There may be the equivalent of 45 billion barrels of oil under Kurdish land . U.S. opposes sales as a destabilizing factor . Comment: The Kurds had been oppressed by Iraq 's Saddam Hussein government , but the area has avoided much of the country 's warfare since Hussein 's overthrow in 2003 . Iraq is `` falling apart , '' the region 's President says .
There may be the equivalent of 45 billion barrels of oil under Kurdish land . U.S. opposes sales as a destabilizing factor . Comment: Iraq is `` falling apart , '' the region 's President says .