The Iraqi government has come a long way since the overthrow of Saddam back in 2003. Sadly, there is a long way to go before Iraq and the infrastructure is back to what it was before U.S. invasion. I have been following progress since 2003 and have been an investor in Iraq ever since. Given the current economic collapse worldwide, what has gotten the attention of the investment world is the stability of the Iraqi Dinar over the past six years.
As one of the main goals announced early on, Iraq has accomplished the stability of currency concerns, as well as they have managed to control inflation which was also a goal set by Iraqi leaders. We only hear about the negatives in Iraq, terrorist attacks, sectarian killing, no electricity or adequate fuel for vehicles or generators to power homes and businesses. It appears only the negative news was reported by the major media outlets given the liberal slant well known by everyone given the press loved attacking the Bush administration.
Politics as usual, both here in the U.S. as well as in Iraq. Politics is the same throughout the world, and given the U.S. is forcing democracy upon Iraq, it only reasons that the same dirty politics and party divisions would be adopted as well by the Iraqi Parliament. All the delays we have witnessed are all caused by the sectarian divide between Shiite’s, Sunni’s and Kurd’s which represent the main powers in Iraq. Given the hatred between the sectarian parties, similar to the hatred between the democrats and republicans, no wonder no one can agree on important issues in Iraq.
What we see now after six years is progress towards partial agreement between parties, not nearly what would be hoped given the wealth of Iraq, and the need to help its citizens which are mostly poor people who are desperate for change. If this sectarian divide did not exist, Iraq would be well on its way to being the wealthiest middle east country by now. Sadly, these parties have wasted years fighting over who gets what with regards to oil proceeds. Even after parties agreed to share equally, it was not enough for some.
With elections scheduled for January 2010, there was even a delay on the election law which was held up for months leading up to the second most important election in Iraq. Will it go off as planned, it finally looks like it is passed, and this is one of the last issues that needed to be resolved before any hope of a revaluation or restoration of the dinars value.
For those who have already invested in the Iraqi Dinar from the start, they have already seen over 50% return on investment, but if you are like most who follow this closely, 50% is a pittance to what the potential will be if you can just remain patient. With stock market collapse, markets rising and falling daily, housing collapse, banking collapse, we have seen it all over the past year, so considering the small amount needed for a potential retirement windfall, everyone should be researching the Iraqi Dinar for their retirement plan.
As we approach the end of the year with election law now passed, much of Iraq’s former debt forgiven, oil law passed and major companies lining up for oil contracts, I know from my contacts that Iraq has the largest oil reserves in the world. They have not been confirmed yet, but when they are, which will be early next year given the recent progress, there is no way the Iraqi Dinar will remain at these artificially low rates. With much of the infrastructure in oil and electricity still far from complete, Iraq will need to purchase billions from outside of Iraq, and it will not happen with an artificially depressed current value of the dinar. It must be revalued before these major expenditures begin, so I predict it will happen early next year, perhaps even before the elections given politics as usual of paying for votes. Maliki in not assured the election given so little has been done for the poor voters, so just like in U.S. politics, you can buy an election, so Maliki just may push an interim revaluation awaiting full revaluation when GCC is enacted in middle east with new universal currency. Either way, all it takes is patience.
With current Iraqi Dinar being stable at 1170 for over a year while all other currencies have been fluctuating up and down, mostly down, as with the U.S. dollar now at lowest exchange rates in decades, you cannot ignore the fact the Iraqi Dinar has been rock solid throughout the economic meltdown of banking in U.S. With major press on MSNBC and Erin Burnett and Jim Cramer talking about it for the first time, the secret is out, there are few other investments which could come close the the ultimate potential of the Iraqi Dinar. Of course, never invest what you cannot afford to lose, but if you do decide not to invest in the Iraqi Dinar, just never look back or you may regret it for the rest of your life.
