Mnt Goat Friday Update - “Monthly Report Card Next Week” Part 1 of 2

3/25/2016

Title: “Monthly Report Card Next Week ”

Hello Everyone,

I want to wish everyone a very Happy Easter !

The economy and the war with ISIS seems to be the big news of the last couple days. I will bring you updates on these areas of concern today. Soon next week the UN and the World Bank will re-visit Iraq for their monthly report card and progress report. So how do you think they will rate? Can they now move to article 8 of the UN charter? Are they ready?

So one thing we know for sure today is there will be NO revaluation of the Iraqi dinar until this progress report is completed and evaluated. Sorry Charlie!

NO Hype, NO Rumors, just the FACTS.
Today’s News

Today is Friday March 25rd 2016. Still no RV. Sorry Charlie!

So once again there is talk of breaking Iraq into three regions. There is talk there will soon be a proclamation on this effort. If you look at it realistically there already are three very distinct decentralized regions and so any proclamation would only to reinforce (and make official) what is already in place anyhow. It would only make if official lending itself for protectionism much like the defunct National Guard law (and others) wanted to do.



We are NOT talking about three independently run countries in Iraq. There will still be one central government and it will be run by “technocrats” from any and/or all of the regions. It depends on their sktill level and not on the current quota system. This is the real change the realized change if they are to combat the corruption. By the way the Iraq dinar will still be used in all three regions as if one nation. Just so you know.

Update: Needed New Laws

So this week the GOI complained that the General Amnesty law, in its final version, was sitting still in parliament for 15 days with no action. We await the action. At least we have a status of it now.



This week the three presidents and parliament had a meeting and they talked about all the stalled and delayed legislature and they told us that there was a plan to deal with it. I still expect a “basket” of laws at the end of this ride.



We know the Conscription law (Iraqi draft) was passed and is expected to kick into high gear this June. They told us this replaced the National Guard law so we no longer look for this law.

Update: Iraqi Economy

It’s that time of the month again (end of the 30 day period) and time for the UN and the World Bank are coming to Iraq next week to review Iraq’s progress. We know they plan to review Iraq progress each month on an ongoing basis, as I said before and they are doing it. What will come out of this next visit ? Let’s see what shakes out of the tree…lol…lol…I will try to bring this news to you. Do you see now how I handle news. You must follow the ongoing saga, then you know what to look for next. These are the articles that are helpful to piece together the story unfolding.

See article below.

We also know that the head of the Iraqi Islamic Supreme Council Ammar al-Hakim met with the leader of the Sadrist movement, Muqtada al-Sadr in Najaf onWednesday. What did they talk about? I am sure it was the developments of reforming Abadi’s cabinet and the escalation of the demonstrators.

It’s also almost about that time of the month again too to pay the employee salaries, pensions and soldiers salaries. We wait to listen to the grumblings this month on how they are going to pay them…lol…lol…Look for all the juicy articles that will surface on this topic soon. Be able to pick them out, sort them and realize this is jus the same old stalling by theGOI (as done with Maliki) for paying its bills. I do not know why they feel they must operate this way. Since in the long run they always pay up anyhow. Kind of like you and me always sending in our credit card bills late. If we do it always cost us more money anyhow on interest so why be late? Plan ahead!

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JUBOURI: BAN KI-MOON AND WORLD BANK PRESIDENT TO VISIT PARLIAMENT ON MARCH 26

March 17, 2016

[Oan- Baghdad]
Parliament Speaker Salim al – Jubouri announced that the Secretary – General of the United Nations Ban Ki – moon and World Bank President [Jim Yong Kim will visit the parliament within the framework of their visit to Iraq by the end of this month of March.

Jubouri said in a parliament session today that officials “will visit the House of Representatives in the 26th of this month , and attendance at the meeting of the Council to view developments in Iraq and the region developments.”

The head of the United Nations Mission in Iraq , Jan Kubiš revealed in 13 of the last month for a planned visit by the Secretary-General of the UN United Ban Ki – moon and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim to Baghdad “to discuss further support Iraq and its support under the current circumstances.”

Article Ends

The article below is telling me that the IMF might give a needed loan to the CBI but conditional. So what is the condition? They must reduce the sale of hard currency in the auctions. Appears that more than necessary amounts of currency if being auctioned off to meet the demands of the economy (it’s called corruption in the currency auctions).

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CBI CONFIRMS ITS INTENTION TO REDUCE ITS SALES OF HARD CURRENCY

Economy News / Baghdad ..

He administrative department at the Central Bank director favor Mahood in a televised interview that the Central Bank of Iraq, we will meet soon with the IMF to obtain a long-term loan.

He noted that the central Mahood intends to reduce its sales to the dollar by 50% for the current year 2016 and that the management of the bank center works on the audit only in the currency auction does not put restrictions on the sale or transfer.

Director General of the Administrative Department of the Central Bank of Iraq, said that talking about it Cancel Special Design central bank designed by the architectural Iraqi Zaha Hadid is supported by the administration at the central bank will begin work after choosing the right company to work in the coming months

Article End

Okay so lots still going on with the banks. Do you realize that this is very important to follow by now? The reforms with the banks are far from being over. Just this week they also told us they felt the only way to combat corruption in the banks may be to go to electronic banking. I said to myself I could swear they already told us they went electronic months ago. So why tell us again and rehash it? Just do it!



But now the key is they are coming up to full time 24/7 in having electricity and that is now the key to this new electronic banking practices. Can’t have it without the electric grid being up…right?

So we hear of American Corp General Electric to install new power generators and German based Siemens coming to develop an enhanced energy concept to advise the Iraqi government on the development and optimisation of the country's power generation mix and grid infrastructure including power generation mix of fuels (gas and oil). It is also my gut feeling they plan to take advantage of the water power too with the dam in Anbar (the one we keep hearing about the has so many problems). After all why wouldn’t they?

Next I want to tell you I like the recent news of the agreement between Iraq and Iran as far as our Iraqi dinar saga goes. This is all about international trade and future expectations between the two nations. NO ! – I am not excited because I own Iranian Rial because I do not and will not invest in Iran, not now or in the future and I don’t care how much money I can make. Besides I do think there is any substantial money to be made in the near future anyhow. As far as I am personally concerned Iran could blow off the map. Iran is the hub for all terrorism in the middle east and the world would be much better with a change in its leadership. They also bring their terrorism to Iraq via Maliki and his goons and this is at the root of what has caused a delay in our RV for so long. So how can I possibly like the dog that continues to bite my leg?....lol…lol…How can anyone from this IQD community even think about investing in Iran?

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CENTRAL BANK OF IRAQ AND HIS IRANIAN COUNTERPART TO SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR COOPERATION BANKING

23.3.2016
Wayne - conservative central banks on the Keywords Iraqi and Iranian Crown Sword of God signed a memorandum of understanding for banking cooperation between the two countries.

The news agency Fars that "Saif discussed during his visit to Baghdad with his Iraqi counterpart ways to develop banking cooperation between Iran and Iraq, in addition to discussing the opening of bank accounts , mutual local and foreign currency, and ways to facilitate trade cooperation through the provision of banking services."

The two sides also touched on the electronic link banks and the possibility of the use of visitors and travelers for banking cards in both countries, where the two banks currently active Iranians in Iraq and there are joint bank between the two countries.

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This next article is weird to me. I totally understand what it is saying however they have been using these terms for years now and there is no “official” definition of them in the judiciary by now? This includes such terms as such as / money laundering and the smuggling of money. Really?

Now they say the banks do not understand the practical use of the terms? Really? Are they suggesting in the article this is the cause of the corruption at the banks? Ridiculous! I simply refuse to believe they are that ignorant and backwards in the Iraq banking industry. Also there is a standard saying in the implementation of the law in general by its citizens and businesses – “ignorance is no excuse for disobedience”. So there you have it. If you live in a modern society you are expected to know the law. No one should have to conduct “workshops” to help you understand by now.

So if this is true I can now fully understand why their judicial system needs a complete overall and they better bring in the experts to help them. Maybe some training of the average citizen in general (high school and mosques) by offering classed in basic laws and morality might help too. Seems to be a shortage of this with the Moslems in Iraq. We also know there is a series of new laws for a judicial overall and this is the judicial reforms we keep talking about but they too are now stalled in parliament.

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GOVERNOR OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF IRAQ CALLS FOR FINDING A FORMULA OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE JUDICIARY AND THE PRIVATE BANKS

BAGHDAD / special / Economy News

He called on the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq on the Keywords to find a formula common understanding between the government and the judiciary and the private banks to overcome the obstacles and legal problems facing the latter.

He explained in a statement to delegates Agency / Economy News / on the sidelines of Matmralamal and business, which concluded in Beirut recently, as to should not be Aathersu understanding of the private banks, stressing the importance of finding a formula for common understanding between all these parties, the government, the judiciary and the private banks.

And saw the central bank governor that some of the terms and Altaaperalta became current in the financial and banking sector, such as / money laundering and the smuggling of money /, are Gerdqiqh, making this sector Affect dramatically, calling to find a common understanding towards them, noting that these terms are not only used in Iraq, but used in the whole world.

He explained that the complications caused by the inaccuracy of these terms have become a major obstacle to the financial and banking sector, and in front of the movement of funds and Alastosmarayda /

So we need to find a common understanding towards them , considering holding a joint workshop between the parties concerned, in this area is useful.

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Update: 45 Day Deadline for Technocratic Gov’t

The first article below is telling us the firm deadline for the reshuffle of the Abadi cabinet.

Many thought this might go until the end of the March (as I did too) but it appears Monday 3/28 is still the deadline w/o any escalation. So we are not yet out of the doghouse …lol…lol…

I quote from the article below – “ the deadline set by the chest to the Prime Minister still exist and ends next Monday’

However it appears there may be some kind of escalation next weekend since Abadi is only going to announce SOME of the candidates on Thursday and this “full” reshuffle may takes a few more weeks as he is telling us today in this article below.

I quote from the article below – “He added that" some of the nominations will be announced on Thursday bearing the names put forward by the Sadrist committee that made, for each ministry four or five candidates. "

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THURSDAY .. ABADI SACK FIVE MINISTERS AND APPOINT OTHERS AMONG

THE "CANDIDATES OF THE CHEST."

Wednesday 23/03/2016

Plans to Prime Minister Haider al - Abadi, sacking five ministers and nominate others for them on Thursday.

A senior source for "tomorrow 's Press," that "Abadi had sent a delegation to the negotiators Sadrists to tell them his quest for a full cabinet reshuffle, in a few weeks "noting that" negotiations are still continuing. "

He added that" some of the nominations will be announced on Thursday bearing the names put forward by the Sadrist committee that made, for each ministry four or five candidates. "

The source pointed out that" Abadi plans to grant candidates Minister the powers to choose their agents and general managers in the ministry, and bring them to the House of Representatives within a record period yet to be determined. "

in the meantime, a source in the striking committee, at the green Zone gates, for" lack of determination of the masses to leave the sit -in without being noticed comprehensive cabinet reshuffle, accompanied by guarantees for the implementation of the reform items announced by Mr. Muqtada al - Sadr , two days ago. "

The source indicated that" the deadline set by the chest to the Prime Minister still exist and ends next Monday, and in the case of non - acceptance Abadi conditions and a variety chest, the position will be directed towards escalation. "


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Mnt Goat Friday Update - “Monthly Report Card Next Week” Part 2 of 2
3/25/2016

​So who are the five ministers that were sacked? We know four of them already. The last remaining once I suspect will be the financial minister to come forward with his resignation.

So as Wednesday and Thursday progressed, four out of the five ministers gave their resignations. This is good news since the stalling seems to have ended in getting these resignations. I guess the meeting of the three presidents and block leaders was beneficial earlier in the week and did some good. How can they replace them unless they first resign. Progress is being made.



Oil Minister -Adel Abdul – Mahdi

Transport Minister -Bayan Jabr and Solagh

Minister of Youth and Sports - Abdul - Hussein Abtan

In this next article Abadi is giving Sadr what he wants and also what the GOI needs. Now Abadi is putting pressure on the parliament to act quickly once he gives them the nominations. So if there is an escalation with the demonstrators let it be the fault of parliament for not quickly ratifying one of them many candidates for the various ministries. This is also putting parliament under pressure to get it done.

I quote from the article below – “Haider al-Abadi to provide candidates for ministerial cabin upcoming visit to the House of Representatives and "throw the ball in the court of parliament"

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CIVIL POWER: THE ABADI THROW THE BALL IN THE COURT OF PARLIAMENT AND AVOID THE ESCAPE FORWARD

03/23/2016

Long-Presse / Baghdad

The head of the Civic Democratic Movement, the high on Wednesday, Prime Minister
Haider al-Abadi to provide candidates for ministerial cabin upcoming visit to the House of Representatives and "throw the ball in the court of parliament", and as pointed out that some political blocs are trying to hold on to the current situation unchanged "fearing for their own interests," stressed the need to be up to the challenges Abadi.

A high, in an interview with the program (people and government) which aired on satellite-term, said tta "despite the popular support and Reference, which provides for the Prime Minister Haider al-Abtadi in implementing his reforms, but he still ranges in place," noting that "the Abadi resolve to provide its candidates and the transfer of the battle to the House of Representatives in order to vote on the upcoming ministerial cabin by the parliament. "
He said the President of the Civic Democratic Movement, said that "a lot of blocs and political forces are trying to keep the current situation as it is through procrastination, fearing for their own interests," stressing "the Prime Minister to be the size of the current challenges and the nature of its responsibilities responsibility and not try to escape from the battle Onwards".

He high, that "the Iraqi street behind the call to change the current government and get rid of the quotas partisan in the assumption of office after he arrived in Iraq to Aihsd put it," pointing out that "the program adopted by the cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, represents the People claims the real needs in the home building The salvation of the spoilers. "

He noted high, that "the movement of the reforms taking place in the country today, is not in Haditha Covenant in the forty-Iraqi street, saw Baghdad in 2011 reformist calls for a mass but it was suppressed by force," noting that "the Iraqi constitution proceeded and gave the right of every citizen monitoring executive performance of the government

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Update: Fighting ISIS

So we hear general complaining it may take till the end of 2016 to rid Iraq Mosul of ISIS and DAASH. I am telling you now this is NOT going to be the case. This is propaganda or misunderstanding and I personally believe we are already seeing great progress and pushing them out as they retreat. See articles below.

Yes – it may take until the end of the year to fully secure the Iraqi boarders to ensure no more infiltrations but this will have little to no impact on the expectations for the RV of the Iraq currency.

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LAUNCHING A MAJOR OPERATION TO LIBERATE SAQLAWIYAH AREA NORTH OF FALLUJAH FROM THE CONTROL OF THE TERRORIST DAASH

BAGHDAD / Baghdadi Uz

. to free Saqlawiyah north of Fallujah from the control of the terrorist organization Da ash on WednesdaO ntecurity forces began to impleme s het hatT

BAGHDAD / Baghdadi Uz..avad security source, on Wednesday, that the security forces began to implement a massive operation to free Saqlawiyah north of Fallujah from the control of the terrorist organization Da ash.

The source said in an interview for Word / Baghdadi News / "The military operation in Saqlawiyah are two axes of the first is from Alhgel crossing area in the north side and the other from the Technical Institute."

"The security forces are determined to cleanse the entire control of the terrorists Daash" .anthy 21 / d

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The next article I present I did not copy the entire article. It was very long to place in the news letter. However, I did bring the main points to you.

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THE DESTRUCTION OF THE HEADQUARTERS OF ALDOAASH LEADERSHIP IN MOSUL

3/23/2016
BAGHDAD - morning MOSUL - Sunrise Maher

While communication from one of the citizens on Tuesday led to the destruction of the so - called « the leadership of the Islamic state headquarters» central Mosul air strike minutes .. yielded victories forms of our forces and the popular crowd successive for delivering remnants Aldoaash to believe that the final defeat.

It became inevitable and he fled as usual to detain residents of hiding behind human shields or move their headquarters and stores their weapons and put them between the markets and residential neighborhoods, especially in the city of Mosul. But that did not prevent the people spend the heat of the challenge of lead these terrorists and crafted to leave the city with the approach of an hour zero edited by Ready forces on the perimeter.

Also caused a lot of mercenaries Daash foreign and local escape to the use of these bands children and involve them in suicide bombings after brainwashing them. As a result of extensive operation to hunt down sleeper cells in Diyala destroyed three nests secret places sporadic, etc,etc..

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IN SYRIA AND IRAQ, THE ISLAMIC STATE IS IN RETREAT ON MULTIPLE FRONTS

BEIRUT — As European governments scramble to contain the expanding terrorist threat posed by the Islamic State, on the battlefield in Iraq and Syria the group is a rapidly diminishing force.

In the latest setbacks for the militants on Thursday, Syrian government troops entered the outskirts of the historic town of Palmyra after a weeks-old offensive aided by Russian and U.S. air strikes helped Iraqi forces overrun a string of Islamic State villages in northern Iraq that had been threatening a U.S. base nearby.

These are just two of the many fronts in both countries where the militants are being squeezed, stretched and pushed back. Nowhere are they on the attack. They have not embarked on a successful offensive in nearly nine months. Their leaders are dying in U.S. strikes at the rate of one every three days, inhibiting their ability to launch attacks, according to U.S. military officials.

Front-line commanders no longer speak of a scarily formidable foe but of defenses that crumble within days and fighters who flee at the first sign they are under attack.

“They don’t fight. They just send car bombs and then run away. And when we surround them they either surrender or infiltrate themselves among the civilians,” said Lt. Gen. Abdul-Ghani al-Assadi, commander of Iraq’s counterterrorism forces, who is overseeing the latest Iraqi offensive to capture the town of Hit in the province of Anbar.

“Their morale is shaken. We listen to them on their communications devices. Their leaders are begging them to fight, but they answer that it is a lost cause. They refuse to obey orders and run away.”

The group still controls big swaths of territory and could potentially prove as deadly in defeat as it was when it was on the offensive.

Strikes in Belgium, Turkey and France may herald the tip of an iceberg of militant networks already infiltrated into Europe, law enforcement officials fear. Recent weeks have also seen a revival in Iraq as well as Syria of the suicide bombings and hit-and-run assaults that do not gain ground but are deadly to people otherwise living beyond the militants’ reach.

But U.S. military officials say they believe that after more than 18 months, the military campaign has found its stride.

“As time goes on, as our systems mature, we’re becoming more effective,” said Col. Steve Warren, the U.S. military’s spokesman in Baghdad for the campaign. “We’ve become much better at spotting them. Anytime they try to move, we’re able to find and finish them. They can’t move, haven’t won any battles for a long time, and they’ve got difficulty leading because we’re hitting their leaders.”

It is not only the U.S.-backed effort that is gaining momentum. Russian air strikes played a major part in facilitating the Syrian army’s entry into historic Palmyra, which was snatched by the Islamic State nearly a year ago during its last major burst of offensive activity.

Syrian forces helped by Russian strikes also have made gains around the Islamic State stronghold of Bab, east of Aleppo, and are making some inroads on the southwestern outskirts of Raqqa province. It is unlikely, but not implausible, that the Syrian army will reach Raqqa before U.S.-backed forces do, U.S. officials say.

Most of the advances, however, are being made by the assortment of loosely allied forces, backed to varying degrees by the United States, that are ranged along the vast perimeter of the Islamic State’s territories. They include the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG, in northeastern Syria; the Kurdish peshmerga in northern Iraq; the Iraqi army, which has revived considerably since its disastrous collapse in 2014; and the Shiite militias, which are not directly aligned with the United States but are fighting on the same side.

The U.S. military estimated earlier this year that the Islamic State had lost 40 percent of the territory it had controlled at its peak in 2014, a figure that excludes the most recent advances.
In Anbar province, a newly regenerated Iraqi army is advancing along the Euphrates Valley toward the town of Hit and has captured more than 25 miles of territory in the past week.

In eastern Syria, the seizure late last month of the town of Shadadi by the Kurdish YPG — aided by U.S. Special Forces — was accompanied by the capture of nearly 1,000 square miles of territory.

Though the town had not been headlined as an Islamic State stronghold, it has long been known in Syria as an epicenter of extremism and a major source of Syrian jihadist fighters against U.S. troops during the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Most recently, it had served as a key supply and staging area for battlefronts in both Syria and Iraq, and it was there that one of the most powerful and effective of the Islamic State’s leaders, Omar al-Shishani, was killed in a U.S. airstrike earlier this month.

The operation was planned to take place over weeks. Instead, the town fell within days, said a senior U.S. administration official who asked for anonymity in order to speak candidly.

“Shadadi was going to be a major six-week operation,” he said. “The ISIS guys had dug trenches and everything. Instead, they completely collapsed. They’re collapsing town by town.”

The biggest constraints on further military advances now are largely political, U.S. officials say. Progress on important fronts such as reconciliation in Iraq and diplomatic efforts to end the war in Syria are not keeping pace with the advances on the battlefield, stalling plans to take the fight to the Islamic State’s most vital strongholds.

Plans for an operation to capture Raqqa, the de facto capital of the Islamic State’s self-styled caliphate, are on hold because of tensions between Kurds and Arabs over who would participate and how to govern the city after it has been taken. The YPG has declared a breakaway federal region that does not include Raqqa, while U.S. plans to train and equip an Arab force to fight for the town are lagging.

Likewise, preparations for an offensive for Mosul, the biggest city under Islamic State control, are being held up by disputes over who should take part and how to govern the northern Iraqi city after it falls. The powerful Shiite militias, credited with making many of the earliest gains, are insisting they be given a role, over objections from the U.S. military and the Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga.

“We could probably liberate Mosul tomorrow, but we would have a real mess on our hands if we did,” said Michael Knights of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “A lot of work needs to be done to ensure an orderly transition of power in Mosul.”

The Iraqi army described Thursday’s operation outside the northern Nineveh province town of Makhmour as the start of the Mosul offensive. U.S. and Kurdish officials, however, said it was a far more limited operation, to drive the Islamic State out of a string of villages that have been threatening U.S., Iraqi and Kurdish peshmerga troops based in the town. A U.S. Marine based in Makhmour died in rocket fire last Saturday.

An Iraqi army officer in Makhmour, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press, said troops encountered little resistance, overrunning five mostly empty villages ahead of retreating militant fighters.

The Islamic State continues to defend when it is attacked and shows no sign that it is losing cohesion in its core territories — but it is starting to become possible to foresee the group’s ultimate defeat, said Knights, who thinks that could come by the end of next year.
“They are starting to fall apart,” he said. “They’re a small movement. If you bring them under pressure on half a dozen battlefields at the same time, they can’t do it.”

Mustafa Salim in Baghdad contributed to this report.

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Most importantly please, please, please let’s not forget to keep praying for the success of THESE IRAQI AND COALITION SOLDIERS. I believe our prayers are in part some of the acceleration of the process we are now witnessing.

Remember too to pray to the princess of peace – Our Blessed Virgin Mary. She has the ear of Christ and she can intercede in heaven and bring us the peace we all desire here on earth. We can not do it alone. I believe that if we all make this our daily prayer you will see change. It is already working even in the short time since I have been publishing this prayer section. It does not matter what religion you believe, if you pray then to your oven beliefs entity it is still the same powers and good for all of mankind. Ultimately it is all the same God anyhow.

“Lord, protect Abadi and all who stand with him in righteousness, the Iraq and coalition soldiers who are fighting the good fight against terrorism, that they would be shielded from the enemy and would be victorious against them in the battle for Mosul! We ask that the victory comes swiftly and healing of the Iraqi peoples and all whom have been effected by these evil doers can begin!

We pray for the process of the currency reform, the full implementation of the Iraqi economy to full international status and the bringing of prosperity and wealth to its people“ Amen!

Till next time…. Auf Wiedersehen!

Peace and Luv To Ya All,
Mnt Goat