Basra amidst violence may see major push by previously ineffective Iraqi troops…

Plus:
*Doubts linger in Big Oil’s mind over signing time for new deals
*Top energy adviser to Maliki assures the terms are good enough
*Iraq cuts Basra crude price to European buyers
*KBR finishes Persian Gulf platform work
*Much more…

Basra is the key to Iraq — a major city and source of oil, plus where most of trade in and out of the country flows. It’s ports need major work to be modernized as strong storms keep out oil tankers, for example (though the ministry of transportation could all…