The Anglo-American invasion of Iraq has already provided rich lessons in unintended consequences, or "blowback," from foreign involvement in the country's affairs. The Iraqi oil industry may be about to provide another.

The US has in recent months been exerting intense pressure on the Iraqi government to pass oil legislation swiftly which, it hopes, will set a framework for the revival of the industry, including opening it up to foreign investment and dividing oil revenues fairly between Iraq's different ethnic and religious groups.

Passage of this law has been defined by Washington as a key benchmark of progress in Iraq. The theory is that it will help reconcile the country's warring factions. The US administration ideally wants passage of the oil law in time for General Petraeus's progress report to congress in September on the accomplishments of the US's Iraq strategy.

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