“Tidbits From TNT” Saturday Morning 1-31-2026

TNT:

Tishwash: Parliament sets next Sunday as the date for the session to elect the President of the Republic

The media department of the House of Representatives announced today, Friday, that next Sunday has been set as the date for holding a session to elect the President of the Republic.

Agenda for Session No. 7, Sunday, February 1, 2026

Department of Affairs

Parliamentary Session

Recitation of verses from the Holy Quran

First: Taking of the constitutional oath by some members of parliament.

Second: Election of the President of the Republic.

The session starts at eleven o'clock in the morning.  link

Tishwash:  An economic expert reveals a roadmap for freeing Iraqi funds from the grip of the US Federal Reserve.

On Friday, economist Nabil Al-Marousmi revealed several solutions and proposals to free Iraqi funds from the control of the US Federal Reserve. 

Al-Marsoumi said in a post followed by “Al-Ahd News”: “The United States has effectively controlled Iraqi oil revenues since 2003 through its management via the Federal Reserve. The United Nations had provided legal protection for these funds under Resolution 1483, until it was terminated in 2011, following the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1956.”

He added that "the US president issued Executive Order 13303 to protect Iraqi funds, an order that remains in effect today despite some amendments." He explained that "the objectives of US protection of Iraqi funds are to safeguard them from compensation claims by companies and individuals, as well as to prevent the seizure of Iraqi assets in cases filed since the 1990s."

He emphasized that "despite the expiration of many of the legal reasons that necessitated this financial arrangement, Iraq remains subject to strict financial oversight by Washington, which differs from the usual procedures in the international banking system."

Al-Marsoumi pointed out that “most oil-producing countries deposit their money in the US Federal Reserve because oil is sold in dollars, but Iraq suffers from complete dependence on oil revenues without alternative resources,” explaining that “this means that the problem is not in depositing money with the US Federal Reserve, but rather in the restrictions imposed on the ability to dispose of it freely, unlike what other countries enjoy.”

He continued: “It is known that there are cases filed against Iraq by dozens or hundreds of companies that were harmed by Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, and representatives of Iraq did not attend the court sessions at the time to defend or reduce the compensations, and therefore the courts issued default judgments for very high amounts.”

He noted that “linking the issue of protecting Iraqi funds from prosecution to America gives Washington great influence over Baghdad, and resolving the crisis requires a political decision, as happened with Greece and Argentina, by employing a reputable law firm that is given full powers, whose task will be to accurately inventory the cases filed against Iraq and how much money has been awarded in judgments.”

Al-Marsoumi concluded that “Iraq is unable to resort to the courts because the judgments have become final, so a deal can be reached with the beneficiaries to drop the lawsuits in exchange for giving them a percentage of the money, which is called buying the debts, and most likely they will accept because they will get money instead of waiting and possibly not getting anything.”    link

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Tishwash:  What financial challenges will the next government face?

Indicators are mounting that the financial situation in Iraq is becoming more complex, with the ongoing salary crisis and rising dollar exchange rates in local markets, amid the absence of a budget and the caretaker government's reliance on temporary solutions, which experts describe as incapable of containing the crisis or preventing its escalation during the current phase, thus placing the next government in front of these crises. 

"Temporary solutions"

In this context, MP Haider Al-Rubaie stressed that “the government’s resorting to deducting from the salaries of employees, especially those with higher degrees, reflects a clear deadlock in financial solutions, noting that these measures cannot constitute a real solution to the crisis.”

Al-Rubaie said that “the government is facing a complex financial situation in the absence of a budget and the tight time frame, which pushes it to borrow or cut as emergency options, warning of the danger of continuing to rely on internal and external debts without a stable financial vision.”

He explained that "solving the salary crisis depends on forming a new government capable of addressing economic issues and developing realistic solutions that alleviate the burdens on citizens, noting that the upcoming challenges are not limited to salaries only, but also include accumulated debts and service crises such as water and rising prices."

Dollar and gold 

In parallel, economist Duraid Al-Anzi points out that "the rise in the dollar exchange rate in Iraq is no longer only related to the measures of the Central Bank, but has become directly affected by the movement of gold and silver prices in global markets, which are witnessing a remarkable rise." 

Al-Anzi explained that "the increasing demand for dollars in the local market is also due to smuggling and hoarding operations, as a result of the gap between the official price adopted in the budget, the central bank's selling price, and the market price, which encouraged citizens and traders to acquire dollars and turn them from a savings tool into a means of speculation."

He stressed that “the continuation of political tensions in the region and the absence of global economic stability prevent any real decrease in the price of the dollar, while at the same time criticizing the performance of the caretaker government and the lack of a clear vision in managing the exchange rate issue.”

Between the salary crisis and the rising dollar, the next government appears to be facing a difficult financial and economic test, requiring bold decisions that go beyond temporary solutions and set a reform path that balances protecting citizens' income and market stability, in a highly turbulent regional and international environment.  link

Mot: Thinking - This Might be a Great Idea!!! -- Huh!!!! 

Mot:  .. I Can Soooooooo - Relate!!!!