US/UK EMPIRE BUILDING,THE NEOLIBERAL AGENDA ,IRAQ AND ''DISCOVERING BUSINESS 2012'' http://www.ameinfo.com/281931.html   MerchantBridge, the international private equity group with diverse investment interests operating from Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom, presents 'The New Iraq - Discovering Business 2012'. 

Mr. Eric le Blan, MerchantBridge Group Acting Chief Executive Officer, said today: "We believe in long term investment opportunities in Iraq, which are offering attractive double digit returns.Laura Curtis, Founder and Managing Director of Allurentis, concluded: "We are delighted to present 'The New Iraq - Discovering Business 2012', which is now established as the leading guide to doing business in Iraq. Our continued relationships with organisations and authorities such as MerchantBridge make the production of this guide possible".Robin Ord-Smith, MVO, Director of UK Trade and Investment added: "British companies' interest in the opportunities in Iraq has shown a sharp increase in recent months. Many have long understood the underlying, fundamental potential of a country with a large population and enormous hydrocarbon reserves.

[SOME BACKROUND INTO MERCHANTBRIDGE... "Digging a little deeper, however, reveals powerful ties between the Iraq Foundation and the neo-liberal agenda. The two founders of the Iraq Foundation are merchant bankers and currency traders. One of these individuals, Basil Al Rahim, heads MerchantBridge, one of the most high profile investment banking groups in the Middle East. MerchantBridge was the first private equity fund to focus on the Middle East and in 2004 was appointed by the Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Materials to advise on the leasing of state owned firms to the private sector. (http://www.mbih.com)""Al Rahim’s co-founder of the Iraq Foundation and its current Executive Director is another merchant banker, Rend Rahim Francke. Following the US occupation of Iraq, Francke was appointed by the Iraqi Governing Council as its representative in Washington D.C. In 2004, she was a guest of Laura Bush in the First Lady's Box at the State of the Union address.""The connections between the Iraq Foundation and US empire building, however, go far beyond the activities of Basil Rahim and Rend Francke. The Iraq Foundation is a founding member of the Iraq-America Freedom Alliance, which, according to its manifesto, “…will provide Americans with a fuller picture of Iraq by giving voice to Iraqis who are grateful for their newfound freedom and working to secure democracy in their country.”" [6]

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[Eric Le Blan is Acting CEO and Chief Operating Officer at MerchantBridge. Eric spent 15 years at S.G. Warburg & Co. Ltd working as a Government Adviser and Joint Head of Swaps and Options and seven years at Saudi International Bank where he contributed to the development of the capital markets in Saudi Arabia. http://www.terrapinn.com/2011/private-equity-world-mena/SPK-mr-eric-LEBLAN.stm In addition to his investment banking and advisory roles, Eric is a founder and CEO of a GCC-wide financial information Internet-based company.

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Eric Le Blan took over after the suspicious death of Al Rahim who died,in a plane crash!!! 

Basil Al Rahim“It is with deep regret that the Committee has learned of the death in an airplane accident of Mr Basil Al-Rahim, founder and Chief Executive of MerchantBridge. Mr Al-Rahim was a good friend and a most generous supporter of the Society. With his enthusiasm for developing closer relations between Britain and Iraq and his sound practical advice he was a great source of inspiration to the Society. He will be fondly missed by all his friends”.   http://www.britishiraqi.co.uk/basil-al-rahim/  ---------------------------------------------------- This morning saw the launch of a major new guide to business in Iraq: Entitled “The New Iraq: 2012 Discovering Business“, it was launched simultaneously in Dubai and at the “Iraq: Untapped Opportunities” conference in London.Published by Allurentis, in association with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), the guide containes a wealth of case studies, commentary and data; it’s 140 pages of essential reading for everyone involved with the redevelopment of Iraq http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/tag/the-new-iraq-2012-discovering-business/ (FOR MY OWN RESEARCH PURPOSES,IM BEHIND SCHEDULE ALREADY ILL COME BACK TO THIS LATER AND LOOK FOR TIES TO THESE GROUPS AND SIMILAR VENTURES THEY MAY HAVE TO ISRAEL AS WELL)