More Funding Requested For Wars

The New York Times is reporting that Congress should be expecting another request for funding from the Pentagon in the near future. The report claims that up to $50 billion could be asked in order to support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It must be understood that this extra funding will be added to the $130 billion that Congress authorized last month. This presents another problem for the Obama Administration, as he has promised not to use supplemental funding to pay for the wars and also promised to lower troop levels in Iraq, but with an increase in Afghanistan.

Iraqi Police and Soldiers Detained

60 soldiers and police officers, including 13 high-ranking officers, were detained today in regards to the twin bombings this past Sunday, Oct. 24. The government is clear that they are being detained, not arrested, as this point, and was not clear if they are suspected of involvement of the bombing or if they are detained because of negligence in their duties.

Read more at Al Jazeera.

Global Rise in IEDs

Although we hear a lot about IEDs in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, global use of improvised explosive devises (IEDs) is on the rise. According to a study published in the New York Times, the number of IEDs exploded or discovered worldwide rose from 3,267 in 2006 to 4,027 in 2007 to 4,273 in 2008.

Although the number of devices exploded or discovered has decreased dramatically in Iraq, they are on the rise in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Colombia, Somalia, the Philippines, and parts of North Africa. Lt. Gen. Thomas Metz, who is in charge of a Pentagon program to counter IEDs, said that the devices are becoming a favorite tool amongst terrorist and insurgent groups, and is a trend that is likely to continue for decades to come. There is even information that North Korea is training its soldiers in the use of such devices.

Two Bombs Rip Through Downtown Baghdad

Late Sunday morning, the beginning of the Iraqi workweek, two bombs detonated outside of government buildings, exploding through rush hour traffic, killing over 130 people and wounding more than 520. The first bomb was set off near the Justice Ministry and Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works a little after ten in the morning. The second bomb blew up less than a minute later near the newly renovated Baghdad provincial headquarters, which included a claims office for victims of past terrorist acts. Read more at The Washington Post.

According to the Jerusalem Post, the site of the bombings was only a few hundred yards from the Green Zone, and three US contractors were injured, but no US personnel were killed. 25 members of the Baghdad Provincial Counsel were killed in the second blast. The bombing occurred a few hours before Iraq's top political leadership was set to meet with political party leaders to discuss disputed election law prior the January parliamentary elections.

Iraq approves first major post-war foreign oil deal.

BP was thrown out of Iraq in 1972 when Saddam Hussein nationalized Iraq's oil industry. The BBC reported today that BP will hold a 38% stake in a 20 year contract to produce from Southern Iraqi oilfields, sharing 37% with Chinese CNPC and 25% with Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization. The Rumaila field represents 43bbl of Iraq's 115bbl of proved reserves.

Thirty two companies bid for contracts in a televised June action, but most withdrew those bids amidst security concerns and the amount that Iraq's oil ministry was willing to pay per barrel of production. BP and CNPC had asked for a maximum of $4 per barrel over current levels of production, but settled on $2.

CNN Money reported Friday that a Royal Dutch Shell-led consortium is renegotiating with Iraq in the Kirkuk oil field. Shell had asked for $7.89 per barrel of production over a set minimum level, but was offered $2 by the oil ministry.

Timeline Laid Out for Iraqi Pullout

United States military spokesman Brig. Gen. Stephen R. Lanza said that the process which begun in January and will continue to the end of October has allowed more than 20,000 troops to be sent home. The goal is to have all combat troops out of Iraq and have a maximum of 50,000 troops in Iraq as support by August. To read more click here NYTimes.

Ask John Burns: Reliance on Private Contractors

The NY Times chief foreign correspondent John Burns answers questions about American reliance on private contractors in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.