Quote Originally Posted by Steve the Planner View Post
The maps and history of all of this are in an article on Musings on Iraq:

http://musingsoniraq.blogspot.com/20...nance-and.html

The answers, however, rapidly become complex local ones---as Dayuhan wisely surmises, these are not questions for a foreign power to address, but ones that must evolve, or be fought through by locals.
STP,

Good job as always on your map work and the many associated linkages.

As one 'Iraq-Hand' to another here are a few articles that may provide some additional context with respect to the importance of having a broad contact base as well as a flexible mind...(as you and I were 'incentivized' to learn during our time in the Middle East )

Iraq oil: fools rush in, by Lex, Last updated: November 20, 2011 7:21 pm, Financial Times, www.ft.com

Central bank gold buying at 40-year high, by Jack Farchy in London, November 17, 2011 7:54 am, Financial Times, www.ft.com

Shell pulls out of Kurdistan oil talks, by Sylvia Pfeifer and Javier Blas in Erbil, northern Iraq, November 16, 2011 10:05 pm, Financial Times, www.ft.com

Qatar joins Mexico with oil hedge, by Javier Blas in London, Last updated: October 26, 2011 10:49 pm, Financial Times, www.ft.com

Torrents in Arabia: the momentum for reform, by Lex, October 21, 2011 7:22 pm, Financial Times, www.ft.com

The Arab spring is delivering on its political promise. Three dictators have been ousted in north Africa, and the momentum for reform may now be unstoppable. If the vaguely democratic awakening that is now taking place is to have any chance of flourishing, however, it must be accompanied by total economic regeneration. Without that, sky-high expectations will be dashed.