In a July 1 article titled "Anxious Oil Giants Pass on Iraq", The Washington Post noted that the U.S. withdrawal from Iraqi cities coincides with the auctioning of the country's oil to foreign companies in order to facilitate an increase in production. The article states, "In recent days, several Iraqi lawmakers and some veterans of its oil sector criticized the service contracts as giveaways to Big Oil. For Maliki, the controversy became a political liability just as he was proudly proclaiming Iraq to be sovereign. Awkwardly, the auction coincided with a national holiday declared to mark that sovereignty."

While the withdrawal of (most) U.S. troops from Iraqi cities can be considered a step on the path to national sovereignty, Iraq's economic independence should be considered an essential prerequisite. Accordingly, President Obama's Ambassador to Iraq and the Congressional committees charged with oversight of U.S. foreign policy should exercise an active role in balancing U.S. energy interests in Iraq with respect for its sovereignty. These officials owe it to our troops, their families and the Iraqi people to ensure as best they can a harmony of interests between the United States and Iraq.