TNT:

KaseyKo1:  From everything I'm reading, this should prove to be an interesting week. Looks like there's a good chance because of a loophole in their laws, that all of Sadr's deputies in parliament that resigned may very likely get reinstated. Would love to know what Maliki's thinking right about now.

CharlieOK:  kasey: After watching the uselessness of Parliament in Iraq over the past several years, I doubt that would be an advantage for us. At this late date, who knows? I am hoping a Caretaker Govt. will be installed quickly. Hopefully that would last several years, because Iraqi divisions/sects/tribes/etc. can't agree on anything,

CharlieOK:  Even if the founding documents of a brand new form of govt. (which came off the word processor of a Washington D. C. law firm) were approved by all relevant Iraqi govt. folks today, there probably would be quite a long installation time. Ergo, Caretaker Govt,

CharlieOK:  The key seems to be if the CBI still has sole authority in revaluing the Iraqi dinar. If so, the CG (caretaker government) seems to provide the most security for Iraq.

KaseyKo1:  Charlie: I believe that if the deputies are reinstated, that we would see a caretaker gov't put into place & new elections done - based, of course, on the federal court's decision Wed. And this is really what Sadr seems to want to see happen.

CharlieOK:  Right. I forgot about the (joke) federal court decision coming up on Wednesday. It would be an absolute complete surprise to see the fc make the correct legal decision under the current Iraqi laws. They have shown no proclivity to do so up to now,

CharlieOK:  If they do what corrupt Iraqi federal courts do; Tony expects the US/UN to step in and clean house. Btw, I read an article this morning stating that corrupt Iraqi govt. folks were being arrested. Who knows if that is correct?

KaseyKo1:  This seems to be a continuing action in arresting people. Not sure if any well known individuals have been arrested - yet, anyway. But it does appear Iraq is trying very hard to get decisions agreed upon before Wed's hearing.

NWMontana:  "video showing Iraqi security forces arresting the head of the “Iraqi National Security Agency” in the Province of Maysan allegedly after taking a cash bribe inside of his office. Crazy scene"~https://twitter.com/thestevennabil/status/1566678356061409280

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CandyKisses:  Iraq maintains its 30th rank in the list of major gold hoarders

Shafaq News/ The World Gold Council announced today, Tuesday, that Iraq has maintained its 30th rank globally among the largest countries in possession of gold reserves.

The council said in its latest schedule for the month of September of 2022, which was seen by Shafak News Agency; The "global central banks added 37 net tons to global gold reserves," noting that "the bulk of the rise resulted from purchases from Qatar (15 tons), while regular buyers of India were also by (13) tons and Turkey bought (12) tons. Uzbekistan bought 9 tons.

He added that "Kazakhstan was the only prominent seller in this month, as it sold (11) tons of gold." 

He pointed out that "Iraq maintained its global position after it rose 10 ranks last month after purchasing 34 tons of gold to rank 30 out of 100 countries listed in the table with the largest gold reserves, reaching 130.4 tons of gold, which represents 9.5% of the rest of its other reserves. ".

He explained that "Iraq has become the fourth largest Arab gold reserve after Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Algeria, after it was sixth, surpassing Egypt and Libya, which ranked fifth and sixth, respectively."

globally; The United States of America still leads the rest of the countries with the largest gold possession in the world, with 8.133 tons, followed by Germany, 3.355 tons, and then Italy, 2,451 tons.

The Republic of Cuba ranked 100, with one ton, preceded by the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, with one ton.

On June 27, Iraq announced the purchase of new quantities of gold, amounting to approximately (34) tons, an increase of 35% over what was in its possession.

It is noteworthy that the World Gold Council, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom, has extensive experience and deep knowledge of the factors that cause market change, and its members consist of the largest and most advanced gold mining companies in the world.

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CandyKisses:  Al-Sadr renews the call to his followers to continue the reform process

The Independent / - The leader of the "Sadrist Movement" Muqtada al-Sadr renewed, on Monday, his followers' call to continue the reform process, and addressed them in a tweet via "Twitter", saying: "Continue on reform, whatever happens."

In a sign; Al-Sadr said: "I and my companions are neither easterners nor westerners, and no one will rule over us (Ibn al-Da'i) whoever he is."

Some of them interpreted the phrase “Ibn al-Da’i” as an insistence by al-Sadr not to allow his Shiite opponents in the “coordinating framework” to form a new government and rule the country, while others saw it as a confirmation of the position of the “Sadr movement” to withdraw from Parliament and not return to it, after the Federal Court had determined The current date of September 28 is the date for considering the return of members of the Sadrist bloc (73 deputies) to Parliament after they withdrew from it at the request of al-Sadr last June.

The court's setting a date to consider the possibility of returning to Parliament angered the Sadrists, and they were quick to deny their connection to the invitation made by lawyer Diaa Al-Din, God's mercy, about two months ago.

Sadrist circles believe that their opponents seek to "fraud and distort the facts by saying that the Sadrists filed the lawsuit." The leader of the "Sadr movement" Judge Mashreq Naji issued a clarification in which he said that the lawyer who filed the lawsuit "is not a representative of one of the resigned Sadrist bloc representatives."

He added: "After filing a lawsuit related to the dissolution of the House of Representatives by the Secretary-General of the Sadrist bloc, and knowledge of this lawsuit, the lawyer was contacted at the time, and he was asked to withdraw and invalidate the lawsuit he filed so that trolls do not prey on murky water."

He continued that «this (meaning the return of the Sadrists) is contrary to the directions of His Eminence Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr, not to return the resigned Sadrist bloc deputies. The man expressed his understanding and consent to annul the lawsuit.” He concluded by saying: “Therefore; The resigned Sadrist bloc MPs, or any of them, have nothing to do with this lawsuit, and that it was filed in a personal capacity by one of the lawyers’ brothers, and not as some deceive their pages and websites to undermine (the current) and its leadership.

Salih Muhammad al-Iraqi, known as "Minister of al-Sadr," said in mid-August to followers of the "current": "It is strictly forbidden to demand the return of the Sadrist bloc to Parliament."

Regardless of the Sadrist stance rejecting the lawsuit, some Iraqi political and popular trends welcome the Sadrists' return to Parliament; Because limiting the political conflict between al-Sadr and his opponents in parliament is much better than extending the conflict to the street, as happened last weekend, when an armed clash took place between the "Sadrists" and their opponents from the "tyreenists" that led to dozens of deaths on both sides.

On the other hand, Agence France-Presse quoted the Iraqi Federal Integrity Commission as announcing, "The arrest of the security director of Maysan Governorate (east) in flagrante delicto inside his office after receiving a financial bribe after blackmailing and bargaining with citizens."

In a statement, "the Commission" stated that it had received, through its "secret sources, information that the Director of National Security in Maysan bargained with the families of one of the accused in the investigative cases filed with the Directorate," noting that "those sources confirmed the complainant's request for a sum of money."

She added, "Immediately upon receiving the information, I drew up a team from its investigation office in Maysan Governorate (...) as a tight ambush was set up to trap the accused (...) and he was caught red-handed for receiving the bribe."

The "Integrity Commission" devices filmed the raid of the headquarters of the Security Directorate in Maysan and the arrest of the person concerned.

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Tishwash:  India: Most of our oil supplies will come from Iraq and Saudi Arabia

Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, said that most of his country's supplies of crude oil in the near future will come from the Gulf countries, especially Iraq and Saudi Arabia, as it seeks to secure an affordable energy base.

Indian refineries have been buying relatively cheap Russian oil, which Western companies and countries have shunned since sanctions were imposed on Moscow over what it calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine.

India's imports of Russian oil increased 4.7 times, or more than 400,000 barrels per day, in April and May, but declined in July.

India decreased its oil purchases from Iraq in July by 9.3% compared to June to less than one million barrels per day for the first time in 10 months, but Iraq remained in first place as the largest exporter of oil to India.

Crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia by the world's third largest importer and consumer of oil rose in July by more than 25% after Saudi Arabia lowered its official selling price in July to keep Saudi Arabia in third place among India's suppliers.

Although oil imports from Russia fell 7.3% in July from June levels, Moscow remained the country's second largest oil supplier after Iraq.

Puri said that by the end of the fiscal year on March 31, 2022, India's purchases from Russia accounted for only 0.2%, but later rose as the global situation turned "problematic". Europe buys it from Russia. link

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