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KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 (AP) - (Kyodo)—Muslim countries are inadvertently helping the United States kill fellow Muslims in Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan by trading and investing in the U.S. dollars, former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Tuesday. The 82-year-old, who is well-known as a strident U.S. critic, is championing the return to the gold standard through the use of a gold dinar instead of the U.S. dollar, which he said is actually "worth nothing." "Today, the Muslims are richer than they had ever been before, that is, in terms of their earnings of U.S. dollar. But they have not...

The Rumors have been flying around this morning that there has been a revaluation of the Iraqi Dinar. I haven't been able to find any official confirmation of a reval, yet. Has anyone else heard any news along these lines?

Iraqi Dinar equality to dollar, Zubaidi suggests 27/06/2006 Source: Al-Sabah Finance ministry & Iraqi Central Bank study a suggestion about lifting off the worth of Iraqi dinar and returning back as the past. And the suggestion supported by the World Bank. Finance minister Bayan Jabr Zubaidi declared that he suggested on bank governor lifting off three zeros so dinar would be equal to dollar. on the other hand, he declared his support for national peace initiative.

March 17, 2006 By Jennifer Levitz, The Wall Street Journal Considering the strife bordering on civil war, this may not seem like the best time for mutual funds to put money into Iraq. But some are doing just that. Looking for high yields -- and confident that oil reserves will be there to repay the debt -- mutual funds are among the investors quietly buying small chunks of about $2.8 billion in bonds issued by the Iraqi government in January as part of its restructuring of debts left by Saddam Hussein. T. Rowe Price Group Inc., based in Baltimore, says...

BAGHDAD: If Iraqis have one solid economic achievement to hold on to amid their many problems, it is the strength of their currency, which some feared would be devalued out of existence in the months that followed the fall of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in March 2003. The dinar's current value of 1,465 to the benchmark U.S. dollar is virtually unchanged from January 2004, when the introduction of new banknotes to replace the Saddam-era denominations was completed. Sadoon Hamoud Kathir, professor of economics and administration at the University of Baghdad, attributes this remarkable level of stability to sound government...

The upsurge in violence has worsened conditions for almost everyone and everything in Iraq, but the new currency. The Iraqi dinar is the winner as it has so far weathered the impact of mounting violence and car bombs that would have sent any other country’s currency tumbling. Since its launch in October, 2003, the new dinar has preserved its value vis-à-vis the U.S. dollar and other major countries. It is probably the only symbol of stability in a car torn by wars, civil strife and violence. However, Iraqi economists are not surprised to see the currency fending off the political...

BAGHDAD, Dec. 15 (Xinhuanet) -- The Iraqi Central Bank has succeeded in maintaining the exchange rates of the Iraqi dinar against the US dollar and other foreign currencies, despite a huge demand for the dollar by the market, the Al Mashriq newspaper reported Wednesday. "The bank sold yesterday 25.6 million dollars with 1,460 dinars against one dollar," said sources of the bank, adding that the money was sold through public auction and 14 banks participated in the transaction. Sinan Al Shibibi, governor of the Central Bank, was quoted as saying that lowering debts, according to an agreement of the Paris...

US to forgive $5.4bn Iraq debt From correspondents in Washington December 17, 2004 THE administration of US President George W Bush will agree to write off the $US4.1 billion ($5.4 billion) worth of debt Iraq racked up during the regime of Saddam Hussein. The debt write-off accord will be signed in Washington tomorrow by US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Treasury Secretary John Snow and Iraq's Finance Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi, according to a State Department statement today. "The signing of the debt cancellation agreement is the bilateral agreement that implements the United States' part of the Paris Club debt-reduction...

Translated from Hebrew to English by me Faruk Kaddumi, the Chairman of the Fatah and the foreign office of the PLO sitting in Tunis, says that there are discussions underway to change the Israeli shekel with the Jordanian dinar as the official Palestinian Authority currency.

CHICAGO (CBS.MW) - It would be a slow turn of events, but the U.S. dollar is moving closer to surrendering its status as the world's benchmark currency. Just as it supplanted the British pound after World War II, the dollar stands to lose its lead position if the United States fails to shrink record trade and budget gaps with dispatch, some analysts argue. Its natural successor would seem to be the five-year-old euro. Some argue China's expanding global position could vault its currency to lead status. Central banks and multinational corporations might simply hold a mix in their portfolios, forgoing...

Basically, I am very much of the thought that Iraq will become a prospourous country, somewhere below Kuwait, UAE, etc short-term, but eventually, especially with democracy, will become the economic engine of the region. So, being of this mindset, I look towards the new secure Iraqi currency (introduced Oct. 15th). As of this moment, it costs somewhere between $1,000 - $2,000 US for 1,000,000 Iraqi Dinar. Kuwaiti Dinar, conversely, is worth nearly three times the American dollar, and the old Iraqi Dinar was worth more then the American dollar as recent as 1990. Now, obviously with my faith in the...

I just came home from a Christmas party in Fairfax, VA. Among the attendees at the gathering where judges, generals and elected federal/local politicians. One such elected politician attending was Rep. Tom Davis of the 11th congressional district in Virginia. Mr. Davis just finished a term as the head of the Republican National Congressional Committee. I got a chance to talk with Representative Davis for several minutes. The discussion turned to Iraq, which the representative had recently visited. During the conversation, Mr. Davis pulled out some Iraqi 250 Dinar bills, and handed a few out. The bill in question: Is...

Iraqi police has seized half-billion of former dinnar banknotes in ship anchored at Umr Qasr port of Basra. In result of searching at the ship voyaging from Pakistan to UAE, the inspectors have captured the banknotes of former regime in trunk of one of 8 vehicles at the board. Police chief Mohammed Qazim Ahmed Ali said that all packets full with banknotes have official seal of Pakistani Central Bank and the ship was still anchored at Umr Qasr port, adding that press member weren't allowed to take photos of it due to ongoing investigation. "Iraq's intelligence service is keeping the...

Money exchange continues without hiccups Baghdad, Iraq Press, October 17, 2003 – The largest money exchange in Iraq's history is proceeding smoothly and no incident has been recorded in the 250 bank branches swapping former tattered banknotes for the new currency. "Everything is proceeding according to plan. Our 1,250 staff involved in the exchange have reported no problems so far," Faleh Dawood Salman of the Iraq Central Bank said. There are 80 exchange points in Baghdad alone, Salman said, adding that the bank was determined to complete the exchange by January 15 when old notes bearing the face of the...

Healing IraqToday was the first day 250 banks all over Iraq commenced the exchange of the old Iraqi currency(ies) with new unified notes recently printed abroad, in Britain I guess. It was surprisingly a peaceful and quiet day, contrary to all expectations and rumours circulating in Baghdad that banks would be targetted the first day they started the exchange process. Many Rafidain bank divisions across Baghdad received warnings and threat letters. My aunt works as a bank manager, and she found a letter on her desk a few days ago signed by a group called The Army Of Mohammed 'Jaish...

First Day of Dinar Exchange Proceeds Smoothly, Represents Big Step in Iraq By Donna Miles American Forces Information Service WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2003 -- The director of the Iraqi currency exchange for the Coalition Provisional Authority called the first day of the currency exchange in Iraq "a great success" that begins the country's move toward "sustainable economic growth." Speaking from Baghdad, retired Army Brig. Gen. Hugh Tant reported no major incidents at more than 230 banks throughout Iraq that began replacing old dinars with the new Iraqi dinar introduced today. Dan Senor, senior adviser to U.S. civilian administrator L....

Iraq's central bank fired up its furnace yesterday and consigned thousands of banknotes bearing the smiling face of Saddam Hussein to the flames ahead of a massive currency swap to start next week. Deputy Central Bank Governor Ahmed Salman Mohammed said the bank had already absorbed a "good portion" of Saddam banknotes still in circulation and would carry on with the systematic destruction in coming weeks. Iraqis have three months from October 15 to swap the estimated four trillion dinars of Saddam banknotes in circulation for new bills bearing pictures of an ancient Babylonian ruler and a 10th century...

By TINI TRAN, Associated Press Writer BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq (news - web sites)'s Central Bank introduced the country's new currency on Saturday, eliminating Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) from yet another aspect of life. AP Photo Months after his fall, Saddam is still a pervasive presence in Iraq, if only because his picture is on every banknote. Not so with the new Iraqi dinars, which will go into circulation Oct. 15. The new notes will be converted at a rate of one to one and Iraqis will have three months to unload their old cash. The bills are...

<p>While Fort Campbell soldiers are deployed to the Middle East, The Leaf-Chronicle will provide periodic updates of troops' activities as available from U.S. Central Command and other sources.</p> <p>Coalition Forces and local banks are preparing for the effects of a new currency scheduled to be released throughout the country beginning Oct. 15.</p>

U.S. officials to begin getting rid of Iraqi dinars with Saddam's image ASSOCIATED PRESS BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 7 — U.S. authorities announced Monday they will begin replacing Iraq's dinar in October in a currency swap that will rid the bill of the image of Saddam Hussein, months after his fall from power.

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - For much of Saddam Hussein's regime, possession of U.S. dollars was a crime punishable by the amputation of a hand. But nowadays the greenback is the hottest item in Baghdad. Since the U.S.-led war in Iraq, dollars, either looted from banks or handed out by U.S. administrators, have flooded the currency market. The $100 bill, or the "waraqa," Arabic for paper, has become the preferred trade tool in the city of 5.5 million. From an exchange rate of three dollars for an Iraqi dinar in the 1980s, the local currency plummeted to 4,000 for a dollar...

US will print Iraqi dinars portraying Saddam Hussein AP Friday, Jun 13, 2003,Page 12 The US-controlled Iraq Central Bank is printing new bank notes bearing the likeness of Saddam Hussein -- an effort to overcome a severe shortage of Iraqi dinars and to counteract fears of a surge in counterfeit currency. The crisp new 250-dinar bills -- now worth less than US$0.20 each -- were being issued because of a shortage that is causing a growing liquidity crisis in the country. Compounding the problem, a new 10,000-dinar note issued just before the war by Saddam's government never won the public's...

The Iraqi central bank is once again printing Dinars, with fallen leader Saddam Hussein's image on them, the Arab language As-Sark-al-auszat newspaper reported Tuesday. The 250 dinar denominated banknotes are being printed by the Baghdad mint, under the supervision of the manager of the central bank. The Central Bank's director, Habib al Hjun denied the newspaper's report which stated that the national currency would soon be replaced by another and current notes in circulation would be destroyed. This would undermine the economy and hence the dinar will continue to be Iraq's official legal instrument of payment.

His Face Still Gives Fits as Saddam Dinar Soars By EDMUND L. ANDREWS American dollars have dipped as the old Saddam Hussein dinar is at its highest level since 1996. A money-changer inspects $100 bills. BAGHDAD, Iraq, May 16 — Saddam Hussein may be out of power or even dead. But his maligned currency, the so-called Saddam dinar, has abruptly skyrocketed in value. In a display of what might be called Saddam's revenge, the discredited dinar soared by about one-third against the dollar on Thursday and is now at its highest value since 1996. Its remarkable comeback is likely to...

Iraq's Currency Making a Comeback By HAMZA HENDAWI .c The Associated Press BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - In a city fraught with anger and despair, at least one thing is looking up: Iraq's currency, the dinar, is making a dramatic comeback against the U.S. dollar. After more than a decade in short supply, dollars are suddenly flooding the market, whether handed out by U.S. administrators or stolen from banks. As a result, the dinar is up more than 60 percent against the dollar since March with more gains expected. Still, its rise in value - to about 1,500 dinars to the...

<p>Stop-Gap Move Is Intended For Emergency Payments As the U.S. turns from bombing Iraq to rebuilding it, the U.S. government is airlifting dollars from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to replace -- at least temporarily -- the discredited Iraqi dinar.</p>

US official-new dinar may be best choice for Iraq By Anna Willard WASHINGTON, April 15 (Reuters) - Scrapping the "Saddam" dinar and introducing a new "Swiss" dinar may be the best solution to Iraq's currency question in the short-term, though the country's interim authority must decide for itself, a U.S. official said on Tuesday. "It's what they decide to do; they may decide replacing the currency with a new Swiss dinar might be a solution for the short-term," the official told Reuters. He spoke on condition of anonymity. "In some ways, they are already making their decision on the ground,...

An Aspen Times exclusive: Preston Mendenhall, who grew up in Aspen, is MSNBC.com's international editor. He is covering the war from northern Iraq and has agreed to send us twice-weekly dispatches about his experiences. SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq - The Kurdish official stopped himself midsentence and ordered an aide to turn up the television. "Is this video of Baghdad?" he asked to no one in particular. I, too, was transfixed. Iraq's capital, the center of Saddam Hussein's regime, was throwing a welcoming party for arriving American troops. In the Kurdish security chief's office, once his assistant confirmed the celebrations in Baghdad,...