Iraqi Oil

Though--sadly and stupidly--this will appease all the "No Blood for Oil" bumper sticker crowd, Iraq has opened up to foreign oil companies in what is certainly an important step for the nation. Granted, this is the opposite of what other Gulf Stats, notably Saudi with Aramco, have done, but I think it is the best, fastest and most productive way to develop the fields. Iraq does not have the 5 decades and stable rule most of the other Arabian oil states had to develop their fields. That said, many of them are still well behind the majors in terms of production technology (why invest in technology when you have the worlds largest oil fields sitting under your lawn).

The move will also greatly benefit Iraq as a democratic state (which there are actually strong signs it could survive as, albeit with Kurdistan separate), as it has been repeatedly proven that wealth is the best guarantor of democracy.