This Is How America Will Get Out Of Iraq

What we’re most likely to see as anti-US and anti-Iranian protests continue to consume Iraq is a compromise that allows U.S. influence to remain under the guise of NATO, or a compromise that allows the U.S. to withdraw while appearing not to have--whichever way you wish to interpret it. 

Already, the groundwork is being laid for a NATO role that would in some way replace the existing U.S. role in Iraq, leaving a NATO force to deal with ISIS and serve as a counter to Iranian influence. 

This is largely a capitulation to Iran, which is enjoying another victory on Iraqi soil in the aftermath of the withdrawal of Shia “nationalist” cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and his supporters from the mass protests. 

It is unclear how al-Sadr’s withdrawal of support for the protests will affect a movement comprised of many who on one hand welcomed the extra support (which also meant a degree of protection from pro-Iranian militias) and on the other hand, wished for the protests to remain outside the realm of party politics. 

While there is no sign that protests are breaking up with the withdrawal of al-Sadr--and indeed, protests have intensified this week--the result is a crackdown by pro-Iranian militia forces who now feel more freedom to attack protesters. 

While the key oil-rich province of Basra is feeling the heat of protests that have succeeded in intermittently disrupting oilfields, production remains on track. In Kirkuk, the threat is a different one, with ISIS sleeper cells resurfacing in the chaos and launching sporadic attacks. On Wednesday, Kurdish sources said ISIS remnants killed at least two soldiers in an attack at an Iraqi army outpost on the outskirts of the city. 

The US may more or less withdraw and cede to NATO in Iraq. Iran may lose its footing. But China is always there with its soft power to pick up the pieces while everyone is paying attention to low-level physical attacks. Iraq is a huge lynchpin in China’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ project. China already runs several oil fields in Basra, and in September, it signed a huge oil-for-projects deal with Iraq. Now, it’s planning to build an oil refinery in the northern Kurdistan region that includes a massive rail network stretching all the way to Basra is the far south. 

In the end, China wins this game with soft power that unites north and south. 

Futuristic City Gets World-First Renewable Tech  

The Saudi crown prince is hell bent on global firsts, especially when it comes to his massively ambitious mega-city, Neom--the key to his legacy.

As part of its green push, Saudi Arabia is making headway in a new renewable tech that will desalinate saltwater in its brand new $500 billion mega-city. The water will be desalinated using the world’s first solar dome plants, which will not only create less brine than traditional reverse osmosis technology, but also will create zero carbon emissions. The cherry on the top of the salt cake is that Saudi Arabia says the domes will process saltwater at a lower cost.

Construction of the solar domes will begin in February and is expected to be completed already this year, through collaboration with UK-based Solar Water Plc. Neom’s construction phases are set to be revealed within the next two months.

The progress is part of MBS’ push to diversify the Kingdom’s economy away from its oil dependence, although skeptics of Neom’s viability abound. In that same vein, the first hydrogen from Air Liquide Arabia’s (ALAR) pumping station in the Red Sea city of Yanbu has come online and will be piped to Saudi Aramco’s refinery in another move away from oil. The hydrogen gas is going through ALAR’s $400M Red Sea pipeline network.