"Tidbits From TNT" Sunday 2-5-2023

Feb 5

TNT:

Tishwash: The Russian bear is knocking on the gates of Baghdad to break American hegemony and open parallel cooperation

Moscow directed its diplomatic compass towards Baghdad to send the most important diplomatic figure to Baghdad, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavreur, to break the ice, open the doors of cooperation, and strike at the American hegemony, which harmed the interests of Iraq and Russia.

Representative Muhammad Al-Baldawi said in a statement to Al-Maalouma that "the American hegemony prevented Iraq from moving except towards Washington, which imposed its political and economic interests," noting that "Lavrov's visit will focus on investing Iraq's capabilities at the level of the commercial, industrial and economic sectors.”

And he continued, "The difficulties that Iraq has gone through in terms of political, economic and social crises are the result of the absolute domination of America over the country," noting that "the government decided to open up to all countries of the world." after getting rid of the restrictions imposed by America on Iraq.”

Regarding Iraq's openness towards Russia, France and Germany, Al-Baldawi said, "Iraq's compass will rotate properly towards all countries of the world in the coming period, away from America."

And speaking of the Sudanese foreign visits and their importance to Iraq, independent politician Abbas al-Maliki said in an interview with Al-Maalouma that "America dominates the Iraqi economy through the transfer of Iraqi money from oil imports to the American federal account," noting that "Iraq's orientation towards Europe and the East will strengthen its international standing will enable it to gradually get rid of American hegemony at all levels."

Regarding Al-Sudani's move towards Europe, Al-Maliki states that "America's acquisition of Iraq in this way was the result of an almost complete cut-off from the world, as well as the failure to sign memorandums of understanding that contribute to the advancement of Iraq in all aspects.”

To confirm the political analyst Sabah Al-Aqili that the visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Baghdad will be the beginning of Iraq's launch towards balanced relations, indicating that the relationship with the Russian side at the present time is governed by several determinants.

Al-Aqili said in a statement to Al-Maalouma, that "there is no doubt that there is competition between the Russian and the American side to enter the markets of West Asia and Iraq, and Iraq's relationship with the two sides is certainly governed by several determinants, and therefore the Iraqi government must follow the policy of holding the stick from the middle and balancing its relationship with the two sides because the American side is He will put pressure on Iraq as a provocation.”

He added, “The Iraqi government may practice the theory of a balanced relationship with Russia and hold the stick from the middle, and it remains for it to deal with Russia, America, China and other European countries with a policy of balance and impose on those countries that the relationship with it is far from any interference in its internal political, economic and commercial affairs.”

In addition, former MP Muhammad al-Bayati said in an interview with Al-Maalouma agency, “One of the reasons for Al-Sudani's going to Germany is that America wants to open new horizons and make some contracts with Europe, especially Germany, so that it will not be greatly affected by the Ukrainian war.

Al-Bayati suggested that "there will be an agreement in this direction because Washington wants some European countries to obtain some contracts from friendly countries, including Iraq, which prompted Iraq to turn towards the German company Siemens."

The former deputy explained: "In the event that this agreement is true, there will be good work by the German company that will be able to work inside the country." link

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Tishwash: Allawi: The US Federal Reserve's decisions are systematic and deliberate to control Iraq

The leader of the National Coalition, Iyad Allawi, accused, on Sunday, the United States of America of practicing blackmail against the Sudanese government, indicating that the decisions of the US Federal Reserve are systematic and deliberate to control Iraq.

Allawi said in a televised interview, followed by Al-Maalouma, that "Iraq must go to sell oil to India, China and other countries in order to obtain dollars urgently and without entering into a crisis, as is happening now."

He added that "the rise in dollar prices and the decisions of the US Federal Bank were not accidental and could be elements of pressure against the government."

He pointed out that "Foreign Minister Fouad will visit Washington to discuss the 'dollar' crisis and remove Iraq from Chapter VII, with a pledge towards a clear monetary policy to avoid the crisis."

A member of the House of Representatives, Suhaila Al-Sultani, had warned of America's continued control of the Iraqi economy through its control of the dollar paper, while stressing that the country's survival as a hostage to this situation would diminish its sovereignty.

Al-Sultani said in a previous interview with Al-Maalouma, "Washington today unnaturally imposes its hegemony on Iraq by controlling the Federal Bank." link

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Tishwash: Associated Press: The Washington-Baghdad agreement stopped the collapse of the Iraqi dinar against the dollar

The Associated Press announced, today, Sunday, that the collapse of the Iraqi dinar against the US dollar, which has been going on for days in an unprecedented manner, has been “stopped now” after an indirect agreement between Baghdad and Washington to address the crisis of dollar smuggling outside the country.

The agency said, in a report translated by (Baghdad Today), that "the sharp fall of the Iraqi dinar during the last period has been successfully stopped now, after the interview that took place between the Iraqi Central Bank delegation and US treasury officials bore fruit," referring to the meeting that took place last week between the two parties. in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

And it indicated that "the American side was briefed on the reforms and procedures of the Iraqi government and the Central Bank to address the country's commitment to the sanctions imposed by the United States on the countries of the region, including Syria and Iran, as Assistant Director of the US Treasury Brian Nelson praised the dedication of the authorities in Baghdad to improve the level of its cooperation with the American measures."

The agency indicated that "the exchange rates of the dinar against the US dollar witnessed, for the first time in days, expectations of stability in the value during the coming days, with the results of the meeting held in Ankara," stressing that "the Iraqi authorities are still continuing their plans to send a delegation to Washington, from It is expected that he will arrive this week in order to solve the crisis radically link

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CandyKisses: Intelligence: $70 million a day smuggled overland through the region

Baghdad – Nas

Two of al-Sudani's advisers told Middle East Eye that intelligence suggests that dollar smuggling has recently grown by land through the Kurdistan region, and from there to Turkey or Dubai.

The Qatari-funded website stated in a report by NAS (February 5, 2023) that "in response to the growth of smuggling, the Iraqi government has set up several new checkpoints equipped with sonar devices along the road from Baghdad to Kurdistan."

Meanwhile, security forces have launched a crackdown to track down currency traders and middlemen who buy and sell dollars on the black market.

Security sources said several of them had already been arrested over the past few days.

This has alarmed exchange offices, which receive a fixed daily share of the dollar auction. Almost all of them stopped selling dollars except to well-known customers for fear of arrest.

Similarly, WhatsApp and Viber groups that were used to solicit dollars from private banks and intermediaries have been deleted out of concern that they could be hacked or hacked, security and financial sources told Middle East Eye.

Despite this, at least $70 million a day is being smuggled out of Iraq through the Kurdistan region, according to Iraqi bankers and officials.

The owner of an exchange company involved in dollar smuggling told the website that "his work is only: frankly, all this harassment by the security services has exacerbated the crisis and revived our work."

"The profits we are now making in exchange for providing the required dollars to traders and venture capitalists, whether in Dubai or Turkey, have multiplied tens of times over the past few weeks," he said.

"We don't ask any questions and the merchant or customer doesn't want to answer any questions related to him or his money, that's why they turn to us. All they have to do is make a phone call and send their Iraqi money. Sooner or later, and that's it."

Brokers are now buying dollars from these exchange houses and transporting them overland to Kurdistan.

Three owners of exchange and brokerage companies and Iraqi officials said that a group of influential local officials and politicians are taking these dollars through the Ibrahim al-Khalil border crossing into Turkey.

Dollar smuggling or dinar laundering?

Owners of exchange and financial brokerages told Middle East Eye that the cost of transferring money abroad has increased one and a half times over the past week, as the process has become "more difficult and more expensive."

The sources said the fees are taken by intermediaries who receive cash from Iraq of no more than $15000,<> per million dollars.

But according to three owners of exchange and financial brokerage companies and two bankers, it costs $184,<> to exchange a million dollars in a deal to get that money out of Iraq — far more than the local rate.

Mot: ~~ LOL - I Wasn't Prepared fer This un!! ~~~