Alghadeer TV Alghadeer TV
Iraqi President Barham Saleh hopes his country would be able to recover $150 billion in oil money that he claims have been smuggled out of the country since the US invasions of 2003.
According to reports, his comments came as he introduced a draft law to the Iraqi parliament meant to fight endemic corruption, an issue which has caused widespread public concerns and protests in the West Asian country in recent years.
“Of the close to a trillion dollars made from oil since 2003, an estimated $150 billion of stolen money has been smuggled out of Iraq,” Saleh was quoted as saying by The New Arab as he insisted that Iraq would need the help of the international community to recover the funds.
He said corruption is closely intertwined with terrorism and violence in Iraq as he insisted many militant groups have been funded in recent years through the oil money that has been stolen from Iraq since the US invasion.
