to conspiracy theory cranks.
First, a definiton: a crank is someone who develops a theory about something without bothering to study it first. You could look it up. Of course the cranks won't bother.
For you non-cranks, it goes like this. Iraq needs to have capital. This is can get by selling oil (which it will do), it can borrow or it can sell ownership in its businesses to foreign investors. The latter source of capital has many advantages. An easy way to understand the advantages is Mexico (until the peso crisis of 1995 (?)) borrowed money and so did Argentina until its recent belly-flop. In contrast, the Big Three auto makers invested in ownership of Canadian auto plants, so they have stuck around more than global bond holders would have.
Ownership of Iraqi (or Canadian, or Mexican or US businesses by foreign investors is call direct foreign investment - DFI).
Like the wee guy in Ali McBeal used to say, "say it with me" - "DFI is good, foreogn borrowing is less good and lack of capital to invest is very, very bad".
Surrender, anti foreign investment cranks.
