The exposure of crookery surrounding Iraq’s tax revenues has rattled rulers, past and present

Spurred by a recent exposé in The Economist’s sister publication, 1843, of the theft of $2.5bn of state funds, the Iraqi authorities have called on America, Britain and Interpol to help arrest and extradite suspects who have sought refuge abroad. Four senior men in Iraq’s previous government under Mustafa al-Kadhimi are wanted. An investigation had been launched by his government last year, but then the case was largely left to languish, despite promises of action by Muhammad al-Sudani, his successor as prime minister.

Responsibility for further action seems to have been shunted onto Western and Middle Eastern governments. The accused quartet—a former finance minister, an intelligence chief, a senior adviser and a private secretary to Mr Kadhimi—have been living in Dubai, London and Washington. They strenuously deny the accusations, which they say are politically motivated...More