The Monocle Daily Has Iraq joined the war against the US and Israel?
13 snips
Mar 25, 2026 
Sir William Patey, a seasoned former British ambassador with deep Middle East expertise, and Nina Dos Santos, an experienced international broadcaster turned communications analyst, discuss Iraq's rare double-summoning of US and Iranian envoys. They cover proxy activity and civilian harm, oil export disruptions and economic fallout, Kurdish limits on retaliation, and wider geopolitical moves by Hungary, Taiwan and changing holiday habits.
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Patey Narrowly Avoided Travel Disruption
- Sir William Patey missed being stuck in Doha by 24 hours before regional hostilities began.
- He returned via Hong Kong and Doha, noting he narrowly avoided travel disruption after the attack started.
Iraq Stuck Between US And Iranian Pressures
- Iraq is caught between US and Iranian influence, making it hard to stay neutral amid Gulf hostilities.
- Sir William Patey highlights US targets, Iranian proxies inside Iraq, and proxies in government that pull Baghdad both ways.
Iraq's Budget Relies On Gulf Oil Exports
- Iraq's economy is highly oil-dependent and export disruptions quickly cripple government revenues.
- Nina dos Santos notes northern pipeline exports via Kurdistan cover only about 7% of previous oil exports, insufficient for the budget.