the word "irational" to describe Iraq politics is being too politically correct. This is all about one group of people trying to dominate another at any cost. The Kurds endured years of suppression under the Sunnis and now the Iranian stooge government wants to take their turn. As for time being on the investor's side, my experience is the opposite. Investors will die by a thousand cuts as the years roll on. We just need to look at the present situation to realize that, last year it looked like the oil and gas law would be resolved, now we have a situation where oil is being stolen from the Kurds and their contractors by a government that is willing to risk revolt just so they can have complete control. We as investors, are further from our goals now than we were last year even though the WZR has made a great deal of progress in the field. The Kurds knew it would come to this, they have plenty of experience with authoritarian rule so they must have a greater plan - their own homeland and they are using their oil to acheive it. It looks to me like the authoritarians in Bagdad are blowing it at this point but the outcome is far from guaranteed. The Kurds will likely try to use Turkey as an ally as that country has a lot to benefit from being tied to Kurdistan economically and politically. my opinion