US: Iraq for Sale

[dudeness]

The US delegation to an International Monetary Fund meeting in Dubai this week announced the privatisation of Iraq.
All the country’s assets and services, with the exception of oil, will be put up for grabs with no limits on foreign holdings, or the ability to take profits out of the country.

The delegation told the IMF the sell-off of state assets had been authorised by the country's Washinton-installed ruling Council. The move has not been put before the Iraqi people.

The Governing Council's package of free-market policies will allow foreign companies to buy Iraqi firms outright, forge joint ventures or open branches operations.

It also provides for foreign banks to buy Iraqi financial institutions.

Governing Council Finance Minister, Kamel al-Kilani says the program will advance efforts to build a free and open market economy.

He said maximum taxes on individuals and companies would be set at 15 percent. Press Agencies said the chairman of the Dubai-based Iraqi Business Council, Mouayed Hassan, had welcomed the moves.



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