Posted on 01/20/2008 3:38:45 AM PST by Caipirabob
Iraqis received a rare piece of good news this week, when the International Monetary Fund predicted that the country would see an overall growth rate of 7 percent in the coming year.
The country will benefit from oil prices reaching record highs and the forecast that Iraq's own oil production would go up by 200,000 barrels a day, to a daily output of 2.2 million barrels, the IMF predicted.
The optimism is visible everywhere on the streets of Baghdad. The shops are full of produce and electronics and clothes and dry goods. People are out with their families, and they have a little money to spend.
"There's a big difference from last year," says Ali Shayal, who owns a men's clothing store in the up-market district of Corrada. "There's much more demand now from our customers."
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
It’s all Bush’s fault!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.