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Online Survey: State of Iraq 2014

It's a well-known fact that Iraq Business News has the best-informed and most influential readers - you! Now we want to hear your opinions about the current state of the country: How easy is it to do business? How is the security situation affecting you? And who do you think will lead it for the […]

Iraq, the Full Picture

Despite the often grim news coming from Iraq in recent weeks, many businesses are seizing the opportunity to go where others won't. In this week's newsletter, for example, we report on a new truck distribution deal in Iraqi Kurdistan, a Turkish company completing a storage tank project, and a Malaysian firm planning to break into […]

The Oil Will Continue to Flow

By Padraig O'Hannelly. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has upped the ante in the continuing dispute with Baghdad over oil export revenues. In response to what it describes as "the Iraqi federal government ... not sharing revenues in accordance with the Iraqi Constitution", the KRG has threatened to take legal action against anyone who buys […]

A Thawing of Relations with Saudi Arabia?

By Padraig O'Hannelly. Earlier this week, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud pledged $500 million of humanitarian aid from Saudi Arabia to the Iraqi people, to be administered by the United Nations. This could be a very significant move, given that relations between Iraq and its powerful and wealthy neighbour have been strained for many […]

Tuesday is Next Deadline, but don't Hold your Breath!

By John Cookson. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The session on Tuesday to choose a new leadership to rescue Iraq from meltdown on was arguably one of the most important Iraqi MPs had ever attended. Roads within a 2 kilometres of […]

What is a Caliphate?

By John Cookson. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq's extraordinary history has turned another page. Jihadists - who only 3 weeks ago swept into northern Iraq - have now declared thousands square kilometres between Aleppo jn Syria and the governorate of […]

John Kerry: Mission Impossible?

By John Cookson. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. US Secretary of State John Kerry's whistle-stop swing through the Middle East and Europe will likely include a meeting this week with Iraq's embattled caretaker prime-minister Nouri al-Maliki. At the Baghdad summit we […]

Can 300 US Military Advisers save Iraq?

By John Cookson. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. President Obama opposed the 2003 US-led war which toppled Saddam. He based his run for the White House on ending wars rather than starting them. So his decision announced at a press conference […]

The Eyes of the World are on Iraq

The eyes of the world are on Iraq at the moment, as the country struggles to contain the advance of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, ISIS). And while the attack on the important oil refinery at Baiji is a setback for the government, many are now of the opinion that ISIS […]

ISIS Fights Virtual War in Cyber Horror Show

By John Cookson. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Gruesome images and videos from Iraq have sparked revulsion around the world as ISIS militants video executions and upload them on the internet. Grisly stills and videos appear on jihadist websites often days […]

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Oil Price Surges amid Iraq Turmoil

By John Cookson. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Traders will tell you the price of oil is a speculative market based on expectations. Most of Iraq's oil production is from the mega fields in the south, far from any fighting. But […]