U.S. Sees a Vital Iraqi Toll Road, but Iran Sees a Threat
Tigris LEBANON SYRIA Syrian Desert Euphrates Baghdad Damascus 1 ANBAR PROVINCE 40 Amman JORDAN IRAQ Jerusalem 100 Miles SAUDI ARABIA
ISRAEL LEBANON SYRIA Baghdad Syrian Desert IRAQ 1 ISRAEL ANBAR PROVINCE 40 Amman 100 Miles SAUDI ARABIA JORDAN MAY 21, 2017
A prominent Shiite leader and former lawmaker here, Izzat Shahbander, has become a leading voice of opposition to the highway project.
economic lifeline." In prosperous and safe times, the highway from Baghdad to Amman was an important conduit of commerce — with close to 1,500 trucks moving back and forth each day, accounting for about $1 billion in trade per month, Mr. Ronnow said.
that We hope the Iraqi people and the Jordanian people will see this for what it is — an
As part of an American effort to promote economic development in Iraq
and secure influence in the country after the fight against the Islamic State subsides, the American government has helped broker a deal between Iraq and Olive Group, a private security company, to establish and secure the country’s first toll highway.
And there is talk of eventually setting up three other toll highways in Iraq
that would also be managed by American companies: from the Saudi Arabia border, through Karbala to Baghdad; from the port city of Basra to Baghdad; and from the Syrian border to Baghdad.
"There is big hope that this project will benefit the province in two important ways, security
and economically." Falih Hassan and Omar Al-Jawoshy contributed reporting from Baghdad, and an employee of The New York Times contributed from Anbar Province, Iraq.