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Sources: In the event of the closure of the US embassy, ​​there will be economic sanctions on the Central Bank


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14 hours ago, dinarbeleiver said:

I’m really hoping this is smoke but if it’s true that the USA embassy and 15 others have closed shop this does not bold well for a rate change. Hopefully this is bad news that’s there to distract you whilst their real internationals happen

Always appreciate what you bring here, DB. 

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Think about the diplomatic strategy going on: Iraq cannot purge the militias without Iran declaring it a betrayal and provocation, so the US is forcing Iraq's hand. Now Iraq can pretend they're put in a bad position and were given no choice in the matter, even though this is part of the plan.

 

It's a no-brainer scheme, considering Iran is run by unsophisticated hicks who set themselves up by firing bottle rockets at the soil of a first world power.

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SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 / 13:48 PM / 4 HOURS AGO

The threat to evacuate US diplomats from Iraq raises war fears

 

6 MINUTES TO READ

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BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Two Iraqi officials and two Western diplomats said that Washington had made preparations to withdraw its diplomats from Iraq after it warned Baghdad that it might close its embassy, a move Iraqis fear will turn their country into a battlefield.

 
 
A building attached to the US embassy compound in Baghdad. Photo from Reuters archive.

Any move by the United States to reduce its diplomatic presence in a country where it has five thousand soldiers will be widely considered in the region to escalate its confrontation with Iran, which Washington holds responsible for missile and bomb attacks.

This, in turn, will raise the possibility of military actions, just weeks before President Donald Trump's presidential election, as he is pursuing a hard-line policy toward Tehran and those who work for it.

Two government sources in Iraq said that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened to close the embassy in a phone call a week ago with President Barham Salih.

An Iraqi news site had reported on this call before.

The two Western sources and diplomats said that by Sunday Washington had begun to implement preparations for the withdrawal of diplomatic personnel if a decision was issued to do so.

Iraq fears that the withdrawal of diplomats will be followed by swift military action targeting forces that Washington considers responsible for the attacks.

And last week, Iraqi cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who is supported by millions of Iraqis, issued a statement calling for avoiding an escalation that could turn Iraq into a battlefield.

One Western diplomat said that the US administration “does not want its options to be limited” in weakening Iran or the factions loyal to the Islamic Republic in Iraq.

Asked whether Washington would respond with economic measures or military action, the diplomat said "strikes".

In response to a question about plans to withdraw from Iraq, the Foreign Ministry said, "We do not comment on the minister's private diplomatic talks with foreign leaders ... The Iranian-backed factions launching missiles at our embassy represents a threat not only to us but to the government of Iraq."

 

The US military said earlier this month that it would reduce its presence in Iraq to 3,000 troops from 5,200.

The Pentagon said on Monday that it is committed to supporting "the security, stability, and prosperity of Iraq" in the long term, and that US military operations against ISIS are continuing.

A permanent danger

In a region witnessing polarization between Iran's allies on one side and those of the United States on the other, Iraq is a rare exception as it has close ties to the two countries. This, however, put him in constant danger of becoming a battlefield in a proxy war.

This danger was confirmed last January, when Washington killed Qassem Soleimani, the most important Iranian military commander, in a drone strike at Baghdad airport. Iran responded by firing missiles at US bases in Iraq.

Since then, a new Prime Minister supported by the United States has assumed responsibility in Iraq, while Tehran still maintains close ties to the armed Shiite factions that have great influence.

Rockets are often launched across the Tigris River towards the heavily fortified American diplomatic complex, which was built to be the largest US embassy in the world in the middle of the Green Zone in Baghdad during the US occupation that followed the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

In the past few weeks, rocket attacks have increased near the embassy, and IED attacks have targeted convoys carrying equipment for the US-led military coalition.

The detonation of an explosive device hit a British convoy in Baghdad, the first of its kind targeting Western diplomats in Iraq in years.

The Iraqi army said on Monday that Iraqi factions fired two Katyusha rockets at a house in Baghdad, killing two women and three children and wounding two other children. Police sources said Baghdad airport was the target of the attack.

Two Iraqi intelligence sources indicated that plans to withdraw US diplomats have not yet been implemented, and that this will depend on whether Iraqi security forces are able to achieve better results in stopping the attacks.

 

The two sources said that the security forces had received orders to prevent attacks on American sites and were told that the evacuation of Americans would not begin unless that endeavor failed.

* double-edged sword

Iraqis are concerned about the impact of the US presidential elections to be held in November on the Trump administration's decision-making process.

While Trump flaunts his hard-line Iran policy, he has also made long-standing promises to withdraw US forces from parts of the Middle East. The United States is already working to reduce the forces it sent to help defeat Islamic State militants in Iraq from 2014 to 2017.

Some Iraqi officials rejected Pompeo's threat to withdraw the diplomats, describing it as a mere threat to intimidate armed factions to stop their attacks. But they said that it could backfire by provoking the factions if they felt the opportunity was there to push Washington to back down.

“The American threat to close their embassy is just a method of pressure, but it is a double-edged sword,” said Katae al-Rikabi, a member of the security committee in the Iraqi parliament.

He and another member of the committee said that the American moves aim to push Iraqi leaders to support Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi, who tried to limit the influence of the armed factions allied with Iran, but did not achieve significant results.

Hawks on both sides

The factions are under popular pressure to curb their supporters, who may provoke Washington. Since last year, public opinion in Iraq has turned sharply against political groups seen as inciting violence on Iran's behalf.

Iranian-backed Shiite factions that control large blocs in Parliament have tried to publicly distance themselves from attacks on Western targets.

US officials say they believe that Shiite factions or their Iranian backers have formed small groups affiliated with them to carry out the attacks, allowing the main entities to avoid being accused.

A senior official with one of the Shi'ite political parties said he believed Trump might want to pull the diplomats out to ensure their safety and avoid an embarrassing pre-election incident.

 

He added that the factions' attacks are not necessarily under Tehran's control, noting that the Iranian Foreign Ministry has openly called for an end to attacks on diplomatic missions in Iraq.

"Iran wants to get the Americans out, but not at any price," the Shiite leader said. It does not want to destabilize its western borders. Just as there are hawks in the United States, there are hawks in Iran that are in contact with the groups that carry out attacks and do not necessarily follow the state's policy.

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Al-Kazemi requests the arrest of the security authorities, which are reluctant to prevent

violations

 

 

 

 

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Baghdad , - Abdul Hussain Ghazal

Three children and two women belonging to one Iraqi family were killed Monday when a missile fell on their house near Baghdad Airport Where American soldiers are deployed, according to the Iraqi army. No party has claimed responsibility for the attack, while unknown groups have claimed responsibility for launching these missiles To expel the "American occupier" from Iraq.

But the civilian death toll puts these groups in a difficult position for public opinion outraged by the violence Committed by various armed factions in the country for years. This new attack on US interests is part of a series of attacks since the beginning of August, and it comes After Washington threatened to close its embassy in Iraq and withdraw its three thousand soldiers if the launch did not stop Rockets. Observers rule out that there will be an American response, because the blood that spilled is Iraqi, but in any case The missiles reached the US headquarters, and the repercussions will be serious and faster than expected, according to a deputy.

On Monday, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, ordered an immediate investigation into the Katyusha missile launch near an airport Baghdad International Airport, which resulted in deaths and injuries, and the prosecution of perpetrators, regardless of their affiliations and affiliations, to receive the most severe penalties . Al-Kazemi directed that all responsible security agencies be placed under arrest for "their failure to perform their security duties." . According to security sources, the directive is less than the immediate arrest warrants. Member of the Al-Fateh Alliance, MP Walid Abboud, confirmed, on Monday, that the removal of foreign forces from Iraq is settled He called on the Al-Kazemi government to respect the parliament’s decision and schedule the withdrawal.  In the past, two British and American soldiers, in addition to an another site, and an Iraqi soldier and contractor were killed. Civilians were also wounded when rockets hit their homes.

It is the first time that so many civilians have fallen in a similar attack. The army said two other children were wounded in the attack. In a statement Monday evening, the Iraqi army accused "crime gangs and outlaw groups of conducting business." Brutality and crimes against safe citizens, with the aim of creating chaos and terrorizing people. ”

From October to the end of July, 39 missile attacks targeted US interests in Iraq . American military officials believe that the armed groups loyal to Iran have become a greater threat than the jihadists of ISIS. Islamists, who at a certain stage controlled about a third of the area of Iraq.

Washington has repeatedly called on the Iraqi authorities to take decisive measures against these groups. But Baghdad,   after many years of Iranian infiltration in the joints of its rule, cannot ignore its Iranian neighbor Which arming, financing, and supporting many of the PMF factions. For his part   , National Security Adviser Qassem Al-Araji received   the British Ambassador in Baghdad, "Stephen Hickey" .  

A statement by the media office of the National Security Adviser stated, “During the meeting, a review of the Iraqi-British relations took place And the current conditions and discuss joint cooperation between Iraq and Britain in the fields of security, combating terrorism and the Corona pandemic, and exchanging visions And ideas to enhance the stability of the region and the world ”.   And «Araji», according to the statement that «the Iraqi government is determined to implement measures related to stability Preserving security and reforming state institutions, in a manner befitting the aspirations of the Iraqis.  

While the British ambassador expressed his hope that relations between Iraq and the United Kingdom would witness further development, including It serves the interests of the two countries, and affirmed "Britain's continued support for Iraq in all fields."   And the American warning accompanied by threats to impose sanctions on Iraqi political and military figures, contributed to the issuance of a series of statements It aims to calm this week. Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr called for the formation of a security, military and parliamentary committee to investigate the source of the rockets. Soon, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi supported this proposal, especially as the Americans accuse him of not doing enough Against the pro-Iran groups.

The other factor is the PMF's exclusion of leaders accused of being linked to attacks targeting Westerners. But the crowd shirked any responsibility for what "parties declare their loyalty to him" do "Carrying out illegal military operations against foreign interests." And if the more moderate pro-Iranian forces follow the government's approach, the more hard-line ones are still being used The language of war. "If Washington withdraws, these groups will boast," a Western diplomat told AFP, requesting anonymity "Easily expel the Americans from Iraq."   The withdrawal will be a severe blow to Kazemi, who seeks to extract a vote on the electoral law and the budget in light of his lack of possession A party or a popular base.

Opponents of the regime in Iraq are preparing to mark Thursday the first anniversary of an unprecedented popular uprising that led to the resignation Previous government.

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Investing in "Embassy Closure": Trump hits postponed dates

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  •  Tuesday 29 September 2020
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Investing in "Embassy Closure": Trump hits postponed dates
Threat to close the embassy comes in the wake of Washington’s decision to reduce the number of American forces in Iraq (AFP)

 

 

In parallel with its threat to close the US embassy in Baghdad, in light of the almost daily targeting of Washington's interests, President Donald Trump's administration is unmistakably distinguished by its volatile approach to the excessive deployment of its military and diplomats, whether in Iraq or even in Afghanistan, Syria and other countries. However, the latest threat, which comes in the wake of this administration’s decision to reduce the number of US forces in Iraq to about three thousand, represents the latest means of putting pressure on Mustafa al-Kazemi’s government to curb the "Iranian-backed factions."

 

At the same time, while the US administration has pledged to take punitive measures that have reached the point of halting financial aid to Iraq, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper was conducting a review of his country's priorities, whose forces are spread across the globe, to ensure that it has enough personnel and resources to meet the priorities of the «strategy. National Defense »for 2018. From here, it is not possible to balance Trump’s demands, which seem to be fully driven by electoral calculations, and the Esper review, while both highlight, according to observers, the“ challenges ”of limiting the mission of“ combating terrorism. ” ». The "National Defense Strategy" was clear: "The strategic competition between states, not terrorism, is - now - the national security priority of the United States." Nevertheless, the "counterterrorism" mission will not disappear, given the means it provides to take swift action against individuals and networks involved in "planning or attempting to incite attacks against Americans", while the "Pentagon" is still working on how to restore balance to its mission. To “fight terrorism” in line with the new priorities. Finally, however, the defense minister blamed the focus on counterterrorism for leaving the army less prepared for future wars.
Tueller told the Iraqi foreign minister that Washington and Baghdad have entered a new era in their relations


However, the threat to close the embassy is no more than, at present, a means of pressure, intended to put the Iraqi government in front of difficult options, in light of the Trump administration's efforts to expand the base of the "printer's club" with Israel. In the details of what was reported by Al-Akhbar (see Issue 4156), the Iraqi President, Barham Salih, quoted US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as warning that Trump “is seriously considering the decision to close the embassy in Baghdad and is ready to implement it”, and that a similar decision would To launch "liquidation operations against everyone involved in targeting our forces." In the same context, officials who spoke to the Wall Street Journal report that the US ambassador to Iraq, Matthew Toller, informed the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Fuad Hussein, that the two countries have, in fact, entered a new era in their relations. However, Toller confirmed after his meeting with the Iraqi National Security Adviser, Qassem Al-Araji, in Baghdad yesterday, that his country will continue to support Iraq "in the areas of security, combating terrorism and helping to overcome current challenges," in his first statement after talking about the United States' intention to close its embassy. In Baghdad, within a few months, the ambassador was transferred to its consulate in Erbil. An Iraqi official who spoke to the same newspaper pointed out that the closure would be "gradual over a period of two to three months," adding that this might coincide with the withdrawal of US forces from the country. The decision, which appears to be postponed until after the presidential elections, was considered by a former US official as a gift to the Iranians: "This is their main strategic goal: getting us out of Iraq." An Iraqi official who spoke to the same newspaper pointed out that the closure would be "gradual over a period of two to three months," adding that this might coincide with the withdrawal of US forces from the country. The decision, which appears to be postponed until after the presidential elections, was considered by a former US official as a gift to the Iranians: "This is their main strategic goal: getting us out of Iraq." An Iraqi official who spoke to the same newspaper pointed out that the closure would be "gradual over a period of two to three months," adding that this might coincide with the withdrawal of US forces from the country. The decision, which appears to be postponed until after the presidential elections, was considered by a former US official as a gift to the Iranians: "This is their main strategic goal: getting us out of Iraq."
Frequent warnings, which the administration did not confirm or deny, were also coupled with a strict US policy regarding exemptions from the sanctions it had issued so that Iraq could import energy supplies from Iran. After the United States issued such waivers every 120 days, the Trump administration informed Baghdad that the decision to extend them would be taken every 60 days. In addition to the above, Washington hints, through a spokeswoman for the US State Department who spoke to the Washington Post, that the continuation of the attacks could affect international financial support for Iraq, noting that “the presence of illegal militias supported by Iran, at a time when The United States is trying to secure financial support for Iraq from the international community and the private sector, which remains the biggest deterrent to additional investment in Iraq.
And while a US intelligence assessment suggests that Iran would not initiate any "provocative attack" that would mobilize American support for Trump on the eve of the elections, it seems that the White House's patience is running out of the Iraqi government's inability to prevent the attacks that Washington holds responsible for Iran's allies. After the warnings, the Iraqi foreign minister went to Tehran, on a mission that former US officials said was apparently aimed at persuading the Iranians to "curb the militias." The threat to close the embassy also comes weeks after Al-Kazemi's visit to the United States, which both sides described as a "new chapter" in the relationship that was strained following the assassination of the two martyrs Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis.



Tehran and the distribution of roles
After each of the "mysterious" operations in Iraq, it quickly activates the channels of communication between Baghdad and Tehran, so that the official response will be "rejecting" what is happening and "the need to contain it." Response Iraqi assessments are divided between two opinions: The first is that Iran is playing a game of "distribution of roles", in the context of its continuous response to the assassination of the commander of the "Quds Force" in the Revolutionary Guard, General Qassem Soleimani; And another revolves around Tehran's "inability" to "control" its Iraqi allies, and push them to establish a calm, even if temporary, in the field, in light of the multiplication of challenges that impose a kind of "status quo". However, what weakens the last opinion is what happened during the visit of the commander of the Iranian "Quds Force", Ismail Qaani, to Baghdad, where the President of the Republic, Barham Salih, demanded that he "stop the military operations", in order to respond by telling me that this depends on the scheduling of the withdrawal of the American occupation forces from Country.
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Washington moved its embassy from Baghdad to Erbil

12:51 AM, Tuesday, 29 September, 2020
 
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Baghdad - agencies:

 

A former Iraqi military advisor said that Washington had already moved its embassy from Baghdad to Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region. This was in response to attacks by PMF factions against US interests in Iraq. This came according to statements made by the former Iraqi military advisor, "Safaa Al-Asam", to the Russian "Sputnik" agency, yesterday. "Al-Asam" said that moving the US embassy from Baghdad to Erbil, the center of the Kurdistan region, would be for a period of 90 days. He explained that the American purpose of the transfer is "reprogramming" so that Washington can see what is the ability of the Iraqi Prime Minister, "Mustafa Al-Kazemi", to limit the strikes targeting its embassy. Over the past months and years, the US embassy, located in the fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad, has been subjected to continuous attacks with "Katyusha" missiles. At the same time, the convoys of the international coalition forces led by the United States of America against terrorism are still targeting explosive devices on their withdrawal from the Iraqi territories in the capital and the central and southern provinces of the country. The Iraqi National Security Adviser, Qassem Al-Araji, held talks with the US ambassador to Iraq, Matthew Toller, in Baghdad. American media, including the "Washington Post" newspaper, reported that Washington may close its embassy in Baghdad for 90 days, in response to the factions' attacks on American interests..

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Al-Hakim reveals a plan to destroy Iraq and drag it into sedition

POSTED ON 2020-09-28 BY SOTALIRAQ
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On Monday, the head of the Wisdom Movement, Ammar al-Hakim, revealed a plan to destroy Iraq and drag it into the furnace of sedition and conflict of wills.
Al-Hakim said in his tweet, "The repeated targeting of public and private facilities, especially in the capital, Baghdad, the last of which was the bombing of houses in the Radwaniyah area, which led to the fall of martyrs, including women and children, indicating the existence of a plan to destroy the country and drag it into the furnace of sedition and conflict of wills."
He added, "We strongly condemn these criminal acts and urge the concerned authorities to expedite their treatment, to find out who caused them and to bring them to justice and not tolerate while endangering the prestige of the state."
On Monday, the Joint Operations Command announced that 5 casualties had occurred and two others were wounded, as a result of the missile strikes that hit a house near Baghdad Airport, noting that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, had directed the arrest of the security force holding the area that witnessed the accident.
Baghdad airport, which includes a US military base, is subjected to repeated missile attacks claimed by parties that say they are "resistance" to the American presence in the country, but Washington accuses groups backed by Iran, including Kataib Hezbollah, of being behind them.
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The Iraqi Foreign Minister conveys to Tehran "a request for calm."

Shamkhani: Expelling foreign forces is the least punishment for killing Soleimani
Monday - 11 Safar 1442 AH - 28 September 2020 AD Issue No. [15280]
 
 
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Ali Shamkhani and Fuad Hussein during their meeting in Tehran yesterday
Baghdad: «Middle East»

At a time when Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein discussed the file of bilateral relations and US threats with senior Iranian officials during his visit to Tehran, which ended yesterday, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces discussed the same files with Iraqi officials in Baghdad.
The talks between the two countries came after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo informed Iraqi officials of the possibility of Washington closing its embassy in Baghdad due to its continued exposure to missiles by armed factions loyal to Iran, and the Iraqi authorities' launch of a campaign to arrest the perpetrators of the attacks.
Iraqi sources familiar with the details of the foreign minister's visit to Tehran revealed to Al-Sharq al-Awsat that Hussein “conveyed to the Iranian leadership the content of the American threat to close the embassy, along with an Iraqi request for calm in these circumstances, which was reflected in the position of the armed groups loyal to Iran in Iraq, Especially since these groups did not publicly acknowledge the bombing of the embassy or its surroundings. Rather, it often accused other parties with the aim of shuffling the cards.
The Iraqi reporting was, according to the same sources, “friendly and clear at the same time, and there is an Iranian understanding of it, even though Tehran was clear about not backing down from taking revenge (the commander of the“ Quds Force ”of the Iranian“ Revolutionary Guard ”), General Qassem Soleimani. He was killed in an American raid near Baghdad airport early this year. While Hussein conveyed the Iraqi-American dual message "quietly" to the Iranian side, the "Green Zone" missiles were silent for the fifth consecutive day.
Yesterday, Iraqi Defense Minister Jumah Hussein announced that he discussed with the Iranian military official, General Qadeer Nizami, "prospects for joint cooperation and coordination in the military fields between the two countries." The Minister of Defense did not say more than this phrase, which could be the subject of discussion between countries in normal circumstances, not in circumstances of crises, especially emergency ones, represented in the size of the threat to close the embassy and the measures that may result from it, which Tehran may take into account more than one account.
On the other hand, the Iranian message to Iraq was not announced by the Iranian military official, who was said to be among his duties "to inform the parties close to Iran in Iraq to work on calm and restraint". Rather, it came from Tehran through the Secretary General of the Iranian National Security Council Ali Shamkhani. Upon his meeting with the Iraqi Foreign Minister.
Shamkhani said on "Twitter" that "during the meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq, it was confirmed that preserving stability and permanent security in Iraq and supporting the orientations of the religious authority is the permanent and consistent policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran towards Iraq."
Shamkhani considered that "expelling foreign forces from Iraq is the least punishment for those responsible" for killing Soleimani in Baghdad at the beginning of this year. The talks included "bilateral, regional and international files," according to the Iranian state-run ISNA agency. Shamkhani was quoted as calling Iraq to expedite the activation of bilateral agreements, which he said "is of strategic importance", in addition to "developing the level of relations" to "present a successful model of comprehensive cooperation."
Shamkhani considered the killing of Soleimani "a clear example of state terrorism." He added, "The least punishment for those responsible for killing Soleimani is an immediate exit from the region, especially from Iraq." And "activating the stability industry for the countries of the region" is subject to dialogue and regional cooperation "without the intervention of forces coming from outside the region," in reference to the American forces. He told his guest that "the least we expect from the Iraqi government is to seriously pursue the assassination in international forums."
While the rocket fire on the perimeter of the US embassy in the "Green Zone" stopped, the convoys of the US-led international coalition continued to be targeted. The Iraqi "Security Media Cell" announced yesterday that "an explosion targeted a military convoy of the international coalition forces against the organization (ISIS) led by the United States in Dhi Qar Governorate," in southern Iraq.
The cell said in a statement that "a convoy that was transporting the equipment (forces) of the International Coalition retreating from Iraq by Iraqi transport companies and wheel drivers of Iraqi citizens, was exposed to an explosive device detonation in Al-Batha district in Dhi Qar Governorate, southern Iraq." She added that "the explosion resulted in damage to one of the wheels of the convoy, but it continued to move towards its intended destination."
The US embassy in Baghdad apologized in advance to residents of the surrounding areas within the "green zone" because of the noise it would make during the next two days. The embassy said in a statement that “the American embassy will conduct, during the next two days, a series of tests that include emergency equipment and procedures, and the sound of alarms of danger, sirens and other types of noise will reach the residents living in the areas surrounding the embassy when these exercises are conducted, so the embassy will apologize for any inconvenience. ».

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Speculation: The Kurds seemed to be all smiles lately, coming up roses, agreeing on things. The mood in Kurdistan has definitely changed. Hopes are high for an oil law and RV. I share that optimism. But WHY were the Kurds so happy recently? My guess is they got behind closed door assurances from the United States, that remaining American forces will be re-deployed to Kurdistan, if no peace deal is reached. The Kurds would love that. It would give them military protection. They are a 20% minority in Iraq and they have been persecuted in the past, by Arab Iraqis. Now we see that the American embassy has moved to Kurdistan, where they are welcomed by the Kurds and have a lot of room between the American diplomats and Iranian trouble makers. Trump has said he would not leave American troops in Iraq. But Trump did not say he would not leave troops in an independent Kurdistan. The Iraqi Prime Minister is being given the space and help to get rid of the Iranians. He better do it...or else he will find himself in a newly divided Iraq. He may lose his country and all that oil up in northern Iraq. The country of Iraq is not something that has been around forever. It's just lines on a map. It only came into being 100 years ago, based on a poor understanding of regional history by some British and French diplomats in the early 1900s. Trump said he would like to buy Greenland. I think he is interested in drawing new lines on maps. He likes to shake up the box or draw outside the lines. He has very little respect for "official" lines. My guess is very shortly, the American Army will wipe out Iranian militia and the American Army will be put in an independent Kurdistan, if we don't get an agreement and peace by a deadline that Trump has set. Just my 2 camel opinion....meaning guess. :bananacamel::bananacamel:

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 While Trump pulled out most of the troops from Iraq , we will still give them strategic support . I read on this site a post that said we haven't yet shut down the embassey , there's a 90 grace period given for that . However , the head cheese of the US embassey is no longer at the US embassey in Bagdad

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The President of the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, confirmed, on Tuesday, that the region views with concern the security developments in Iraq and supports the steps of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi in facing these threats.

Barzani said in a statement issued on the sidelines of his meeting with the Italian Defense Minister Lorenzo Guerini in a Erbil Alsumaria News continued, "A region Kurdistan Looking with concern at security developments Iraq And attacks by armed groups on diplomatic missions. "
 
 
He stressed that "the tasks of diplomatic missions and the international coalition in Iraq Mission and essential to support Iraq, And it is imperative to protect their security and safety, "noting that" the region fully supports the steps and procedures of the prime minister. " Mustafa Al-Kazemi To counter these threats. "
 
Barzani and the Italian Minister of Defense also stressed "the necessity of joint action and continuing the tasks of the international coalition to ensure the final elimination of." ISIS".
 
For weeks, the frequency of attacks targeting American forces and the forces and interests of other countries in the international coalition to fight ISIS has escalated ISIS If the attacks became almost daily, amid reports that Washington It may close its embassy in Baghdad For 90 days.
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09-28-2020 11:13 PM
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Al-Muttalabi reveals a plan to bring down the "Al-Kazemi government"

Baghdad - news

Today, Tuesday, independent politician Saad Al-Muttalabi revealed a plan by influential parties to bring down the Al-Kazemi government, while he confirmed that the random missile launchers are parties whose aim is to spread chaos and terror.

Al-Muttalabi said to Al-Akhbariya, “The armed groups make a mistake in hitting the targets, and it is a deliberate mistake,” stressing that “the random rocket launchers are destinations whose main goal is to spread chaos and terror among the citizens.”

He noted that "what is happening is a plot to bring down the Al-Kazemi government, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces must be aware of real punishments in front of him, and there are those who target this government internally, externally and even internationally." What is going on is deeper and bigger on a side linked to Iran. "

 

He added, "The American withdrawal process at this stage is very unlikely," stressing "the need to activate the government effort to end any American plan for waging a regional war that would be protected by removing its employees and concentrating them in the region."

He pointed out that "the idea of excluding the Americans from Baghdad. This is a decision not related to an uncontrolled armed group. Rather, the term is a project designed in the United States for reasons that may be electoral or may be a war that will be waged in the coming days in the region or a very dangerous security escalation in the Middle East region that may have it." Relation to oil prices or freedom of navigation in the Arab Gulf. "

 

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29-09-2020 12:27 AM
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Baghdad /
Al-Akhbariya Regional spokesman for the US State Department, Samiwil Warburg, waved, Monday, to impose severe sanctions against the Iraqi armed factions, indicating that the US government will take all necessary measures to protect its embassy and diplomatic missions to continue its work.
In a televised statement followed by Al-Akhbariya, Warburg said, "The United States will continue to have good relations with the Iraqis, pointing out that" there are militias and terrorist groups funded from outside Iraq that target our embassies as well as even Iraqi institutions and Iraqis, and we will continue security coordination with all Iraqi security forces to fight this group. "
"We are continuing in our relations, and we have an American embassy in Baghdad, despite the challenges ahead and the attacks against us in Iraq, but we will continue to exist in Iraq, and if these attacks increase, we will take all necessary measures to protect its embassy and diplomatic missions," Warburg stressed.
He pointed out that he was in Iraq between 2009 and 2010, and "I lived under missiles and bombs from militias and terrorist groups funded by Iran, and I personally know the challenge and danger in front of our embassy in Iraq and for some time, but we will continue because the Iraqi people deserve the relationship and friendship with the United States."
Warburg added, "It is clear that these groups have financed Iran and financed a terrorist group, and I know that Iran is a leading country in sponsoring terrorism in the world, and unfortunately the Iraqi people are the ones who suffer from these attacks and from bullets and bombs directed at the American embassy, and the main goal of these people." It is the Iraqi people who will suffer from the absence of America or from any measures that the embassy may take or in relations because of these attacks, and I know very well that those who launch an attack against our embassy are really an enemy of Iraq and they are really against the Iraqi people. "
The regional spokesman for the US State Department did not rule out that his country would impose sanctions on the leaders of the armed factions, noting that "everything is possible." He also stressed that "it is possible to say that the close coordination between the American security forces and the Iraqi security forces in these matters continues, and we will share information." We are discussing who are carrying out the attacks.

Samiwel Warburg, the regional spokesman for the US State Department, concluded by denying any link between any US move against the state factions in Iraq and the upcoming US presidential elections, indicating that these attacks “unfortunately have been occurring for a long time against our embassies and our partners in Iraq, and no Links between the escalation of violence and any decision by the US government, but at the same time we know that Iran has many words about a possible response from sanctions and therefore we will take all necessary steps to protect ourselves.
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09-28-2020 11:38 PM
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 Baghdad - news

The leader of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, confirmed today, Monday, that the enemies of Iraq are continuing their criminal acts as a sabotage tool targeting the Iraqis and their security.

Al-Maliki said in a tweet on his personal Twitter page followed by Al-Akhbariya, that "we received great pain and regret the results of the treacherous missile attack that targeted the Al-Radwaniyah area and led to the fall of a number of martyrs and wounded from one family."
He added, "This targeting confirms that the enemies of Iraq continue their criminal acts and insist them to act as a malicious sabotage tool targeting the Iraqis, their security and their interests."

Al-Maliki called on the government to "pursue the perpetrators and bring them to justice."

 

pic.twitter.com/gQlkLNI3VB

- Nouri Al-Maliki (@nourialmalikiiq) September 28, 2020

 

 
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29-09-2020 01:11 PM
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Baghdad / Al-Akhbariya

The researcher on American political affairs, Hussein Al-Deek, predicted, on Tuesday, that radical changes will take place in Iraq and the region, following the threats of the US Secretary of State after the continued targeting of his country's embassy in Baghdad, indicating that America has absolutely no plans to withdraw from Iraq.

 Al-Deek said in a statement that "Washington does not plan at all to withdraw or close its embassy from Baghdad, while threatening to withdraw is an American maneuver," indicating that "there is a new stage and profound and radical changes that will take place in Iraq and the region before the American elections, especially with the escalation of the targeting of the American embassy." ".

Al-Deek added, "After the training conducted at the US embassy, Iraq will enter a new phase in relations with the United States, because what is happening in Iraq is a different thing through conducting military exercises."

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09-29-2020 01:47 PM
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Baghdad / Al-Akhbariya

 Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee, Zafer Al-Ani, revealed, on Tuesday, that the European Union ambassadors will meet with the Canadian and American ambassadors to discuss the collective closure of more than 11 embassies in the Green Zone.

Al-Ani said in a televised statement followed by Al-Akhbariya: "The meeting of the ambassadors of the European Union, the United States and Canada, which will be held in Baghdad this afternoon, relates to a collective decision to close the American and European embassies."

 "The meeting will discuss the collective closure of more than 11 Western embassies due to the continuing security threat by outlaw groups," he added.

 He explained, "Washington has obtained reliable intelligence on the re-scenario of storming the US embassy in Tehran or killing its ambassador, as happened in Benghazi, and it will deal firmly with the file, as it will lead to US President Trump losing the presidential elections if the embassy is stormed."

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29-09-2020 12:59 PM
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Baghdad / Al-Akhbariya

Independent politician Salah Abdul-Razzaq confirmed, today, Tuesday, that the exit of the American forces from Iraq will put in a new distress and crisis, adding that the American warning was welcomed by the Kurds, with a Sunni disagreement and a Shiite warning.

Abdul Razzaq said to Al-Akhbariya, "After 200 days have passed since the government of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi, we are still suffering from the problems of the first month, and this is neither an evolution nor an achievement. Even the promises that he made within his electoral program are still very slow, but crises have been added to it." Therefore, the government must take bold steps, "explaining that" striking the embassy with Katyusha rockets is no different from hijacking a plane or hostages, and these operations are politically and humanitarianly rejected. "

He added that "many cases have been postponed, including the issue of uncovering the killers of the demonstrators, which was one of the most important items that Al-Kazemi made in his electoral program," noting that "the government has not been able to solve the issue of the election law and the electoral program, and it is supposed to present a proposal that Parliament will study."

He pointed out that "Iraq currently needs condemnation from all parties and political forces to strike any embassy, and the political forces and the Iraqi government must respect international covenants," noting that "all the papers are in the hands of America and with one signal from them, the dinar exchange market will collapse."

Abdul-Razzaq called on Al-Kazemi to "impose the law and the prestige of the state on the street and to personally present proposals to Parliament and defend them because the withdrawal of confidence from Al-Kazemi will enter Iraq into an additional cycle and other crises," calling on Al-Kazemi to "replace some ministers and those responsible for maintaining security."

 
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The dollar was on the throne of the central Al-Kifah Stock Exchange markets in Baghdad today, Tuesday, to become (123200) Iraqi dinars against 100 US dollars compared to Monday’s exchange rates, reaching (122900) thousand dinars per 100 US dollars.


It is noteworthy that the selling prices in the exchange shops in the local markets in Baghdad also increased, reaching (123,750) Iraqi dinars, while the purchase prices were (122750) dinars per 100 US dollars, while the Al-Harithiya Stock Exchange in Baghdad recorded (123300) dinars against 100 dollars.

 

In Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, dollar prices have also witnessed a rise, as sales reached (123,300) per hundred dollars, and buying at (123200) per hundred US dollars.


According to the exchange offices, the market is very affected by the news of the closure of the US embassy in Baghdad, which increased the demand for the dollar, which is considered a stable and safe banknote in the markets.

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09-29-2020 02:42 PM
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Baghdad / Al-Akhbariya

The legal expert, Ali Al-Tamimi, confirmed that the United States of America can apply the Magnitsky law to Iraq.

Al-Tamimi said in a statement received by Al-Akhbariya, "Is Iraq punished according to the US Magnitsky Act ... I see that this law was legalized and approved by Obama in 2016 against the background of Russia’s imprisonment of the Russian banker and imposed sanctions against Russian personalities, freezing their money and preventing their entry to America."

He explained that "the order and the law are available to President Trump because this law is in effect and America controls the passage of the dollar throughout the world," noting that "if these sanctions are issued, they are from the American side and not international sanctions ... that is, they must be implemented only in America."

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iraq_30-341x341.jpg

Iraqi political sources said that the government of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi could no longer tolerate Iranian games in the file of the attack on diplomatic missions, after the escalation of militia attacks loyal to Tehran and their threats against US interests in Iraq.

The sources indicated that Al-Kazemi is determined to set the record straight in this file, and to clarify the positions clearly, even if this matter caused a crisis between Iraq and Iran.

Baghdad fears that the move to close the US embassy will be just a prelude to the exit of Western countries' missions from Iraq, and that the United States will go towards the option of imposing economic sanctions on the country, which is enough to lead to a major collapse in the internal situation.

Iraq seeks to assuage Washington’s fears of continuing attacks targeting its diplomatic headquarters in Baghdad, as Parliament Speaker Muhammad al-Halbousi sought in a meeting with US Ambassador Matthew Toller to emphasize “preserving the security of diplomatic missions from repeated attacks, and working to extend state control, impose law and achieve stability.” “.

The United States worked to enhance the security of its diplomats after the continuing threats by pro-Iranian militias targeting American interests, as its embassy in Baghdad announced on Monday a "series of tests" to enhance security in the area surrounding the headquarters of its diplomatic mission. In parallel with political developments, the Iraqi militias were not late. In carrying out its threats, as Iraqi civilians were killed and wounded when Katyusha rockets were fired targeting the vicinity of Baghdad International Airport. The Iraqi army stated that the bombing killed two women and three children, and wounded two other children.

Iraqi MP Dhafer Al-Ani said in a tweet on Twitter that "the precise weapons that the factions said they recently arrived at, have directed them today, but to Baghdad airport, and killed a family and children ...".

The Secretary-General of the pro-Iranian Harakat al-Nujaba militia, Akram al-Kaabi, said in previous statements, "We are still waiting for official positions from the Iraqi forces on the military barracks violating Iraqi sovereignty that America has placed in central Baghdad in the name of an embassy to wreak corruption and sabotage in Iraq."

In his latest threats against US interests, Al-Kaabi said, "If all Iraqi forces remain silent, the resistance has its position, especially since precision weapons have entered service."

Iraq is living on the impact of an open conflict on full possibilities between the United States and Iran since the killing of the former commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Qassem Soleimani, and the deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Forces, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in a US raid early this year.

The Iraqi authorities sought to make clear their position on Iranian games regarding foreign missions in Baghdad, the relationship with the United States, and the future of American forces in the country, as the Iraqi President Barham Salih, Prime Minister, Parliament Speaker and President of the Supreme Judicial Council Faiq Zaidan held a special meeting to discuss “security and political developments. And the dangerous implications of the current situation.

The meeting affirmed that "the security developments that have occurred in recent times from the continued targeting of civilian and military centers and headquarters, and the continuing assassinations and kidnappings against civilian activists, represent a targeting of Iraq and its sovereignty and the national project on which the current government was formed."

The meeting pointed out, "Iraq adheres to the outcomes of the strategic dialogue with the United States and the redeployment agreement from Iraq during agreed stages of time, including long-term cooperation with the United States in various fields," expressing at the same time their hope that "the American and international engagement with Recent security developments by supporting the Iraqi government to complete its efforts to strengthen the authority of the state and provide security for elections.

Observers say that the position of the Iraqi presidencies represents a blow to Iran's efforts to push Washington to overthrow Baghdad, especially with regard to Iraq's commitment to long-term relations with the United States.

Observers say that Iran's followers may have realized the delicacy of the impasse that they pushed Iraq towards, and they may have received new instructions from Tehran, which explains, perhaps, that the US embassy has not been subjected to any missile attack during the past four days.

However, all possibilities remain in the Iraqi situation, according to estimates by politicians in Baghdad, who believe that the chances of the Iraqi situation slipping at the security level will remain, until the American presidential elections are clear of a winner.

Referring to the great rift between Baghdad and Tehran due to what has become known as “the crisis of targeting the headquarters of foreign missions,” the Iraqi Foreign Ministry indirectly refuted what Iranian media published about the content of the meeting between Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

The Iraqi foreign minister arrived in Tehran on Saturday and met his counterpart, Muhammad Javad Zarif, before meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday. The Iranian presidency distributed details of what happened during the meeting to the local media, as the Iraqi minister appeared merely listening to instructions and advice related to the future of the region.

When Fuad Hussein decided to speak, according to the statement of the Iranian presidency, he limited his speech to thanking Iran for standing by Iraq along the line, expressing great gratitude for Iran's desire to strengthen its relations with Iraq, while he pledged to send technical delegations to Tehran to follow up on the implementation of the agreements signed during His current visit to it.

It seems that the Iranian presidency’s presentation to local media about the content of Hussein Barouhani's meeting did not satisfy the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, which revealed a vastly different content. Its spokesperson, Ahmed Al-Sahhaf, said that “Minister Fuad Hussein carried an oral message from Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi to Iranian President Hassan. Rouhani focused on the developments of the situation in the region and reviewing the most important expected possibilities and their implications, ”explaining that“ the foreign minister discussed in Tehran the most important pending issues between the two countries. ”

Al-Sahhaf indicated that the Iraqi Foreign Minister "disclosed the government's vision in dealing with current challenges."

Observers believe that the Iraqi Foreign Ministry’s announcement of the content of Minister Fuad Hussein’s meeting with the Iranian president bears strong indications that the conversation in Tehran was not as friendly as the Iranian presidency’s statement portrayed.

Arabs

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51 minutes ago, yota691 said:
09-28-2020 11:38 PM
image.php?token=d686e4b34b1604ca05b22c01b4f4830f&c=1124374&size=
 


 

 Baghdad - news

The leader of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, confirmed today, Monday, that the enemies of Iraq are continuing their criminal acts as a sabotage tool targeting the Iraqis and their security.

Al-Maliki said in a tweet on his personal Twitter page followed by Al-Akhbariya, that "we received great pain and regret the results of the treacherous missile attack that targeted the Al-Radwaniyah area and led🤣 to the fall of a number of martyrs and wounded from one family."
He added, "This targeting confirms that the enemies of Iraq continue their criminal acts and insist them to act as a malicious sabotage tool targeting the Iraqis, their security and their interests."

Al-Maliki called on the government to "pursue the perpetrators and bring them to justice."

 

pic.twitter.com/gQlkLNI3VB

- Nouri Al-Maliki (@nourialmalikiiq) September 28, 2020

 

 

There should be an EXTRA LARGE laughing emoji just for this guy 😂😆😄😝:trash:

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