The Federal Treasury of the Russian Federation has compiled the data for total taxes and revenues for the consolidated federal and regional budgets for 2006. The data show that the 13% flat tax on personal income continues to achieve very positive results.

The United States, with support from the United Kingdom, invaded Iraq on March 19, 2003. The forces of Saddam Hussein were routed in a brilliant military campaign that lasted three short weeks. Toppling Saddam’s statue in central Baghdad, followed by President Bush’s talking about the “end of major combat operations when he landed on the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln on May 1, 2003, laid the foundation for a new Iraq, hopefully democratic, pro-Western, and an ally against al-Qaeda and other radical Islamic forces in the Middle East.

Who would imagine international bankers running a natural experiment for us, free of charge? And yet, they did, in the mid-2000s in China and Russia.

It's economic policy. The new Iraqi government will be well positioned to implement it. Replace food rations with prepaid debit cards.