Saturday, August 7, 2010
Does Iraq have better prospects than Britain?
Wake up, you Brits. Make a fortune in Iraq.
Today Baghdad is a boom town, rather than a bomb site. If I were a young man, looking to make my fortune, I would be off to Iraq like a shot. Plenty of other young men are there already - Russians, French, Germans, Swedes, Chinese of course, even Turks and Lebanese. As one local politician remarked, when the Lebanese arrive you know there is money to be made. Nowhere is that more true than in the northern region of Kurdistan. The city of Erbil looks like Dubai 15 or 20 years ago. While thousands of foreigners were setting up companies all over Iraq, the British were noticeable by their absence. Adventurous entrepreneurs should realise that there is an opportunity in Iraq that rivals the gold rush.
Posted by drewster @ 12:58 AM (2419 views)
21 thoughts on “Does Iraq have better prospects than Britain?”
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drewster says:
This article was originally published in the Times, but it’s behind a pay-wall now, hence the alternative link. Given that Britain is likely to be in economic stagnation for the next few years, would it be wise to head out to somewhere like Kurdistan to make one’s fortune? This article has certainly given me pause for thought. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t head out there and give it a shot. I’d really value your opinions.
novice pete says:
The Times headline itself makes me want to puke. Make a fortune on the back of an illegal war and countless civilian casualties, sick imo.
But each to their own.
montesquieu says:
Personally I’d rather not have my head cut off with a blunt saw off by a bunch of nutters, thanks.
The reason the Brits keep out is not lack of entrepreneurial wit, it’s self-preservation.
After what our Government is it any surprise we don’t feel safe there.
Steer well clear.
tenyearstogetmymoneyback says:
If you read the article the very last lines are
“However, the day after I flew back to England, suicide bombers killed dozens of militia there. So if you go east, young man or woman, you will still have to take the odd risk”
The other thing I was thinking reading the comments above was
I wonder how many Iraqi have a big grudge against the Lebanese and similarly I wonder how many hold a grudge against the British ?
drewster says:
10years,
I don’t know about the Iraqis, but the Kurds are quite fond of us Brits. We proposed the early-1990s no-fly zone over the Kurdish region of Iraq, which stopped Saddam Hussein bombing them. Then we got rid of Saddam altogether. The Kurdish region is essentially an autonomous province now.
clockslinger says:
You might think that trying to get into the oil business in a country about which you know nothing and whose language you don’t speak may be getting in at the start of something big, if it doesn’t all kick off. Adventure capitalism is probably all right if Mummy is a Tory minister, Daddy is the local ambassador, your uncle is big in BP and you went to Eaton with Spotty Osbourne.
However, you may believe getting a loan to go to study to be a dentist is a more assured, if prosaic, way of having a reasonable income.
paul says:
I’m sure you could make an absolute killing there. People are dying to be a part of the action.
Petrodollar says:
10000000000000000000000. Fly’s cant be wrong
quiet guy says:
Drewster,
I know nothing about Kurdistan so no help from me but I suggest that you register with Simon Black’s http://www.sovereignman.com/ blog if you are thinking of looking for opportunities abroad.
braindeed says:
3. montesquieu said…
Personally I’d rather not have my head cut off with a blunt saw off by a bunch of nutters, thanks.
I’d avoid Salford if I was you.
Kenny Dalglish says:
It appears that many on these boards are utterly bereft of any sort of moral compass. As stated earlier, making money on the back of an illegal war that has caused the deaths of up to 1 million people, to some is self-evidently repellant. So no, I don’t have any “opinion” to give you, your socio-pathic tendencies and base line greed would probably tune out anything other than what you wanted to hear. Shame you missed ou on Cambodia in the 70’s or Rwanda in the 90’s, apparantly their was oodles of money to be made.
rumble says:
Interesting, if a bit exciting. Wouldn’t know where to start there. Looks backward, but they have broadband. Watched “There will be Blood” the other night, good film, but don’t think it qualifies me to start oil prospecting. Battling to find places to rent…
another alan says:
Had to post just to tell you about the recaptcha: gumdrop Kurtz
Wow!
watching with amusement says:
The article is written by Lord Jeffrey Archer. From what I’ve heard, you can’t trust a word he says (and yet Murdoch expects people to pay to read his musings…)
charlie brooker says:
What’s farsi for ponzi?
rumble says:
The flexi-laws (“anti-terror”) will be useful for gov. Would the UK join the US for an Iranian war? What’s the attitude toward other Euro countries?
quiet guy says:
Great post, TitanicCaptain. Thanks for sharing that with us.
Here’s a recent cartoon in the Economist:
rumble says:
Food, lol. Kelly – no doubt. Something to read: http://www.telospress.com/main/download/GlobalWar_Intro.pdf
Crazy characters appearing in the captcha.
charlie brooker says:
Good job I didn’t mention the dirty knife.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdzqTGmEcZE
Rental John says:
Great cartoon you spotted quiet guy…..sums things up spot on…..
The Times article is by ‘Lord Jeffery Archer’….enough said!!!!
drewster says:
Thanks for the feedback guys, especially Titanic Captain!
Quiet Guy – thanks for the link, will look into it some more.