CIA to Downsize in Iraq

Posted on 14 June 2012

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Posted on 11 June 2012

The CIA is reportedly planning to cut the number of personnel in Iraq to 40% of what it had at the height of the Iraq war, when Baghdad was the headquarters of the largest CIA station in the world. At that time, there were more than 700 members of the CIA there.

 

Supporters of the change say that the CIA is needed more in countries, such as Yemen and Mali.

 

One official said, "This is what success is supposed to be like ... of course we don't want to have the same number of people after all U.S. troops go home that we had at the height of the war."

 

Another spoke of the relationship between President Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

 

Posted on 12 June 2012

A plan to construct a new oil pipeline, with a capacity of 1 million barrels per day, between Iraqi Kurdistan and Turkey has drawn positive responses from many in the oil industry, according to a report from Investors Chronicle.

 

Paul Atherton, finance chief of Heritage Resources, said:

 

"This is an excellent opportunity for Heritage to fast-track exports, and therefore monetise its gas from the Miran field."

 

Posted on 13 June 2012

Iraqi Kurdistan needs to spend 200 billion dinars ($172 million) a year on homebuilding, an adviser to the housing ministry, Ammar al- Najjar, told Bloomberg in an interview.

 

"We are capable of resolving the housing crisis in the coming 10 years through building 5,000 units a year ...We'll need 200 billion dinars a year to implement this plan."

 

The Ministry for Housing and Reconstruction is in the process of awarding 250 billion dinars worth of contracts, al-Najjar said. Construction is expected to begin by the end of this year. The ministry awarded contracts for 1,500 homes with a value of 50 billion dinars last year, he added.

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