Hopenchange? Iranians to rebuild city destroyed by Iranian-armed militias
Somehow, I doubt this would have happened during the Bush administration.The Times of London reported on Friday that Iranian contractors have won a $1.5 billion contract to rebuild parts of the city of Basra, a city that was destroyed by Iranian-armed Shiite militias.
An Iranian company has succeeded with its bid for the project because British and American companies, wary of security conditions, were slow to make offers, the head of investment in Iraq’s biggest port toldThe Times. “The Iranians are going for all the contracts,” one British official said in Basra.In entering into construction contracts, the Iraqis claim to be giving priority to those countries that sent troops to liberate Iraq.
The irony is not lost on British diplomats in Basra involved in trying to help Iraq to redevelop its economy and infrastructure.
The Shia extremists who turned Basra into a violent and unstable city two years ago, causing a high number of British military casualties, are now believed to be in Iran.
Iran has traditionally had strong trading links with its neighbour but Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister, indicated during a visit to Baghdad by President Sarkozy of France last week that Iraq’s principal allies in the six-year counter-insurgency would be first choice for reconstruction contracts.I still don't quite understand why this means Iran should get building contracts in Iraq. Iran did not send troops to liberate Iraq - just the opposite.
It was a reminder to France and other countries, such as Germany, which opposed the USled invasion in 2003, that their new-found enthusiasm for investing in Iraq now that the country is stabilising will not put them first in the queue.
Iraq is currently awash with visits from foreign and finance ministers from Europe and elsewhere, eager to jump on the investment band-wagon. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Foreign Minister, was in Baghdad this week. “Germany wants to assist Iraq in reconsruction,” he said.
By the way, if anyone can explain to me how this is permitted under the supposed sanctions against Iran, I'm waiting to hear an explanation.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:21 PM
2 Comments:
Good question. It should be noted that despite Iran's extremism, it remains a member in good standing in the international community.
That ought to tell one about the effectiveness of the current sanctions against Iran.
Hopenchange, indeed!
You must be very naive "Hope Change" yeah if i wanted to be presedent i would tell you whatever you wanted to hear and in times like this its hope and change. Obama needs to be the next JFK
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