نص اتفاقية اربيل

الكثير منّا يسمع بأتفاقية اربيل و لكن الاكثر لا يعرفون ما هي, فيما يلي هو نص اتفاق اربيل: 

تعد اتفاقية اربيل الاساس الذي تم تشكيل الحكومة العراقية بموجبها فبعد الاتفاق بين رئيس القيم كردستان مسعود بارزاني ورئيس ائتلاف دولة القانون نوري المالكي ورئيس القائمة العراقية اياد علاوي على تشكيل الحكومة برئاسة نوري المالكي اسند لثلاثة اعضاء وضع اتفاقية كاملة سميت باتفاقية اربيل وهم كل من روز نوري شاويس ممثل التحالف الكردستاني وحسن السنيد ممثل التحالف الوطني وسلمان الجميلي ممثل القائمة العراقية .

الا ان هذه الاتفاقية سادها لغطا كبيرا حيث تم تبادل الاتهامات بين العراقية ودولة القانون اذ ان العراقية تقول ان الاتفاقية لم تنفذ فيما يقول دولة القانون ان الاتفاقية نفذت بكامل بنودها باستثناء بعض الفقرات.

وطالبت المرجعية الدينية يوم امس ممثلة بوكيلها السيد احمد الصافي بنشر اتفاقية اربيل فيما كشف رئيس كتلة التحالف الكردستاني فؤاد معصوم اليوم عن انه سيتم نشر الاتفاقية وانه لاتوجد اية اتفاقات سرية فيها.

وفي ما يلي نص البنود التسعة:

المحور الأول/ الجانب الاداري والمالي:

1- امتياز الاعضاء : اعادة النظر بالقوانين الصادرة الخاصة بامتيازات الاعضاء واستبدالهم (الحقوق، الرواتب، الحمايات، التقاعد، الصلاحيات المالية والادارية).

2- اصلاح الدائرة البرلمانية: وتقوية كادرها كي تقوم بمسؤوليتها في تهيئة القوانين للتشريع ومتابعة قوانين اللجان المختلفة ضمن سقف زمني محدد وعدم اهمال القوانين المقدمة على شكل مشروع او مقترح قانون من والى المجلس.

المحور الثاني/ التشريعات والقوانين:

1- اعادة تشكيل لجنة التعديلات الدستورية : بما يكفل مشاركة حقيقية لجميع الكتل الفائزة في هذه اللجنة وانجاز التعديلات المتفق عليها.

2- السقف الزمني للتشريعات : وضع سقف زمني لتشريع جميع القوانين التي أوجز الدستور تشريعها لكنها لم تشرع وان يتم ذلك بالتنسيق بين الدائرة البرلمانية واللجنة القانونية واللجان البرلمانية المختصة من جهة ورئاسة المجلس والكتل السياسية من جهة اخرى وحسب الاسبقية والاولوية التالية:

- قانون المحكمة الاتحادية

- قانون النفط والغاز

- قانون المصالحة الوطنية

- قانون تنظيم الاجهزة الامنية

- قانون الاحزاب

- قانون مجلس الاتحاد

- قانون الانتخابات

- قانون مفوضية الانتخابات

- قانون شبكة الاعلام

- قانون هيئة النزاهة

- قانون المفتشين العامين

- قانون ديوان الرقابة المالية

- قانون هيئة التوازن

- قانون الايرادات الاتحادية

- قانون السلطة التنفيذية

- قانون العمل الصحفي وحماية الصحفيين

3- تشكيل اللجان البرلمانية الدائمة : وتوزيع رئاستها ونيابتها والمقررين وفق الاستحقاق الانتخابي والتوازن الدستوري.

المحور الثالث / الدور الرقابي

1- تفعيل ارتباط الهيئات المستقلة بمجلس النواب: وفقا للدستور (هيئة النزاهة، ديوان الرقابة المالية، شبكة الاعلام، هيئة الاتصالات والاعلام) وطبقا لقرار المحكمة الاتحادية.

2- انهاء ومعالجة قضية المسؤولية او المنصب الرسمي بالوكالة (وزير وكالة، رئيس هيئة، ووكيل وزارة...الخ) خلال ثلاثة اشهر من بداية عمل مجلس النواب مع ضمان التوازن الدستوري.

3- تفعيل دور اجهزة الاعلام المختلفة باعتبارها سلطة رابعة وتشريع قانون العمل الصحفي وقانون حماية الصحفيين.

4- وضع آلية واضحة ومتفق عليها لاستدعاء واستجواب اعضاء السلطة التنفيذية وعدم ترك ذلك لتفسير الرئاسة.

المحور الرابع/ ورقة اصلاح الملف الأمني

1- قانون الاجهزة الامنية وصلاحياتها

اقرار قانون الاجهزة الامنية الذي يحدد الاجهزة الامنية العاملة ومهام وصلاحية كل جهاز لتحقيق حالة التكامل وتجنب التقاطعات في اختصاصات الاجهزة الامنية.

2- ضرورة تاهيل الاجهزة الامنية بما يحقق اعلى درجات المهنية.

3- اخضاع الاجهزة الامنية للمساءلة في مجلس النواب (وفقا للسياقات الدستورية) وسن القوانين اللازمة لفرض اشد العقوبات القانونية بالجهات التي يثبت انها تتخابر لصالح جهات اجنبية.

4- التحقق مع جميع القيادات والعناصر الامنية التي ترد شكاوى ضدها بارتكاب خروقات لحقوق الانسان وعدم منح الحصانة لاي منها ولاي مبرر كان.

5- تفعيل دور مجالس المحافظات وفق الدستور وقانون مجالس اجهزة المحافظات بما يضمن تنفيذ قرارات تلك المجالس المتعلقة بالملف الامني.

6- انشاء مراكز بحثية للاستفادة من المتقاعدين.

7- ضبط وتعزيز الحدود بالاجهزة الحديثة بما يضمن السيطرة على الحدود.

8- التشدد مع المتسللين عبر الحدود بصورة غير شرعية.

9- تشكيل جهاز خاص بالطوارئ لمتابعة حالات الكوارث الوطنية وتقديم الحلول والمعالجات السريعة اللازمة للمناطق المتضررة.

10- تعزيز دور وصلاحيات جهاز المخابرات الوطني وبناء كوادره بما يلزم متطلبات الامن الوطني للعراق ومكافحة التجسس ومتابعة النشاط الاستخباري الامني على الاراضي العراقية وسن القوانين الفعالة بهذا الشان.

المحور الخامس/ ورقة الاصلاح القضائي

1- عدم جواز الجمع بين رئاسة مجلس القضاء الاعلى ورئاسة المحكمة الاتحادية او محكمة التمييز.

2- الاسراع باقرار قانون المحكمة الاتحادية والاتفاق على تسمية اعضائها.

3- الاسراع بتشكيل قانون السلطة القضائية وفق الدستور وتفعيل وتطوير عمل جهاز الادعاء العام.

4- الاسراع باقرار قانون مجلس القضاء الاعلى.

5- حظر عمل القضاة خارج تشكيلات مجلس القضاء الاعلى

6- مراجعة قانون الارهاب.

التوازن في مؤسسات الدولة

المحور السادس/ تحقيق التوازن الوطني في :

أ – وكلاء الوزارات

ب- السفراء

ت – رؤساء الهيئات والمفوضية المستقلة.

ث – في الوزارات الاحادية والمؤسسات العسكرية والامنية من درجة مدير عام فما فوق او ما يقابله (قيادات الفرق، ديوان الوزارات الخ....).

2- يقر قانون هيئة التوازن في فترة لا تتجاوز الستة اشهر منذ بدء لجان البرلمان اعمالها وتؤسس الهيئة مباشرة بعد نفاذ القانون بتوافق الكتل.

3- تعتمد الهيئة التوازن الدستوري وتضمن حقوق جميع الاقاليم والمحافظات في جميع مؤسسات الدولة بما في ذلك المؤسسات الامنية والعسكرية ولجميع المستويات.

4- تفعيل دور مجالس الوزارات والهيئات المستقلة ومنح صلاحيات مناسبة لوكلاء الوزارات ومعاوني رؤساء الهيئات المستقلة لتحقيق المشاركة.

5- تفعيل الدستور والقوانين ذات العلاقة بالتعيين والتوظيف والاسراع في تأسيس (مجلس الخدمة الاتحادي) الذي نصت عليه المادة 107 من الدستور واقره مجلس النواب السابق في فصله الاخير.

المحور السابع/ اصلاح عمل السلطة التنفيذية

1- اعتماد مبدأ الكفاءة والمهنية وتحقيق التوازن الدستوري في الوظائف العامة طبقا لقانون مجلس الخدمة العامة.

2- اعادة التوازن الدستوري الناتج عن تعيينات الفترة الماضية وضمان تمثيل المحافظات دستوريا (غير متفق عليها).

3- ضمان المشاركة الحقيقية للاطراف المؤتلفة في الحكومة في صناعة القرار (السياسي، الامني، الاقتصادي).

4- اقرار نظام داخلي متفق عليه ينظم عمل مجلس الوزراء ويحدد السياقات والصلاحيات للمجلس ولاعضائه.

5- تنظيم المؤسسات الامنية غير المنصوص عليها في الدستور في الوزارات الامنية كل حسب اختصاصه وحسبما تسمح الظروف الامنية بذلك وبالتدرج

6- ترتبط المبادرة التعليمية والزراعية بالوزارات المختصة ولا تتخذ اية مبادرة مستقبلا الا بقرار مجلس الوزراء.

7- تفعيل الدور الاشرافي لمجلس الوزراء على الاداء الوزاري.

8- تفعيل معالجة ظاهرة الفساد الاداري والمالي.

9- الالتزام بوحدة الخطاب الحكومي الرسمي.

10- منع الجمع بين المناصب التشريعية والتنفيذية.

11- منع التدخل المباشر بأعمال الوزارات عبر الوكلاء والمستشارين والمدراء العامين لصالح اية جهة حزبية والتعامل مع الوزير بصيغة الرئيس الاعلى لوزارته.

12- يلتزم رئيس مجلس الوزراء والوزراء كافة بقرارات مجلس الوزراء والقوانين النافذة باعتبارهم يمثلون الدولة في وزاراتهم وليسوا ممثلين لمكوناتهم او كتلهم السياسية ومن يخالف تتخذ الخطوات اللازمة لاقالته.

13- يكون المفتش العام في الوزارة من غير كتلة الوزير.

المحور الثامن/ التوافق الوطني

1- في القضايا المصيرية مثل (الحرب والسلم، والاتفاقات الستراتيجية، والتعديلات الدستورية) يكون بالتوافق 100 بالمائة.

2- في القضايا الستراتيجية والمهمة فيكون التصويت بنسبة اكثرية النصف زائد واحد.

3- في القضايا الاجرائية اليومية يكون التصويت بنسبة نصف زائد واحد.

المحور التاسع/ المساءلة والعدالة والمصالحة الوطنية

1- تجميد قرارات الهيئة الحالية ما عدا تمشية الامور الروتينية.

2- تشكيل هيئة المساءلة والعدالة وفقا للقانون.

3- اعادة النظر بقانون المساءلة والعدالة من خلال اجراء التعديلات ويتم الاتفاق عليها لغرض عدم استخدام القانون بمعايير مزدوجة او لاغراض سياسية ويتم التعامل مع الملف وفق القانون.

 

Iraq Security for the last week

Summary
Levels of violence fell slightly in Iraq last week. At least 27 people were killed and 73 injured in nationwide incidents.

A total of 19 non-suicide bomb attacks left 16 people dead and 55 injured. This constitutes a lower than normal figure for the country, although the decline is likely to be temporary. Two further suicide bombings in Anbar province and Baghdad left three people dead and 11 injured.

Small arms fire attacks left five people dead and five injured. Indirect fire attacks (rockets and mortars) left two people injured. There were no abductions reported, but no one was reportedly freed from captivity either.

Violence was concentrated in Mosul in the north, as well as Baghdad, Ba’qubah and eastern Anbar province. The south of the country was quiet. A protest took place in Arbil in the normally quiet region of Kurdistan but the overall security environment in the region remains relatively good.

 

Worlwide Risk Report

Bahrain
Seven policemen were wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED) was detonated at a protest in the village of Eker, near the capital Manama on 10 April. Levels of violence have gradually escalated over recent months, and are likely to raise questions over the efficacy of continuing with the Bahrain Grand Prix, due to take place in April.

Chile
A bomb exploded outside a Banco de Estado branch on Jose Pedro Alessandri avenue in Santiago’s Macul district on 9 April. The device was rudimentary and caused only superficial damage; this means of attack coupled with the anarchist pamphlets found nearby suggest a small, anarchist group was responsible. The incident follows a spate of attacks against bank branches in February.

Colombia
The head of the FARC denied that the group is weakening, and launched several attacks on military targets over the weekend to reinforce the point. A bomb attack in Putumayo and an ambush in the Choco killed up to nine troops. Attacks on the military are likely to intensify as the FARC concentrates its efforts on government targets and regional groups articulate their dissatisfaction with central committee policies.

Kosovo
A bomb detonated in the northern town of Mitrovica killed an ethnic Albanian man and injured his family members on 8 April. Mitrovica is a flashpoint for inter-ethnic violence between Albanians and Serbs, and tensions are likely to increase in the run-up to local and general elections in Serbia on 6 May.

Malawi
Following the death of President Bingu wa Mutharika on 5 April, former Vice-President Joyce Banda was sworn in as President of Malawi on 7 April. One of Mutharika’s fiercest critics, she publicly appealed for calm. However, Banda has already sacked controversial police chief Peter Mukhito, an ally of the late president, suggesting her rule will mark a welcome change for the country and end its international isolation.

Mali
Ousted President Toure formally resigned as part of an ECOWAS-sponsored deal to restore civilian order announced on 6 April. Under the deal, Diouncounda Traore, who is the president of the National Assembly, will be appointed as the interim president of Mali with a mission to organise elections within 40 days. Sanctions were lifted immediately, but instability is likely in the immediate run-up to the elections.

Nigeria
An Easter Sunday car bombing in Kaduna killed 38 people and injured many others. The vehicle exploded on a busy street in the centre of the town, and reports suggest that it was heading towards a church. In Jos, a bomb exploded the same day, injuring several people. No one has taken responsibility for the attacks yet, but Boko Haram warned of attacks over Easter.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea's parliament voted on 5 April to delay mid-year national elections by six months, prolonging a political crisis in the resource-rich South Pacific nation and prompting Australia to ask for the decision to be reviewed. Parliament was told electoral rolls were not up-to-date and police not ready to provide enough security for the polls, which are held every five years and scheduled for June.

Yemen
At least 57 people were killed during clashes on 10 April, that were sparked when suspected Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)-linked Ansar al-Sharia militants attacked a military base near the southern city of Loder, in Abyan province. The group has been highly active in Abyan province since the beginning of the uprising in 2011, and have intensified operations since the election of Saleh's former deputy as interim leader.

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Source: AKEINTAKE, AKE

Iraq Weekly Roundup

Summary
Levels of violence rose in Iraq last week. Security measures were gradually relaxed following the conclusion of the Arab League Summit which appeared to grant militants slightly more opportunity to conduct attacks.
Geographical Distribution
At least 29 people were killed and 19 injured in nationwide incidents, with Mosul suffering the majority of the country’s violence. Kirkuk was the next most badly affected area, whilst Baghdad saw only three attacks. Even the normally stable city of Arbil in Kurdistan saw a rare sticky bomb attack. The south of the country remained relatively quiet.
Tactics
A total of 20 bomb attacks left 10 people dead and 12 injured countrywide. This is a rise from the previous week but the majority of the devices were small and low-yielding in terms of casualties. There were no suicide bombings recorded. A rise in the number of small arms fire attacks left 16 people dead and five injured. This is a relatively high figure, with most incidents taking place in Mosul. An additional indirect fire attack, also in Mosul, left two people dead and two injured.
Kidnap for Ransom
Two civilians were abducted in Kirkuk, which remains the abduction capital of the country. Indeed AKE’s latest K&R report shows it to be one of the worst cities in the world for kidnap and ransom activity.
Energy Sector Violence
The oil sector was targeted in two attacks last week, with the authorities making safe an explosive device on a field in Diyala province. Three devices also detonated on the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline in Salah ad-Din province, disrupting supply through the facility for 24 hours. An officer from the oil police was also shot dead in an attack in Kirkuk. The sector remains an attractive target and organisations are advised to review safety and contingency plans surrounding their operations.

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Source: AKE

Iraq Violence January-March

AKE has analysed violence taking place in Iraq over the first quarter of 2012 (January – March). At least 724 people were killed over the period, although the true figure is likely to be higher, given that AKE figures are collated on a ‘spot’ basis, i.e. they are taken within 24 hours of a violent incident and do not take into account those who have died later from their injuries. The average week saw 56 fatalities (ranging from 18 to over 100 in any seven-day period) as well as dozens of injuries. The average week also saw over 40 attacks, spread throughout the country, albeit concentrated in urban centres in the northern and central provinces. The following map shows the frequency of violence by province of the course of Q1.

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Sourse: AKE

Worldwide Kidnap Report

LONDON Feb 17 (Reuters) - Kidnap and ransom trends are in constant flux, with Somali piracy and Mexican kidnapping on the up, while hostage-taking in Colombia and Iraq is in decline.

Below is an overview of global kidnap trends with estimates of the numbers of foreigners taken captive every month, compiled largely with information from risk consultancy AKE's quarterly kidnap and ransom report.

INDIAN OCEAN -- 95 PER MONTH

Somali pirates hijacking merchant ships in the Indian Ocean frequently take more foreigners hostage in a single month than all other kidnappers in the world combined. Experts estimate several hundred Somalis head out in small boats and increasingly on larger captured motherships, boarding vessels and sailing them to pirate havens. At any given time, the pirates are estimated to hold up to 700 hostages, mainly aboard their ships in worsening conditions. Ransoms have risen swiftly over the last year, with the record payment said to be $9 million for a Korean tanker late last year. The average settlement per ship is estimated to be $3-4 million, with ships usually held for more than 100 days. Shippers warn that despite international naval patrols, the problem is worsening to the extent ships may be forced to take a longer route around Africa, driving up costs.

MEXICO -- 20 PER MONTH

Kidnapping in Mexico is rising swiftly. Most attacks target migrant workers from elsewhere in Central and Latin America. These range from "express kidnappings", in which the victim is taken to an ATM and forced to pay their own ransom, to abductions lasting up to about 60 days. Abductions of Mexicans are on the rise, but limited reporting makes estimating the numbers difficult. So far, Western nationals have not tended to be targeted. The upper limit for a payout has reportedly been $30 million.

GULF OF GUINEA -- 5 PER MONTH

While the dangers of piracy and attacks on shipping and oil platforms in the Gulf of Guinea pale in comparison to those in the Indian Ocean, the threat is seen growing particularly ahead of Nigeria's April 2011 elections. Attacks tend to be more violent than those from Somali pirates and the danger to crew higher. The average time in captivity is less than 30 days and ransoms vary from $10,000-$2 million.

NIGERIA -- 1-2 PER MONTH

Kidnapping of foreigners and locals continues to be a problem in Nigeria, particularly in the Niger Delta with the threat from both militants and armed gangs. Ransoms for foreign nationals range from $28,000-$204,000, with ransom payments for Nigerians generally less than $100,000. Time spent in captivity is varied, with the longest period some 465 days.

SUDAN -- 1 PER MONTH

Kidnapping, particularly of aid staff in Sudan's Darfur region, is seen on the increase and is restricting relief operations. Charity workers, United Nations staff and African Union peacekeepers have all been targeted. The average time spent in captivity is 100 days. There is insufficient data to estimate average ransom payments for foreign nationals. Sudanese command ransoms of less than $100,000.

AFGHANISTAN -- 1-2 PER MONTH

The risk of kidnap of foreigners, particularly aid staff, reduces relief work in Afghanistan. A particularly high proportion of kidnaps there ended in violent deaths, either through execution or during special forces rescue missions. Foreigners kidnapped and released alive can wait up to 300 days, with ransoms ranging from $300,000-$750,000. Some 5-10 Afghans are taken hostage each week with ransoms of less than $100,000.

SAHEL -- 1 PER MONTH

Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) appears to have stepped up efforts to kidnap foreigners in North Africa's Sahel region, while local tribes have also used this as a revenue stream. Experts estimate kidnapping could have given $65 million to AQIM since 2005, the majority of its revenue stream. French forces have taken an increasingly aggressive approach with mixed results as they launch military rescue missions.

PAKISTAN -- 1 PER MONTH

Both militant groups and criminal gangs kidnap Pakistanis and occasionally foreigners. Pakistanis are generally held for about 30 days for ransoms of about $50,000, while foreigners tend to be held for longer with the record being 500 days.

REST OF AFRICA

Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia each see on average slightly less than one foreign national kidnapped a month. In Congo, risks are seen highest in the east, with extractive industry staff and aid workers most at risk. The number of foreigners kidnapped in Somalia is low as so few operate there, but ransoms can be as high as $3 million and victims held for prolonged periods. There are fears kidnapped foreigners might be sold to al Qaeda-linked Islamist groups who might kill them for propaganda value or try to trade them for prisoner exchange.

MIDDLE EAST

Kidnappings of both foreigners and local Iraqis soared in the aftermath of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion but have since fallen sharply. Yemen is now seen as the Middle Eastern country in which foreigners are most at risk of kidnap.

ASIA

Outside Pakistan and Afghanistan, the greatest danger of kidnap in Asia is seen in the Philippines. Islamist militants have targeted wealthy Chinese-Filipino businessmen and students.

LATIN AMERICA

Kidnapping in Colombia has fallen sharply due to disarray amongst militant groups, public anger at the tactic and better coordination by security forces. Kidnapping is seen on the increase in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.

EUROPE

The former Soviet Union is seen as having the highest risk of kidnap for foreigners, while a bad harvest has seen an increasing trend of farmers being kidnapped in an attempt to gain control of their grain stores. Short duration "tiger kidnaps" are becoming increasingly common in Western Europe due to the economic crisis, particularly in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. (Editing by Janet Lawrence)

Iraq Weekly Roundup

Summary
Levels of violence fell in Iraq last week, although at the time of writing militants have shot dead at least 27 police officers in a well-planned attack in Haditha. Not including this total, at least 36 people were killed and 41 injured in nationwide incidents last week. In general, levels of violence crept up in Iraq towards the end of February, although in total it was a relatively quiet month. The authorities reported a total of 151 fatalities, including 91 civilians, 39 policemen and 21 soldiers killed by militants during the month.

Tactics
Last week a drop by almost half in the total of bomb attacks left 19 people dead and 35 injured countrywide. There were at least 18 such attacks, and no suicide bombings reported. There was no major change in the number of small arms attacks reported which left 11 people dead and three injured. Indirect fire attacks (rockets and mortars) left two dead and three injured. There were no abductions reported.

Distribution of Violence
Baghdad remains quieter than normal, although it still accounted for several of the week’s attacks, as did the northern city of Mosul where conditions appear to have gradually worsened once again over recent weeks. There were two shooting incidents reported in the normally secure Kurdish region last week, although they are believed to have been related to personal disputes rather than politics or ideology. At least one person was also killed in a landmine explosion to the north-east of Kirkuk, highlighting the ongoing risk posed by unexploded ordnance even in more secure parts of KRG territory.

NGO Warning
Otherwise, Iraqi nationals working for international organisations are also reminded to exercise caution and remain discreet when discussing their place of work in public after reports emerged that individuals had been threatened in Baghdad because of their affiliation with foreign groups.



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Source: AKE

Building Iraq's Military (Al-Akhbar, March 1)

The US Embassy in Baghdad announced earlier this week that the Iraqi army has received a new batch of Abrams tanks. It said that the US has already delivered 131 tanks to the army and is close to completing the full delivery of 140. The Iraqi defense ministry confirmed receiving them, adding that the Iraqi forces have completed their training in the new tanks.

But some parliament members said that they were surprised that the US Embassy is withholding the remaining tanks. These parliament members demanded an investigation be opened into why there were not delivered.

According to a US Embassy statement, however, "the nine remaining tanks are in Iraq, but in US possession...waiting for the arrival of certain components for these tanks so it can deliver a complete purchase to the Iraqi army in accordance with US government standards. As soon as the components arrive, OSC-I (Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq) will deliver the additional nine tanks to the Iraqi army. We expect this will take place within the coming weeks."

The delivery of the tanks comes as part of a major and long-term plan to allegedly arm the Iraqi military with modern US weapons. This is particularly important now that Iraq has the capacity to deploy a professional army based on voluntary, rather than obligatory, recruitment.

Although different numbers are floating around on the possible cost of the arms deal, the official estimate was declared by General Muhammad al-Askari, the defense ministry spokesman, who put it at US$13 billion.

Al-Askari said that the government has signed contracts with Washington that include the purchase of F-16 fighter jets, helicopters, tanks, warships, and light weapons.

Iraq had requested 18 F-16 fighter jets at US$2.5 billion, or US$150 million per jet, as the first installment for purchasing 100 F-16's.

But the weapons deal has been surrounded by controversy from its very inception.

Iraqi Kurdish leaders have expressed strong reservations in regards to arming the Iraqi military.Iraqi Kurdish leaders - recalling their bitter experiences with previous governments - have expressed strong reservations in regards to arming the Iraqi military with such modern weapons, fearing that the federal government might use them against the Kurds in the future.

Kurdish leaders have privately told media sources that they have asked the US administration to impose a condition on Baghdad that would ban its jets from flying over autonomous Kurdish airspace.

But the request was turned down, according to Iraqi air force commander, Lieutenant Anwar Hamad Amin, who said, "Our modern jets will carry out their flights over all Iraqi airspace, including the Kurdistan region, which is part of federal Iraq and its air space."

Iraqiya List leaders Ayad Allawi and Rafe al-Essawi have joined the front opposing the armament deal in a December 7 article in the The New York Times. But the third leader in the List, Osama al-Nujaifi, publicly distanced himself from this article, saying his name was inserted without his knowledge.

In the article, the two political leaders rejected arming Iraq's military and other security forces, saying "American assistance to Iraq's army, police, and intelligence services must be conditioned on those institutions being representative of the nation rather than one sect or party."

But these politicians' reservations have not had a direct or significant effect on the arms deal. Their positions are widely seen as motivated by political and sectarian considerations.

Externally, Kuwait was alone in opposing weapons sales to Iraq, citing its fears of a new invasion similar to Saddam Hussein's 1990 assault on the emirate.

Political sources said that the official Kuwaiti criticism came from the highest political levels. As a part of this criticism, they informed Washington of their opposition to the Iraqi purchase of F-16 fighter jets. When they failed to stop the deal, Kuwait requested written US assurances that these weapons will not be used against it in the future.

Many ordinary Iraqis have also expressed opposition to the armament campaign, dismayed by poor public services, deteriorating living conditions, and the breakdown of infrastructure.

Shortages in electricity and clean drinking water have become a major problem, which the government has repeatedly failed to address, except in the autonomous region of Kurdistan.

Analysts and politicians say that there is a public awareness of the need to build a professional army capable of defending the country and confronting security challenges that often claim the lives of civilians.

But some analysts view public opposition to arms expenditures as being directed at the government's priorities more than an explicit rejection of arming the military.

"There were purchase deals where the money was paid to some countries but the weapons never arrived."Other legitimate fears expressed by political and judicial circles surrounding these enormous arms deals stem from huge corruption cases related to previous arms deals, especially under Allawi's government. In 2005, then Defense Minister Hazem Shaalan was convicted and sentenced in absentia on charges of financial corruption involving the embezzlement of US$1.3 billion.

Military affairs experts point to examples of exposed corruption cases, including a US$25 million contract approved by Shaalan's ministry, when the real value of the deal did not exceed US$5 million. According to the online newspaper of the Iraqi National Congress, led by Ahmad Chalabi, the contract put the price of one purchased bullet at 16 cents, while its real value was 4 cents.

In a 2007 report by the late Marie Colvin in The Sunday Times, she quoted Iraqi sources and Western diplomats as saying that Shaalan was accused of embezzling US$800 million from the defense ministry's budget.

This amount was part of almost US$9 billion that went missing from the general Iraqi budget during the first years of the occupation. The Sunday Times quoted Judge Radi al-Radi, the former head of the commission that investigated the case, as saying that it was one of the biggest embezzlement operations in the world.

Other examples of corruption in the armament files, which have become a popular topic among Iraqis, include press exposures of a number of cases.

For example, the defense ministry signed a deal to purchase the latest MB5 rifles, each estimated at a cost of US$3,500, but instead imported poorly made, Egyptian-made copies valued at US$200 per rifle.

Another case involves a deal to "purchase Pakistani-made armored personnel carriers, which turned out to be so old that they can barely fend off Kalashnikov bullets, let alone the fact that their steering wheels are on the right hand side, not the left."

According to analysts and observers closely monitoring this issue, these Iraqi armament scandals do not absolve Maliki's current or previous government from responsibility.

"It seems that the opportunity has not yet arose to open these files and expose scandals of corruption, which will not be any less shocking than others under the Allawi and [Ibrahim] al-Jaafari governments," as one observer put it.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary security and defense committee has before it arms deals that date back to the days of Saddam Hussein.

"There were purchase deals where the money was paid to some countries but the weapons never arrived," MP Hakem al-Zameli said, adding, "We are examining and reviewing this matter."

Analysts say that Iraqis widely expect the next government to expose new facts and strike larger deals, but that bad services will remain unchanged and the infrastructure will only deteriorate further.

This article is an edited translation from the Arabic Edition.

Iraq Weekly Roundup

Summary
After four weeks of declining violence, the number of attacks rose once again in Iraq last week. At least 53 people were killed and 245 injured in nationwide incidents, which is moderately high, albeit not as high as the figures of over 100 recorded at the beginning of the year.

Tactics
A rise in the total number of bomb attacks left 39 people dead and 242 injured, particularly in Baghdad and the central provinces. A steady number of small arms fire attacks left 14 people dead and three injured, notably in the capital. There were no kidnappings or indirect fire attacks (rockets and mortars) recorded.

Central Violence
The central region saw the majority of attacks, especially around Ba’qubah and Baghdad. Mosul in the north has been unusually quiet for at least two weeks, raising concerns that militants in the area have been looking elsewhere to conduct attacks. The spate of bombings which took place in Iraq last week could indicate that they have turned their attention to the centre of the country, although there are also ongoing fears that some of the militants have also headed across the border into neighbouring Syria.

Crossing the Border
In Anbar province last week security force patrols and operations were stepped up in the province along the border with Syria amid fears of criminal and militant infiltration. However, while the Iraqi security forces are concerned about militants crossing from Syria into Iraq, it is more likely that greater numbers are going in the opposite direction.

There is mounting evidence that groups such as al-Qaeda are directing their efforts towards the collapsing regime on Iraq’s doorstep in the hope of being able to capitalise on the cover that the lawlessness in the country will afford them.

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Source: AKE Group

Iraq: Key facts and figures

Seven years after it led the invasion of Iraq, the US now has fewer than 50,000 soldiers in the country and is due to have withdrawn all its troops by the end of 2011.

Billions of dollars have been spent on rebuilding the country's infrastructure, but there is still a long way to go.

STANDARD OF LIVING

Overall, 23% of Iraq's population lives below the poverty line (spending $2.20 per person per day), according to figures from the Iraqi government and the World Bank.

The latest report from the World Food Programme [pdf] in November 2008, described an estimated 3.1% of Iraqi households - 930,000 people - as "food insecure", living with hunger and fearing starvation. That represented a considerable improvement on 15.4%, the figure when the survey was last carried out in 2005.

However, the WFP also found a further 6.4 million people would be vulnerable to food insecurity without the Public Distribution System, which provides monthly food rations to 90% of the population.

In January 2010, there were approximately 1.3 million landline telephone subscriptions and 19.5 million mobile phone subscriptions, according to the Brookings Institution. That compares with a pre-war level of 833,000 landline subscriptions and no cellular network.

There are also now 1.6 million internet subscribers, compared with 4,600 before the US-led invasion.

The UN reported in 2004 that car ownership had doubled since 2003, but between then and the Iraq household socio-economic survey in 2007, the figure remained relatively static, rising to just above 25%.

ELECTRICITY

According to data supplied by the ministry of electricity, Iraq is only generating 8,000 of the 13-15,000 megawatts (MW) of power required to meet Iraqi needs (50-60%). This figure does not include the Kurdistan region, where conditions are better.

The situation is worst for Iraq's internally displaced, where more than a third of households (37%) receive less than four hours of electricity per day. The lack of reliable electricity supply from the national grid has led to widespread use of backyard and neighbourhood generators.

Low electricity supplies are hampering the pumping of water to Iraqi households and severely restricting economic development.

WATER AND SANITATION

World Bank figures released in February 2010 show that potable water service is available to just under 70% of the population outside of Baghdad and can drop to as low as 48% in rural areas. In some areas, water is available only in the evening; and in many areas, village residents illegally tap into water pipelines.

In Baghdad, 25% of residents remain disconnected from the water supply network and rely on expensive alternative sources of drinking water, such as delivery by tankers.

According to Unesco, decreasing water supplies have been exacerbated by drought conditions between 2005 and 2009, which have devastated agriculture and decimated livestock.

Fewer homes are connected to wastewater sanitation systems than to potable water sources. According to the figures, less than 8% of the homes outside Baghdad are connected to sewerage systems.

An outbreak of cholera in August 2008 affected nine provinces in the country and was due to the poor standard of sanitation. According to the World Health Organization "outbreaks will recur in Iraq until access to safe water and proper sanitation is ensured for all people". Diarrhoea, a symptom of other waterborne diseases, was also reported to be on the increase.

VIOLENCE

Most coalition troops have withdrawn from Iraq. The last US combat brigade pulled out in mid-August, leaving fewer than 50,000 US Army personnel in the country. Under a US-Iraq deal, all American troops will leave the country by the end of 2011.

The number of deaths, military and civilian, is continuing to fall. Iraq Body Count (IBC) says 4,645 civilians were reported killed in violence in Iraq in 2009, which was about half the level in 2008 and the lowest annual total since the invasion in 2003.

At the end of April 2010, IBC said 1,010 civilians had been reported killed so far this year. The IBC counts reported deaths and then cross references them with official figures from Iraqi hospitals and ministries.

REFUGEES AND DISPLACED

The US government and others estimate that 1.5 million Iraqis fled their homes to other parts of Iraq or other countries to escape the sectarian conflict sparked by the 2006 Samarra mosque bombing.

It is believed that another 200,000 had already been displaced following the US-led invasion, while approximately one million people left Iraq during the rule of Saddam Hussein.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)estimates that 427,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and 79,000 refugees returned to their areas of origin between January 2008 and July 2010. The number of those returning dropped by 29% in the first half of 2010, compared to the same period in 2009, UNHCR figures show.

However, there are still approximately one million Iraqi refugees abroad and 1.55 million IDPs, a third of whom are living in settlements or camp-like situations in extremely poor conditions, it says.

The UNHCR registered nearly 35,000 refugees inside Iraq at the end of 2009, mostly Palestinians, Syrians and Iranians. They are primarily located in the areas administered by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Baghdad. In addition there are 3,800 asylum-seekers from Iran, Syria and Turkey.

A refugee camp for Palestinians in the desert near the Syrian border was recently closed and the occupants moved over the border into Syria, but a further 10,000 remain - mostly in Baghdad.

OIL PRODUCTION

Iraq relies on oil for over 40% of its gross domestic product and over 90% of government revenues. It has the fourth largest proven oil reserves in the world, with about 10% of the world's oil reserves, according to theOrganization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC).

Oil production figures dipped at the start of the invasion but have since remained relatively buoyant. As of April, 2.41 million barrels of oil a day were being produced, still well below the 1979 peak of 3.5 million barrels a day.

EMPLOYMENT

The number of Iraqis employed in the public sector has doubled since 2005, with the public sector currently providing 43% of all jobs in Iraq and almost 60% of all full-time employment. But constraints on the federal budget caused by the drop in global oil prices have curtailed new public sector recruitment.

Unemployment stands at 15% and a further 28% of the workforce is underemployed, which may increase in the coming years, particularly amongst youth, according to a UN analysis of 2008 figures from Iraq's Central Organisation for Statistics and Information Technology.

The number of unemployed people below the age of 34 amounts to more than one million people, three-quarters of them male.

Only 18% of women are employed.

Young people were increasingly vulnerable to poverty and food insecurity as 450,000 entered the labour market facing limited job prospects, the UN report said.

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Source: BBC