Investing in Iraq

The (Amman) Jordan Times

The two-day donors' conference in Madrid for the reconstruction of Iraq ended with modest offers for assisting that war-torn country. Many countries did not pledge more aid to Baghdad because of their continued reservations about the U.S.-led war on Iraq and the fact that the country still lacks security and stability.

No matter how vehemently opposed many countries were to the war, there is a new reality that requires a determined international effort to transform Iraq from a bedrock of instability and insecurity into the regional power that it deserves to be.

Iraq must return to being a major player in the Middle East and the Gulf regions. By all standards, it has the human and natural resources to become an economic powerhouse. The sooner it regains its rightful place among the nations of the area, the sooner it would be possible to recreate a regional environment for peace and progress.

Investing in Iraq now is investing in regional stability and development.