Benchmark Boogie: A Guide to the Struggle Over Iraq's Oil

[babylonsister]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/24674

Benchmark Boogie: A Guide to the Struggle Over Iraq's Oil
Submitted by davidswanson on Sat, 2007-07-14 15:13. Media

By Antonia Juhasz, AlterNet
http://www.alternet.org/story/56672

What does a war for oil look like? American troops going into battle with tanks waving "Exxon Mobil" and "Chevron" flags right behind? Are the flags then planted squarely in the ground and the oil beneath officially declared war bounty? Well, some members of the Bush administration and U.S. oil companies may have favored such an approach. But the device ultimately chosen to win this war for oil is only slightly more subtle: a law, to be passed by the Iraqis themselves, which would turn Iraq's oil over to foreign oil companies.

The president's benchmark

The U.S. State Department Iraq Study Group began laying the foundations for the new law prior to the invasion of Iraq. Its recommendations, released only after the invasion, were quickly enshrined in a draft oil law introduced to the interim Iraqi government by the U.S.-appointed interim prime minister of Iraq, Ayad Allawi (a former CIA operative).

The Bush administration has spent four years trying to force successive Iraqi governments to pass the law, referred to as either the "hydrocarbons" or "oil" law. While it has gone through several permutations, the basics have remained the same and have followed the original prescriptions set out by the State Department.

The law would change Iraq's oil system from a nationalized model -- all but closed to U.S. oil companies -- to a privatized model open to foreign corporate control. At least two-thirds of Iraq's oil would be open to foreign oil companies under terms that they usually only dream about, including 30-year-long contracts. (For details of the law, see my March 2007 New York Times Op-Ed, "Whose Oil Is It, Anyway?")

snip//

The debate in the U.S. Congress has finally shifted from "whether" to "how" to end the U.S. invasion of Iraq. But the devil may yet be in the details. We must be vigilant and demand not only that the occupation end, but as the details of withdrawal are worked out, that the requirement that Iraqis change their oil system is taken off of the table.

Reflecting the widespread opposition to the oil law among not only Iraq's people in general, but Iraq's oil workers in particular, Faleh Abood Umara, general secretary of the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions, explained, "We reject this kind of agreement absolutely. The law will rob Iraq of its main resource -- its oil. It will undermine the sovereignty of Iraq and our people."

[LibertyorDeath]

1. Thanks

Rec!

[reprobate]

2. Ya gotta have some pity for poor George. He just can't seem to do anything right.

Here his backers go to all the trouble of rigging elections, bribing the Supreme Court, etc. to put him in power for just one thing......get the Iraqi oil.

The poor shlub can't even do that successfully. Even after they put Cheney in charge to pull his strings.

Some have claimed that he is cunning and politically adept. To me he's just stunningly incompetent.

[babylonsister]

3. Yowza, I can't seem to stir up any pity, but you're right. Complete

and total failure is the prez.

[irislake]

4. I hope you're right

I have a horrible feeling they may just succeed in getting that Iraqi oil. Hmmmm I wonder if CNN knows about this. I'm sure if they did they would most indignant. Eh?

[libodem]

5. It's more and more transparent

That all they ever wanted, was the oil. This Democracy for the middle-east has nothing to do with the real plans. Its just rhetoric designed to distract Americans from our real purpose. Although the 26% still backing Bush would be fine with beating the hell out of Iraq for it's oil. They know and don't care. Thanks for another great article Babylonsister. You do a great job with your selections and I appreciate what you bring to the DU, table. Someday i'll figure out this cutting and pasting business. :)