultative meeting of the Ministerial Council for National Security, ordered the release of detainees from the demonstrators in coordination with the judiciary except those involved in Iraqi blood," Al-Kazemi's media office said in a statement. 

The Prime Minister stressed, according to the statement, "the lack of tolerance of kidnapping crimes and the prosecution of the perpetrators and bringing them to justice."

He pointed to the need to "protect peaceful demonstrators and prevent violence in all its forms."

LINK

[DinarThug]

Parliamentary Committee: The Ministry of Finance is not responding to us, and we will host Allawi this week

2020-07-26 | 01:12
 

The Parliamentary Finance Committee set this week a date to host the Minister of Finance Ali Abdul Amir Allawi to discuss the reasons for delaying the distribution of salaries of employees and retirees and not to send the 2020 budget, accusing the Ministry of Finance of not responding to the committee to discuss many financial files.

"The committee is trying to open channels of communication with the Ministry of Finance, but the latter is not serious about cooperation," the committee’s rapporteur, Ahmed Al-Saffar, said in a statement to government media.

He added, "The committee decided this week to host the Minister of Finance, the Undersecretary of the Ministry, and the Director General of the Accounting Department at the Ministry and through the television department to discuss and discuss the reasons for delaying the distribution of salaries of employees and retirees and not to send a budget in 2020, as well as discussing the salaries of crazy lecturers, contracts, and other outstanding financial files."
He continued, "In the event that the Finance Minister does not attend the meeting, the committee will remain determined to hold it after the blessed Eid Al-Adha to take decisions on these files."

The Ministry of Finance had confirmed in a statement issued last Thursday that Finance Minister Ali Abdul Amir Allawi directed the Accounting Department to pay the salaries of employees and retirees at the beginning of this week.

LINK

[DinarThug]

LINK

Parliamentary Integrity: Half of the political class will be extinct by applying the penal code

 

 

19:07 - 07/25/2020

Parliamentary Integrity Committee confirmed, on Saturday, that more than half of the political class in Iraq will disappear if the Iraqi Penal Code is applied and deactivated bills are done in the Council.

Member of the Integrity Committee, MP Jawad Hamdan, told / "Information" that "there are bills that were blocked by the political blocs in the parliament regarding amendments to the penal laws that do not serve their interests."

He added that "the next stage requires the application of the penal code, the adoption of discontinued amendments in the House of Representatives, and the work of the judiciary away from political interference."

He explained that "by ensuring the implementation of the Iraqi Penal Code, more than half of the current political class who have indicators of corruption and accused of stealing public money and protecting the corrupt will disappear." 

[DinarThug]

10 hours ago, DinarThug said:

Parliament Speaker: The upcoming sessions will be filled with many laws

 

10:05 - 07/25/2020

 

Hussain Al-Yasari, head of the Parliamentary Endowments and Religious Affairs Committee, confirmed on Saturday that the parliament’s sessions will be replete with many laws.

Al-Yasari said in a statement to “Al-Maalouma”, that “there are parliamentary demands that sessions should be resumed in defiance of Corona Virus in order to pass the important laws.”

He added that "the resumption of the sessions will be replete with many laws, and among those laws that the Council seeks to pass is the electoral law schedule, in addition to laws in direct contact with citizens."

He pointed out that "there are other laws submitted by the parliamentary committees to the presidency of the Council the need to include them on the agenda of the upcoming sessions," noting that "there are laws that were enacted in previous sessions that need to be modified since they have wronged large segments of the Iraqi people."

 

LINK

The Iraqi parliament resumes holding its sessions after the Eid to raise several files

 

25th July, 2020
 

The "Al-Fath" parliamentary bloc led by Secretary-General of the Badr Organization Hadi al-Amiri revealed, on Saturday, a political agreement to resume the sessions of the parliament after Eid al-Adha.

The deputy from Al-Fath Fadel Al-Fatlawi told Shafaq News that "there is an agreement between the political blocs and the Presidency of the House of Representatives to resume parliament sessions after Eid Al-Adha to discuss the Corona pandemic file and a number of important laws, most notably the election law."

He added that "Parliament will also discuss in its sessions that will be held after the Eid several files, the most prominent of which are energy and its implications, the renewal of licenses for mobile phone companies and the violation of American and Turkish forces to Iraqi sovereignty."

Since the outbreak of the appearance of Corona in the month if the past and the injury of a number of members, and the staff of the House of Representatives, and the death of Parliamentary Ghida Kambash as a result of the pandemic, the Council avoided holding the sessions despite calls for their resumption.

[DinarThug]

LINK

Newspaper: Determine Who Killed Hisham Al-Hashemi Will Blow Up The Situation In Iraq

 

26th July, 2020

The Washington Post reported that determining who killed the security expert, Hisham al-Hashemi, would set off the political situation in the country.

The newspaper said that "the assassination of al-Hashemi caused a shock to the Iraqi government," noting that "many of the advisers to the Iraqi prime minister were surprised by the assassination of al-Hashemi, who is close to Mustafa al-Kazemi, given that the violence could reach a degree close to those around the prime minister." 

"While investigations are under way to arrest the killers, al-Kazemi's aides and political allies say determining who gave the orders to assassinate al-Hashemi could seriously blow up the political situation in the country,"she added.

And the newspaper quotes one of Al-Kazemi’s advisers as saying that “the prime minister wants justice, but his hands are tied.” "Opening a full investigation into the reason for this happening is simply very dangerous," added the consultant, who spoke on condition of anonymity to the American newspaper because of the sensitivity of the issue.

And the newspaper continues that "political assistants to Al-Kazemi began to wonder out loud, which of us will be the next? At a time when many of them disappeared from appearing on TV and others left Baghdad, who are already abroad, they said they will not return for a while."

The American newspaper confirms that "political aides to Al-Kazemi and human rights monitors are skeptical about what the investigations can achieve in Al-Hashemi's death." Several of al-Kazimi's political allies said they "expect that the matter will be limited to a criminal trial for the gunman who carried out the assassination, without indicating who gave the orders and their motives," according to the newspaper.

################

US report: The results of the investigation into the assassination of Hashemi will explode the situation in Iraq    LINK

[horsesoldier]

Maliki is somewhere in this mix.

[DinarThug]

Zebari: The absence of the Arab presence in Iraq has left two countries in control of its fate ... the time is not too late

 

Policy 7/26/2020 18:06 1464     
Baghdad today - follow up  
 

The leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Hoshyar Zebari, said today, Sunday, that the absence of the Arab presence in Iraq made Turkey and Iran control the fate of the country, while stressing that Mustafa Al-Kazemi’s government has an opportunity to make real reforms that stop loss, waste, corruption and foreign interference in the country. 

Hoshyar Zebari said, in a televised interview I followed (Baghdad today), that "Iraq was three brigades, Baghdad, Basra, Mosul, and Turkey says that the state of Mosul, which consisted of Dohuk, Erbil, Sulaimaniya, Kirkuk, Nineveh and even Khanaqin, is affiliated with it, and it has a case brought before the international community." .

Zebari added that "Turkish talk about the mandate of Mosul in the past was a taboo for Turkish officials, but now they speak to him at the highest levels, and did not hide their ambitions, which we consider a major threat to the Iraqi state."

He continued, "Iran has security concerns from Iraq because of previous conflicts and wars and has economic ambitions." He pointed out that "historically, whatever the differences between Turkey and Iran, religious, sectarian and political, are present, strong economic interests remain who bring the two parties together, so they have no problem in understanding and cooperation, especially With regard to what they call the Kurdish threat because they consider it a threat to their national security. " 

And on the Turkish intervention in northern Iraq, Zebari said: "It is the duty of the Iraqi government to have a louder voice in the face of the Turkish expansion," noting that "the Arab countries made a mistake in not embracing Iraq after the disappearance of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003 and this put Iraq under regional influence such as Iran and Turkey." 

He pointed out that "the Arab absence allowed the Turkish and Iranian expansion, and made Turkey go with Iraq, Syria and even Libya," noting that "the absence of the Arab presence in Iraq made Turkey and Iran control the fate of the country."

The leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party stressed that "the Arab countries lack the foundations of political and security presence in Iraq, but it is not too late and there is a possibility to find fertile ground for cooperation through cooperation with Mustafa Al-Kazemi's government and the stability of Iraq is stability for the Arab Gulf states and an international need." 

Hoshyar Zebari said, "Mustafa Al-Kazemi's government has an opportunity to carry out reforms of the portfolio that stops loss, waste, corruption and foreign interference in the country."

LINK

[DinarThug]

LINK

Al-Mutlaq rules out early elections and confirms: Sunnis will remain supportive of Al-Kazemi

 

 

7/26/2020 23:41:51

 

The head of the National Dialogue Front, Saleh al-Mutlaq, ruled out early elections, while confirming the continued support of Sunnis to Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kazemi.

 

Al-Mutlaq said in a press statement, "It is difficult to hold early elections because of the proliferation of armed groups and lawlessness, and the possibility of voters being threatened and consequently their reluctance to participate, and this is what happened in the previous elections."

Al-Mutlaq al-Kazimi called for "satisfying the demonstrators in the street before taking into account the interests of the parliamentary political blocs, by fulfilling what he promised, including holding the demonstrators' killers accountable, uncovering the fate of the disappeared, limiting the uncontrolled weapon, and returning the families of the displaced to their liberated areas after their construction, especially since any step in These files were not implemented on the ground." He added, "The Sunni component did not grant any position in the security institutions that were granted to a specific component or an opportunity to contribute to the state's economic policy."

Al-Mutlaq believes that "Al-Kazemi relied on granting important positions on the size of the parliamentary blocs, and the figures that have the support of some influential people," stressing that the Sunnis "will remain supportive of Al-Kazemi."

 

Edited July 27, 2020 by DinarThug

[Donziman]

Horsesoldier, you are so right on the money. Maliki is still doing Iran's work.

Always has always will...

[DinarThug]

On 7/25/2020 at 4:55 PM, DinarThug said:

A source close to the prime minister sets the date of his visit to Washington .. and analysts: Karisma Al-Kazemi leads the dialogue with "Iraq, the state", not "Iraq the square"

 

 

7/25/2020 9:39:25 AM  

 

 

Baghdad / Obelisk: A source close to Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi told Al-Masala, Saturday, July 25, 2020 that Al-Kazemi’s visit to Washington will most likely be at the end of July or during the month of August, confirming that The deadline has not yet been set, while analyzes indicate that Karisma Mustafa al-Kazemi will lead the discussions to a dialogue with "Iraq, the state," not "Iraq, the square."
Sources indicate that Al-Kazemi will address in his meetings with the White House the relations between the two countries, while the issue of completing the strategic dialogue will have priority in the visit program, which will be at the head of a high-level ministerial delegation that will also discuss with US officials, supporting Iraq to get out of the financial crisis. As well as security, political and economic files.

And the second round of the Iraqi-American negotiations is still continuing, after its first round, which started on the eleventh of this month.

The White House is preparing to receive Al-Kazemi, after he expressed reluctance to receive the former Prime Minister, Adel Abdul-Mahdi.

The joint statement between the two countries, after the first session of the dialogue, had adopted a number of understandings, including reducing the number of American forces in Iraq. 

According to analyzes heard by the obelisk, that the meeting of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi with the American President, Donald Trump, is a major turning point in regaining confidence in the relations between the two countries, where indications of Al-Kazemi’s policies indicate that he will seek to establish a balanced and balanced relationship away from interference in the affairs of Internal Iraq, and that Iraq should not be a battleground for regional conflict, noting that Al-Kazimi seeks to understand the White House, that the view on Iraq must be based on the position of it as "Iraq is the state" not "Iraq the square."

LINK

 

LINK

Deputy: Al-Kazemi supports the survival of the American forces and the dialogue with Washington is formal


 

19:52 - 26/07/2020

On Sunday, the independent deputy, Basem Al-Khashan, revealed the approval and support of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi for the American combat forces to remain inside Iraq. 
 

Al-Khashan said in a statement to "Al-Maalouma", that "Al-Kazemi, along with the orientation of the American forces, remains supportive and agrees to extend its stay in Iraq"  noting that "the strategic dialogue between Washington and Baghdad is formal and will not touch on the schedule of the withdrawal of American forces in the country."

He added that "the goal of the dialogue is the most prominent role of Al-Kazemi via the media only and not on the ground, as Al-Kazemi is still standing in his place without achieving progress in any step towards preserving sovereignty." In the post of prime minister.”

Yesterday, Saturday, the deputy for Al-Fath Alliance, Muhammad Karim, affirmed that the United States of America intends to delay the second phase of the strategic dialogue, attributing the matter to making use of the time for the American forces to remain in Iraq. 

[Mary B]

Wednesday, 09 September 2020 02:07 PM

 

Observers: The pro-Iranian factions in Iraq are obstructing Al-Kazemi and preventing the implementation of reform plans

 

 

 

Officials and analysts confirmed that the government's reform plans are derailed due to a new wave of security threats, as a result of the expansion of armed groups suspected of having ties to Iran and previously unknown, their range of strikes to include new targets during the past weeks.
During the past few days, targeting included a United Nations convoy and vital installations such as Baghdad Airport.

Since Mustafa Al-Kazemi's arrival as prime minister in Iraq in May, he has promised to rein in armed elements out of control, fight endemic corruption, and implement long-awaited economic reforms.
But senior government officials say that the closer the government gets to implementing its stated goals, the more it becomes clear that armed actors with suspected links to Iran are obstructing.
"Every time these groups see that we are approaching their military or economic interests, they launch missiles or propaganda campaigns to distract us," a senior government official told AFP.
Violence already escalated before Al-Kazemi traveled to Washington in mid-August. Then, on the third of September, the headquarters of the British-American security company "G4S" was attacked for the first time by a drone that dropped a small explosive device on it.
and no one has claimed responsibility, but Tehran-backed groups accused G4S of complicity in the US strike in January that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani near Baghdad Airport.

A few days ago, a United Nations employee was injured when an explosive device exploded in a convoy of the World Food Program in the northern city of Mosul.
A faction that defines itself as part of the “Islamic Resistance” - a generic term for factions loyal to Iran - has taken responsibility, accusing the United Nations of using its convoys to transport US intelligence officers.
This unknown faction issued a warning in a statement saying, "Your cars will burn in the streets of Iraq."

Six unheard of factions made similar threats in recent months under the banner of "Islamic Resistance", but officials say these threats are just media reviews.
An Iraqi intelligence officer told AFP: “Five groups, including Kataib Hezbollah, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq and others, are behind the recent unrest across the country.”

These groups form part of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces, which are administratively subordinate to the Iraqi government, but are dominated by factions close to Iran and openly hostile to the United States.
"They announced a united front after the killing of Soleimani and began working under pseudonyms, which allowed the government of former Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to save face because they were nominally under his command," the official said.
When Al-Kazemi, known for being close to the Americans while maintaining good relations with Iran, took power in May, Kataib Hezbollah became angered and accused him directly of plotting against Soleimani by exploiting his previous position as intelligence chief.
Officials and experts say that Kataib Hezbollah and other factions loyal to Tehran understood Al-Kazemi's pledge to curb the armed groups as an attempt to cut their wings.
Besides the escalating missile attacks, these groups have stepped up pressure through unconventional media.
 “De-escalation,”
Ahmed Al-Mulla, spokesman for Al-Kazemi, said, “There are many measures that have been taken to limit the activities of armed groups operating outside the authority of the state.”
The government worked to dry up the groups' sources of funding by controlling the border crossings.
Al-Mulla added, "These measures will continue until the authority of the official security forces is completely extended."

Officials know this could be dangerous. And when the prime minister launched a massive anti-corruption campaign along Iraq 's porous borders, he prepared for the worst.
"They will blackmail officials, threaten their families, mobilize tribes, and perhaps commit assassinations," a senior official told AFP in July.
Indeed, weeks later, two activists were killed in the southern port city of Basra, and a clan conflict erupted in northern Baghdad.
Another Iraqi official stated, “We are constantly putting out the fires, so we cannot properly focus on the larger strategy.”
Another official also revealed that Iraqi Finance Minister Ali Allawi has missed the deadline of August 24 to present a "white paper" on economic reforms to parliament due to the recent unrest.

Last week, Al-Kazemi created an anti-corruption council that allowed elite forces in the Counter-Terrorism Service to detain officials who are often unimaginably difficult to touch.
His forces carried out searches in Basra and Baghdad to seize unlicensed weapons, without achieving much.
Iraqi security expert Fadel Abu Ragheef described the situation as “dangerous,” and added to Agence France-Presse: “Ultimately, Al-Kazemi must open a real dialogue with the spiritual leaders of these groups, to avoid clash.”

https://www.thebaghdadpost.com/ar/Story/201217/مراقبون-الفصائل-الموالية-لإيران-في-العراق-تعرقل-الكاظمي-وتمنع-تنفيذ-الخطط-الإصلاحية

[Mary B]

bump