Adding fuel to Iraq’s fire

Iraq’s oil minister losing his job is just one symptom of an industry plagued by underproduction, insurgent attacks, skyrocketing fuel costs and labor problems at refineries.

The outgoing Iraqi government placed Minister for Oil Ibrahim Bahr al-Ulum on mandatory administrative leave after he publicly criticized Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari’s administration for implementing a plan to increase the cost of cooking fuel and gasoline to domestic consumers more than fivefold.

Asia Times