IQD CALLS Chat Room News Highlights 11-30-19
IQD CALLS Chat Room News Highlights 11-30-19
chattels Regarding events in Iraq today: first, this is the text of Abd al-Mahdi's "resignation" statement. I would encourage media to be careful about using the word "resignation" to the extent that implies AAM has left or will imminently leave office.
https://www.pmo.iq/press2019/29-11-201901.htm …
chattels My take is that this is the end of the beginning of this crisis, not the beginning of the end. AAM simply says "I will submit my formal resignation" to parliament, after noting that he said he was ready to resign last month. There is no clear rule parl't has to accept it.
chattels Notably, AAM's statement contains a lengthy quote from the religious authorities' statement from Karbala today. This is the video of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani rep Ahmad al-Safi:
chattels What strikes me about this is that AAM is very specific that he will submit his resignation due to Sistani saying "parliament should review its options" on the government. AAM submitting his resignation simply signals his acceptance of this demand by religious authority.
chattels Notable also is what is missing: AAM does not mention the protests, or the deaths in the protests, as a reason to resign. He is "submitting his resigation" because religious leaders said so.
chattels So I see 3 options, from most to least likely:
1) AAM submits his resignation to parl't tomorrow or Sunday, whenever it next meets, and parl't puts it on hold until the political class can decide what it wants to do, & vote no confidence in a few weeks or months.
chattels 2) Parliament votes no confidence immediately. If so, then President Salih has 30 days to pick a new prime minister-designate and AAM stays on as caretaker PM for that month.
chattels 3) Parliament accepts AAM's resignation, the PM's office becomes vacant, and President Salih becomes PM according to the constitution.
Chattels I see almost no chance of this. It will be option 1) or 2).
chattels Again I stress that journalists should avoid saying something like, "Iraq's PM has resigned." If the US President resigns, he leaves the White House & the VP takes the oath of office. Abd al-Mahdi can submit his resignation tomorrow & still be in office on New Year's & beyond.
chattels The foregoing commentary is from Kirk Sowell https://twitter.com/UticaRisk
chattels #Iraq PM Abd al-Mahdi's stated intention to ask parliament to consider issue of his potential resignation does not really correspond to any prescribed constitutional modality https://pmo.iq/press2019/29-11-201901.htm …
chattels PM Abd al-Mahdi can either just quit in which case the president temporarily takes over until new PM approved (art 81) or parliament can withdraw confidence (art 61) in which case he remains as caretaker until new PM has been approved.
chattels The foregoing commentary is from Reidar Visser https://twitter.com/reidarvisser
chattels Abdul-Mahdi: I will submit a formal request to the parliament to resign from the presidency of the current government .. Expanded
Friday 29 November 15:42 2019 https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?Key=799795
chattels Cabinet votes on next year's budget
Saturday 30 November 13:15 2019 BAGHDAD / NINA / The cabinet voted in its emergency session today on the 2020 budget
https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=799930
chattels Wonder who the cabinet members are ?
chattels Continued stability of dollar prices on the stock exchange struggle and domestic markets
Saturday 30 November 12:28 2019 https://ninanews.com/Website/News/Details?key=799914
chattels BAGHDAD / NINA / The stability of the dollar exchange rates continued in the stock exchange struggle and local markets, on Saturday, (November 30, 2019).
The prices of the Stock Exchange struggle - Baghdad 120,600 dinars per 100 dollars.
Selling and buying prices in banking shops:
The selling price of the dollar = 121.000 dinars.
The purchase price of the dollar = 120.000 dinars
chattels So, it appears that there may be more than two other separate indices for the exchange rate in Iraq. Bank and Stock Exchange in addition to the auction.
chattels Some part of which may not be in compliance with the IMF guidelines.
chattels The Cabinet holds an extraordinary session to present the resignation of Abdul Mahdi and his government to parliament
Release Date:: 2019-11-30 14:11 • http://www.alliraqnews.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=84963
chattels "I call on members of the government to continue their work until the formation of the new government."
The statement pointed out that "the Prime Minister reviewed the complex circumstances in which the government was formed and the challenges faced and the achievements made in the past period at the internal level and external relations."
And that, "the Council voted at the conclusion of the special session on the resignation of the Director of the Office of the Prime Minister Mohammed al-Hashemi [Abu Jihad] and Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers Hamid al-Ghazi."
chattels Urgent Cabinet votes on the resignation of Hashemi and Ghazi
Date: 2019/11/30 14:06 • http://www.alliraqnews.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=84962
chattels As Iraq bloodshed spreads, Sistani calls for early elections
Ali Mamouri November 29, 2019
chattels Nasiriyah and Najaf in southern Iraq became a bloodbath last night, Nov. 28, as 29 protesters were killed in Nasiriyah and 16 others in Najaf. Another four were killed in Baghdad protests the same day.
A great number of unidentified forces in Najaf attacked protesters with live bullets, knives and batons while security forces targeted protesters directly in Nasiriyah a day after protesters burned the Iranian Consulate in Najaf.
Following the bloodshed, top Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali Sistani called upon the government to accelerate the legal process for dismissing the government and organizing early elections.
chattels Although the protesters have scored a big victory in removing Abdul Mahdi, many other challenges lay ahead, such as passing a fair electoral law and bringing in a reliable third party like the United Nations to oversee the new elections.
chattels The protesters are aware of these challenges and have stated that they will not leave the streets until all their demands are granted and implemented.
chattels Khamenei declares victory as Tehran claims protests slowing
Al-Monitor Staff November 20, 2019
chattels "Let all friends and foes know that we pushed back the enemy in the recent security war," Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared in a speech Nov. 19. Khamenei was referring to a wave of deadly demonstrations that has gripped the Islamic Republic since last Friday after an overnight announcement of higher gasoline prices and a contentious rationing scheme.
The protests, according to Khamenei, were not the "people's job" but a "security" conspiracy now thwarted. The 80-year-old leader added that his country will experience the same victory in the "economic war" — a recurrent term in Iranian official discourse describing US sanctions that have drastically dwindled ordinary Iranians' purchasing power.
chattels Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Iranians to continue sending messages exposing the Iranian regime’s brutal crackdown on recent widespread protests that have killed, by some estimates, more than 200 people. He said the United States would impose sanctions on those it could identify for perpetrating abuses.
“The Iranian people are, once again, on the streets because of the regime’s poor economic management,” Pompeo said in remarks to the press at the State Department today. “Instead of addressing their grievances, Tehran has responded with violence and by blaming those outside of the country.”
Despite the Iranian regime's shutdown of the internet last week, Pompeo said the United States had received to date some 20,000 messages, videos and pictures from Iranians through the Telegram messaging service. He said he hoped they would continue to send more.
“The United States hears you,” Pompeo said. “We will continue to sanction Iranian officials who are responsible for these human rights abuses, just like we did last week to Iran’s minister of communications.”
chattels Iraqis keep up anti-regime demos despite PM's vow to quit
https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/301120192
chattels In a written statement on Friday Abdul-Mahdi said he would submit a formal letter to parliament "requesting my resignation" in keeping with the wishes of the country's top cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani.
The premier did not say give further details but parliament is due to meet on Sunday.
chattels We will see what Parliament does tomorrow.
larrykn chattels the question is who will replace him.
chattels larrykn So true.
larrykn they need to get rid of the influence of Iran out of Iraq and put in new people that aren't connected to Iran. I believe the need to replace all those minsters with new blood, the best way is to put the young people that came out of colleges with their new ideas in hand