Dutch Boy

Well, I've been trying to figure out how to do it, but I can't get it to copy. I took a screen shot of the website " Aswat Al Iraq". There was, for the first time, an advertisement from " FTI Forex Trading" Why would a forex trader be advertising in a country without an internationally tradeable currency? HMMMMMMM OK. REALLY WIERD! I went back to copy the link for the site ( http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1.aspx?page=category_page&c=3 ) and it's gone. There was a banner for it at the top of the page and an ad on the right side. It came up when I clicked on the "Politics" tab. Now it's gone. I still have the screen shot on MS paint. Anyone interested leave me a message and I'll try to get it to you. Don't know why it won't past on to this message. Any techies who can help?

I just checked on a site based in England. About 09:00 GMT something wierd happened. Check out the attachment. I hope it works. First time I've done this on here. If not, here's the link: http://www.exchangerates.org.uk/Euros-to-Iraqi-Dinar-currency-conversion-page.html It shows a 200 IQD increase in value over the EURO. Happened last month as well, but I find it very curious that it just happened again today.

I usually keep an eye on the the weekend chart on XE.com just to make sure. It's usually just a flat line from wherever the market closed on Friday. If you follow this link: http://www.xe.com/currencycharts/?from=IQD&to=USD&view=1D it shows the chart for one day. There is NO LINE showing a rate. On the first page where you choose your currency to convert, it shows a normal rate, but click on the chart. STRANGE!

December 15, 2010 - 12:38:13 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Iraq’s Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki and former Prime Minister and Leader of al-Iraqiya Bloc, Iyad Allawi, have announced an agreement to continue their meetings. The two reiterated that their meeting at the headquarters of member of National Alliance and former PM, Ibrahim al-Jaafari in Baghdad on Tuesday had been “postive and fruitful,” having concentrated on the main principles of building a new Iraqi state, capable of protect the country’s interests and opening up towards the world. “Our meeting today had concentrated on joining together the experiments of the three phases that passed on Iraq, each of them that faced challenges and had its special circumstances, reitering necessity to put those challenges and experiments together, in advanced positions to face the building of the state establishments,” Maliki said in a news conference. “We have moved towards some mechanisms and not details, through which we found that the establishments which must be built in the forthcoming phase shall move to broader areas, aimed at rising to the level of responsibility that we must challenge in building the state. We must hold further meetings related to the political process. I don’t believe that reaching common viewpoints is difficult, so long as there are real intentions,” Maliki said. Iyad Allawi, on his part, told the news conference that the meetings had been “positive and fruitful, as we carried out strategic discussions, related to the future of the country and the future of all Iraqis, in order to help Iraq to return to its sound situation and play its strategic role in the Region.” “We have reached, in our dialogue, mutual viewpoints, based on fact that each of us has his own experience that would complete the experience of the other. We have thus become able to achieve the goals of all Iraqis,” Allawi said. “We agreed to continue our meetings till the formation of the new government and all establishments that would emerge from it,” Allawi noted. SKH/SR http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=139798

December 15, 2010 - 12:57:42 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: A spokesman for al-Iraqiya Bloc, led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, has said on Wednesday that “some parties are behind attempts to divide its ranks, through malitious statements.” “There is harmony among the leaders and members of al-Iraqiyia Bloc nowadays,” Shaker Kattab told Aswat al-Iraq news agency, charging what he termed as “certain parties, issuing some malitious statements, aimed at splitting the ranks of al-Iraqiya, neglecting fact that it enjoys a unified decision and no differences exist in its ranks.” “The decisions of al-Iraqiya and its leadership are obligatory for all, and I don’t think that such attempts deserve major attention. All attempts to split the ranks of Iraqiya are desperate attempts,” Kattab said. The Iraqi political blocs over the past few weeks have been concentrating on nominating their candidates for the new Iraqi government, including the posts of vice-presidents, deputy-prime ministers and different cabinet posts, within sharp competition among those blocs to gain some leading ministerial posts and positions. SKH/SR http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=139801

December 15, 2010 - 12:40:09 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The UN Mission for Iraq (UNAMI)’s Spokeswoman in Baghdad has stated on Wednesday that the mission would strive, through its last report presented to the Security Council, to be discussed in its meeting today, to help Iraq get out of UN Security Council’s Article 7, which prevents Iraq the freedom to deal with its financial capitals. “UNAMI shall try to help Iraq come out from the 7th Article, through its recent report raised to the UN Security Council, scheduled for discussion today (Wednesday), after Iraq’s major achievements in different spheres,” Radhia Ashouri told Aswat al-Iraq news agency. Ashouri pointed to the “positive atmospheres related to the revision of the sanctions imposed on Iraq, especially after it witnessed positive developments on the political sphere, along with the democratic transformations it had witnessed as well.” “Among the issues under discussion by the UN Security Council’s current meeting, is the security situation in Iraq and the country’s needs for economic development,” she added Iraq had been covered by the UN Security Council’s Resolution No. 678 of 1990, imposed after the Iraqi forces entered in Kuwait in August, 1990, followed by the Security Council’s decision to use force to drive Iraq out of Kuwait, according to Article 7 from the UN Charter. SKH/SR http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=139799

Hate to burst the bubble, but I'm in Holland and this is the rate coming out of the UK: 1 EUR = 1666.2336 IQD The EUR IQD currency rate as of 9 Dec 2010 at 2:29 PM. http://www.exchangerates.org.uk/Euros-to-Iraqi-Dinar-currency-conversion-page.html Note the date and time. The UK is 5 hours ahead of East Coast time. Holland is 6 hours ahead of East Coast and 2 hours behind Iraq time. Sorry. It sure would have been nice!

I don't understand why, but the Euro to IQD rate has had some wild fluctuations this week...as much as 200 IQD to the Euro difference. Here's the link for the site I follow: http://www.exchangerates.org.uk/Euros-to-Iraqi-Dinar-currency-conversion-page.html At first it was only a couple of days. Then it fluctuated back and forth +/- 200 IQD in the same day. Does anyone have any ideas?

Today, at approximately 12:00 noon GMT, the Euro took a nose dive against the IQD: Welcome to the Euros to Iraqi Dinar page, updated every minute between Monday 00:00 and Friday 21:00 GMT. 1 EUR = 1427.6096 IQD The EUR IQD currency rate as of 29 Nov 2010 at 4:39 PM. http://www.exchangerates.org.uk/Euros-to-Iraqi-Dinar-currency-conversion-page.html Earlier in the day it had been around its usual 1667.00+/- whare it has been for several months.

It is quite interesting indeed! Something I learned a while back is that it is NOT politics which decides policy in any country. It is economics. Whomever controls the economy, controls the political stage. Think about it. Why do most folks choose their candidate they vote for? It basically boils down to the one most important reason being that they feel someone else will do a better job of building the economic power and position of our country and our families. I heard Sarkozy's speech to the French parliament this summer as they assumed leadership of the G20. He eluded to the need for a "Global Economy" which could be centrally controlled in order to prevent inequalities in trade and keep a global economic disaster from happening again. In order to accomplish this, there MUST be a global government to administer and police the regulations involved. There is also, without much effort, the possibility of finding information about the move toward transforming all of the world's currencies into only 3 or 4 - Amero, Euro, Petro, and I believe something like the Asio (might not have this correct). This decreases the possibility of currency wars and trade inequalities. The Euro is the first great experiment in this area. The troubles we are seeing now in the EU may not be by accident. A true test run needs to have real world applications in problem solving as well. THIS IS SPECULATION ON MY PART. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but I am a realist with some intelligence and education. For those of you who believe in a greater picture than retirement and umbrella drinks, dive in to this and don't stop when something sounds a little wierd. There may be a reason for it (smoke and mirrors). Use the common sense God gave us all and don't be satisfied with "Pat" answers and common thinking. I truly believe that what is happening is not merely bad luck or chance. I do not believe that Iraq is simply a poor country about to become rich. There is much more at stake than a handful of folks about to be made millionaires.

Welcome to the Euros to Iraqi Dinar page, updated every minute between Monday 00:00 and Friday 21:00 GMT. 1 EUR = 1666.1464 IQD The EUR IQD currency rate as of 25 Nov 2010 at 9:28 AM. http://www.exchangerates.org.uk/Euros-to-Iraqi-Dinar-currency-conversion-page.html

1 US ARMY '88-'92, '96-'99 OK Nat'l Guard '94-'96

Urgent: Iraq’s Parliament Speaker calls on MPs to end open session and elect new speaker November 3, 2010 - 12:46:21 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Iraq’s oldest MP and Parliament Speaker, Fuad Maasoum, has addressed an official call on Wednesday on all Parliament members to attend the parliament’s open session, in order to end the session. “In response to a decision taken by Iraq’s Federal Court on October 24, 2010, calling for the need to close the Parliament’s open session in its current period, I call upon all parliament members to report to the Parliament’s building at 11:00 (Baghdad Time) on Monday, Nov. 8th,” Maasoum said. The official spokesman for Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council, Abdul-Sattar al-Biraqdar, said on Oct. 24th, that the High Federal Court had issued a decision, obliging Parliament Speaker Fuad Maasoum, to call for the resumption of the Parliament session to select a new speaker and his two deputies. Maasoum’s call for the Parliament Members took place after a bloody day that witnessed a series of explosions which claimed that lives of 63 civilians and wounded 350 others on Tuesday night. The call, issued on Wednesday, came in response to a decision by the Federal Court, reiterating that different political blocs may succeed in reaching a preliminary agreement to distribute the leading State posts. SKH/SR http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=138586

Iraq’s political forces close to form national-partnership govt., Kurdistan PM says November 3, 2010 - 02:27:44 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: North Iraq’s Kurdistan government’s premier, Burham Saleh, has stated on Wednesday that the political forces in Iraq are witnessing closer understanding towards the main issues that prevent joining together to form a government of national-partnership, adding that he who shall gain the new prime minister’s post must be ready to deal seriously with the constitutional rights, including the areas of conflict, according to the constitutional rights. “The situation won’t remain in a frozen state, because there are legitimate rights demanded by the Constitutional Court, including the holding of the Iraqi Parliament in the nearest possible time, along with serious consultations carried out by Kurdistan Region’s President, Massoud Barzani, and the Kurdistan Coalition’s delegation with all Iraqi blocs, in which we had reached important understandings, but we are waiting for the completion of that, in the light of the Constitutional Court’s rights and necessity to hold the new Parliament session,” Saleh told the Saudi Middle East Newspaper today. He went on saying: “There are significant and important dialogues between the Kurdistan Coalition, led by Barzani and the National Coalition, led by (rime Minister and Leader of State of Law bloc), Brother (Nouri) al-Maliki, in which we had reached a close and good point about a large number of issues..And there are new understandings between us and the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, based on facing the mistakes of the former regime..And, the last meeting with (former PM and Chairman of al-Iraqiya bloc), Dr. Iyad Allawi, his Iraqiya delegation and President Barzani had been an important meeting that witnessed an openness and progress towards the Kurdistan Document.” “In the light of the preparations that and the preliminary meetings that took place among the Iraqi parties, we hope that they would be a serious support to for Barzani’s initiative and to reach a serious solution regarding the formation of a government of national-partnership,” Saleh said, adding that “Iraq can’t be ruled by one team; as any government should represent all the main political components, based on its activity, decisions and achievement of the Iraqi Constitution’s articles.” He stressed that “the differences about the leading State posts and reaching a settlement towards them is important, but the more important thing is laying a program for the government’s activity and the mechanism of taking decisions, i.e. to assign a prime minister or any of the leading posts that represent everybody, to act for the future of the country.” “We consider taking decisions individually and isolating others a catastrophe..That is why we confirm the importance of dealing with any problem, especially the one related to the concept of ruling as most significant,” he said, adding “from our viewpoint, we concentrate on forming a government of national-partnership, based on the constitution and depending on mechanisms and clear guarantees to prevent individuality of the authority, the security, political and economic decisions, thing that is the principle we depend to support the formation of the future Iraqi government.” Regarding the problem delaying the formation of the future government, Kurdistan Premier said: “The problem lies in difference, may be in expressions and words, but at the end, we are talking about important expressions in the mechanisms of decision-taking and the internal system of the Council of Ministers, as well as the means that secure non-repetition of some signs that create anxiety of different parties sharing in the political balance.” “There are constitutional rights that must be implemented, and he who shall gain the post of the new prime minister must be prepared to deal justly with the constitutional rights, represented in solving the issue of the areas in conflict (between the central government and the Kurdistan Regional government), according to Article 140 of the Constitution, as well as solving the problems of oil, gas and other products, that are not considered a mere Kurdish issue, but an Iraqi problem, along with the settlement of the Pesh Merga (Kurdish armed forces) and their merger with the Iraqi National Defense System, their financing and supplying, according to the constitutional rights,” Burham Saleh said. Regarding the Saudi King’s initiative, Premier Saleh said, “There had been a detailed dialogue between me and the Arab League’s Secretary-General, Amru Moussa, about the developments related to the Iraqi situation and the iniative of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques (Saudi King Abdullah ibin Abdul-Aziz) towards the people of Iraq, we confirm our high appreciation for the sincere call of King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz and see that his call represents a real feeling of love and keenness for Iraq and its future.” “We see that the Saudi initiative represents our ambitions towards an active Arab role that helps to get Iraq out of his crisis,” he said, adding that “the initiative is considered a support for the free Iraqi national choice that rejects foreign trusteeship, as well as representing a support for President Massoud Barzani’s initiative, in which he called upon all Iraqi blocs to attend a Round Table, where we carry out a dialogue about the crisis among us, in order to save Iraq.” Saudi King Abulla bin Abdul-Aziz had called on all Iraqi political parties last Saturday to meet in Riyadh after the end of the Haj (Pilgrimage) occasion, under the auspices of the Arab League, in order to discuss reaching a solution for the “problem” of forming the new Iraqi government, at a time when political differences continue among the main blocs that won Iraq’s March 7th nationwide elections, following the close results achieved by four of the leading blocs and their competition to win the new prime minister’s post and the formation of the new government, especially between the two largest blocs that won the biggest number of votes, al-Iraqiya, led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and the State of Law, led by outgoing Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki. SKH/SR http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=138588

Reservations on Saudi Initiative too early, al-Iraqiya won’t submit new Iraqi govt. formation - Allawi November 3, 2010 - 12:53:48 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Iraq’s former Prime Minister and Leader of al-Iraqiya bloc, Iyad Allawi, has said on Wednesday that the “reservations” by some Iraqi political parties against the Saudi King’s initiative, calling on the Iraqi political blocs to meet in Riyadh to settle the issue of forming the new government, “are too early,” adding that his bloc “won’t submit its right to form the new government.” “The ‘reservations’ by some Iraqi political parties on the Saudi Monarch’s initiative are too early. They should have studied the initiative carefully,” Iyad Allawi told the Saudi Middle East Newspaper on Wednesday, adding that, “most of us didn’t follow the valuable initiative by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz, that included important points, expressing a genuine keenness for Iraq, and no wish to interfere in its affairs for the interest of any party.” Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz had called on all Iraqi political parties to meet in Riyadh after the holy Muslim Haj (Pilgrimage), under the auspices of the Arab League, to discuss the “issue of forming the Iraqi government,” at a time when differences continued among the leading blocs that won Iraq’s March 7th nationwide elections, following the close results scored by the winning blocs, competing to score the prime minister’s post and the formation of the nex government, especially between the two largest blocs, al-Iraqiya, led by Allawi, and the State of Law, led by outgoing Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki. “It is not logical that some parties have accepted the calls of Iran, whilst the calls by the Arab League and some Arab states that strongly stood beside Iraq, whilst the political process was ‘confiscated’ by Iran,” Allawi said. Allawi pointed out that “the Saudi initiative was aimed at opening a dialogue and to find a settlement under the auspices of the Arab League, and under the hospitality of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Saudi people, such dialogue that is expected to achieve positive results to crown the current dialogue in Iraq, called by brother (Kurdistan President) Massoud Barzani.” As regards to both initiatives of the Saudi Monarch and the Kurdistan President, Allawi said, “both initiatives stem from one important cause, based on the principle of dialogue. Eight months have already passed since the elections and non government had been formed, in addition to the fact that the situation in Iraq began to become more complicated, whilst the interferences of regional and world states began to increase, along with the security situation that reached the level of danger.” Speaking about his bloc’s position towards the candidates for presidency and the prime minister, Allawi said, “If the prime minister or the president come from the Kurd brethren, we have no problem, because we are protected by the constitution..And being equal partners in one homeland, there is no problem too, as it’s the right of brethren Kurds to nominate or demand any post they see suitable for them..But, the important thing is that we have to achieve a real partnership and keep away from sensitivity of the presence of a Kurd, a Christian, a Sunni, a Shiite or a Turkoman in any position.” “The Parliament Speaker’s post does not cope with the right of al-Iraqiya, as we either agree with the contents of the constitution, that clearly point out that the bloc that wins the elections will be the party that forms the government. Considering that the bloc that they call the National Alliance was not officially formed, it was only formed according to media reports,” he said. With regards to al-Iraqiya’s submission for its right to form the new government, Allawi said, “We won’t submit our right, and how could we do that? Al-Iraqiya must occupy its role in leading the Iraqi State, and he who demands a concession from our right is actually demanding us to get out of the political process and sit in our homes.” SKH/SR http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=138587

I caught Sarkozy this summer on Euro News in his address to the French Parliament prior to their taking over leadership of the G20. He was talking about the need to create a more global economy in order to be able to regulate fair trade and provide greater oversight to prevent a global economic meltdown. If I remember right, he also mentioned the need for a global currency to promote this.

Civil Society Organization: “We won’t be satisfied by parliament session, but insist to form govt.” October 25, 2010 - 03:49:34 BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The Chairman of Iraq’s Peace & Solidarity Organization, has warned on Monday that the civil society organizations in the country won’t be satisfied with decision of Iraq’s Federal Court, which obliged the Parliament to resume its opening session, vowing that “they would step up pressure for the acceleration of forming the new government,” whilst an Iraqi legal expert said that the extensionof the said session stands counter to the Constitution. “The Court’s decision represents the crowning of the activity of the social society organizations regarding the possibility of being a main participant in building a civil State,” Kamel Med’hat said, adding that those organizations won’t be satisfied by the decision, but would step up pressure to acclerate the formation of the government afer holding the first session of the Parliament. “The decision was issued according to the constition, regarding the delay of the government’s formation, and there is no chance before the winning blocs that would meet in Kurdistan soon, but to reach an understanding for the formation of a national participation government,” he added. The Supreme Federal Court had issued a decision on Sunday, abiding the Parliament’s Speaker of the Oldest Age, Fuad Maasoum, to call for the resumption of the Parlilament’s session to select a speaker for the parliament and his two assistants. on his part, the Legal Expert, Ismail Alwan, told Aswat al-Iraq News Agency that “the decision of the Federal Court is obliged, according to the Constitution is abiding and in case its non-implementation, the Iraqi Punishment Law will punish for that, and even the Old Speaker of the Parliament is abided to implement the decision..And I don’t think that anybody will not dare not to implement it.” “Article 54 of the Constitution had reiterated that the extension of the period, which is 15 days, being the constitutional timing confirming non-extension of the period,” he said, adding that “there are other constitutional timings that bear extension, such as Article 140 and the constitutional adjustments made on it, such as the selection of the president or the assignment of the prime minister..But this article was led by the legislator as a corner-stone for the launching of the constitutional operation in Iraq.” As regards to the delay of the issuance of the Federal Court regarding the session, Aboud said: “the court can’t act by itself without expressing a case for a conflict..And, as nobody had present such case during the past period, I, being a citizen first and a legal man second, have presented such case.” He justified the presentation of the case as “an issue that can’t tolerate further delay, because the democratic process is threatened and the security situation can’t bear further surprises..That is why I initiated to present a case before the Federal Court.” SKH http://en.aswataliraq.info/?p=138300

HMMMMM. I believe Monkieboy chose his name well.

Welcome to the Euros to Iraqi Dinar page, updated every minute between Monday 00:00 and Friday 21:00 GMT. 1 EUR = 1666.4468 IQD The EUR IQD currency rate as of 26 Oct 2010 at 10:19 AM. http://www.exchangerates.org.uk/Euros-to-Iraqi-Dinar-currency-conversion-page.html This GMT +1 local Holland time.

EUR IQD Historical Charts http://www.exchangerates.org.uk/EUR-IQD-exchange-rate-history.html I tried to copy & paste the chart, but it won't let me, so you'll have to follow the link. To summarize, around the end of Sept. the Euro/IQD rate went from 1 : 1420 (+/-) to 1 : 1667 (+/-) and has stayed around that since. I thought that to be a pretty sharp contrast. Anybody know why that might be?

Iraq Rises as Western Nations Fall Posted on 20 October 2010. Tags: Baghdad, Basra, Construction & Engineering, Erbil, Housing, Investment, Iraq, Public Works, Transportation, Water Iraq’s developing situation continues to astound me when I contrast it with much of the west. Take the UK, where Prime Minister David Cameron has on 20 October announced £81bn ($127bn) of cuts from total government expenditure of £661bn ($1,040bn), the largest budget cuts in decades by a large margin. All this it needs to do to try and stop national debt rising at £5,900 ($9,300) a second. Iraq, on the other hand, is going the other way. Not only does it expect to be in budget surplus by 2012, but it is pulling money in for investment at an ever-increasing rate. Iraq had a five-year plan to attract $6bn-worth of investments. It then said it wants $200bn. And this week it has gone up to a new target of $600bn. It would be happy if it gets to 50% of that target, but it has reasons to be optimistic. In the first 20 days of this month alone we reported on private investments in Basra for 1,000 housing units, a shopping mall and a huge drinking water project. In and around Amara there will be another 1,150 housing units and an industrial park, and Erbil is building two big roads, Muthanna a large cement factory to help with yet other developments, and Baghdad is awarding another 11 investment permits for housing, commerce, tourism and industry. And I haven’t even mentioned the energy projects yet. In the global economic seesaw, it seems like it is Iraq’s turn to rise up again. http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2010/10/20/iraq-rises-as-western-nations-fall/

Invest AD Eyes Iraqi Companies Posted on 20 October 2010. Tags: Abu Dhabi, Invest AD “Iraq is … getting back on track and it’s a country that cannot be allowed not to succeed.” So said a top executive at Abu Dhabi-owned asset management firm Invest AD said on Monday. Speaking at the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit, Mohammed al Hashemi said Invest AD was still putting its Iraqi portfolio together, but areas of interest included infrastructure, education and consumer themes such as financials and telecoms. “People are feeling more confident, that the worst of the crisis is behind us,” Hashemi said. “They feel ready for the next step.” (Source: Reuters) http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2010/10/20/invest-ad-eyes-iraqi-companies/

I also posted this yesterday from Iraq Business News. You know something's GOT to be going down soon if these guys are getting into this!

MerchantBridge Launches Mesopotamia Fund to Invest in Iraqi Equities Posted on 18 October 2010. Tags: Iraqi Stock Exchange, ISX, MerchantBridge, Mesopotamia Equity Fund MerchantBridge, the international private equity group with diverse investment interests operating from Iraq, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, has launched an Iraq equity fund, the “Mesopotamia Equity Fund Ltd“. The Mesopotamia Fund is an open ended fund that will capitalize on the expected long term growth of the Iraqi Stock Exchange (ISX). The market capitalization of the exchange, which reopened in 2004, has doubled to $3bn in the past five years and it currently has more than 90 listed companies, mostly untouched by foreign portfolio managers. Key highlights to note about the Mesopotamia Fund include: The fund will invest across all sectors in the ISX. The Iraqi stock market is young with an unprecedented growth potential, as it currently represents less than 3.3% of GDP compared to over 80% for the GCC and 73% in KSA respectively. This is just the 1st page of a 3-pg. article. I figured it might be too long, but follow the link to get the rest. Excellent article! http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2010/10/18/merchantbridge-launches-mesopotamia-fund-to-invest-in-iraqi-equities/

Iraq Output “Will Double” Posted on 18 October 2010. Tags: CBI, Oil The Iraq Central Bank said that the survival of a high oil price will double Iraq GDP, helping it to achieve its goals by improving the value of the dinar through economic growth. Speaking to IKHNews, adviser of the Central Bank, Mudhir Saleh, predicted the survival of oil prices in the $80-$85 range, which will double GDP and be reflected in government revenues. The proposed government budget, which should see a budget surplus by 2012, is based on a modest oil price of $70 per barrel. Saleh said that “All the indications are that the Iraqi economy will shift dramatically during the next two years, improving the value of the dinar.” He pointed out that this will help to develop the oil sector further and push productivity to four million barrels per day, up from the current 2m to 2.5m. This growth can be expected to improve national income, the value of the dinar, wages, and GDP per capita. Saleh noted that the dinar and the Central Bank’s reserves are stable, helping with monetary policy. (Source: IKHNews, Central Bank of Iraq) http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2010/10/18/iraq-output-will-double/