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Iraq insurgents try to blast elections off course
Oliver August, Times Online
A van charged through a checkpoint in western Baghdad, ran over a security guard and ploughed through a second barrier before crashing into the parking lot of al-Karkh courthouse, where it exploded on impact.
The incident was one of five near- simultaneous car bombs that destroyed official buildings across the Iraqi capital yesterday, killing at least 127 people and injuring more than 500 in the most co-ordinated attack in the city in recent years.
The bombings were timed to coincide with the announcement of the date of the next parliamentary elections in March. No terror group has claimed responsibility but the most likely culprits are Sunni extremists, variously called Baathists, Saddamists and al-Qaeda in Iraq.
Violence in the country has dropped sharply over the past two years, with November recording the lowest death toll since 2003. However, insurgents have continued to stage bloody attacks regularly, with one on August 19 and another on October 25 killing more than 250 people at four government ministries…
(9 Dec 2009)
Scenarios-Will Iraq honour deals with oil majors after polls?
Suadad al-Salhy and Ahmed Rasheed, Reuters
Iraq will on Friday begin a hotly anticipated auction of contracts to develop 10 oilfields, some of the world’s most promising and easily accessible, but will the deals be honoured after a March general election?
Iraq’s politicians are deeply divided along sectarian and ethnic lines, and the cabinet and lawmakers are at loggerheads over whether parliament should have a say over oil deals. Modern hydrocarbon laws governing Iraqi oil have not yet been passed, and the independent-minded oil minister has many enemies.
After a previous contract auction in June, Iraq’s government has already ratified one deal for BP (BP.L) and China’s CNPC to develop the Rumaila supergiant oilfield, and has initial agreements with groups led by Italy ENI (ENI.MI) and Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) for two other fields.
WHAT DO OIL-SAVVY POLITICIANS SAY?
Opinions are largely split between allies and non-allies of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, although even some traditional government critics stand behind the deals…
…WHAT DO MAIN ELECTION COMPETITORS SAY?
Maliki’s State of Law coalition, one of the main contenders in the March polls, will surely honour the oil deals should it hold onto the clout it currently enjoys…
…WHAT DO IRAQI LEGAL EXPERTS SAY?
Lawyers disagree about the legality of the contracts…
(10 Dec 2009)
related: UPDATE 1-Iraq says bombs will not stop oil auction
Iraqi PM condemns sectarianism
Al Jazeera
The Iraqi prime minister has blamed recent bombings on political discord and a fractured society, saying that disputes between political groups are putting the nation’s security at risk.
In a parliamentary questioning on Thursday, two days after co-ordinated attacks killed 127 people in Baghdad, Nouri al-Maliki said the security forces had to be depoliticised.
“All of the recent crime is because of political and sectarian differences”, al-Maliki was quoted by a parliamentarian as saying.
“I call on parliament to issue a decision to purify the security services from anyone who belongs to any political party, including my party”.
…Meanwhile on Thursday, Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, arrived in Baghdad for a surprise visit.
He was to offer “whatever assistance the US military can provide the Iraqis as they
deal with the aftermath of this attack,” Geoff Morrell, a Pentagon spokesman, said.
Gates was scheduled to meet al-Maliki and also Jalal Talabani, the Iraqi president, and US military commanders…
(10 Dec 2009)
