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The UK Should Benefit From Iraq
Posted on 20 May 2011. Tags: Investment
Tony Blair’s former political strategist, John McTernan, has said that, since the UK’s troops are leaving, “our businesses should head there.”
The last 100 UK troops, who were training domestic forces, pull out on Sunday.
Writing for The Telegraph, he stated about the Iraq War: “The first thing to be noted is that our intervention was, by and large, a success. There have been two elections, and strong political figures are emerging.
“There are still huge security issues to confront, and regular assassinations and bombings, but the fact remains that Iraq is now a successful democracy.”
Having visited Iraq, McTernan expressed a strong sense that Britain (we are sure he meant to write the United Kingdom, which includes Northern Ireland) has a good image there. Yet UK companies are not investing there, even though Iraqis would willingly do business with them.
They are asking “Where are your companies?” and “Why aren’t they bidding for work with us?”
With so many opportunities in the country, from manufacturing and agriculture to oil and gas, it is surprising how few UK companies are getting involved.
McTernan explains that the surprise is that the UK is not in there taking advantage of the part it played in liberating the country: “There may be only one country in the world today where a majority – the vast majority – of the population still support the invasion of Iraq: but that country is Iraq itself. And we should be quietly proud of what we have done for its people.”
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Posted on 20 May 2011. Tags: Investment
Tony Blair’s former political strategist, John McTernan, has said that, since the UK’s troops are leaving, “our businesses should head there.”
The last 100 UK troops, who were training domestic forces, pull out on Sunday.
Writing for The Telegraph, he stated about the Iraq War: “The first thing to be noted is that our intervention was, by and large, a success. There have been two elections, and strong political figures are emerging.
“There are still huge security issues to confront, and regular assassinations and bombings, but the fact remains that Iraq is now a successful democracy.”
Having visited Iraq, McTernan expressed a strong sense that Britain (we are sure he meant to write the United Kingdom, which includes Northern Ireland) has a good image there. Yet UK companies are not investing there, even though Iraqis would willingly do business with them.
They are asking “Where are your companies?” and “Why aren’t they bidding for work with us?”
With so many opportunities in the country, from manufacturing and agriculture to oil and gas, it is surprising how few UK companies are getting involved.
McTernan explains that the surprise is that the UK is not in there taking advantage of the part it played in liberating the country: “There may be only one country in the world today where a majority – the vast majority – of the population still support the invasion of Iraq: but that country is Iraq itself. And we should be quietly proud of what we have done for its people.”
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