KTFA Members "News and Views" Friday 2-14-2020

KTFA:

Samson:  The richest countries in the world ... How much is Iraq's wealth?

14th February, 2020

Americans hold nearly 30% of the wealth of the entire world, but it appears that other countries are trying to catch up with it despite the big gap - as the total wealth of the entire Asia region was higher than the United States.

This came in the Credit Suisse Global Wealth Report, whose researchers define wealth or “net worth” as the sum of financial assets minus any debts, which is a simplified method similar to preparing the balance sheets of families and companies.

In total, the report indicated that global wealth reached $ 360 trillion in 2019, an annual increase of 2.6%, and the world added 47 million new millionaires, and the average wealth for every adult reached $ 70.8 thousand, expecting the growth of the total wealth of the earth's population to $ 459 trillion by the year 2024.

The United States, China, and Europe accounted for the most growth in global wealth last year, with each adding $ 3.8 trillion, $ 1.9 trillion, and $ 1.1 trillion, respectively.

But the highest rates of wealth growth during 2019 were in India, whose wealth increased by 5.2%, followed by the Latin American region by 4.9%, then North America by 3.7%.

The ranking of the world's ten richest countries in terms of wealth is as follows.

1- United States (106 trillion dollars)

2- China (63.8 trillion dollars)

3- Japan (25 trillion dollars)

4- Germany (14.6 trillion dollars)

5- United Kingdom (14.3 trillion dollars)

6- France (13.7 trillion dollars)

7- India ($ 12.6 trillion)

8- Italy ($ 11.3 trillion)

9. Canada ($ 8.5 trillion)

10- Spain ($ 7.7 trillion),

While the rankings of the wealthiest Arab countries in the Middle East are as follows.

25- Saudi Arabia (1.5 trillion dollars)

27- Turkey (1.3 trillion dollars)

32- Israel (one trillion dollars)

35- UAE (922 billion dollars)

36- Egypt (898 billion dollars)

40- Iran (775 billion dollars)

51- Kuwait (405 billion dollars)

54- Qatar (328 billion dollars)

55- Iraq (327 billion dollars)

59- Morocco (305 billion dollars)

Among the most prominent countries as well, Russia's wealth reached 3 trillion dollars in the eighteenth place globally, while the wealth of Lebanon 232 billion dollars in the sixty-fifth.

According to an analysis of the site, "How Match", which specializes in statistics, the Americans' exclusivity with the highest wealth is due to the amazing growth in the net worth of its affluent class.

For example, the wealth of the world's 500 richest people (many of them concentrated in America according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index) grew by $ 1.2 trillion over the past year alone, bringing their total wealth to $ 5.9 trillion, which exceeds the total wealth of the continent of Africa combined which It is $ 4.11 trillion.

Another notable pattern from Credit Suisse data analysis is that inequality has increased from countries other than the United States. A good example of this is the wealth of the 10% richest group in China exceeding that of the same class in America.

All in all, the wealth of Asian countries was higher than the United States, at $ 141 trillion. How Match favors the Chinese ’tendency to support higher taxes for the wealthy, as it is now the United States.

The analysis showed that America and Asia control a huge amount of global wealth, explaining the interest of observers and experts in the complexities and developments of the trade war between America and China. He pointed out that one of the reasons why the world possesses so much wealth today is globalization.   LINK

Samson:  Bashir Haddad : The international community may intervene if protesters continue to be repressed

13th February, 2020
The deputy speaker of the Iraqi parliament, Bashir Haddad, on Thursday waved the international community’s intervention if the protests continued in Iraq.

Haddad told Shafak News, "We do not support violence and reject it from any party, whether from the demonstrators or the security forces," noting that "the right to peaceful expression is guaranteed to the citizen constitutionally."

Haddad explained that "the practice of violence against demonstrators is rejected, and we do not accept it," noting that "this phenomenon, if it continues, will have major repercussions from the international side, and Iraq’s relationship with the international parties, and there may be international intervention to stop the violence in the protests."  LINK

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Samson:  The first American message to Allawi regarding Iraq and Iran

14th February, 2020

A high-ranking official in the US State Department called on Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi to respond to the demands of the Iraqi people and fight corruption, noting that the US administration is studying all aspects of cooperation with the Iraqi government within the framework of the comprehensive strategic relationship that unites the two countries.

Al Arabiya TV quoted the American official without referring to his name, "There is a similarity between the situation of the Lebanese government and the status of the Iraqi government, where there is a segment of the Iraqi people supporting the government and there are those who oppose it, and we support the demonstrators and their right to peaceful protest, because successive Iraqi governments prevailed in corruption and we are waiting for the formation of the new government and approval House of Representatives, but it needs the legitimacy of the people."

He also said, "We saw a large number of demonstrators demanding not only basic services, reform and fighting corruption, but also the rejection of Iranian influence, and perhaps an example of this, Qasim Soleimani, who was staying in Iraq and decides who will be the next prime minister." He refused to turn in the orbit of Iran. He continued, "There are large numbers of Iraqis who reject this interference and want sovereignty. They do not want to turn in the orbit of Iran. They do not want the decisions that relate to their lives to be issued from Tehran instead of Baghdad." The US official sent a message to Tehran and said, "It must choose either to be a neighbor or an interfering and controlling country in Iraq."

Regarding President Trump's announcement to expand the scope of NATO's activities, which the president announced in 2017, the State Department official said that NATO has had a training mission in Iraq for some time and the US administration wants to develop training operations. Without America, the coalition will not remain composed of 82 countries. As for the decision to withdraw American forces from Iraq, he stressed that the United States is the primary ally of Iraq to fight ISIS, and without it, there will be no coalition formed from 82 countries. He said, "We have conducted 4000 joint operations against ISIS. We gave the Iraqi government military assistance of $ 5.4 billion over a period of 4 years. If we look at the vote in Parliament to bring out the American forces, it was by a small margin. The Sunnis and Kurds did not participate, and we respect this vote. All levels of partnership with Iraq." Affiliate Country

With regard to exemptions, the US Secretary of State's decision to extend it for a period of 45 days was based on US national security interests, to allow Iraq to continue importing energy from Iran. He said, "We have granted similar exemptions in the past, but we hope that Iraq will take steps towards self-sufficiency, but I think Iran wants Iraq to keep its states dependent."   LINK

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Samson:  Leaked US documents: "Al-Maliki" stole Awakening funds to engage militias in the "Syrian conflict"

Rommy:  IMO this is a perfect place to insert the swaying noose image from the citizens.

ChrisC:  As I have said for many months, they need to do this for their own good for some form of closure and to make a statement to anybody that wants to try this in the future.  Yeah, they should hang Mahdi, but EVERYONE needs to get in line behind Maliki.  He is first for sure.  It really amazes me to tell the truth, I know he has some good security, but these people are violent as a whole.  If there is one person in Iraq that represents their pain it is this guy and I don't see that they have done anything to him.  I mean, he admitted forming ISIS!  Admittedly, he said Obama made him do it, but he was the one that did it.  I remember the day it happened like it was yesterday.

Rommy:  IMO Chris it is very frustrating to see these mafioso thugs getting away with murder and looting.  And of course Iraq is not the only place we see this.   IMO the USA has its own legion of corrupt politicians who do anything to stay in power and cover their crimes.  

HoosierGirl:  BUT thankfully we have a brilliant team led by Pres. Trump and some highly skilled "operatives" who are working to clean up the mess. It's taking a while - it's DEEP and WIDE for sure.  And in very high places.  We have high hopes that by this summer we will see some big ones fall hard.

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Samson:  Deputy: Five ministries to be led by women in the government of Muhammad Allawi ... considered a successful step

13th February, 2020

Deputy and member of the Parliamentary Women Committee, Dylan Ghaffour, revealed today, Thursday, that there are five ministries in the government of Prime Minister-designate Muhammad Tawfiq Allawi, which will be led by women, stressing that they are considered a step in the way of the government's success.

Ghafour said, in a statement to "Al-Akhbaria": "The share of women in the formation of the new government will be about four to five ministerial portfolios," noting that "the dialogues of Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Allawi with the political parties are still continuing to form his government."

She added: "There is a tendency to activate the Ministry of Women, and this is also another positive step," indicating that "caring for women and giving them ministerial portfolios is an important step in the success of any government," explaining that "Allawi will succeed in forming his government during the period specified for him and present it to a vote in Parliament".

The Women, Family and Parliamentary Committee of Parliament had demanded the Prime Minister-designate, Muhammad Allawi, to include women in the next government formation, give them their constitutional entitlement, and not be marginalized as the previous government had done. LINK

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Samson:  Trump: very close to the peace agreement with the Taliban

2/14/2020 8:57 AM

 US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he believes there is a good opportunity for the United States to reach a peace agreement with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Asked if the United States had reached a preliminary agreement, Trump said in radio statements, "I think we are very close ... I think there is a good opportunity to reach an agreement." We will know within the next two "weeks   LINK

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Samson:  Rouhani: Iran May Collapse Soon

14th February, 2020
President Hassan Rouhani warned of Iran's "collapse", ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections.

He said in a speech before thousands of people in the square "Azadi" in the center of the capital, Tehran, that there is instability, if the elections are conducted in a "unilateral" manner, and he warned of the imminent consequences of a "revolution" if the Iranians could not vote in "sound and free" elections .

According to the Iranian opposition radio, "Farda", Rouhani warned of what he described as "collapse" if the scheduled elections were suspended within 10 days, which shows the depth of the country's political crisis, and reveals that the presidency appears to be a bystander to the expected event.

On Tuesday, crowds of Iranians participated in the forty-first anniversary of the establishment of what was known as the “Islamic Revolution”, and Rouhani used this occasion to send several political messages. Ruhollah Khomeini, saying that the last king of Iran, Muhammad Reza Pahlavi, was "a corrupt person."

Rouhani added that "the revolution would not have taken place in Iran if there had been no corruption, and if the regime toppled at that time gave people the right to choose."

In statements considered by observers as a hint, Rouhani added that the revolution broke out because the elections were not an option in front of people, and when this road was closed, people had to go out to open the path.

Rouhani entered into a deep disagreement with the most hard-line faction in Iran over the upcoming elections on February 21, because of preventing the most prominent reformists from submitting their candidacy and entering the competition. Even the reformists who have consistently participated in Iran's elections, have retracted their positions or preferred to boycott, because of harassment by militants.

Observers said that Rouhani was ostensibly talking to crowds in central Tehran, but that the letter was actually addressed to the mentor Ali Khamenei and other military institutions in the country such as the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Rouhani's warnings about controlling the elections reveal a pictorial nature of the country's electoral process, given that the President of the Republic himself takes the initiative to warn and demand transparency like any independent observer.

Rouhani is not the only politician who warned the country's ruling establishment. Just a week ago, Iranian government spokesman Ali al-Rubaie, an official who had accumulated an important intelligence experience, warned that going to elections was the only solution that avoided Iran the risk of collapse.   LINK

ChrisC:  Well,...this is interesting.  There are, and have been, things running in the background and behind closed doors that we have NO idea of, nor may not even be able to comprehend.  They may be surrendering to Trump right now for all we know.