Northern Iraqi oil pipeline hit by bombs; oil flow cut 80 pct (11/29/04)

[maddezmom]

~snip~
'Two explosive devices hit this pipeline, the first one at around 8:40 am (0540 GMT) and the second ten minutes later, reducing the flow of oil by 80 pct,' he said.

These refineries provide power to large swathes of northern and central Iraq, but the engineer was not able to say for how long the flow would be disrupted or whether it would affect power supply in the region.

A nearby pipeline, linking Baiji refinery to northern oil fields, was hit on Nov 25, despite the recent deployment of a 2,000-strong Iraqi security force to protect oil infrastructure.

more: http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/041129/323/f7igv.html

[maddezmom]

1. Baiji is home to Iraq's 2 major power plants

~snip~

McClelland’s troops are working to restore some semblance of normalcy to the strategic city, which is home to Iraq’s largest oil-refinery and two major power plants that together generate about one-third of the country’s meager power supply.

First Lt. Mark Dilts, 31, is supervising a 22-member team of Ohio National Guardsmen from the 216th Engineer Battalion that is building a gravel bypass road around the bombed-out bridge. His soldiers and 10 pieces of heavy equipment have worked sunup to sundown each day, spreading rock and constructing a new railroad crossing while Task Force 1-7 soldiers guard them from attack.

“It’s almost a mile of road that we’ve built,” Dilts said.

The road, which Dilts hopes to have open in a few days, would let trucks bypass the city again and would allow McClelland to reopen Bayji’s main road to traffic.

more: http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=25748

[llmart]

2. Aren't the Iraqis soooo much better off......

with that ole' bad man Saddam gone and the US running things?

This is why the so-called "insurgents" are killing and maiming us - they want us out of their country before it's completely demolished.

[Igel]

6. Makes you wonder ...

European partisans bombed military targets, military trains, military bases. They didn't target civilians or civilian infrastructure.

When the US kills civilians by bombing markets is a war crime. When the US takes out the electrical grid and water facilities without a damned good reason ... war crime.

Iraqi freedom fighters bomb markets. They take out the power grid and water supplies.

US forces engage in collective punishment ... war crime.

Iraqi freedom fighters bomb "crusader" churches and Xtian establishments, and there's a murmur of disapproval ... but they're freedom fighters.

Being oppressed does *not* mean freedom to engage in war crimes. The end does *not* justify the means.

[llmart]

9. The starting of this war in Iraq is a war crime......

that's where it all began. And the administration "takes out" the Iraqi infrastructure for one reason only - so that they can rebuild it and give the contracts to Cheney's buddies.

[daleo]

11. European partisans targeted civilian infrastructure many times

Offhand I can think of:
- sinking of the Norwegian ferry that was carrying heavy water.
- assisting allied aircrew who had bombed civilian infrastructure, including railroads, ports, etc.
- sabotaging railroads, highways, ports
- flooding in Netherlands
- etc.

[420inTN]

13. And who do you think destroyed the pipeline? n/t

[hatrack]

3. Oh my GOD! They're attacking PIPELINES!!!

Is their no end to their fiendish unpredictability? :eyes:

[maddezmom]

4. the Iraqi's lose 1/3 of electricity output

it's not just the OIL

[hatrack]

5. Yes, but the Fox News consultant said that everything was fine`

Had to take my car into the dealer this morning. Of course, Fox was on in the waiting room, and a confident talking head consultant issued his blanket statement that the elections will go according to plan, and that everything's Archie in Iraq.

Then, of course, came breathless excitement as the anchor panty-puddled over the wondrous sales figures and the "charging bulls" on Wall Street (Dow up about 17, FYI) before grudgingly conceding that Wal-Mart had cut its projections by more tha half.

I don't understand this place anymore.

[Ripley]

7. Versions.

I don't understand this place anymore.

I use multiple versions of that statement on a daily basis now.

"I don't understand what planet I am on anymore."

"I must be having a Rip Van Winkle nightmare."

"Who the fuck are these people!!!"

Know what you mean.

[donsu]

10. one of today's papers has article saying oil is flowing grandly in Iraq

and the pipeline bombings are just a nuisance, which is an out and out lie

(don't remember which paper)

[durablend]

8. Direct orders from the WH...

"Oil prices falling...must be propped back up!"

[napi21]

12. Was this before or after the announcement that Iraqi oil was flowing

at 80% to 90% today? I heard this announcement on one of the news chanels today. Maybe the news crew should hesitate a bit before announcing this good stuff.

I am very sorry that this is happening in Iraq. Not because it's hurting Shrub, but because it's hurting the people there. It seems more and more likely that there can never be a win in that country.