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dmbfan
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
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 Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2007 8:16 pm Post subject: Yes, things are awful........ |
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Really, if The Gaurdian, CNN or some other far left, crapshoot media outlet say things are bad and hopless, we should really believe them right?
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Department of Public Information � News and Media Division � New York
Security Council
5763rd Meeting (AM)
DESPITE IRAQ�S COMPLEX SECTARIAN TENSIONS, RECENT DEVELOPMENTS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY
FOR PROGRESS �THAT MUST NOT BE MISSED�, SECURITY COUNCIL TOLD
Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Says Drop in Casualties, Mahdi
Army Ceasefire, Other Events Could Lay Basis for Broad National Reconciliation
Despite the complex sectarian tensions that were still creating havoc in Iraq, recent developments in the country provided an opportunity for progress that must not be missed, B. Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, told the Security Council this morning as he briefed it on developments there.
Positive trends, he said, included the lowest monthly casualties for the year in the month of September. The ceasefire declared by the Mahdi Army, the Sunni insurgent alliance against Al-Qaida, the pact reached by the Sadrists and the efforts by the Multinational Force and the Iraqi security forces all appeared to be contributing to that effect.
Those events, he said, represented a political opportunity to transform military-political developments into a basis for achieving broad national reconciliation. Now, Iraqi leaders must move beyond rhetoric towards progress on the constitutional review and major legislation, such as that on oil and de-Baathification reform, as part of a wider political reconciliation process.
The United Nations, he said, stood ready to assist the Government towards that end. In preparation for the expanded mandate of United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), decided on in Council resolution 1770 (2007), the Secretary-General had increased staff ceilings in Baghdad and Erbil and was looking into re-establishing a presence in Basra.
In light of the magnitude of the challenges, he urged Member States to provide support. He thanked those that had provided protection, logistical support and troops for the so-called �Distinct Entity� meant to provide security for UNAMI. He urged more contributions to the trust fund to support that security arrangement, which otherwise would be exhausted next month.
Following Mr. Pascoe�s presentation, the United States representative briefed the Council on behalf of the Multinational Force. He said he looked forward to the expanded work of UNAMI in assisting the Government of Iraq in implementing its programme of national reconciliation, regional cooperation and humanitarian assistance.
As a result of actions in Al-Anbar Province by the Multinational Force and the Iraqi national army, he said, the provincial councils of Al-Anbar and Diyala had been enabled to hold regular meetings that had led to restoring services and developing the economy. Today, the landscape of Al-Anbar was dramatically different. The 2007 surge had given communities the confidence to help defeat extremists, and security measures benefiting the population had made terrorist attacks more difficult.
He said a key challenge was now to link those positive developments in the provinces to the progress in the central Government in Baghdad. The support of the central Government to the provinces was also needed to maintain hard won security by providing increases in locally generated police. Improved security had created conditions for economic progress. International and regional engagement was also improving the environment, but, unfortunately, some neighbours seemed to believe they could benefit from instability. Iran had provided lethal aid to radical Shia and Sunni militants inside Iraq, who attacked Iraqi officials, innocent civilians and coalition forces. Syria continued to provide safe haven for elements of the previous regime, who now served as the financiers and leaders of the insurgency. It remained the main transit hub for Iraq bound terrorists.
In the discussion that followed, most speakers agreed that, although Iraq was still wracked by violence, there was an opportunity for the Iraqi Government and other actors in Iraq to make political progress, stressing that stability could not be brought to the country by force alone. Many also expressed deep concern over the humanitarian, human rights and displacement situations in the country. Most speakers strongly supported an expanded role for the United Nations in Iraq and welcomed recent initiatives for the constructive engagement of neighbouring countries and other States in the region.
Some speakers maintained, however, that it was also time for the Multinational Force and other foreign forces to present a timeline for withdrawal. The representative of the Russian Federation said that such a timeline could help diffuse tensions. He called attention, in that regard, to the killings by the Blackwater security firm, and he affirmed the right of Iraqi�s Government to rein in such actors.
Iraq�s representative said security plans carried out by the Iraqi army with the assistance of the Multinational Force had contributed to isolating the terrorists in separate parts of Iraq. The main challenges to Iraq were still present, but �their danger has begun to decline�.
UNAMI�s expansion, he said, enjoyed wide acceptance by the Iraqi Government, and international assistance was still sorely needed in the critical areas of the economy and national reconciliation. Despite those challenges, the Iraqi Government was continuing the reconstruction process. The 2008 budget had allocated $10.5 billion to investment programmes, and progress was being made on the legislative front.
He said his Government was also working hard to create suitable conditions for the return of displaced persons, but it was another area in which international assistance was needed. He hoped that the upcoming visit of the Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council would achieve positive results in reinforcing and protecting human rights in the country.
Finally, he appealed to the Council to free his country from the heavy burden of compensating for the Kuwait invasion by the Saddam regime. It had paid more that $22 billion and continued to pay. Given the immense challenges the country faced, he expressed hope the burden could be reduced.
Also speaking today were representatives of Qatar, Peru, France, Indonesia, Italy, Belgium, China, Panama, South Africa, United Kingdom, Congo, Slovakia and Ghana.
The meeting, which opened at 10:25 a.m., adjourned at 12:20 p.m. |
I do find it interesting that since things are going in the right direction, it is no longer called the "American lead coalition".....but "Multinational Force".
dmbfan |
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mack4289
Joined: 06 Dec 2006
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 6:54 am Post subject: |
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| Haven't we heard something along these lines a few times over the years? Iraq is still so dangerous that the Dept of Homeland Security won't give interviews in Iraq to prospective Iraqi refugees because of safety issues. http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/20/news/ediraq.php Is that piece of information more important than what the UN talked about? Who knows? |
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twg
Joined: 02 Nov 2006
Location: Getting some fresh air...
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 7:53 am Post subject: Re: Yes, things are awful........ |
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| dmbfan wrote: |
| Really, if The Gaurdian, CNN or some other far left, crapshoot media outlet say things are bad and hopless, we should really believe them right? |
Don't you ever feel embarrassed with being a ditto head? |
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catman
Joined: 18 Jul 2004
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:51 am Post subject: |
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CNN is far left?  |
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dmbfan
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Don't you ever feel embarrassed with being a ditto head? |
I would only be embarrassed if I was spoon fed some of the crap CNN likes to spill out.
But, what does your comment have to do with anything....? I mean, it is not like any of use are solving world hunger, or other global issues by posting on this board. But c'mon man.........at least post something useful.
dmbfan |
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igotthisguitar
Joined: 08 Apr 2003
Location: South Korea (Permanent Vacation)
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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| catman wrote: |
| CNN is far left? |
GATEKEEPERS
SPIN DOCTORS
AGENDA SETTERS. |
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cbclark4
Joined: 20 Aug 2006
Location: Masan
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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| igotthisguitar wrote: |
| catman wrote: |
| CNN is far left? |
GATEKEEPERS
SPIN DOCTORS
AGENDA SETTERS. |
Room 5600. |
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No_hite_pls
Joined: 05 Mar 2007
Location: Don't hate me because I'm right
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| Posted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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I didn't read anything after you called CNN far left.....it made you and therefore your argument not factually creditable.  |
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