Iranian president sends letter to Pope Benedict XVI

The president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has sent a letter to Pope Benedict XVI which was delivered by the Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.

Vatican City has not released the contents or details of the letter, but news agencies in Iran report that the letter contains a discussion about the United Nations resolution against Iran, which imposes sanctions.

In a statement, the Pope said that he "reaffirms the role that the Holy See intends to carry out for world peace, not as a political authority but as a religious and moral one ... so that peoples' problems will always be solved in dialogue, mutual understanding and peace."

Ehsan Jahandideh, a spokeperson for the President of Iran's office, states that the letter "is completely non-political. The president has emphasized in the message that cooperation of divine religions will help resolving problems of mankind."

There is no word on whether or not the contents of the letter will be released to the public.


Le président iranien écrit au pape Benoît XVI

Le président iranien, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a envoyé une lettre au Pape Benoît XVI qui lui a été remise par le Ministre des Affaires étrangères iranien, Manouchehr Mottaki. La Cité du Vatican n'a pas communiqué le contenu ou les détails de cette lettre, mais les agences de presse d'Iran indique qu'elle contient une discussion sur la résolution prise par l'ONU contre l'Iran, qui lui impose des sanctions.

Dans un communiqué, le Pape indique qu'il « réaffirme le rôle que le Saint-Siège a l'intention de jouer pour la paix dans le Monde, non comme autorité politique mais comme autorité morale et religieuse ... afin que les problèmes des peuples soient résolus dans le dialogue, la compréhension mutuelle et la paix. »

Ehsan Jahandideh, un des porte-parole du Président iranien, déclare que cette missive est « complètement apolitique. Le président a souligné dans ce message que la coopération des religions divines aidera à la résolution des problèmes de l'Humanité ».

Il n'y a aucune indication sur une éventuelle divulgation du contenu de cette lettre au public.


נשיא איראן, מחמוד אחמדינז'אד שלח מכתב לאפיפיור בנדיקטוס השישה עשר שהועבר על ידי שר החוץ של איראן, מנושהר מותאקי.

קריית הוותיקן לא שיחררה את תוכן או את פרטי המכתב, אך סוכנויות ידיעות שונות באיראן מדווחות שהוא מכיל דיון על הסנקציות שהטילו האומות המאוחדות נגד איראן.

בהצהרה שכינס, אמר האפיפיור שהוא "אישר מחדש את החלק שלוקח הכס הקדוש בביצוע שלום עולמי, לא כרשות פוליטית אלא כרשות דתית ומוסרית ... בכדי שהבעיות של אנשים אלו יפתרו תמיד בדו-שיח, הבנה הדדית ושלום."

דובר משרד נשיא איראן אמר שהמכתב הוא "לגמרי לא פוליטי. הנשיא הדגיש במכתב ששיתוף פעולה בין דתות נפרדות יעזור לפתור את בעיות המין האנושי."

לא ניתן לדעת כרגע אם פרטי המכתב או תוכנו ישוחררו לציבור.

28 בדצמבר 2006


Iranian TV station announces first space rocket launch

In Iran, the state-controlled TV station has announced that the country for the first time test-fired a space rocket, with scientific equipment aboard. "The first space rocket has been successfully launched into space," the station's website reported. The rocket was later reported not be designed to reach an orbit. Iran claims it reached an altitude of 94 miles and then parachuted home. No images have been released, and no other reports have confirmed the launch.

The announcement comes at a time of international tension over Iran's nuclear program. In a speech today, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad compared his country's nuclear program with a train with no brakes and no reverse gear. Manouchehr Mohammadi, a deputy foreign minister, said the country had prepared itself for a standoff over its nuclear activities. Diplomats said that if Iran would possess advanced missile capabilities it would be of concern to the nations who believe Iran is developing nuclear weapons, something Iran denies.

The head of the Iranian space center, Mohsen Bahrami, was quoted saying that the scientific material on board came from the science and from the defence ministry. He also said that the test was in line with international regulations on the matter. Although the news would mean a significant breakthrough for Iran's missile technology, the story was only mentioned during one TV broadcast, and not at all by other official Iranian media.

Iran has said in the past it wants more satellites to increase its cellular phone and internet capabilities. It also said it hopes to become a center for science and technology in the region.

Since 2005, Iran already has one satellite in space, Sinah-1, which was launched in Russia with a Russian rocket. The rocket was described as serving telecommunication and research purposes. Soon after the 2005 launch, Iran announced they would develop their own launcher. Yesterday, the Iranian Defence Minister spoke of Iran's plans for their own satellite launcher, and disclosed his country's desire to join the club of countries with a space program.


L'Iran affirme avoir lancé sa première fusée spatiale

La télévision d'État iranienne a annoncé, dimanche 25 février 2007, que l'Iran aurait récemment lancé avec succès sa première fusée spatiale.

Deux des responsables du Centre de recherche aérospatiale iranien se sont exprimés devant les médias. Le premier, Mohsen Bahrami, directeur du centre, s'est contenté d'affirmer, samedi 24 février, à l'Agence de presse des étudiants iraniens, qu'un engin lancé dans l'espace aurait été porteur de matériels de recherche élaborés par des techniciens des ministères de la Défense et de la Science. Le lendemain, son adjoint, Ali Akbar Golrou, révélait à la Fars News Agency que la fusée était susceptible d'atteindre une altitude maximale de 150 km au-dessus de la surface terrestre, avant de retomber dans l'atmosphère, ralentie par un parachute.

De son côté, le ministre de la Défense, Mostafa Mohammad Najar, a indiqué, samedi 24 février, dans les colonnes du quotidien iranien Etemad-e Melli, que l'Iran entendait développer ses propres engins de lancement, aux fins de mise sur orbite de satellites entièrement fabriqués par l'Iran. Il a rappelé à cette occasion que l'embargo commercial imposé à son pays par les États-Unis après la révolution islamique en 1979 avait contraint l'Iran à chercher à développer son propre programme spatial.

Cette ambition spatiale des dirigeants iraniens n'est pas une nouveauté puisque, le 25 octobre 2005 [1], une fusée russe Cosmos-3M, avait procédé au lancement du satellite iranien Sinah-1, en même temps qu'à celui de six satellites russe, chinois, britannique, norvégien, japonais et européen, depuis le cosmodrome de Plesetsk (oblast d'Archangelsk, Russie).

Par ailleurs, l'agence de presse iranienne IRNA rapporte que, selon le ministre de la Science et de la Technologie, Mohammad Soleimani, les objectifs prioritaires du programme spatial iranien seraient le lancement, d'ici 2010, de quatre satellites de télécommunication, permettant notamment de porter la capacité du pays en lignes téléphoniques fixes et mobiles, actuellement limitée à 22 millions, jusqu'à 80 millions, et d'augmenter le nombre d'utilisateurs d'Internet de 5,5 à 35 millions.

Un responsable américain du département de la Défense, s'exprimant lundi 26 février auprès de l'AFP sous le couvert de l'anonymat, a toutefois émis des doutes sur la véracité de ce lancement puisque, selon ses dires, le tir annoncé par les Iraniens n'aurait pas été détecté par la surveillance continue exercée par le NORAD qui, outre sa mission naturelle de surveillance de l'espace aérien nord-américain, exerce une observation continue de tout ce qui peut être lancé en direction de l'espace sur toute la Terre [2].

Les doutes émis par cet officiel américain doivent toutefois être tempérés ou relativisés, puisqu'il faut remarquer que le très sérieux magazine hebdomadaire américain « Aviation Week & Space Technology », dans deux articles parus à la fin du mois de janvier [3], relatait avec force détails les perspectives d'une prochaine tentative d'accession de l'Iran dans le club très fermé des pays maîtrisant une ou plusieurs technologies spatiales. L'hebdomadaire révélait en effet que l'Iran s'apprêtait à lancer, à une date non fixée, une fusée pesant entre 25 et 30 tonnes, élaborée à partir de la reconversion d'un missile balistique Shahab 3. « Aviation Week & Space Technology » rapportait à cette occasion les propos récents de Alaoddin Boroujerdi, président, au sein du Majlis (le parlement monocaméral iranien), de la commission de la Sécurité nationale et de la Politique étrangère, selon lequel l'assemblage du lanceur avait été conduit à terme et permettait un prochain lancement.

Le journal citait également les propos d'Uzi Rubin, ancien directeur, de 1991 à 1999, de l’Israel Missile Defense Organization [4], selon lequel le programme spatial iranien aurait pour objectif premier la mise sur orbite de satellites espions comparables aux satellites israéliens Ofeq mais pourrait viser, en cas de réussite dans les essais sur ces premiers lanceurs, d'imaginer une nouvelle reconversion visant à la mise au point de missiles balistiques intercontinentaux [5].


Iran: una televisione annuncia il lancio del primo razzo spaziale iraniano

In Iran, una stazione televisiva controllata dal governo ha annunciato il lancio del primo razzo spaziale con equipaggiamento scientifico a bordo. «Il primo razzo spaziale è stato lanciato con successo in orbita», riporta il sito internet della stazione televisiva. Il razzo, è stato poi precisato sullo stesso sito, non è stato progettato per uscire dalla gravità terrestre, ma che, una volta raggiunta l'altezza di circa 150 000 metri, è stato fatto paracadutare a terra. Non sono state rilasciate immagini, né vi sono altre conferme dell'avvenuto lancio.

L'annuncio arriva in un momento di tensioni internazionali a causa del programma nucleare iraniano. In un discorso di ieri, il presidente iraniano Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ha comparato il programma nucleare come un treno privo di freni. Alcuni diplomatici hanno affermato che l'Iran sarebbe in possesso di missili che possono essere armati di bombe nucleari, cosa che tuttavia viene smentita dall'Iran.

Il capo del centro spaziale iraniano, avrebbe detto che il materiale scientifico a bordo del razzo proveniva dai ministeri della scienza e della difesa. Egli avrebbe anche detto che il test è in linea con le vigenti politiche internazionali sulla materia. Sebbene la notizia significhi un significativo passo in avanti per la tecnologia missilistica iraniana, la storia è stata riportata da una sola TV iraniana, e da nessun altro media ufficiale.

L'Iran ha detto in passato che vuole mandare in orbita altri satelliti per aumentare le proprie capacità nelle telecomunicazioni. L'Iran spera anche di diventare il centro tecnologico della regione.

Dal 2005, l'Iran ha già un satellite nello spazio, il Sinah-1, che è stato lanciato in orbita in Russia con un razzo russo. Il satellite servirebbe per le telecomunicazioni e la ricerca. Poco più tardi del lancio, l'Iran ha annunciato di voler sviluppare una propria tecnologia per il lancio di razzi spaziali. Ieri il ministro della Difesa aveva parlato dei piani iraniani per la costituzione di una propria base spaziale, e ha mostrato il desiderio dello Stato iraniano di entrare a far parte del club di Paesi con un proprio programma spaziale.


Iraq ballots to be audited due to voting "anomalies"

The Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) has announced that it will audit the votes cast in this weekend's constitutional referendum in Iraq over what it sees as voting "anomalies". Adel Alami, chief electoral officer in Iraq, would not give any details but stated that in some provinces figures were either too low or too high when compared to international standards.

A source told the BBC, on the condition of anonymity, that voter turnout and the result levels were causing some concern. Problems with the initial results were said to be found in the southern Shi'ite and northern Kurdish areas of the country.

The official said, "The first controls are now taking place. We are not ruling out technical errors or fraud, but for now it is only a question of anomalies." Six provinces in southern Iraq, inhabited by a Shia majority, voted an overwhelming 90% in favour of the new constitution. Two Sunni majority areas rejected the constitution by over 80%.

According to the source, "When you have more than 90 percent 'yes', computers signal it immediately and there is a manual check. It means the figures must be looked at closely."

The United Nations had stated the voting had gone very well, although some Sunni political leaders have alleged that corrupt voting practices were used to inflate the "yes" vote.

United States President George W. Bush praised Iraqis, both proponents and those in opposition to the charter, saying, "I was pleased to see that the Sunnis have participated in the process. The idea of deciding to go into a ballot box is a positive development."

Condoleezza Rice said that initial information pointed to a likely yes vote, although this statement was met with some  surprise by United Nations and Iraqi officials. Karina Parelli, head of the United Nations Election Assistance Team in Iraq said, "Unless Rice is more well-informed than the IECI, thus far there is no way to know the turnout percentages or the results of the voting."

An official from the IECI, Hussein Hindawi, responded, "As far as I know, she does not work at the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq."

The IECI has made no official statements regarding fraud, and an election official cautioned that it was too early to know whether the numbers were incorrect or even if they would affect the outcome.

Most Shia and Kurdish citizens of Iraq support the new constitution, while the minority Sunni ethnic group fear loss of control over the country.

It is thought that the irregularities may not have affected the outcome as two of the main battleground provinces voted strongly in favour of the constitution. The commission stated that it was re-examining the votes and the final results could be delayed by several days.


イラク国民投票、一部で数えなおしへ

イラク独立選挙管理委員会（IECI）は、先週末の憲法草案国民投票の開票について、一部の州で投票の偏りがあるため、開票結果を今後検査すると発表した。これにより20日に予定されていた確定結果の発表は延期される見通し。

イラク独立選挙管理委員会のアデル・アラミ委員長は詳細を明らかにしていないが、いくつかの州での投票結果が国際的基準に照らし、賛成・反対が極端に偏っていると述べた。

匿名を条件にBBCの取材に応じたある関係者は、投票率と結果の両方が関心を呼んでいると語った。問題とされているのは、南部のシーア派地域と北部のクルド人地区での投票結果だという。

当局は「最初の検査をいま行っている。技術的な間違いか不正行為かは判断していない。むしろ現在問題となっているのは単に偏りがあるということにすぎない」としている。最初の集計では、シーア派が多数を占める南部の6州では、新憲法草案への賛成は90%を超えた。一方スンニー派アラブ人が多数を占めるサラーフッディーン県では、草案は80%以上の反対で否決された。スンニー派が多数を占める別の州での反対は54%台だった。

ある消息筋は「90%の賛成があった場合、コンピュータがただちに警告をだし、手による集計が行われる。つまり投票結果はより丹念に検査される」と語った。

国際連合は投票が順調に行われたとしている。しかしスンニー派の政治指導者には、賛成票の水増しをする不正操作を疑うものがいる。

エジプトの新聞「ミドル・イースト・タイムズ」国際版によれば、ジョージ・ウォーカー・ブッシュ米大統領はイラクの賛成反対両派に賞賛を送った。「スンニー派が投票に参加したことを喜ばしく思う。投票箱まで行くことにするという考え自体がよい変化だ」とブッシュ米大統領は述べた。

BBCによれば、コンドリーザ・ライス米国務長官は、草案は承認される見込みだという第一報を受け取ったと述べ、国連とイラク当局者を驚かせた。国連の選挙管理協力チームを率いるカリーナ・パレッティ氏は「ライス氏が独立選挙管理委員会（IECI）より詳しい情報を得ているのでない限り、投票率や投票結果を知る方法はない」とBBCに語った。独立選挙管理委員会のフセイン・ヒンダウィ氏は「私が知る限り、ライス氏はIECIには関係していない」とBBCに語った。

IECIは不正投票については一切公式の声明を出していない。またある選挙管理委員は、投票結果の数え間違いがあったか、結果に数え間違いが影響するかについてまだなにもわかっていないことに注意を喚起した。

イラクは、クルド人、スンニー派アラブ人、シーア派アラブ人の大きく3つの民族集団に分かれている。シーア派とクルド人は新憲法草案を支持しているが、イラクでは少数派であるスンニー派アラブ人には国内での影響力低下を懸念し、反対の立場をとっている。

イラク戦争で主な戦場となった2州で賛成が多数を占めたため、投票の偏りは全体の結果に影響しないのではないかと観測されている。選挙委員会は、投票の数え直しを行っており、確定結果の発表は予定より数日遅れる見込みであると述べた。

英語版ウィキニュースからの翻訳です。


Iraq counting ballots

Iraq's election commission announced Monday that officials were investigating "unusually high" numbers of "yes" votes in about a dozen provinces during Iraq's landmark referendum on a new constitution, raising questions about irregularities in the balloting. The Electoral Commission made no mention of fraud, and an official with knowledge of the election process cautioned that it was too early to say whether the unusual numbers were incorrect or if they would have an effect on the outcome.

The Bush administration has touted last weekend's referendum in Iraq as progress but analysts said on Monday the new constitution was too ambiguous and that violence still overshadowed Iraq's political future. Partial results from Saturday's referendum indicated a victory for the constitution the United States hopes will help stabilize Iraq and ultimately lead to 156,000 U.S. troops coming home.

The historic Iraqi vote on the proposed draft constitution ended on Saturday, and ballots are now being tallied. Initial reports show the draft constitution will be supported. Security during voting day was tightened, although the U.S. military has announced that five American soldiers and a marine were killed by a bomb blast on the day of the referendum, bringing the U.S. death toll in Iraq to 1,971.

Early returns showed the vote was split as was expected along largely communal lines. Opponents failed to secure the necessary two-thirds "no" vote in any three of Iraqi's 18 provinces, according to counts that local officials provided to The Associated Press. In the crucial central provinces with mixed ethnic and religious populations, enough Shiites and Kurds voted to block the Sunni attempt to reject the constitution. Local election officials gave a picture of a strong "Yes" vote in the Shiite Muslim provinces of the south, and of a substantial "No" vote in the Sunni Arab heartlands of the north and west.

Rejection of the draft constitution appears to be impossible according to initial vote counts reported in the three key provinces that Sunni Arab opponents relied on to defeat the draft constitution. Opponents need a two-thirds "no" vote in three of those provinces. They may have reached the threshold in Anbar and Salahuddin, but Diyala and Ninevah provinces appeared to have gone strongly "Yes".

According to the Arab News, it is probable that the Iraqis have agreed to the new constitution. It is believed that its passing is almost certain because the majority, both Shiite and Kurds, supported it. The Sunnis, on the other hand, have looked at the constitution as a "death sentence." They fear that the document, drafted as it was by a Kurdish-Shiite-dominated Parliament, will ultimately divide Iraq into three separate districts: a powerful ministate of Kurds in the north, the majority Shiites in the south, both capitalizing on Iraq’s oil wealth, and the Sunnis, according to this scenario, would be left impoverished and isolated somewhere in the middle.

President Bush referred to the vote as a victory for opponents of terrorism. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, speaking in London as the vote-count in Iraq was in progress, said the draft constitution had probably passed. Rice said later the final result was still not known. An unofficial tally is expected on Thursday and a final announcement on Oct. 24, senior electoral official Farid Ayyar stated on Sunday. It is expected that the official count will take several days.

Electoral officials estimated that as many as 10 million of Iraq's eligible 15.5 million voters cast ballots, which would yield a turnout of around 63 to 64 percent. In the January election which approved their interim government, 58 percent of voters turned out.

President Bush said in his weekly radio address Saturday that the weekend election is a critical step forward in the quest for democracy in Iraq. For the draft constitution to be approved after the months of negotiations by lawmakers in Iraq's transitional National Assembly, a majority of voters must support it. With what is believed to be strong support in Shiite and Kurdish communities, who together account for more than three-quarters of the population, the 50% threshold is expected to be met.

A rejection of the draft constitution would be viewed by coalition members as serious blow to the political evolution in Iraq that followed the U.S. led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. The transitional assembly would be dissolved, and the process of writing a new constitution would have to start all over after a new assembly could be elected in December. Regardless of the outcome, Iraq will hold parliamentary elections on December 15, the office of the President said on Sunday.

A new, permanent government, could possibly clear the way for the United States and its coalition allies to begin a withdrawal of troops from Iraq.


Referendum konstytucyjne w Iraku: Możliwe przekłamania

Zdaniem niezależnej komisji wyborczej w Iraku, podczas sobotniego referendum w sprawie przyjęcia projektu nowej konstytucji mogło dojść do pewnych nieprawidłowości. Komisja nie wyklucza między innymi fałszowania głosów.

Według Adela Alamiego, jednego z członków komisji, głosy z niektórych prowincji były w dużej mierze wyłącznie na 'tak' lub na 'nie'. Ponad to, dane dotyczące frekwencji i wyników były według niego niezgodne z międzynarodowymi standardami.

Obserwatorzy ONZ nie mieli zastrzeżeń do przebiegu głosowania. Pojawiły się one za to ze strony kilku sunnickich polityków. Twierdzili, że doszło do korupcji, dzięki której zwiększyła się liczba głosów za przyjęciem konstytucji.

W przypadku udowodnienia lub podejrzenia przekłamań, możliwe jest ponowne przeliczenie głosów pod szczegółową kontrolą. W cześci obwodów już podjęto decyzję odnoście powtórnego liczenia głosów. Jest to jeden z powodów opóźnienia podania ostatecznych rezultatów głosowania - poinformowała iracka komisja wyborcza. Innym powodem jest burza piaskowa, która spowolniła transport urn z odległych części Iraku do jego stolicy - Bagdadu.

Referendum w sprawie przyjęcia projektu nowej konstytucji dla Iraku odbyło się w sobotę, 15 października. Nowa konstytucja ma zapewnić przede wszystkim niezależność sądów i równe prawa dla wszystkich obywateli, wprowadzić arabski i kurdyjski jako języki urzędowe oraz islam jako główną religię (jednocześnie przy zachowaniu wolności wyznań innych religii), a także wprowadzić pełną demokrację w kraju.


Iraq demands immediate withdrawal of Turkish troops

The Iraqi government has demanded the immediate withdrawal of Turkish troops, saying the five-day incursion is threatening their otherwise friendly relations.

Iraq's council of ministers says the Turkish military is violating Iraqi sovereignty by conducting the incursion into Kurdish areas of northern Iraq.

Ali al-Dabbagh, the spokesman for the Iraqi government, says the government rejects the unilateral Turkish incursion because it is a threat to their good neighborly relations.

The Turkish military crossed into Iraq to chase out Kurdish rebels from the Kurdistan Workers Party. The rebels want autonomy for Kurds in Turkey and have used bases inside Iraq to launch attacks on Turkish forces.

Al-Dabbagh acknowledged the threat posed to Turkey by the rebels and said the government stands ready for dialogue.

About 20 percent of Turkish citizens are Kurds and in the southeast, bordering Iraq, they make up the majority. But Kurds in Turkey say their culture and language are oppressed.

Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, president of the Iraqi Parliament, says they have asked Turkey to resolve the situation peacefully. He says the Turks should hold a referendum in south Turkey to give the Kurds the rights they want.

Iraq's Shiite parliament ministers issued a statement rejecting the Turkish military operation and supporting calls for their immediate withdrawal.

Elsewhere, a suicide bomber detonated in a bus near the northern city of Mosul, killing at least nine and wounding several others.

Meanwhile, millions of Shiites in Iraq gathered in the southern Iraqi city of Karbala for Arbaeen, a major Shiite commemoration.

Iraqi TV showed huge crowds of Shiites walking in procession, beating drums, and whipping and hitting themselves in ritual prostration.

More than 60 Shiite pilgrims were killed while making their way to Karbala this week, most of them from a Sunday suicide bombing.


Iraq exige el retiro inmediato de las tropas turcas

27 de febrero de 2008Bagdad, Iraq —

El gobierno Iraquí ha exigido el retiro inmediato de las tropas Turcas, anunciando que la incursión que completa cinco días está rompiendo sus relaciones amistosas.

Por su parte, el concejo de ministros iraquí dijo que las fuerzas militares turcas están violando la soberanía iraquí al conducir una incursión a las regiones kurdas del norte de Iraq.

Ali al-Dabbagh, el vocero del gobierno iraquí, informó que el gobierno rechaza las incursiones unilaterales turcas porque constituyen una ruptura a las buenas relaciones de países vecinos.

Las fuerzas militares turcas ingresaron a Iraq para detener a los rebeldes kurdos militantes del Partido de los Trabajadores de Kurdistán. Los rebeldes quieren la autonomía de los kurdos en Turquía y tienen bases dentro de Iraq para responder a ataques de fuerzas turcas.

Al-Dabbagh conoce la incursión realizada por Turquía y dijo que el gobierno está listo para dialogar.

Cerca del 20 por ciento de los ciudadanos turcos son kurdos y en el sureste, en la frontera con Iraq, representan una mayoría. Sin embargo, los kurdos en Turquía dicen que su cultura e idioma están bajo opresión.

Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, presidente del parlamento iraquí, dijo que han solicitado a Turquía la solución pacífica de la situación. También dijo que los turcos deberían efectuar un referedo en el sur de Turquía para dar a los kurdos los derechos que están reclamando.

El Parlamento Chiita de Iraq ha propuesto el rechazo de la operación militar turca y dio un llamado de apoyo para su retiro inmediato.

No obstante, un atentado suicida detonado en un bus cerca de la ciudad de Mosul, mató al menos a nueve personas y dejó varios heridos.

Mientras tanto, millones de Chiitas en Iraq conmemoraron el Arbaeen en la ciudad de Karbala, una celebración religiosa que tiene lugar cuarenta días antes del Ashura.

La televisión iraquí mostró a cientos de Chiitas en procesiones, tocando tambores y golpeandose a si mismos en sus rituales religiosos.

Mas de 60 peregrinos Chiitas fueron asesinados mientras iban a Karbala durante esta semana, muchos de ellos por una bomba suicida ocurrida el pasado domingo.


Iraq elects Kurdish president, Saddam said to be shaken

The Kurdish population of Iraq celebrated today the appointment of veteran Kurdish leader Jalal Talabani as the country's new president. The confirmation comes after Iraqis braved suicide bombings and other attacks to vote on the future of their country's Government more than two months ago. As well as electing Talabani, Iraq's Parliament also appointed Shi'a Adel Abdul Mahdi and Sunni Arab tribal leader Ghazi Yawar as vice presidents.

"This is the new Iraq -- an Iraq that elects a Kurd to be president and an Arab former president as his deputy," said Parliament speaker Hajem al-Hassani earlier. During Saddam Hussein's rule, the Sunni minority dominated Iraq, while Shi'ite communities were oppressed and the Kurdish population massacred as they fought against Saddam's regime. The Kurds make up 20 percent of the country's population, while Shi'ites make up 60 percent and the Sunni Arabs make up between 15 percent to 20 percent. Reports say Talabani has pledged to work with all ethnic and religious factions to rebuild Iraq and has called upon neighbouring countries to stop insurgents from further disrupting Iraq.

Although his post is seen by some as a ceremonial position, Talabani's role will include overseeing the completion of Iraq's new constitution by August this year and appointing Shi'ite leader Ibrahim al-Jaafari as Iraq's prime minister.

Echoing the comments of many Kurdish Iraqis, Mohammed Saleh, a 42-year-old Kurd in Kirkuk, told reporters: "Today Jalal Talabani made it to the seat of power, while Saddam Hussein is sitting in jail. Who would have thought."

According to agency reports, Saddam Hussein, imprisoned at a U.S.-run high security facility on the outskirts of Baghdad, was said to be "clearly upset" as Iraq moved closer to becoming a democratic state again. Watching the election results unfold live on Iraqi television, Saddam "realised that it was over, that a democratic process had taken place and that there was a new, elected president," Iraq's human rights minister Bakhtiar Amin told Reuters earlier today.

Antonnio Castaneda. "Kurd Picked As Iraq Interim President" — Associated Press, April 6, 2005
Luke Baker. "Saddam watches election on TV" — Reuters, April 6, 2005


Iraque elege presidente curdo

A população curda do Iraque celebrou dia 6 de abril a indicação do veterano  líder curdo Jalal Talabani como o novo presidente do país. O Parlamento de Iraque também indicou  Shi'a Adel Abdul Mahdi e o líder tribal árabe sunita Ghazi Yawar como vice-presidentes.

"Este é o novo Iraque. Um Iraque que elege um curdo para ser o presidente e um ex-presidente árabe como deputado," disse o porta-voz do Parlamento Hajem al—Hassani.

Durante o regime de Saddam Hussein, a minoria sunita dominava o Iraque, enquanto as comunidades xiitas eram oprimidas, e a população curda massacrada. Os curdos formam 20 por cento da população do país, enquanto os xiitas são 60 por cento e os árabes sunitas compõem entre 15 por cento a 20 por cento. Segundo informações divulgadas Jalal Talabani prometeu  trabalhar com todas as facções étnicas e religiosas para reedificar o Iraque e rogou aos países vizinhos para que não continuem a incentivar ataques rebeldes contra o país.

Ecoando os comentários de muitos iraquianos curdos, Mohammed Saleh, um curdo de 42 anos em Kirkuk, disse a repórteres: "hoje Jalal Talabani sentou no assento do poder, enquanto Saddam Hussein está sentado na cadeia. Quem imaginaria isso."


Iraq removes Saddam references from flag

The parliament of Iraq has approved a new flag for the country.

The new design no longer has the three green stars of the old flag, as they represented the ideals of the Baath party - "Unity, Freedom, Socialism". Saddam Hussein was a leading member of the Baath party before his rule was ended in 2003.

The stars had upset many Kurds, who viewed them as a symbol of the régime that had killed thousands of their people. Massoud Barzani, President of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government, banned the flag in his region in 2006.

"The new flag has no signs of Saddam's regime and is a sign that change has been achieved in the country", said Humam Hamoudi, a member of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council.

The parliament voted 110-50 in favor of the change. They stated the new flag is only temporary, and that they will seek another redesign after a year has passed.

Parliament speaker Mahmud Mashhadani said the new flag will be flown from "constitutional and non-constitutional institutions", as well as in Kurdish regions and Iraqi embassies.

Some, like Sadrist lawmaker Ahmed al-Masody, opposed the stars' removal. "We would have announced that they don't symbolize the Baath Party, but other principles, like justice", al-Masody said. He refers to a different proposal that would have changed the script's color to yellow and made the stars represent "peace, tolerance and justice".

The flag previously went through changes in 2004, when the Arabic inscription "Allahu Akbar", meaning "God is great", was changed to a stylized Kufic script. The words on the old flag were alleged to be in Saddam Hussein's handwriting.


Iraq rediseña su bandera

Tras varias disputas, el parlamento de Iraq ha aprobado una nueva bandera para su país.

La nueva bandera no tiene las tres estrellas verdes de la bandera anterior, ya que representan los ideales del Partido Árabe Socialista Baaz: "Unidad, libertad, socialismo". Saddam Husein fue líder de este partido hasta que su mandato fue disuelto en 2003.

Las estrellas habían molestado a muchos kurdos, quienes las veían como símbolos del régimen que había matado a miles de su pueblo. Massoud Barzani, presidente del Gobierno Regional Kurdo, prohibió la bandera en su región en 2006.

Humam Hamoudi, miembro de la Asamblea Suprema Islámica Iraquí, dijo: "La bandera nueva no tiene símbolos del régimen de Saddam y es un símbolo de que el cambio se ha logrado en el país".

El parlamento votó 110-50 a favor del cambio. Dijo que la nueva bandera es sólo provisional y que la rediseñarán una vez más dentro de un año.

Mahmud Mashhadani, vocal del Parlamento, dijo que la nueva bandera será izada en instituciones tanto constitucionales como no constitucionales y en regiones kurdas y embajadas iraquíes.

Algunos, como el legislador Sadrista Ahmed al-Masody, se oponen a la eliminación de las estrellas. Dijo: "Pudimos haber anunciado que no simbolizan el partido Baaz, sino otras virtudes, como la justicia". Se refiere a otra propuesta que hubiese cambiado el color de la caligrafía a amarillo y el significado de las estrellas a "Paz, Tolerancia y Justicia".

La bandera ya había sido cambiada en 2004, cuando la inscripción en árabe "Allahu Akbar", que significa "Dios es grande", fue cambiada de un manuscrito, supuestamente el de Saddam Hussein, a la caligrafía kufic.


O Iraque remove referências a Saddam da bandeira

O parlamento do Iraque aprovou uma nova Bandeira para o país.

O novo design já não tem as três estrelas verdes do antigo pavilhão, uma vez que representavam os ideais do partido Baath - "Unidade, Liberdade, socialismo". Saddam Hussein, foi um dos principais membros do partido Baath antes da sua regra foi encerrada em 2003.

As estrelas incomodavam muitos curdos, que visualizaram-las como um símbolo do regime que havia, e que matou milhares de seus cidadãos. Massoud Barzani, presidente do semi-autónomo Governo Regional do Curdistão, proibiu a bandeira na sua região, em 2006.

"O novo pavilhão não tem sinais de regime de Saddam e é um sinal de que a mudança tenha sido alcançado no país", disse Humam Hamoudi, um membro do Supremo Conselho Islâmico iraquiano.

O parlamento votou 110-50, em favor da mudança. Eles declararam a nova bandeira é apenas temporária, e que eles vão procurar outra, e redesenhá-la após um ano.

O Orador do Parlamento Mahmud Mashhadani disse que o novo pavilhão será voado de "instituições constitucional e não-constitucional", bem como nas regiões curdas, iraquianas e embaixadas.

Alguns, como o legislador Sadrist Ahmed al-Masody, se opõe a retirada das estrelas. "Gostaríamos de ter anunciado que não simbolizam o Partido Baath, mas outros princípios, como a justiça", disse al-Masody. Ele refere-se a uma proposta diferente que teria mudado o script da cor para amarelo e fez as estrelas representam "paz, a tolerância ea justiça".

A bandeira já passou por mudanças em 2004, quando a inscrição Árabe "Allahu Akbar", que significa "Deus é grande", foi alterada para uma versão estilizada em Kufic script. As palavras sobre o antigo pavilhão estavam a ser alegada em manuscrita de Saddam Hussein.


Ny irakisk flagga utan Saddam Hussein

Publiceringar 24 januari • januari 2008 • kvartal 1 • vecka 4


Iraq starts manual vote recount

The Iraqi election commission has started to manually recount about 2.5 million ballots cast in the capital Baghdad during parliamentary elections two months ago.

Counting could take from two to three weeks, according to officials. An official for the Independent High Electroral Commission, Qassim al-Abbudi, said that "[w]e will count 600 boxes today".

The recount was requested by incumbent Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is accusing the opposition of fraud, when provisional results gave the bloc led by rival Iyad Allawi a two-seat lead. al-Maliki's election coalition, however, now says the recount should be stopped, saying the election commission isn't using the correct procedures and will have an incorrect result.

The Iraqi parliamentary poll, held on March 7, resulted in the Iraqiya bloc receiving 91 seats, while the incumbent PM's State of Law coalition taking 89 seats; in order to form a government, a block must obtain 163 parliament seats.


Iraki választások: újraszámolják a bagdadi választókerületben leadott szavazatokat

Az iraki választási bizottság kézileg számolja újra a két hónappal ezelőtti országgyűlési választásokon Bagdadban leadott 2,5 millió szavazatot. Az eljárást a jelenlegi miniszterelnök, Núri al-Máliki kérte, miután az előzetes eredmények szerint pártját megelőzte az Idzsad Allavi vezette Irakidzsa. Al-Málaki jelenleg viszont már tiltakozik az újraszámlálás ellen, mondván hogy a bizottság nem megfelelő módszerrel dolgozik, s hogy emiatt az eredmények torzulhatnak.

A becslések szerint napi 600 urnányi szavazólapot dolgoznak fel majd, s így a számlálás két-három hétig tarthat. A március 7-i választásokon egyébként az Irakidzsa 91, míg az Al-Málaki nevével fémjelzett Törvény Állama 89 helyet szerzett a 325 fős parlamentben. A kormányalakításhoz 163 hely szükséges.


Iraq war vet claims atrocities by U.S. soldiers

Joshua Key, a 27-year-old U.S. war deserter, alleged to a Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board yesterday that American soldiers had been kicking the severed head of an Iraqi in Ramadi "like a soccer ball."

"I couldn't believe someone could do that to a human being," said Key, who is the first U.S. army deserter to make application for refugee status after serving in Iraq.

The U.S. Army's attitude in Iraq was "just shoot and ask questions later," according to Key. He said, "It's like people could kill if they just wanted to. Everything is justified."

Key also claimed to have witnessed a "trigger happy" platoon squad sergeant shooting part of an unarmed Iraqi man's foot off after the man had raised his foot as a sign of disrespect.

There are five members of the U.S. armed forces requesting asylum in Canada but Key is the only applicant who has combat experience in Iraq, said Key's lawyer, Jeffry House. "He has boots-on-the-ground experience about what the actual conduct of the war in Iraq is," House said.

Key also said at the hearing; "(Iraqis) are just normal people. They're farmers, mothers, fathers; just like us, just like my home country. I didn't see why we was there."

Key now works as a welder in British Columbia where he and his wife have four children under six years of age.

There were no representations made at this hearing to dispute the claims made by Key; but Key also did not provide any proof to substantiate his allegations.


"Jag kunde inte tänka mig att någon kunde göra så mot en människa," sa Key som är den förste amerikanske dessertören som erhåller flyktingstatus efter att ha tjänstgjort i Irak.

Den amerikanska arméns attityd i Irak var "skjut först och fråga sedan," enligt Key. "Det är som om människor kan döda bara de vill. Allt är tillåtet."

Key påstod även att han hade bevittnat hur en skjutglad sergeant skjutit av en del av foten på en irakisk man efter att mannen hade lyft foten som ett tecken på orespekt.

Det finns fem medlemmar inom de amerikanska styrkorna som ansöker om asyl i Kanada men Key är den ende ansökanden som har erfarenhet av strider i Irak, säger Keys advokat Jeffry House. "Han har jordnära erfarenheter av vad det verkliga beteendet i Irak är," säger House.

Key sa också under förhöret att "(irakier) är bara normala människor. De är bönder, mödrar, fäder; precis som oss, precis som i mitt hemland. Jag förstår inte varför vi var där."

Key arbetar nu som svetsare i British Columbia där han och hans fru har fyra barn som samtliga är under sex år gamla.

Under förhören fanns ingen närvarande som försvarade sig mot Keys påståenden och han kunde heller inte lägga fram bevis för att hans påståenden var sanna.

Denna artikel är en kort telegramartikel. Vet du mer om ämnet den beskriver kan du hjälpa till med att utvidga den.

21 juli 2010: Nyheter kort: 29 januari 2005
24 mars 2008: 4000 amerikanska soldater döda i Irak
3 mars 2008: Bilbomber dödar 19 i Bagdad
1 februari 2008: Bombdåd i Bagdad bröt nedåtgående våldstrend
24 januari 2008: Ny irakisk flagga utan Saddam Hussein
21 januari 2008: Självmordsbombare dödade 14 begravningsgäster
11 januari 2008: Amerikanska övergrepp utan fällande dom
10 januari 2008: Amerikansk militär bombade al-Qaida
6 januari 2008: Attacker mot kristna i Irak
2 april 2006: Rice och Straw gör oannonserat besök i Bagdad

Kanada

18 februari 2008: NHL utan Forsberg i vår
30 maj 2007: Japan öppnar för nötkött från Kanada och USA
1 april 2006: Amerikansk krigsveteran vittnar om grymheter i Irak
23 mars 2006: Kanadas säljaktssäsong lockar till protester
23 mars 2006: Fredsaktivister i Irak fritagna
14 mars 2006: Rekordvarm vinter i Kanada
12 mars 2006: Mediakänd späckhuggare i Kanada avled i olycka
7 mars 2006: Ny video på kidnappade fredsaktivister
22 februari 2006: Rättegång inledd i kanadensisk blodskandal
8 februari 2006: Avtal skyddar Kanadas regnskog

• Irak
• Kanada

Händelser 30 mars • mars • 2006 • kvartal 1 • vecka 13

Publiceringar 1 april • april • 2006 • kvartal 2 • vecka 13


Iraq's President supports U.S. Senate plan to decentralize Iraq

Iraq's President Jalal Talabani said on Sunday that he supports a U.S. Senate plan to divide Iraq into three separate regions for Shiite Muslims, Sunni Muslims, and Kurds.  The plan includes a limited central government in Baghdad which would protect Iraq's borders and distribute oil revenues among the three regions.  The Bush administration and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki both oppose the plan, which was put forth in a non-binding Senate resolution adopted last month.

"I think the resolution passed by the Senate is a very good one," said Talabani in an interview with CNN on Sunday.  "It is insisting on the unity of Iraq, of the security of Iraq, of the prosperity of Iraq, of national reconciliation and asking our neighbors not to interfere in the internal affairs of Iraq."

On September 26, the U.S. Senate voted 75-23 in favor of a non-binding resolution supporting the plan.  The legislation was written by Senator Joe Biden (D-Del.) and was co-sponsored by Senators Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Arlen Specter (R-Penn.), and John Kerry (D-Mass.).

According to RFE/RL, the resolution "sparked a massive outcry both inside Iraq and across the Arab world, with critics suggesting the United States has overstepped its role in Iraq."


El Presidente de Iraq apoya el plan del senado estadounidense de descentralizar Iraq

El Presidente de Iraq, Jalal Talabani, dijo el domingo que apoya el plan del Senado de Estados Unidos para dividir Iraq en tres regiones separadas para Musulmanes Chiitas, Musulmanes Sunitas y Kurdos. El plan incluye un limitado gobierno central en Bagdad que protegería las fronteras e Iraq y distribuiría ingresos de petróleo entre las tres regiones.

Tanto George W. Bush, Presidente de EE. UU., como el Primer Ministro de Iraq, Nuri Al Maliki, se oponen al plan, el cual se puso en práctica en una resolución no vinculante del Senado adoptada el mes pasado.

"Creo que la resolución aprobada por el Senado es una muy buena", dijo Talabani en una entrevista con la CNN el domingo. "Es insistir en la unidad de Iraq, en la seguridad de Iraq, en la prosperidad de Iraq, en la reconciliación nacional y pedir a nuestros vecinos que no interfieran en los asuntos internos de Iraq".

El 26 de septiembre, el Senado de EE. UU. votó por 75–23 a favor de la resolución no vinculante, la cual apoya el plan. La legislación fue escrita por el Senador Joe Biden (D-Del.) y fue co-esponsoreada por los Senadores Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Arlen Specter (R-Penn.), y John Kerry (D-Mass.).

De acuerdo a RFE/RL, la resolución causó "una masiva protesta tanto en Iraq como en el mundo árabe, con críticas de que Estados Unidos se ha sobrepasado en su rol en Iraq".


Iraqi army regains control over Peshmerga fighters' occupied Kirkuk

Yesterday, the Iraqi army said they had regained control over the city of Kirkuk, which was occupied by Peshmerga fighters of Kurdistan's autonomous regions. After a 48-hour long operation to regain control, Iraqi joint operation command said, "Security has been restored in sectors of Kirkuk, including Dibis, Al-Multaqa, and the Khabbaz and Bai Hassan North and South oil fields". They named areas in Mosul's Nineveh province as under army control as well.

The oil fields of Bai Hassan and Avana were captured by the army on Tuesday. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi gave orders on Monday to capture disputed areas between the Kurdistan autonomous regions and Iraq. The city of Kirkuk has oil fields, and the Iraqi Oil Ministry signed a contract with UK oil company BP for consultancy in 2013. But, the following year, while Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant was fighting the Iraqi army, Peshmerga gained control over much of the area. In the operation to re-gain the control, at least 25 Peshmerga fighters were killed, reported Al Jazeera citing Sulaimaniyah morgue official Barzan Mohammed.

The Prime Minister said Iraq had to regain control of the oil fields and other areas occupied by Peshmerga to "protect the unity of the country". Three weeks ago, Kurdistan held an independence referendum, which the prime minister called "unconstitutional". After regaining control, Al-Abadi said plans of an independent Kurdistan were "a thing of past".


L'exèrcit iraquià domina Kirkuk

Grups de l'exèrcit iraquià han tornat a dominar la ciutat de Kirkuk de mans dels peixmerga kurds. L'ofensiva es va desenvolupar sense molta resistència. Ahir a la nit, l'exèrcit iraquià encara estava a càrrec dels camps petroliers de la ciutat, incloent-hi la seu de North Oil.

Els kurds, tanmateix, consideren l'ofensiva com una declaració de guerra per costat iraquià. “Fem una crida a tots els peshmerga i als valents ciutadans a resistir als atacants i derrotar-los”, va dir un comunicat de l'exèrcit kurd. També es considera una represàlia iraquiana pel referèndum kurd sobre la independència fa unes setmanes.

Kirkuk havia estat en mans dels kurds des de juny del 2014. Els kurds es van beneficiar del fet que l'exèrcit iraquià havia fugit de l'Estat Islàmic, que avançava ràpidament.


Irakische Armee nimmt Kirkoek


El Ejército Iraquí toma el control de Kirkuk

Grupos del ejército del gobierno iraquí volvieron a tomar el control de la ciudad de Kirkuk de manos de los kurdos peshmerga. La ofensiva prosiguió sin mucha resistencia. La noche anterior, el ejército iraquí todavía estaba a cargo de los campos petroleros ubicado alrededor de la ciudad, incluida la sede del North Oil.

Los kurdos, sin embargo, consideran la ofensiva como una declaración de guerra del lado iraquí. "Pedimos a todos los peshmerga y ciudadanos valerosos [se unan] para resistir a los atacantes y vencerlos", afirmó en una declaración el ejército kurdo. También se considera una represalia iraquí por el referéndum de independencia kurdo efectuado unas semanas atrás.

Kirkuk estaba en manos kurdas desde junio de 2014. Los kurdos se beneficiaron del hecho de que el ejército iraquí huyera del Estado Islámico, que estaba en un rápido avance.


L'armée irakienne domine Kirkouk

Les groupes de l'armée du gouvernement irakien ont à nouveau dominé la ville de Kirkouk des Peshmergas kurdes, avec l'aide des milices chiites. L'offensive s'est poursuivie sans grande résistance. La nuit dernière, l'armée irakienne était toujours en charge des champs de pétrole autour de la ville, y compris le siège de North Oil.

Les Kurdes, cependant, considèrent l'offensive comme une déclaration de guerre du côté irakien. « Nous appelons tous les Peshmergas et les citoyens courageux à résister aux assaillants et à les battre », a déclaré un communiqué de l'armée kurde. Il est également considéré comme une riposte irakienne au référendum kurde sur l'indépendance d’il y a quelques semaines.

Kirkouk était entre les mains des Kurdes depuis juin 2014. Ils avaient alors bénéficié du fait que l'armée irakienne avait fui l’État islamique (Daech), qui progressait rapidement dans le nord du pays.


Iraakse leger neemt Kirkoek in

Iraakse leger neemt Kirkoek in

Legertroepen van de Iraakse regering hebben vandaag de stad Kirkuk heroverd op de Koerdische Peshmerga. Het terugveroveren zelf verliep zonder al veel tegenstand. Afgelopen nacht kreeg het Iraakse leger  al vrij moeiteloos de olievelden rondom de stad in handen, waaronder het hoofdkwartier van North Oil. De Koerden van hun kant beschouwen de herovering echter als een oorlogsverklaring van Iraakse zijde.  "We roepen alle Peshmerga's en moedige burgers op om zich tegen de aanvallers te verzetten en hen te verslaan", aldus een verklaring van de Koerdische legerleiding. Het wordt ook beschouwd als een Iraakse vergelding voor het Koerdische onafhankelijkheidsreferendum van enkele weken geleden.

Kirkuk was sinds juni 2014 in Koerdische handen. De Koerden profiteerden hierbij van het feit dat het Iraakse leger op de vlucht was geslagen voor Islamitische Staat, dat toen aan een snelle opmars bezig was.


Exército iraquiano domina Kirkuk

Grupos do exército do governo iraquiano voltaram a dominar a cidade de Kirkuk dos curdos Peshmerga. A ofensiva prosseguiu sem muita resistência. Na noite passada, o exército iraquiano ainda estava a cargo dos campos petrolíferos em torno da cidade, incluindo a sede do North Oil.

Os curdos, no entanto, consideram a ofensiva como uma declaração de guerra do lado iraquiano. "Pedimos a todos os Peshmerga e cidadãos corajosos para resistir aos atacantes e vencê-los", afirmou uma declaração do exército curdo. Também é considerada uma retaliação iraquiana pelo referendo de independência curdo algumas semanas atrás.

Kirkuk estava em mãos curdas desde o junho de 2014. Os curdos se beneficiaram do fato de que o exército iraquiano ter fugido do Estado Islâmico, que estava em um rápido avanço.


Iraqi authorities demand that U.S. sever all contracts with Blackwater

In an official report issued on Monday, Iraqi authorities demanded that the United States sever all contracts with Blackwater USA, the private military security firm hired by the U.S. State Department to protect its diplomats in Baghdad.  The report accuses Blackwater employees of deliberately killing 17 civilians in an incident that took place on September 16 in Nisoor square in Baghdad, and demands that Blackwater pay US$8 million in compensation to the families of each of the 17 victims.

Iraq's demands were outlined in an official report issued on Monday in Arabic and then translated by news agencies worldwide.  The  report says that on September 16, four Blackwater vehicles and two helicopters opened fire without provocation in Nisoor square, following a car bombing near a meeting involving a USAID official under Blackwater protection.  The report says that at least 14 Iraqi civilians were killed in Nisoor square, and that two or three more were killed at a nearby intersection.

The U.S. normally makes compensation payments to the families of civilians killed in battle, but at amounts far lower than the $8 million per family demanded in the report.  The report said the compensation was high "because Blackwater uses employees who disrespect the rights of Iraqi citizens even though they are guests in this country."

The report asks for the Blackwater employees involved in the incident to be handed over for possible trial in Iraqi courts.  Under a law introduced in 2004, private security employees are immune from prosecution in Iraq.  However, the report argues that Blackwater's license to operate in Iraq expired in 2006, and thus it is no longer immune from prosecution under the 2004 law.

Although Blackwater has not yet responded to the Iraqi report, it has previously stated that its employees were acting in self-defense in the Nisoor square incident.  At a congressional hearing last week, Blackwater USA founder Erik Prince told a congressional hearing that his men had come under fire and "returned fire at threatening targets."


Le gouvernement irakien demande à Washington de dénoncer tous les contrats avec Blackwater

Publié le 11 octobre 2007   Dans un rapport officiel publié le 8 octobre, les autorités irakiennes ont demandé aux États-Unis de mettre un terme à tous les contrats avec la société militaire privée Blackwater USA, qui est chargée de la sécurité des diplomates américains en poste à Bagdad.

Le rapport accuse les employés de Blackwater d'avoir délibérément tué 17 civils lors d'un incident qui s'est produit le 16 septembre sur la Place Nisour à Bagdad, et exige que Blackwater verse à la famille de chacune des victimes des indemnités de 8 millions de dollars américains.

La requête irakienne a été détaillée dans le rapport officiel rédigé en arabe puis traduit par les agences de presse internationales. Le rapport explique que, le 16 septembre, quatre véhicules et deux hélicoptères de Blackwater ont ouvert le feu sans provocation préalable sur la place Nisoor, peu après l'explosion d'une voiture piégée près de l'endroit où se trouvait un représentant de USAID dont Blackwater assurait la protection. Le rapport précise en outre que 14 civils irakiens au moins ont été tués sur la Place Nisour, et deux ou trois autres personnes ont perdu la vie sur un carrefour non loin de là.

Les États-Unis paient en général des indemnités aux familles des civils tués lors des combats, mais les montants sont nettement plus bas que les 8 millions de dollars demandés dans le rapport. Le rapport explique ce montant élevé "par le fait que Blackwater emploie des personnes qui ne respectent pas les droits des citoyens irakiens, bien qu'elles soient des invitées du pays".

Le rapport demande d'autre part que les employés de Blackwater impliqués dans l'incident soient remis aux tribunaux irakiens en vue d'un éventuel procès. Or, selon une loi adoptée en 2004, les employés des sociétés militaires privées bénéficient de l'immunité judiciaire en Irak. Cependant, le rapport affirme que l'autorisation pour Blackwell d'opérer en Irak est échue depuis 2006, et que la compagnie n'est donc plus couverte par les protections prévues dans la loi de 2004.

Bien que Blackwater n'ait pas encore réagi au rapoprt irakien, elle a déjà déclaré préalablement que ses employés avaient agi en état d'autodéfense durant l'incident de la Place Nisour. Au cours d'une audition devant le Congrès des États-Unis la semaine passée, le fondateur de Blackwater USA, Erik Prince, a expliqué que ses hommes avaient été essuyé des tirs et avaient "riposté en direction de cibles menaçantes".


Iraqi elections kept low-key, but secure, in Paris

Fourteen countries outside of Iraq have been selected for the installation of polling stations for the Iraqi National Assembly election. Among these, Paris, capital city of France, will welcome voters from France, Belgium, and Switzerland.

While the event has not been kept secret, the French government and media have been quite discreet about it. The polling station has been installed in an unused elementary school in a calm residential neighbourhood of the XIIIe arrondissement, without fanfare. Most inhabitants are not even aware of its presence – that is, until they notice the unusual deployment of police and come across the posters written in French and Arabic. Despite the discretion, the sight of police guarding a polling station is striking in a country where elections are a calm affair on a Sunday, and polling stations, most of which are installed in schools, are only noticeable because of the official billboards carrying the candidates' posters.

Security measures have been taken – metallic barriers prevent parking in and around the front and back entrances to the station, and CRS riot police with bulletproof vests guard the entrances.
Still, overall, the security measures remain limited. Traffic flows in the street, passers-by freely walk in front of the station entrance, no display of heavy weapons. This contrasts with the use of military troops and deployments of gendarmes mobiles that France used in its Vigipirate anti-terror plan following the Islamist terror bombings that it suffered in 1995, or the typical security measures kept around possible terror targets such as the embassies of Israel and the United States of America. This time, military cars and a handful of soldiers were seen in the morning, but were gone in the afternoon.


Élections irakiennes en territoires étrangers, Paris

Quatorze pays en dehors de l'Irak ont été séléctionnés comme lieu de vote pour les élections iraqiennes. Au total, près de 280 000 électeurs sont inscrits hors de leur pays.

Paris, capitale de la France, accueille les votants de France, de Belgique et de Suisse.

Alors que cet événement n'avait pas été gardé secret, le gouvernement et les médias français sont restés assez discrets sur la question. Le bureau de vote a été installé dans une école primaire inutilisée dans un voisinage résidentiel calme du XIIIe arrondissement. La plupart des habitants n'étaient même pas au courant de sa présence, avant qu'ils ne remarquent le déploiement inhabituel des forces de police et les posters écrits en français et en arabe. Malgré la discrétion, la vue de policiers en train de garder un bureau de vote est étonnante dans un pays où les élections sont organisées calmement le dimanche et où les bureaux de vote, la plupart installés dans des écoles, ne sont reconnaissables que par les panneaux officiels portant les affiches des différents candidants.

Des mesures de sécurité ont été prises – des barrières métalliques empêchent le stationnement autour des entrées du bureau de vote, des CRS gardent l'entrée. Malgré tout, les mesures de sécurité restent limitées. La circulation est toujours en place dans la rue, le piétons passent sans problèmes près de l'entrée du bureau de vote, les CRS ne sont pas lourdement armés. Ceci contraste avec l'utilisation de troupes militaires et les déploiements de gendarmes que la France a utilisé dans son plan anti-terroriste Vigipirate qui a suivi les attaques terroristes islamiques qui ont frappé la France en 1995, ou les mesures de sécurité permanentes sur les cibles potentielles d'attaques terroristes telles que l'ambassade d'Israël. Apparemment, le gouvernement français a pensé que la discrétion valait mieux qu'une démonstation de force, qui aurait peut-être attiré des groupes protestant contre l'occupation américaine en Irak.


Det irakiska valet dämpat, men säkert, i Paris

29 januari (Engelska Wikinews)

Paris, Frankrike Fjorton länder utanför Irak har valts ut för installation av vallokaler för det irakiska valet 2005. Bland dessa kommer Paris, Frankrikes huvudstad, välkomna röstande från Frankrike, Belgien och Schweiz.

Även om händelsen inte varit hemlig så har franska myndigheter och massmedier varit ganska diskreta om händelsen. Vallokalen har installerats i en oanvänd skola i ett lugn område inom det åttonde arrondissmentet, utan vare sig pompa eller ståt. De flesta invånarna känner inte ens till att val hålls – tills de upptäcker poliserna och får syn på affischer med fransk och arabisk text.

Säkerhetsåtgärder har vidtagits - metallstaket hindrar parkering vid och runtom skolan entréer och säkerhetspoliser med skottsäkra västar vaktar ingångarna. Dock är säkerhetsrestriktioner begränsade. Trafik kan passera vid gatan och förbipasserande kan lugnt gå framför vallokalens ingång.


Iraqi forces battle militants in Basra for second day

On Wednesday, Iraqi security forces (ISF) battled militants who have been described as loyal to Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in Basra, Iraq's main seaport and the country's third largest city. Reports indicate that at least sixty people have been killed and hundreds have been wounded. This marked the second day of intense fighting.

Combat is reported to have spread to other southern cities and also to Bagdhad. Agence France-Presse reported that two United States soldiers were killed in the capital city.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has been in Basra since Monday to personally supervise Operation Sulat al-Fursan (Knights Charge) which the authorities described as designed to reimpose law and order. Today, he gave an ultimatum to the militants, giving them 72 hours to surrender. "Otherwise, they will face the most severe penalties," Maliki said in a televised statement.

Observers see the Basra operation as a test of the Iraqi government's ability to assert its control over a region that is not administered by foreign military forces. United Kingdom forces patrolled Basra from the onset of the invasion until they turned it over to Iraqi authorities in December of 2007.

US spokesperson Major-General Kevin Bergner said that, "These are Iraqi decisions, they are Iraqi government forces and these are Iraqi leaders implementing and directing these decisions." He added that a year ago, the ISF would not have been able to conduct an operation of this scale.

Anthony Cordesman, a security analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies told Bloomberg via e-mail: "The current fighting is as much a power struggle for control of the south and the Shiite parts of Baghdad" as it is an attempt to establish government authority. The Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council is "clearly positioning itself for a power struggle with Sadr and for any elections to come," Cordesman added.

Bergner further said that the fighting in Basra is neither a battle against the Mahdi Army, nor is it a proxy war against Iran. Rather it is "to deal with criminals in the streets with weapons," he said. "We [the US] shall continue to show restraint on those who have undertaken Muqtada al-Sadr's pledge." A 2006 US report, however, called al-Sadr's Mahdi Army a "most dangerous accelerant of potentially self-sustaining sectarian violence in Iraq."

Aides of Muqtada al-Sadr say that the cleric's cease-fire, which was declared in August 2007, is still in force. On Tuesday, al-Sadr called for a non-violent "civil revolt" and supporters have been protesting the Maliki government forcing schools and shops to close.

"There are ongoing negotiations with the prime minister. Maliki asked to meet Sadr officials in Basra," Harith al-Ithari, head of al-Sadr's Basra office, told Reuters.

Muqtada al-Sadr was seen as instrumental in Maliki's rise to power, but al-Sadr broke from Maliki in 2005. According to Iraqi political analyst Hazem al-Nuaeimi, Sadr is a thorn in the side of other Shia groups that currently support Maliki. "There is a need to minimize the Sadrists' strength and influence and to draw the lines before they get any stronger," he said.

"We have been living for the last hours in hell. We have spent most of the time hiding under the staircase," said Faris Hayder, a 28-year-old resident of Basra to Reuters. "We haven't seen anything like this since the foreign troops arrived in 2003."

"No one wants to see a return to the violence of a year ago," Bergner said Wednesday on television from Baghdad. "This has been a difficult and challenging few days, it's also been a period of significant effort for the Iraqi security forces."


Fuerzas iraquíes enfrentan por segundo día consecutivo a militantes en Basora

27 de marzo de 2008Basora, Iraq — Desde el miércoles las fuerzas de seguridad iraquíes (ISF) luchan contra los militantes leales al clérigo chiíta Muqtada al-Sadr en la ciudad de Basora, principal puerto marítimo de Iraq y la tercera ciudad más grande. Los informes indican que por lo menos sesenta personas han muerto y cientos han resultado heridos. Esto marcó el segundo día de intensos combates.

Los enfrentamientos se han extendido a otras ciudades del sur y a Bagdad. Agence France-Presse ha informado que dos soldados estadounidenses murieron en la capital.

El Primer Ministro Nuri Al Maliki se encuentra en Basora desde lunes para supervisar personalmente la Operación Sulat al-Fursan (Caballeros de carga), diseñada por las autoridades para reimponer la ley y el orden. El Primer Ministro dio un ultimátum a los militantes el miércoles, otorgándoles 72 horas para la entrega de armas, "De lo contrario, se enfrentarán a las penas más severas", dijo Maliki en una declaración televisada.

Los observadores en Basora ven la operación como una prueba de la capacidad del gobierno iraquí para afirmar su control sobre una región que no es administrada por las fuerzas militares extranjeras. Las fuerzas del Reino Unido patrullan Basora desde el comienzo de la invasión hasta que lo entregaron a las autoridades iraquíes, en diciembre de 2007.

El portavoz de la División General estadounidense Kevin Bergner dijo que "estas decisiones son iraquíes, de las fuerzas gubernamentales iraquíes y son los dirigentes iraquíes quienes deben dirigir su aplicación." Agregó que hace un año la ISF no habría podido llevar a cabo una operación de esta escala.

Anthony Cordesman, un analista de seguridad del Centro de Estudios Estratégicos e Internacionales dijo a Bloomberg a través de e-mail: "La actual es una lucha de poder por el control de los chiítas en el sur y parte de Bagdad", ya que intentan establecer la autoridad del gobierno. El Consejo Supremo Islámico iraquí tiene "claramente una posición propia de lucha de poder con Sadr para cualquier decisión por venir", añadió Cordesman.

Bergner afirmó que los combates en Basora no son una batalla contra el Ejército Mahdi, ni una guerra contra Irán. Más bien se trata de "hacer frente a los delincuentes en las calles con armas", dijo. "Nosotros [los EE.UU.] seguimos dando muestras de moderación de acuerdo a lo que nos hemos comprometido". Un informe de Estados Unidos de 2006, afirmó que el ejército Mahdi, sin embargo, puede ser "potencialmente más peligroso que la violencia sectaria en Iraq".

Ayudantes de Muqtada al-Sadr afirmaron que el cese al fuego, declarado en agosto de 2007, todavía está en vigor. El martes pasado al-Sadr amenazó con una "revuelta civil" nacional y sus seguidores han estado protestando contra el gobierno de Maliki obligando a cerrar escuelas y comercios.

"Hay negociaciones en curso con el primer ministro. Maliki pidió a Sadr reunirse con sus funcionarios en Basora", dijo a Reuters Harith al-Ithari, jefe de al-Sadr en Basora.

Muqtada al-Sadr apoyó a Maliki para llegar al poder, pero al-Sadr se separó de Maliki en el 2005. De acuerdo con el analista político iraquí Hazem al-Nuaeimi, Sadr es una espina en el costado de los grupos chiítas que apoyan en la actualidad a Maliki. Afirmó que "hay una necesidad de reducir al mínimo la fuerza y la influencia de los Sadristas".

"Hemos estado viviendo durante las últimas horas en el infierno. Nos hemos pasado la mayor parte del tiempo escondidos bajo la escalera", dijo a Reuters Faris Hayder, de 28 años de edad, residente de Basora. "No hemos visto nada como esto desde que llegaron las tropas extranjeras en 2003."

"Nadie quiere ver un retorno a la violencia de hace un año," Dijo el miércoles Bergner a través de la televisión de Bagdad. "La situación ha sido difícil y problemática en estos días, también ha sido un período de gran esfuerzo para las fuerzas de seguridad iraquíes."


De violents affrontements se sont déroulés entre l'armée irakienne et les milices chiites

Publié le 27 mars 2008   Depuis deux jours, de violents affrontements opposent l'armée irakienne et les milices chiites dans le sud du pays et principalement dans la ville pétrolière de Bassorah où plus de 40 morts et 200 blessés, principalement des civils, ont été comptés, mais également le quartier de Sadr City à Bagdad et les villes de Kout, Diwaniyah et Hilla.

Quatre brigades dont une blindée venue de Bagdad et stationnant dans la région de Bassorah depuis décembre et les forces de polices locales, soit 16 700 militaires et policiers, appuyées logistiquement par les troupes des États-Unis d'Amérique, sont opposées à une partie de l'Armée du Mehdi forte au total d'environ 60 000 hommes du chef radical chiite Moqtada Sadr qui ont rompu la trêve unilatérale qu'il avait décidée en août 2007. Le Premier ministre Nouri al-Maliki, qui s'est rendu à Bassorah pour superviser personnellement l'offensive militaire, a lancé un ultimatum de 72 heures aux miliciens chiites pour qu'ils déposent les armes, faute de quoi « la loi sera appliquée » comme il l'a annoncé dans un communiqué. Un porte-parole du ministère de l'Intérieur a expliqué que cet ultimatum doit donner la possibilité à « ceux qui n'ont pas de sang sur les mains » de se rendre. Cette opération, baptisée la charge du chevalier, est un test pour le gouvernement de Nouri al-Maliki, au moment où les États-Unis d'Amérique pensent rapatrier 20 000 des 160 000 soldats engagés en Irak.

Le jeune chef religieux Moqtada Sadr a demandé, dans un communiqué lu par le chef du bureau politique du mouvement sadriste à Najaf, au Premier ministre de quitter Bassorah tout en désignant une délégation « pour résoudre la crise ». Dans le même communiqué, il annonce la tenue de différentes manifestations de protestation jeudi dans plusieurs villes du pays au cas où l'offensive des forces gouvernementales se poursuivrait.

Le commandement américain sur place a, pour sa part, appelé mercredi l'Iran à user de son influence pour faire cesser la résistance chiite. En effet, si la grande majorité des partis chiites locaux sont liés à l'Iran d’une façon ou d’une autre, l’Armée du Mehdi semble de plus en plus proche du régime iranien.


Iraq: ancora scontri a Bassora

Prosegue l'offensiva dell'esercito iracheno nel sud dell'Iraq contro i miliziani sciiti dell'esercito del Mahdi guidati da Muqtada al Sadr.

Baghdad vuole riprendere il controllo della città petrolifera di Bassora che fornisce l'80% dei profitti petroliferi del paese. Questo fattore è ben chiaro ai gruppi separatisti che hanno fatto esplodere oggi uno dei principali oleodotti della zona, facendo schizzare le quotazioni del greggio a 107,70 dollari (+1,7%).

Il Primo ministro Nuri Al-Maliki aveva ordinato all'esercito di usare la mano pesante sulle «combriccole anarchiche», assaltando senza esitazione le roccaforti sciite, tanto che fino ad ora le operazioni militari hanno fatto un centinaio di vittime.

Il leader radicale sciita Muqtada al Sadr ha nel frattempo chiesto ai suoi seguaci di avviare una campagna di disobbedienza civile per chiedere le dimissioni del premier sciita.

È dal mese di dicembre, da quando i soldati britannici si sono ritirati, che l'esercito del Mahdi e il gruppo sciita rivale, il consiglio islamico supremo iracheno, si disputano la città di Bassora.


Iraqi journalist throws shoes at US president George Bush

An Iraqi journalist for an Egyptian Newspaper named Muntazer al-Zaidi was tackled by authorities after he threw his shoes at United States president George W. Bush during a press conference on Sunday in Baghdad. Bush had made a surprise last visit to Iraq to sign a new security pact brokered by Iraq and the U.S.

Before throwing his shoes at Bush, the reporter, Muntader al-Zaidi of Al-Baghdadia, a local television station, stood up and said, "This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, dog!" The words were followed by the reporter's two shoes being thrown at Bush, who had to duck in order to avoid being hit with them. Shortly after each shoe flew within a few inches of Bush, authorities quickly neutralized the reporter and took him out of the room.

In Arabic culture, hitting or throwing shoes at someone so the soles hit them is considered a great insult. In 2003, when Iraqi citizens tore down the statue of Saddam Hussein in downtown Baghdad, they began to smack it with the soles of their shoes.

Despite the incident, the press conference continued with some reporters apologizing for the man's actions. It even appeared that Bush was smiling, as the shoes flew past his head.

"Thanks for apologizing on behalf of the Iraqi people. It doesn't bother me. If you want the facts, it was a size 10 shoe that he threw," said Bush in regards to the incident who also said that he didn't feel threatened.


Un journaliste irakien lance ses chaussures sur le président George W. Bush

Publié le 15 décembre 2008   Dimanche, lors de la conférence de presse tenue en Irak avec monsieur al-Maliki et George W. Bush, un journaliste irakien, Muntazer al-Zaidi, a lancé sa chaussure puis l'autre en direction du président des États-Unis, qui a esquivé par deux fois. Il est ensuite maîtrisé par le service d'ordre.

George W. Bush a évité les deux chaussures servant de projectile. Peu de temps après George W. Bush ironisait devant le parterre de journalistes réunis pour la conférence de presse « c'est du 44 qu'il m'a lancé », en ajoutant ne pas « s'inquiéter pour ça ».

Selon Le Figaro, à l'endroit où le journaliste a été maitrisé, des traces de sang étaient visibles.


布什突访伊拉克 遭记者砸鞋袭击

美国总统乔治·W·布什于14日突访伊拉克，并与伊拉克总理努里·马利基共同出席了当天的新闻发布会。

发布会上，一名伊拉克记者突然从座位上站起来，向布什扔出两只鞋，并且高声辱骂：“这是伊拉克人民给你的告别之吻！”好在布什弯腰躲过了袭击，随后马利基用身体护住了布什，而那名记者也当场被冲上来的安保人员制服。

布什在会后接受美国广播公司记者玛莎·达拉茨的采访时表示，这不是对自己而是对伊拉克媒体的侮辱，而且这仅是自己担任总统期间发生的众多怪异事件之一，并认为这件事很有趣。


Iraqi Parliament votes for expulsion of United States troops

Yesterday, the Parliament of Iraq voted on a resolution to expel United States troops from the country. The move follows the United States' killing of Qasem Soleimani in an airstrike last week.

The vote, which is not binding, was boycotted by both Kurdish and Sunni Members of Parliament. The resolution still awaited approval by the Iraqi government. NPR reported Adil Abdul-Mahdi, the caretaker Prime Minister, recommended the United States troops in Iraq withdraw.

The United States had not, as of yesterday, announced any plans to remove the troops, which are there with an international coalition to counter the Islamic State (ISIS). Following the vote, a United States Department of State spokesperson, Morgan Ortagus, indicated the United States was disappointed by the Parliament's decision: "While we await further clarification on the legal nature and impact of today's resolution," he said, "we strongly urge Iraqi leaders to reconsider the importance of the ongoing economic and security relationship between the two countries and the continued presence of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS".

The coalition came to Iraq to fight ISIS after the group took over about a third of the country. The Iraqi government has since declared victory, but the U.S. troops have remained in Iraq to prevent ISIS from gaining ground again.

The strike took place in Iraq, at Baghdad International Airport. The Foreign Ministry of Iraq characterized the attack as "a serious violation of Iraqi sovereignty".


incubator:Wn/hu/Az iraki parlament határozott az amerikai hadsereg kiutasításáról

Vasárnap az iraki parlament határozatot hozott az amerikai csapatok kiutasításáról – a döntés előzménye a múlt heti amerikai légicsapás a Bagdadi Nemzetközi Repülőtéren, amelyben Kászim Szulejmáni életét vesztette. Az iraki külügy az esetet az „iraki szuverenitás súlyos megsértésének” nevezte.

A szavazást, amelynek eredménye nem kötelező érvényű, a kurd és szunnita képviselők is bojkottálták. A határozat a kormány jóváhagyására vár. Az amerikai NPR rádió szerint Ádil Abdel Mahdi ügyvivő miniszterelnök a csapatok kivonását javasolta.

Az Egyesült Államok vasárnapig nem jelentette, hogy kivonulást terveznének – kontingensük az Iszlám Állam (IÁ, másnéven ISIS) ellen harcoló nemzetközi különítmény része. A szavazásra reagálva Morgan Ortagus amerikai külügyi szóvivő sajnálkozását fejezte ki: „amíg a mai döntés jogi következményei tisztázódnak, nyomatékosan javasoljuk az iraki vezetésnek, hogy gondolja át, mennyire fontosak az országaink közötti gazdasági és biztonságpolitikai kapcsolatok, illetve hogy a nemzetközi koalíció munkájának folytatódjon az Iszlám Állam legyőzése érdekében.”[2]

A koalíció azután ment Irakba, hogy az Iszlám Állam már az ország harmadát elfoglalta. Hogy újbóli térnyerésének gátat szabjanak, az amerikai csapatok maradtak azután is, hogy az iraki kormány győzelmet hirdetett az IÁ felett.


Iraqi PM al-Maliki announces "decisive" offensive against al-Qaeda

After successive suicide attacks in Mosul in recent days, killing over 40 people including the city's police chief, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced on Friday that Iraqi security forces and American troops were gathering for what he described as a "decisive" offensive against al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) and its allies.

"We have set up an operations room in Nineveh to complete the final battle with al Qaeda along with guerrillas and members of the previous regime," al-Maliki stated during a ceremony honoring the victims of the recent acts of terrorism. "Today our forces started moving to Mosul. What we are planning in Nineveh will be decisive."

"Today, the troops have moved to Mosul ... and the fight there will be decisive," al-Maliki said Friday at the ceremony in Karbala.

AQI moved its headquarters to Ninawa province after losing the Second Battle of Fallujah back in 2004.  U.S. military commanders state that the organization is regrouping in the province after having been driven out of Anbar province by their former Sunni allies.

Troop numbers have not been released for the offensive, which is in the planning stages.  Major-General Abdul-Kareem Khalaf, spokesman for the Iraqi Interior Ministry, stated that 3,000 extra police officers will be included.

Since the United States sent 30,000 extra troops to Iraq in early 2007, the security situation in the nation has improved.  Attacks were down 60% in the second half of 2007, and AQI has largely been driven out of most of its former strongholds, including the western portion of Anbar province and Baghdad.

The concentration of militants has led to an increase in violence in Mosul.  In one incident on Wednesday, a bomb leveled a three-story apartment complex. 34 people were killed and over 200 were injured.  Then on Thursday, at the same site, a second explosion killed the police director of Ninawa, Brig. Gen. Salah Mohammed al-Jubouri, and two other police officers.

Al-Maliki expressed confidence in Iraqi security forces. "Now we have a real army. The days when the militants could do anything in front of our armed forces are gone."


ראש ממשלת עיראק מכריז על "מתקפת מחץ" כנגד אל-קעידה

לאחר רצף של פיגועי התאבדות במוסול בימים האחרונים, אשר גבו את חייהם של יותר מ-40 בני אדם, בהם מפקד המשטרה המקומית, הודיע ראש ממשלת עיראק נורי אל מאליכי כי כוחות הביטחון העיראקים והחיילים האמריקאים אשר בעיראק מתאספים לקראת "מערכת מחץ", כדבריו, נגד פעילות ארגון הטרור אל קעידה בעיראק, ובני בריתו.

"הקמנו חדר מבצעים באזור נינוה (חורבות עיר אשורית ליד מוסול - ו.ח.) לקראת הקרב האחרון כנגד אל קעידה, ארגוני גרילה וחברי הממשל הקודם,"אמר אל מאליכי במהלך טקס לזכרם של קורבנות תקיפות הטרור האחרונות. "היום (אמש - ו.ח.) כוחותינו מתחילים לנוע לכיוון מוסול. המהלך שאנו מתכננים בנינוה יהיה מוחץ."

מאז שליחת התגבורת האמריקאית בת 30,000 החיילים בתחילת 2007, המצב הבטחוני בעיראק השתפר. כמות תקיפות הטרור ירדה בכ-60% במהלך החצי השני של 2007, ואל קעידה הוברחה מרוב מעוזיה הקודמים, בהם מערב אנבר והבירה בגדד. ארגון אל קעידה בעיראק העביר את מפקדותיו לנינוה לאחר שהפסיק בקרב השני בפלוג'ה ב-2004. מפקדים בצבא ארצות הברית אמרו כי הארגון מתקבץ מחדש באזור אחרי שהונס ממחוז אנבר על ידי בעלי בריתם לשעבר - הסונים.

עם זאת, ריכוז המיליציות במוסול הביא לעליית האלימות בעיר ובאזור. באחת התקריות ביום רביעי האחרון בניין דירות בן שלוש קומות נהרס כליל בפיצוץ, 34 אנשים נהרגו ולפחות 200 נפצעו. פיצוץ נוסף שאירע בקרבת מקום למחרת הרג את מפקד כוחות המשטרה באזור, בריגדיר-גנרל סאלח מוחמד אל-ג'ובורי, ושני קציני משטרה נוספים.

מספרי הכוחות אשר הוקצו למתקפה המתוכננת לא פורסמו עד כה. מייג'ור-גנרל עבדול-כרים ח'אלף, דובר משרד הפנים העיראקי, ציין כי הכוחות יתוגברו ב-3,000 שוטרים. אל מליכי הביע בטחון רב בכוחות הביטחון העיראקים, באומרו "עתה יש לנו צבא אמיתי. הימים בהם המיליטנטים יכלו לעשות ככל העולה ברוחם בפני כוחותינו עברו."

26 בינואר 2008


O Iraque se prepara para a "batalha final contra a Al-Qaeda"

Depois de sucessivos ataques suicidas em Mosul nos últimos dias, matando mais de 40 pessoas, incluindo o chefe da polícia da cidade, O Primeiro-ministro Iraquiano Nouri Al-Maliki anunciou na sexta-feira que as forças de segurança iraquianas e as tropas Americanas estavam se preparando para o que ele descreveu como um "decisiva" ofensiva contra a al-Qaeda no Iraque (AQI) e seus aliados.


Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki says U.S Troops can leave when they want

The Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Maliki held a news conference on Saturday to address the Iraqi government's headway in response to a report given Thursday to the U.S President and U.S Congress on his government failures to comply with some of the 18 benchmarks the Iraqis are required to comply with in order to maintain U.S troops presence in Iraqi.

The Prime Minister stated that it would take time and effort to accomplish the political reforms that
Washington recommended considering the natural turmoil in the country. On the subject of the Iraqi military Al-Maliki expressed his belief that his military could conduct military operations without U.S forces and that "U.S Troops could leave anytime they wanted" saying if necessary Iraqi police and soldiers would replace the U.S troops on the front lines.

One of Al-Maliki top aids accused the U.S of embarrassing his government by violating human rights of Iraqis and treating his country like a U.S lab experiment. This all came after a vote passed on Thursday by U.S. House of Representatives to withdraw all troops from Iraq.


Nuri Al Maliki: "Las tropas estadounidenses pueden irse cuando quieran"

El Primer Ministro de Iraq, Nuri Al Maliki, dio una conferencia de prensa y manifestó el avance del gobierno de Iraq en respuesta al reporte presentado el jueves al Presidente y al Congreso de los Estados Unidos de América sobre su imposibilidad para cumplir con algunos de los 18 puntos de referencia que los iraquíes deben cumplir para mantener la presencia de tropas americanas en Iraq.

El Primer Ministro declaró que tomaría tiempo y esfuerzo para que se lograran las reformas políticas que Washington recomendó considerando la gran problemática del país hoy en día.

En referencia al ejército iraquí, Al Maliki expresó que sentía que sus soldados podían conducir operaciones militares sin ayuda de las fuerzas estadounidenses y que "las tropas estadounidenses pueden irse cuando quieran", estableciendo que si fueses necesario, la policía y los soldados iraquíes podrían reemplazar a las tropas americanas en las fronteras.

Al Maliki además acusó a los Estados Unidos de avergonzar a su gobierno al violar los derechos humanos de los iraquíes y utilizar al país como experimento de laboratorio de los Estados Unidos de América.


Iraqi President Talabani speaks on 50 dead found in Tigris River

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in a press conference to reporters Wednesday was quoted saying:

He promises more details in the coming days.

The presidential news conference was in response to events unfolding by reports from Shi'ite officials. They said Saturday that as many as 100 Shi’ites were taken hostage by Sunni fighters, and were threatened with death in the town of al-Madain, near Baghdad. An Iraqi security force on Monday raided the town of about 1,000 families, but found no evidence of a hostage situation. The Shi’ite officials later said the bodies — believed to be the hostages — were found in the Tigris River.

In a separate incident 200km north of Baghdad in Haditha, after hearing shots reporters and residents found the bodies of 19 men executed in a soccer stadium on Wednesday. It is believed those shot were Iraqi soldiers executed by anti-government fighters, according to an Interior Ministry official, although the victims were not dressed in military garb.  They were thought to have been heading home for a holiday marking the birthday of the prophet Muhammad when abducted by insurgents.


Corpos jogados em rio no Iraque são de seqüestrados, diz presidente iraquiano

O presidente do Iraque,   Jalal Talabani,  em uma conferência de imprensa a repórteres na quarta-feira disse:

Ele prometeu mais detalhes nos dias próximos dias.

A conferência  presidencial para a imprensa foi em resposta a eventos que  vieram à tona por causa de relatórios de funcionários xiitas. Eles disseram no sábado que não menos que 100 xiitas foram tomados refém por rebeldes sunitas, e ameaçados de  morte,  na cidade de al-Madain, perto de Bagdá. Uma força de segurança iraquiana segunda-feira vasculhou a cidade de aproximadamente mil famílias, mas não encontrou nenhuma evidência que comprovasse a existência de  reféns. Os funcionários de xiita depois disseram que os corpos, que acreditava-se  ser dos reféns, foram encontrados no rio Tigre.

Em um incidente separado a 200 km ao norte de Bagdá,  em Haditha, depois que  repórteres e residentes escutaram tiros, eles encontraram os corpos de 19 homens,  executados em um estádio de futebol, nesta última quarta-feira.   Acredita-se  que os mortos foram soldados iraquianos  executados por rebeldes  anti-governo, segundo um funcionário de Ministério do Interior, embora as vítimas não estivessem  vestidas com  traje militar. Levantou-se a hipótese de  que eles estavam  a se dirigir para  casa para uma festa que marca o aniversário do profeta Muhammad quando foram raptados pelos  insurgentes.


Iraqi rebels seize control of Ramadi's inner city

Reuters reports that around 400 armed men launched an attack on the town of Ramadi, seizing control of various streets in the inner city. They allegedly set up checkpoints and distributed leaflets declaring that Al-Qaeda in Iraq, a group led by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was taking over the city.

Reuters reports that there were no U.S. forces in the streets and that the U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for information about the situation.

Ramadi is at the south-west of the so-called Sunni Triangle and its population is around 400,000.


Irakiska rebeller intog Ramadi

1 december 2005 Enligt Reuters anföll 400 beväpnade rebeller staden Ramadi och lyckades ta kontrollen över olika gator i stadens centrum. Där upprättade de vägspärrar och delade ut flygplad som sa att al-Qaida i Irak, en grupp som leds av den militante jordaniern Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, nu tagit över staden.

Enligt nyhetsbyrån fanns inga amerikanska soldater ute på gatorna. Den amerikanska militären kunde inte heller ge någon information om läget.

Ramadi (Ar Ramădī, الرمادي) ligger 100 kilometer väster om huvudstaden Bagdad i den så kallad "Sunni-triangeln" och har omkring 400 000 invånare.


Iraqi school children killed in US air strike

At least 7 school children are dead and 3 more injured after a United States military helicopter opened fire on a school in the Diyala province of Iraq. The helicopter was supposed to be firing upon militants located near the school.

"A U.S. helicopter shelled Al-Saada primary school, killing seven students and injuring three. The Mindli hospital received seven bodies and three wounded of a primary school's students," said an unnamed hospital official in Iraq.

According to reports by Baghdad police, militants on the ground began to fire at the helicopter. The helicopter then returned fire, hitting the school in the process.

Lt. Col. Chris Garver, a spokesman for the U.S. military in Iraq said that an investigation was going to be conducted and that the incident is being taken seriously. Garver also said that the soldiers in the helicopter attempted to do whatever they could to avoid civilian deaths.


Iraakse schoolkinderen dood door luchtaanval VS

Ten minste 10 schoolkinderen raakten gewond toen, waarvan 7 dodelijk, toen een Amerikaanse helikopter het vuur opende op een school in de provincie Diyala. De helikopter had orders gekregen om de militante groepering die zich rondom de school schuilhielden aan te vallen.

Volgens ooggetuigen schoten de militanten op de helikopter die het vuur beantwoordde en de school bestookte met granaten.

Lt-Kol Chris Garver gaf gelijk aan dat er een diepgaand onderzoek gestart zou gaan worden naar dit incident, om na te gaan of de bemanning van de helikopter de situatie niet goed ingeschat heeft.


Iraqis accept constitution

Iraqi voters have accepted the draft constitution, the Independent Electoral Commission  announced Tuesday. 78% voted in favor, 21% against. Two, mostly Sunni, provinces rejected the constitution with a two-thirds majority; three rejections by provinces by two-thirds majorities would have caused the constitution to fail.

Voters in the provinces of Anbar and Salahuddin overwhelmingly opposed the draft, casting 97% and 82% "No" respectively. The deciding swing-province in the referendum was Nineveh. While 55% of the voters in the predominately Sunni province opposed the constitution, that was below the 66% threshold necessary to bring the draft to a halt.

Electoral Commission official Farid Ayar called the vote "100% correct" and said that there were "no cases of fraud that could affect the results of the vote".

But the Sunni official Saleh al-Mutlaq said the referendum was a "farce" and accused the government of stealing ballot boxes in areas where most people voted "No".

Observers from the United Nations dispute that statement. A senior official, Carina Perelli, said the result is "accurate" and that it was checked by her organisation.

The voting turnout was 9.85 million votes, or 63% of eligible voters. This was one million more votes than cast in the interim government election held in January.

Parliamentary elections are now scheduled for December 15, 2005.


Irak: Verfassung mit Mehrheit angenommen

Bagdad (Irak), 25.10.2005 – Die erste Verfassung nach dem Sturz Saddam Husseins durch die US-geführte Militärkoalition ist mit einer Mehrheit von 78 Prozent angenommen worden. Das gab heute die Wahlkommission nach der Auszählung der abgegebenen Stimmen in den 18 irakischen Provinzen bekannt. In zwei Provinzen, die vorwiegend von Sunniten bewohnt werden, gab es eine Zweidrittelmehrheit gegen die Verfassung.

Das Verfassungsreferendum hatte am 15. Oktober unter verschärften Sicherheitsvorkehrungen stattgefunden. 15,5 Millionen Iraker waren aufgerufen, über den Verfassungstext abzustimmen, der in monatelangen Verhandlungen zwischen Vertretern der drei Bevölkerungsgruppen ausgehandelt worden war. Dieser Diskussionsprozess war durch Terrorakte aufständischer Kräfte im ganzen Irak begleitet worden, die eine Verfassung verhindern wollten.

Bis zuletzt ist der Ausgang des Referendums unsicher gewesen. Wenn drei Provinzen mit einer Zweidrittelmehrheit gegen den Entwurf votiert hätten, wäre die Verfassung – entsprechend der vereinbarten Regeln – gescheitert. Da die politischen Führer der sunnitischen Minderheit größtenteils dazu aufgerufen hatten, gegen die Verfassung zu stimmen, hätte das Abstimmungsverhalten in den drei mehrheitlich von Sunniten bewohnten Provinzen Ninawa, Salah ad-Din und Al-Anbar den Verfassungsentwurf scheitern lassen können. Noch gestern war der Stand, zwei der Provinzen (Salah ad-Din und Al-Anbar) hätten mit einer Zweidrittelmehrheit gegen die Verfassung gestimmt. Da die letzte der drei genannten Provinzen (Ninawa) jedoch nur mit einem Abstimmungsverhältnis von 55 zu 45 Prozent gegen den Entwurf gestimmt und damit die nötige Zweidrittelmehrheit für eine Ablehnung verfehlt hatte, wie heute bekannt wurde, gilt die Verfassung nunmehr als angenommen.

Die Wahlbeteiligung von 63 Prozent wurde als großer Erfolg gewertet, nachdem der monatelange Terror hauptsächlich darauf abgezielt hatte, den Irak zu destabilisieren und die Beteiligung am Referendum zu unterbinden. Noch bei der letzten Parlamentswahl hatten sich nur wenige Sunniten beteiligt. Dieses Mal gab es im ganzen Land auch eine große sunnitische Beteiligung an dem Referendum, in der vorwiegend von Sunniten bewohnten Provinz Salah ad-Din sogar die zweitbeste Wahlbeteiligung mit 88 Prozent. Nur die kurdisch dominierte Provinz Arbil erzielte mit 90 Prozent eine höhere Quote.

Hauptstreitpunkt der vergangenen Monate war vor allem die in der Verfassung verankerte föderale Struktur des künftigen Irak. Die sunnitische Bevölkerungsgruppe, die unter Saddam politisch dominierend war, fürchtete einen Machtverlust. Ihre Befürchtungen richteten sich vor allem deshalb gegen die föderale Struktur wie sie im Verfassungsentwurf enthalten ist, weil die reichen Ölquellen des Landes vor allem im Norden und Süden liegen, die vorwiegend von Kurden bzw. Schiiten bewohnt werden, während sich die großen sunnitischen Bevölkerungsteile hauptsächlich im Zentralirak konzentrieren.

Die Verhandlungen hatten von Anfang unter großem Erfolgsdruck gestanden. Dieser Druck wurde vor allem von den USA ausgeübt, da die Perspektive eines US-Truppenabzugs nur unter der Voraussetzung angedacht werden konnte, dass politisch stabile Verhältnisse im Irak einkehren würden. Diese erhofft man sich von der jetzt angenommenen Verfassung.

Mit der Annahme der Verfassung ist nun auch der Weg frei für eine reguläre Neuwahl des Parlaments. Das gegenwärtige Parlament hatte lediglich provisorischen Charakter, seine Hauptaufgabe hatte in der Ausarbeitung der Verfassung bestanden. Die Neuwahl ist für den 15. Dezember 2005 angesetzt.


Iraq aprueba nueva Constitución

Los votantes de Iraq aprobaron la propuesta de constitución en el referendo realizado el pasado 17 de octubre.

La Comisión Electoral Independiente anunció este martes que 78 % de los electores votaron a favor de la Nueva Constitución mientras que 21 % de los electores votaron en contra. Sólo en dos provincias, mayoritariamente sunitas, los votos por el "No" obtuvieron mayoría.

De haber sido rechazada la constitución en al menos tres provincias, el documento se hubiera considerado no aprobado.


Iraq approvata la Costituzione 2005

La nuova Costituzione irachena è stata approvata con il 78,5% dei dei voti favorevoli. La commissione ha esaurito oggi lo spoglio del referendum del 15 ottobre scorso.

Dieci giorni per verificare, contare e, secondo i detrattori, "aggiustare" i risultati del referendum del 15 ottobre. Carina Perelli, capo del gruppo che ha fornito assistenza tecnica per conto dell'ONU, ha definito le votazioni che si sono svolte, credibili ed accurate. Tutto si è svolto in maniera seria.

Con la Costituzione, l'Iraq lascia il presidenzialismo centrista per passare ad uno stato parlamentare e federale. I sunniti non sono riusciti ad arginare la valanga di si. La Costituzione non sarebbe passata se i due terzi dei votanti di almeno tre province l'avessero bocciata. Due province l'hanno rifiutata (al Arbar, Salaheddin), nella terza su cui speravano i sunniti, quella di Ninive, i voti contrari sono stati del 55%, 10 in meno del necessario.

Il portavoce della Casa Bianca, McClellan, ha commentato il risultato così: «Il via libera alla nuova Costituzione irachena segna una svolta negli sforzi per costruire una democrazia in Iraq ... è una giornata di svolta nella storia dell'Iraq». Gianfranco Fini: «Una nuova era di dialogo è cominciata. La dimostrazione che la politica può sconfiggere il terrorismo».

Il prossimo appuntamento politico sarà entro il 15 dicembre, con le elezioni parlamentari dell'Iraq.


イラク、国民投票は憲法草案を承認

イラク独立選挙管理委員会は、憲法草案が承認されたと25日発表した。賛成は78%、反対は21%で、必要とされる過半数の賛成を得た。スンナ派（スンニー派）住民の多い2県では3分の2以上の反対があり草案は否決された。3県以上で3分の2以上の反対票があった場合、草案は否決されることになっていた。

アンバール県（右の図 13）とサラーフッディーン県（右の図 2）では、ほとんどの住民が反対に回った。アンバール県では反対は97%、サラーフッディーン県では82%だった。2州での否決は中間発表時に明らかになっており、スンナ派の住民が多いニーナワー県（右の図 14）での投票が注目された。ニーナワー県では反対が55%に達したが、全国で草案を否決するために必要な3分の2の反対には達しなかった。

独立選挙管理委員会のファリド・アヤル氏は投票の集計は「100パーセント正しい」とし、「投票結果に影響を与えるような不正はなかった」と語った。

いっぽう、スンナ派のサレー・アル・ムトラク氏は、草案の国民投票は「茶番劇」であると述べ、政府は反対の多かった地域の投票箱を盗んだと非難した。

国際連合から派遣された選挙監視団はムトラク氏の非難に反論している。選挙監視団のリーダーを務めるカリーナ・ペレッリ氏は、投票結果は正確であり、国連選挙監視団により調査されたと語った。

投票者の総数は985万人で、投票率は63%だった。今年1月に行われた移行政府選挙の投票数を100万人上回った。

イラク議会は今年12月15日に選挙を行う予定である。

英語版ウィキニュースからの翻訳です。


Iraque aprova nova Constituição

Os eleitores iraquianos aprovaram a proposta de Constituição no referendo realizado 17 de outubro passado.

A Comissão Eleitoral Independente anunciou na terça-feira (25) que 78% dos eleitores votaram a favor da nova Constituição, enquanto 21%  foram contra. Apenas em duas províncias, maioritariamente sunitas, os votos "não" prevaleceram.

O Representante da Comissão, Farid Ayar, disse que a votação foi 100% correcta e que não houve casos de fraude que pudessem afectar os resultados.

A autoridade sunita Saleh al-Mutlaq chamou o referendo de "farsa" e acusou o Governo de roubar urnas nas áreas em que a maioria da população escolheu "não".

Observadores das Nações Unidas disputam esta declaração. Uma oficial graduada, Carina Perelli, disse que o resultado foi preciso e que foi verificado pela ONU. As eleições parlamentares estão marcadas para 15 de dezembro de 2005.


Ireland rejects EU Lisbon Treaty

A referendum in Ireland proposing the country's ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon  has been rejected by the electorate despite near universal support from the country's political establishment.

Although in most states the issue has been (or will be) decided through parliamentary vote, Ireland was obliged to hold a referendum by its constitution. Ireland is the first state to reject the treaty which came about as a reworking of the E.U. Constitution, rejected by referenda in France and the Netherlands in 2005.

862,415 cast their vote against the treaty and 752,451 people voted for it, yielding a 53.4% to 46.6% margin of defeat. All 43 constituencies have been counted.

"It looks like this will be a No vote," Dermot Ahern, the Irish Minister for Justice said on live television. "At the end of the day, for a myriad of reasons, the people have spoken."

"The Treaty is not dead," said European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. "The ratification process is made up of 27 national processes, 18 Member States have already approved the Treaty, and the European Commission believes that the remaining ratifications should continue to take their course," he said.

"Ireland remains committed to a strong Europe," said Barroso after speaking with Taoiseach (prime minister) Brian Cowen. "Ratifications should continue to take their course."

France and Germany issued a joint statement expressing regret over the result. The United Kingdom said it would continue with its own ratification process.


Irové v referendu odmítli Lisabonskou smlouvu

Irští občané zaujali v referendu zamítavé stanovisko k Lisabonské smlouvě. Při hlasování, které se konalo ve čtvrtek 12. června, se 53,4 % voličů vyjádřilo proti.

Lisabonská smlouva měla nahradit Evropskou ústavu, kterou v roce 2005 zamítli v referendu Francouzi a Nizozemci. Aby se nyní předešlo podobnému neúspěchu, měly Lisabonskou smlouvu schvalovat pouze vlády a parlamenty. V Irsku je však podle rozhodnutí Nejvyššího soudu z roku 1987 k ratifikaci významnějších dodatků ke smlouvám Evropské unie nutné vytvoření dodatku k irské ústavě. Všechny dodatky k ústavě vyžadují schválení v referendu.

Irové už jednou dali najevo podobný postoj, když v červnu 2001 odmítli smlouvu z Nice (rovněž v referendu) a schválili ji až po úpravách v říjnu 2002.