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Lobbyists for the Iraqi government were in contact with Trump administration officials and lawmakers ahead of the decision to remove the country from the travel ban, new documents filed with the Justice Department show.

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, a high-powered law and lobby firm, sent letters to senior administration officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis, requesting sit-down meetings.

The lobbyists asked U.S. officials to have introductory meetings with Iraqs new ambassador, Fareed Yasseen, who assumed the post in January, and Naufel Alhassan, the deputy chief of staff to Iraqs prime minister, Haider al-Abadi.

I can confirm that [Yasseen and Alhassan] are strong advocates of U.S. interests within Iraq and understand the efforts you have undertaken to ensure Americas priorities in the region, many of the letters sent to officials read.

Both Alhassan and Ambassador Yasseen were supporters of Prime Minister Abadis decision to take no reciprocal action against the Presidents Executive Order on immigration, despite significant pressure from the Iraq parliament and citizenry to do so, the letters continued.

The letters came around the time of a call between Trump and al-Abadi on Feb. 9, and before a meeting between the prime minister and Vice President Pence and others at the Munich Security Conference.

During Trumps call with al-Abadi, the president said he wanted to underscore the support of the United States for the Iraqi people in our shared fight against the terrorist group the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria [ISIS].

Iraq hired Brownstein before Trumps inauguration to work on issues related to Iraq, immigration, defense, economics, and overall foreign policy, disclosure forms say.

The contract, worth $40,000 per month, runs from Jan. 15 to April 15.

Al Mottur, a shareholder at Brownstein, said Iraqi officials were the ones who persuaded the Trump administration to change course on the travel policy.

The overwhelming majority of the successful effort to have them removed was conducted by the country of Iraq itself, Mottur said. Wed love to take credit, but thats a disservice to the work that the government of Iraq did in this space.

Diplomats from Iraq and its prime minister had a series of meetings with high-level Trump administration officials at the Munich Security Conference in Germany last month, in addition to subsequent conversations in other venues.

Mattis, for example, made an unannounced visit to Iraq near the end of last month. Both he and other Trump officials, including national security adviser H. R. McMaster, have contacts in the country dating back to their time in the military. Tillerson also has ties to officials in Iraq, including the prime minister, from his time as the CEO of Exxon Mobil Corp.

There appeared to be sufficient consensus among the national security team and senior officials coming out of these meetings that the administration chose to remove them from the list, Mottur said.

The U.S. officials who received letters from R. James Nicholson, a senior counsel at Brownstein, include Tillerson, Mattis, Pence, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and Tom Bossert, an assistant to Trump for homeland security and counterterrorism.

Many of the letters include identical text, with only some personal touches added.

Former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn received a letter from Nicholson on Feb. 9. Flynn had met with Yasseen a week before, the letter notes. Flynn has since resigned following a controversy over communications with the Russian ambassador to the United States.

On Capitol Hill, the lobbyists for Iraq requested meetings with the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Jack ReedJack ReedSenate panel approves Trump adviser keeping his military rank Iraqs lobbyists mobilized after travel ban, documents reveal Senate Dems want Mar-a-Lago visitor records made public MORE (R.I.), and Sen. Lindsey GrahamLindsey GrahamEuropean leaders voice support for State, USAID efforts DOJ nominee declines to back special prosecutor on Russia Graham quips: I gave Trump my new cellphone number MORE (R-S.C.), a member of the committee.

Dr. Naufel is having a series of meetings with administration officials and congressional leadership in order to provide insights on the current challenges in Iraq as well as progress being made, Nicholson wrote to the senators, referring to al-Abadis deputy chief of staff, whom he refers to as Abadis right hand.

While Iraqi officials have had meetings with top Washington officials, its unclear how many stem from the letters.

On Jan. 27, Trump signed the initial executive order temporarily prohibiting citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen from coming to the United States.

Several courts blocked the orders implementation.

Following the presidents speech to a joint session of Congress, reports surfaced that Iraq would be removed from the list, citing urging from the State Department and the Pentagon. Iraq has been a key ally in the region in fighting ISIS, and many Iraqis risked their lives to serve as translators for U.S. soldiers in post-9/11 military operations.

On Monday, the White House issued a revised order with several tweaks, including removing Iraq from the list of banned countries.

The removal sends a positive message about U.S.-Iraq relations moving forward, said Iraqi government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi, according to The Associated Press, adding that it illustrates a real partnership between the two countries.

Excerpt from:
Iraq's lobbyists mobilized after travel ban, documents reveal | TheHill - The Hill

(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

IRBIL, Iraq Iraqi officials on Monday praised the Trump administrations decision to exclude Iraq from a list of Muslim-majority countries whose citizens will be temporarily banned from entering the United States, calling it an acknowledgment of their nations unique role in the struggle against global extremism.

A previous ban had prompted widespread anger and disbelief in Iraq, a country destabilized by cycles of conflict since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and a front-line battlefield in the fight against the Islamic State militant group.

A revised executive order signed by President Trump on Monday imposes a 90-day ban on the issuance of new visas to citizens of Iran, Sudan, Yemen, Somalia, Syria and Libya, citing national security concerns, but it called Iraq a special case.

Despite the continued presence of the Islamic State in the country, the order said, other factors justified Iraqs exclusion from the list, including close cooperation between Baghdad and Washington as well as the significant presence of United States forces in Iraq.

[Revised executive order bans people from 6 Muslim-majority nations from getting visas]

A spokesman for Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Trump and the Iraqi leader had discussed the ban in a telephone call several weeks ago and that the U.S. president had promised to review Iraqs status. The decision on Monday showed an appreciation for the partnership with Iraq in fighting terrorism and would speed up the fight against the Islamic State, the spokesman said.

The relief in Iraq was in sharp contrast to the criticism of the revised order from human rights groups, which derided it as effectively a ban on Muslims, as well as refugees and their advocates. The order suspends the U.S. refugee program for 120 days.

The order heartlessly targets the most vetted and most vulnerable population to enter the United States, David Miliband, president and chief executive of the International Rescue Committee, which resettles refugees in the United States, said in a statement.

This ban doesnt target those who are the greatest security risk, but those least able to advocate for themselves. Instead of making us safer, it serves as a gift for extremists who seek to undermine America, he said.

The Trump administration says the ban is critical to public safety, and officials asserted Monday that the revised order would eliminate the chaos at airports worldwide that accompanied the initial executive order, issued in January.

Mohamed Gabr, a Syrian refugee who lives with his family in Cairo and said he was supposed to be resettled in New Jersey before the initial ban, was still waiting to hear from his resettlement agency about when and if his family would be able to travel.

[Trumps new travel ban still wouldnt have kept out anyone behind deadly U.S. terror attacks]

(Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post)

My condition is intolerable. For a year and eight months, we have been stuck here. For two months, I have been told to wait, he said.

Despite the uncertainty about their future, Gabr and his wife, Lamis el-Hamawi, said they were happy that the executive order had been narrowed, if only slightly. We wish the Iraqis all the best, Hamawi said. They are just like us, they faced the same horrors. We dont see any difference between us and them. We dont hate or discriminate.

They do, she said, referring to U.S. officials. But we dont.

The revised executive order comes as the United States isstepping up its involvement in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq, including by sending hundreds of military advisers to front-line positions with Iraqi security forces wrestling for control of the northern city of Mosul.

The original White House ban was seen as especially egregious by Iraqi troops and commanders representing units that have suffered heavy losses in the grinding fight for Mosul.

It showed no appreciation at all for the sacrifices of Iraqis in fighting terrorism, said Lt. Gen. Sami al-Aridhi, commander of the second division of Iraqs U.S.-trained counterterrorism forces.

It had a negative impact on the psyche and morale of fighters, especially for the special forces, because we deal directly and closely with the Americans, he said.

On Monday, some of the resentment abated, Aridhi said, adding that he hoped to visit the United States someday, when the fight against the Islamic State has ended, and enter the country with respect: as an Iraqi who fought against terrorism consistently since 2003.

Heba Mahfouz in Cairo and Louisa Loveluck in Beirut contributed to this report.

Read more:

What Trump changed in the new travel ban

Away from Iraqs front lines, the Islamic State is creeping back in

Tragedy inside Mosul as food runs out and the battle against ISIS drags on

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Iraq, excluded from travel ban, praises new White House executive order - Washington Post

Tens of Thousands Join Exodus From Mosul as Iraq Renews Offensive Wall Street Journal (subscription) MOSUL, IraqThe fight against Islamic State in west Mosul has unleashed a torrent of people, with the International Organization for Migration estimating Monday that more than 50,000 people have fled their homes in the two weeks since Iraqi forces ...

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Tens of Thousands Join Exodus From Mosul as Iraq Renews Offensive - Wall Street Journal (subscription)

OPEC will increase its production capacity by about twice as much as previously thought, led by expansion in Iran and Iraq, the International Energy Agency said.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will raise output capacity by 1.95 million barrels a day from 2016 to 2022, with a third of the gains concentrated in Iraq, the IEA said. Last year the Paris-based agency predicted growth of 800,000 barrels a day from 2015 to 2021.

While OPEC is leading an effort by global producers to clear a glut this year by reducing output, the organization is getting ready to meet rising demand in coming years. Iraq is rehabilitating its oil industry after years of conflict, while neighboring Iran is seeking foreign investors after the lifting of nuclear-related sanctions.

The group is building capacity even as it reduces in 2017, in anticipation of higher demand, said the IEA, which advises most of the worlds biggest economies on energy policy. Capacity growth is concentrated in the low-cost Middle East, with Iraq leading the gains.

Iraq will retain its position as OPECs second-biggest producer, adding 700,000 barrels a day to reach 5.4 million a day in 2022, according to the IEA, which last year saw the nation hitting 4.6 million by 2021. Most of the increase will come from oil fields in the south of the country, such as the Majnoon project operated by Royal Dutch Shell Plc.

Iran will expand capacity by 400,000 barrels a day to reach 4.15 million in 2022, according to the agency, which said the forecast hinges on whether the accord to lift international sanctions remains in place. Having been released last year from trade restrictions, the country has introduced a new contract model to attract foreign investors.

See also: Irans key to growth will be attracting investment to energy industry

With supplies from outside OPEC also projected to rebound sharply next year, its unclear whether therell be enough demand to immediately absorb extra crude from OPEC.

Could U.S. Oil Production Derail OPEC Deal?

Demand for the groups output will be at 33 million barrels a day in 2018, roughly in line with the amount it pumped before cutting production. Even if Saudi Arabia, OPECs biggest member, continues its policy of holding back some output for emergency use, the IEAs data point to considerable excess capacity next year.

Whether or not the group chooses to prolong the current agreement on output limits, it is difficult to imagine a return to the unbridled production that sent prices crashing to their lowest in more than a decade, the agency said.

Read more here:
IEA Doubles Forecast for New OPEC Oil by 2022 as Iraq Ramps Up - Bloomberg

by Sinclair Broadcast Group

WASHINGTON (Sinclair Broadcast Group) - Iraq is no longer on a list of countries "compromised by terrorism" that need "a more rigorous vetting process."

RELATED | Iraq welcomes removal from revised US travel ban

The White House released new guidance Monday related to President Trump's refreshed executive order suspending visa applications from Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen.

Trump privately signed the new order Monday while Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Attorney General Jeff Sessions formally unveiled the new edict. They did not take questions from reporters.

The administration, releasing a Q&A document explaining the process, stated Iraq is being treated "differently" because negotiations have resulted in an increased "cooperation with the U.S. Government on the vetting of its citizens applying for a visa to travel to the United States.

Foreign nationals from the six designated countries, however, are not eligible to enter the U.S. if they didn't have a valid visa as of 5 p.m. ET on January 27, 2017.

People who do hold a valid visa will not be affected.

According to a media briefing call, the White House stated they made a decision to go forward with the new executive order to address court concerns; they assert there was nothing wrong with the first order - signed in January.

The new order does not apply to refugees already scheduled to travel to the U.S. by the State Department.

However, the Refugee Admissions Program will be suspended for the next 120 days "while DHS and interagency partners review screening procedures to ensure refugees admitted in the future do not pose a security risk."

When the program resumes, no more than 50,000 people will be admitted to the U.S. within the refugee program for the fiscal year.

In the meantime, The White House stated they will adhere to being transparent by releasing information from the Department of Homeland Security every 180 days.

That information will include the number of foreign nationals who have been charged with terrorism-related offenses while in the U.S., removed from the states based on terrorism-related activity, and info regarding the "number and types of acts of gender-based violence against women, including so-called 'honor killings,' in the United States by foreign nationals."

Explaining the reason behind the ban, the administration used an example from 2014 to argue their point.

In Portland, Oregon, a refugee from Somalia was arrested for "attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction in connection with a plot to set off a bomb at a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony."

He was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

The low-key rollout was in contrast to the first version of the order, which Trump signed a week after his inauguration in a high-profile ceremony at the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes as Secretary of Defense James Mattis stood by.

In addition, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was not scheduled to hold an on-camera briefing Monday, leading to the appearance that the president was distancing himself from the order, which was a signature issue during his campaign and the first days of his presidency. The order also risks being overshadowed by unsubstantiated accusations Trump made over the weekend that former President Barack Obama had ordered the wiretapping of his phone during the campaign.

Trump officials say that even with the changes, the goal of the new order hasn't changed: keeping would-be terrorists out of the United States while the government reviews the vetting system for refugees and visa applicants from certain parts of the world.

Tillerson described the new order Monday morning as "a vital measure for strengthening our national security."

The original travel ban caused chaos at airports around the country as Homeland Security officials scrambled to interpret how it was to be implemented and travelers were detained before being sent back overseas or blocked from getting on airplanes abroad. The order quickly became the subject of several legal challenges and was put on hold last month by a federal judge in Washington state. The original order was rescinded Monday.

Kelly said Congress and others have been briefed about the order, which won't take effect until March 16, and there should be no surprises. He called the effort "prospective" and reiterated that it applies only to refugees who aren't already on their way to the United States and people seeking new visas.

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Iraq removed from visa restriction list; travel order will apply to new applicants - WJLA