(May 5, 2003) The swift demise of Saddam Hussein’s government was cause for jubilation at financial institutions that hold Iraqi debt. After trading at less than 10 cents on the dollar before the war, it soared to 25 cents as the outcome became assured.

(May 4, 2003) Iraq cannot be expected to start repaying its massive debts this year or next, and may need to be treated like other post-conflict countries which have received major debt write-offs says John Taylor,Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs.

(May 2, 2003) Indeed, the doctrine of "odious debt," which dates back to the aftermath of the Spanish-American War of 1898, could be applied in the case of Iraq.

(May 1, 2003) If those who lend money to dictators or authoritarian leaders were threatened systematically by debt repudiation, the project of worldwide democratisation and pacification would be much quicker.

(April 30, 2003) Does the next Iraqi government really have an obligation to negotiate its way out of this mess? Perhaps not, according to a doctrine known as "odious debt."

(April 29, 2003) The idea to declare the hundreds of billions of dollars owed to foreign creditors as "odious debt" is being promoted by some conservatives in the Bush administration.

(April 29, 2003) Russia’s finance minister said that Moscow may be willing to consider a restructuring of Iraqi debts contracted by Saddam Hussein’s regime but stressed that the government opposed a complete write-off.

(April 29, 2003) If a country’s debt burden is exceptionally high, it is possible to declare what Americans call Chapter XI bankruptcy. Another is the old concept of odious debt that says that states should not be bound to repay odious debts run up by repressive regimes.

(April 28, 2003) The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) suggested Monday that the most likely result of negotiations on Iraq’s massive foreign debts will be a substantial write-off.

(April 27, 2003) Should Iraq become the first country to benefit from the doctrine of "odious debt"? Edmin Truman says "No" and gives four reasons for his decision.

(April 23, 2003) The best thing the French could do for the new Iraq would be to forgive its people their odious debts to French companies.