Saturday’s Surge

How concerned are you about the drop in oil prices, as oil provides nearly all the government's revenue?
This is a very big challenge. We revised the budget three times because of this. It's a huge change, which will affect the main investment projects, not of the private investors, but for the ministries. No question.

What will that mean for the government?
Regardless of the crisis of oil and the change of prices, whatever the government can raise will not be enough to cover all the services. It means, at the end of the day, the necessity for private investment.

Are you worried the world's focus will turn away from Iraq to Afghanistan?
[Laughs] No. Iraq is a very important country in the region with focus or without focus. We are not just a spot in the desert.

Your predecessor in this job was badly wounded by a bomb. Are you concerned for your own security?
Building a country, you need to face challenges. Risk is everywhere, on the road, in civilian work, political work, everywhere. There were risks when I was a doctor. So I am not thinking about that because I have a very big objective to change the situation for my people.

Your party is made mostly of people who never left Iraq, right?
Completely, not mostly. One hundred percent.

If you win, could that prompt others, who stayed through Saddam but then left after 2003, to return? They'll see it's not just former exiles in power?
At the least, it will be a signal to encourage them.

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