What is Article 140?

Mnt Goat July 2023

The recently newly elected prime Minister Al-Sudani is pushing parliament to finally settle Article 140. Money was even allocated in his 2023 budget to do so. But before we get into the nitty gritty of Article 140, let’s first take a look at Article 140 and learn just what it is. I will be FACTUAL. There are lots of intel guru idiots making statements and misunderstandings as to just what Article 140 is and why it is so significant to Iraq.

Of course , the question that begs on everyone’s minds is – do we need this issue settled prior to getting the RV?

Again, I warn everyone not to try to pin the RV down to a series of events or accomplishments. Don’t go down this road. You will only get hurt. This approach will only drive you crazy when the event is settled and then nothing happens. Later you learned there are still other events that Iraq needed to comply with. If you are stubborn in taking this approach, just remember that in 2012 Dr. Sini Shababi, the then governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, had begun the final stages of the preparation to complete the project to delete the zeros and to reinstate the IQD in early 2013. He stated this to us in a news interview in 2015 on this subject matter and so this is FACT not rumor or guru talk. I am not guessing. At that time, he told us Iraq has an “unprecedented opportunity” and then missed it due to the corruption led my Nori Al-Maliki in his raid and false accusations about the running of the CBI. He said Iraq had the “green light” from the U.S. and the IMF.

I ask, where were these other events then that people keep talking about now? Why are they necessary now and not then? How could Dr Shababi RV in 2012-2013 yet these events were not yet completed then? So explore this question.

Note: I am not still fully convinced that any of these events have to be accomplished in order to reinstate the dinar and for the dinar to be successful on the global stage. I hope I made my point clear?

As the title suggests, Article 140 is an article in the new 2005 Iraqi Constitution. Here is what it states, and I quote:

Article 140

First
The executive authority shall undertake the necessary steps to complete the
implementation of the requirements of all subparagraphs of Article 58 of the
Transitional Administrative Law

Second
The responsibility placed upon the executive branch of the Iraqi Transitional
Government stipulated in Article 58 of the Transitional Administrative Law shall
extend and continue to the executive authority elected in accordance with this
Constitution, provided that it accomplishes completely (normalization and census
and concludes with a referendum in Kirkuk and other disputed territories to
determine the will of their citizens), by a date not to exceed the 31st of December
2007.

Why have Article 140?

The disputed territories are on the border with Iraq’s neighbor Kuwait. Kirkuk being the most desired area because of its VERY High Grade and PLENTIFUL oil reserves. Who then will govern these territories after the 2003 war is over. Will they go to Kurdistan government or the Bagdad government (GOI). The GOI is not in the oil industry and so why not leave the oil management to the part of Iraq that knows it best – meaning Kurdistan. This decision is VERY important since Kurdistan wants the oil and has the technical expertise to work with oil firms to pump it, pipe it and bring it to market. So, if they claim these territories and pump the oil to market, they are then entitled to their share of the oil revenues, an even greater share than the current 12%. But how much are they entitled to? This is where the census comes in. Iraq used to hold census annually and they changed it to every 5 years.

Needed Census to Complete Article 140

The good news is Iraq is in a census year 2023 and so we now see Parliament announced last week on Thursday July 20 2023, the establishment of a new mechanism to activate the work of the Article 140 Committee, stressing that the financial allocations allocated by the government are very low for these governates. Now that the census is complete and there is much more data on the demographics of these areas, these allocations must increase. The committee needs to complete its tasks to 4 trillion dinars, and only 100 billion dinars were allocated, and after efforts, another 100 billion were transferred, so that the amount becomes 200 billion dinars, and this amount needs to be organized for how compensation reaches those included in the article.

The second deputy Speaker of Parliament, Shakhwan Abdullah, said, in a joint press conference with members of Parliamentary Committee 140 today, Thursday July 20 2023, that “the temporary committee formed in the House of Representatives to follow up on the work of Article 140 of the Constitution Committee, which was suspended for more than 10 years, was activated after the agreement of the political blocs to support the activation of this article.” Why all of sudden now after a 16 year delay? Is it pressure from the U.S.? Is this why the American ambassador is making is many “unofficial” visits to Kurdistan, as we are reading in the recent news? Folks this is all WOW!!!! news. Get it?

“The parliamentary committee is in the process of receiving the draft law from the government and approving it to ensure the restoration of farmers’ rights, and there will also be a mechanism in cooperation with the government committee to reach the dues of citizens in all governorates because there are southern governorates that have not received compensation in addition to the governorates of Kirkuk, Diyala and Nineveh.

So now that we had a look at Article 140 is there any doubt in our minds that a referendum or legislated law is necessary? According to the Iraqi constitution it is long overdue. Could this be why the U.S. is now subjecting Iraq to delays of the reinstatement because of getting certain things done? As investors we all witness first-hand how SLOW…..walking Iraq can be. They need to get off their asses and do their job if they want their currency liberated and off sanctions (FOREX). It is really that simple folks. So, what comes first the horse or the cart? I am really tired of all these intel guru idiots telling you different stories as to who is holding up the RV, but few actually knowing the FACTS.

So, is it the U.S. holding things up? Of course, it is, and it will continue until Iraq implements all “constitutional” requirements or until the U.S. buckles under pressure and loosens it’s grip on the power over Iraq. We can see the later will not happen based on all the news we are now reading from Iraq on the negativity of the U.S. and interference in Iraqi affairs.

So, is it Iraq holding things up? Of course, it is, and it will continue until Iraq implements all “constitutional” requirements or until the U.S. buckles under pressure and loosens it’s grip on the power over Iraq. We can see the later will not happen based on all the news we are now reading from Iraq on the negativity of the U.S. and interference in Iraqi affairs. The only possible way is for the U.S. to have a change in policy for Iraq and this would mean a new administration in place.

Sounds like Iraq and the U.S. are both guilty of holding up the reinstatement to me. What do you think?

Is Iraq truly a sovereign nation?

Yes, Iraq is truly a sovereign nation, except for one issue that I know of and that is their currency which is still under OFAC U.S. Treasury sanctions. So they have to put on their “big boy pants” and act like a sovereign nation. This is what the US is trying to do. After all Iraq did make prior commitments to fully implement their constitution by 2007 which they are very relaxed in doing and have not done so.

So, they are getting a kick in the pants by the U.S… Of course, the pro-Iranian politicians don’t like it and so they have unindicted the Iraq news media and press with anti-American rhetoric and sentiment which we have recently seen. Surprisingly these are the same people who don’t want Iraq to move ahead but always talk about progress. Does this sound like a familiar tactic of the democrats too in the US? Sometimes we have to put ourselves in the shoes of the other person to get both sides of a story. If you pretend you are an Iraqi, you can see the conflict in getting the Iranian influence out of your country so you can move forward. You had little choice but to lag behind. If you are the U.S. you can see broken promises and that Iraq still needs help from big brother.

Remember Dr. Shabibi was under a much loser U.S. policy under G. W. Bush than when Obama took over control. Obama tightened the grip on Iraq and thus was going to enforce prior promises and commitments. I personally don’t care for Obama but I think he may be correct in some of his approaches with Iraq.

This is where most intel gurus lose it and don’t understand. So, yes in 2013 Dr Shabibi could have RV’d and should have. This is apparent by all the early exchanges of government officials at that time and the interview with Dr Shabibi in 2015. But then the RV was halted, and much stricter requirements mandated by the Obama administration for it to occur. Actually, these requirements were always in place, only the G.W. Bush administration was very relaxed on enforcing them. This too was part of the problem. One of these requirements I was told that the Iraqi constitution must be “fully” implemented prior to any reinstatement.

Article 140 vs Oil and Gas Law

Iraq finds it difficult to separate these two efforts. The three disputed areas on the Iraqi/Kuwait border must be settled according to Article 140 of the Iraq constitution. They contain rich oil fields and so this must be governed by the Oil and Gas law, which governs all the oil management for Iraq. Articles 111 and 112 of the Iraqi constitution dictate needed laws pertaining to the management of the oil. However, if Kurdistan is to manage these oil fields, then they will need a higher % from the revenues derived from this extra oil revenue. Those revenues must then be distributed to the people living in these three disputed areas. so, it is nearly impossible to separate the two.

CONCLUSION

It was my desire that all my readers understand now the Article 140 and why it has been held up so long. Will they finally get it done and the needed referendum passed in parliament?

I think that perhaps many of my readers can now understand that both the Oil and Gas Law (HCL) and Article 140 do not necessarily have to be completed prior to the liberalization of the dinar (FOREX). This is just my opinion and how I hate opinions….lol…lol… I am saying this now because there is just too much evidence saying we are on the very cusp of this event happening (the RV). However, due to stricter mandates from the Obama presidency era carried on by Biden the possibility still may exist.

Why did the gurus tell you it was all done when we clearly see it is not? There has been a temporary draft of the Article 140 for over 10 years and so this may have gotten confused as the final version, but I assure you it is not.

Article 140 is NOT the Hydrogen Carbon Law (HCL) or the Oil and Gas law, as Iraq refers to it, however it is another issue altogether, yet interconnected, but it too needs a separate referendum that is also much needed and overdue.

So, I covered the main issues facing Article 140 including:

1.Who will manage these rich oil fields in these disputed governates? Most likely Kurdistan. Oil and Gas law;

2.Is the census complete so the GOI knows how much to allocate to Kurdistan for these three disputed areas? Yes, 2023 is a census year for Iraq;

3.If Kurdistan does manage the oil thus also the people of these governates, then they are entitled to a higher % of monthly dues from the GOI. Article 140

4.The Oil and Gas law must also reflect in law and practice, many of the stipulations derived out of the Article 140 referendum. So they are closely interconnected laws.

5.The 2023-2025 budget law is also technically not complete without the Oil and Gas and Article 140 laws in place. I quote from a recent news article –

“MP Kazem Al-Touki stressed Iraq’s need to legislate important laws, including the Oil and Gas Law, which complements the federal budget.

Al-Touki said in a press interview seen by “Taqaddam” that: “What matters to the work of the House of Representatives is legislation and oversight, and the country today needs to legislate important and strict laws related to the citizen.”

“We are waiting for the most important law complementary to the budget and the stability of the country’s economy, which is the controversial oil and gas law,” he said

6.Do we need Article 140 for the RV to occur?