News, Rumors and Opinions Friday Night 8-20-2021
TNT:
Harambe: As Afghanistan Reverts, Iraq Makes Steady Progress - WSJ
(8/20/21)
The Afghan army’s failure to slow the Taliban’s seizure of power contrasts starkly with generally favorable developments in Iraq. As Afghanistan descends into the abyss, Iraq advances toward legitimacy at home and internationally.
After years of fitful leadership, extremist threats, sectarian violence and Iranian interference, Iraq is on course to becoming a self-reliant, democratic state and, at least for now, an impediment to Iranian regional aggrandizement. America’s efforts, sacrifices and patience in Iraq are paying off.
The U.S. found no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. What it did find was a homicidal regime under Saddam Hussein, and the debris of a sectarian army whose mission had been to brutalize the Iraqi people. Arabs and Kurds were on the brink of war. Though rich in oil and gas reserves, Iraq’s economic development had been stunted by state involvement designed to enrich those in power. The rule of law meant nothing but total obedience to Saddam.
Conditions in Iraq in the wake of invasion may have seemed hopeless, with a spreading Sunni insurgency, the arrival of foreign terrorists, and Sunni-Shiite violence. Still, the U.S. and 35 partner nations worked with Iraqis of all political stripes, religious beliefs and regions to help build representative government responsive to the needs of all Iraqis.
The first step was to help the Iraqis write a new constitution that provides for a separation of powers among branches of government and establishes basic rights for all Iraqis, irrespective of sect, ethnicity and sex. It obligates the Iraqi state to the rule of law, an independent judiciary, civilian control of the armed forces and universal suffrage. The constitution says that no less than 25% of parliamentarians be female, and it opened the way for Iraqi women to receive educational and professional equality, though in Iraq as elsewhere, words must be followed by actions.
Iraq’s constitution came into force after it was overwhelmingly approved in a national referendum in 2005. Since 2004, Iraq has had five straight peaceful transfers of power. Although its governments have performed unevenly—some poorly—none has clung to power when its time was up. A notable example is how Nouri al-Maliki, pro-Iran prime minister from 2006 to 2014, was succeeded without conflict by Haider al-Abadi, a less pro-Iran figure from a different party. This record is unmatched among Arab countries and defies pundits’ predictions that Iraqi democracy would fail.
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Courtesy of Dinar Guru
Frank26 Iraq is primed. They're already there and they're announcing it. They've worked well with the international world and now they're working with the citizens to get them primed and ready to go as well because once they hand them the new currency and the new rate, oh boy it cannot fail. They're doing a good job. Iraq is back. Iraq is a sovereign country. Iraq is no longer sanctioned...stop worrying about this. You can see that it's happening...
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THE ODDS OF A MAJOR STOCK MARKET CRASH JUST WENT UP! Plus More Important Updates.
Greg Mannarino: Aug 20, 2021
China Begins Wealth Modification For Citizens, Wealth Stocks Battered, Toyota Cuts Production 40%
Silver Report uncut: Aug 20, 2021
Toyota stock plunged, global markets were hammered and Tokyo stocks closed at a 7-month low after the Nikkei reported that Toyota would slash global production for September by 40% from its previous outlook.
The production cut - result of the pervasive global chip shortage which has crippled supply chains - will reduce Toyota's global production for September from 900,000 automobiles to 500,000. As a result, Toyota's global production for the month well be below that of last September, when demand was beginning to recover from the initial stages of the chaos and Toyota turned out 840,000 units.
The production cut, which amounts to just about 350,000 units, means the auto giant will temporarily suspend production lines at multiple domestic factories, including its Takaoka plant in Aichi Prefecture, starting early next month. Production in North America, China and Europe will also be scaled back by tens of thousands of units, resulting in widespread furloughs.
European luxury stocks slumped, and were among the worst performers in Europe’s Stoxx 600, after Chinese state media this week said President Xi Jinping offered an outline for “common prosperity” via wealth modification- that includes income regulation and redistribution, putting China’s wealthiest citizens on notice.
Among the biggest losers were Richemont -5.6%, Kering -5.3%, LVMH -4.2%, Swatch -3.6%, Burberry -2.7%, Hermes -2.2%. Hong Kong-listed Prada plunges 10%.