"Tidbits From TNT" Saturday Morning 2-20-2-21

Feb 20

TNT:

Tishwash: Advisor Al-Kazemi: Iraq is on the edges of economic recovery in two areas? 2/20

Advisor to the Prime Minister, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, confirmed that Iraq is on the brink of economic recovery, indicating that the Supreme Committee for Reform has important decisions to advance the public and private sectors.

Saleh explained, "Iraq is on the edges of economic recovery at the present time in two areas. The first is that there is a tangible agricultural boom that will achieve growth in non-oil GDP in the year 2021 by more than 4%, which is about one and a half times higher than the population growth. The second range is A boom in the energy demand sector in the world, as oil prices have gradually recovered, which is a positive sign and strengthens the country's overall financial capacity.

Saleh stressed "the necessity of dealing with this matter with great caution, by laying a basis for sustainable development and minimizing economic shocks."

He pointed out that "the international community supporting Iraq through the International Financial Alliance team, which was established months ago, expressed its desire to support the established principles of sustainable growth in the national economy as expressed in the white paper recently approved by the Council of Ministers by establishing a blueprint and an institutional entity (for economic reform), which is considered The support for this developmental sustainability. "

He added, "The formation of the Supreme Committee for Reform that will have decisive and fundamental executive decisions to promote productive, investment and operational activity in the public and private sectors will be supported by a large international presence represented by international multilateral financial institutions and the Group of Seven major industrialized countries."

He pointed out, "The availability of national and international will will be embodied by participation in reconstruction and the establishment of the reform team and the transformation of the country from (crisis economy) to (construction economy and sustainable development), to be the cornerstone of the economic transition of development." link

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Tishwash: A new round of financial talks between Iraq and a European country

On Friday, Minister of Finance Ali Allawi discussed with the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Baghdad, Michael Rentinar, and the official of the Economic Department, Merrill de Konink, the economic and financial aspects and the importance of enhancing cooperation opportunities between the two countries.

The ministry’s media office said in a statement, which “people” received a copy of (February 19, 2021), “The Minister of Finance, Ali Abdul-Amir Allawi, received the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Baghdad, Ambassador Michael Rentinar, and the official of the economic department, Mrs. Merrill de Konink, at the ministry’s headquarters.”

The statement added, “During the meeting, they discussed the overall bilateral relations between the two countries, especially the economic and financial aspects, and the importance of enhancing cooperation opportunities on various levels in a way that meets the aspirations of the two peoples.”

According to the statement, the minister stressed “the importance of opening the horizons of constructive cooperation,” stressing that “Iraq’s strategy in its balanced relations with all is based on the observance of common interests with world countries in a way that serves progress and prosperity for our people and friendly peoples.”

The statement continued, “The ambassador expressed his thanks to the minister for the good reception, stressing at the same time the desire of his country’s government to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation with Iraq for the benefit of the two countries.” link

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Tishwash: Washington: US forces will participate in the ‘new mission’ inside Iraq

The Pentagon has opened the door to the possibility of sending more American forces to the Middle East as part of a newly expanded NATO training mission to support Iraqi forces and ensure ISIS never rises again.

A Pentagon spokeswoman, Jessica L. McConnellty, told CNN, and “People” followed her (February 19, 2021), “The United States is participating in the force formation process for the NATO mission in Iraq and will contribute its fair share in this important and expanded mission.”

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke about the mission with his NATO counterparts during a meeting with defense ministers on Thursday.

Late Thursday night, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby made it clear that “there are no plans to send more US forces to Iraq.” However, a defense official told the channel that US forces could also support the mission from outside the country.

“We support the expanded NATO mission in Iraq and will continue to do so, but there are no plans to increase US troop levels there,” Kirby said on Twitter.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Thursday, announced the increase in the number of its forces in Iraq in order to expand the task of training Iraqi forces, while no decision has yet been made on the withdrawal from Afghanistan.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a press conference after a videoconference with NATO defense ministers that “it has been decided to expand the training mission in Iraq to support Iraqi forces in the face of terrorism and to ensure that ISIS does not return.”

Stoltenberg added that “the number of NATO forces will gradually increase from 500 to about 4 thousand, and their deployment will extend to areas outside Baghdad.” Allow the Iraqis to achieve stability in their country. ”

He pointed out that the increase in NATO forces will be gradual and come at the request of the Iraqi government.

Austin welcomed the “expanded role” of the NATO mission in Iraq, according to a reading of the discussions provided by the Pentagon. He expressed confidence that all the work done so far with the Iraqi government and Iraqi security forces will lead to a self-sufficient mission.

In a related context, the “Daily Mail” newspaper quoted military sources as saying that the International Coalition Forces intend to increase the number of its soldiers in Iraq to 5 thousand members.

The newspaper said that hundreds of British soldiers would be sent to Iraq in the largest increase of British forces there since the last Gulf War.

The number of British forces is expected to double or triple later this year.

In total, 179 British soldiers have lost their lives in Iraq since March 2003, while the last troops withdrew there in May 2011.

Currently 100 British personnel are stationed there to train Iraqi security forces. Within the framework of the international coalition’s mission to combat ISIS, with the possibility of them playing security roles.

The announcement by British Defense Minister Ben Wallace last night that hundreds of soldiers would be dispatched came days after a missile attack on an international coalition base near Arbil airport in northern Iraq killed a civilian contractor and wounded nine others.

In support of the decision, the former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, Richard Kemp, said: “Iraqi forces are facing an increasing threat from ISIS, as there was a double suicide attack in Baghdad in January in addition to daily terrorist attacks in different parts of the country.”

Kemp explained that the return of the force to ISIS “has led to several terrorist attacks in Europe including the United Kingdom.”

He added, “We and NATO must do everything in our power to help the Iraqis improve their military capabilities so that they can impose greater control over their lands. In this way, we will protect our homeland as well.” link

Mot: Sven and Ollie live in the same apartment building in identical flats.

Sven visits Ollie and sees that he just painted his flat and it looks great.

“He says, “Ollie, this looks amazing. How many cans of paint did you buy?”

Ollie says he bought seven. …..

The next day Sven drives to the store, buys seven cans of paint and starts painting his flat.

After a few hours he finishes the whole thing but he realizes that he used only three cans of paint.

He calls Ollie: “Hey man I’ve just finished painting the whole place, but I’ve used only 3 cans of paint and I have 4 left!”

Ollie: “Yeah, me too.”

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Mot: Ole and Sven die in a snowmobile accident, drunker than skunks, and go to Hell.

The Devil observes that they are really enjoying themselves. He says to them 'Doesn't the heat and smoke bother you?

Ole replies, 'Vell, ya know, ve're from nordern Minnesooota, da land of snow an ice, an ve're yust happy fer a chance ta varm up a little bit, ya know.'

The devil decides that these two aren't miserable enough and turns up the heat even more.

When he returns to the room of the two guys from Minnesota, the devil finds them in light jackets and hats, grilling Walleye and drinking mead..

The devil is astonished and exclaims, 'Everyone down here is in total misery, and you two seem to be enjoying yourselves and I want to know why!'

Sven replies, 'Vell, ya know, ve don't git too much varm veather up dere at da Falls, so ve've yust got ta haff a fish fry vhen da veather's dis nice.'

The devil is absolutely furious. He can hardly see straight. Finally he comes up with the answer.

The two guys love the heat because they have been cold all their lives. The devil decides to turn all the heat off in Hell.

The next morning, the temperature is 60 below zero, icicles are hanging everywhere, and the inhabitants of hell are shivering so bad that they are unable to wail, moan or gnash their teeth.

The devil smiles and heads for the room with Ole and Sven. He gets there and finds them back in their parkas, bomber hats, and mittens. They are jumping up and down, cheering, yelling and screaming like mad men.

The devil is dumbfounded, 'I don't understand, when I turn up the heat you're happy. Now its freezing cold and you're still happy. What is wrong with you two?'

They both look at the devil in surprise and say, 'Vell, don't ya know, if hell iss froze over, dat must mean da Vikings von da Super Bowl'