Reply #3: Iraq oil output hits a new high (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

Oil production in Iraq has hit its highest level since former leader Saddam Hussein was ousted in 2003.

Production has risen to 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) from a steady 2 million bpd during the US-led invasion, Iraq's new oil minister said.
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Before the war, output was around 3 million bpd, peaking at a record of 3.5 million bpd.

During an interview with CNN, Mr Shahristani said that Iraq's target now was to challenge Saudi Arabia's position as the world's leading oil producer.

To that end the oil minister said he expected output to rise to approximately 4m barrels per day by 2010, increasing to 6m bpd by 2012.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5117170.stm

Iiiiiinteresting ... our good chums, the Saudis, are now going to be surpassed by our supposedly compliant, hand-picked chums in Iraq ? Now who could benefit from that? (No credit for answering "freedom-lovers everywhere".)


/edited for sentence construction