Oil Over but the Shoutin'

[Joanne98]

(edited for copyright purposes-proud patriot moderator democratic underground)


Oil Over but the Shoutin'
By Michael Weiss
Posted Friday, Sept. 14, 2007, at 5:50 PM ET
http://www.slate.com/id/2174011/

Cyberspace judges the all-but-kaput Iraqi oil law as the final indicator that political reconciliation in Iraq is impossible. Also, there's the usual wrap-up of the president's Still Surgin' speech, and not as much giddiness about a Led Zeppelin reunion as you might think.

Oil Over but the Shoutin': Once cited as a major benchmark for political compromise, Iraq's drafted "oil law," which would have controlled the management of the nation's oil fields and determined revenue-sharing, appears doomed. Problems arose between Iraqi Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani and the Kurdistan Regional Government, which has already begun selling oil exploration contracts to Western companies.

Kyle E. Moore at lefty blog Comments From Left Field says the not-so-invisible hand of U.S. privatization is behind the stalled legislation: "In truth, this is a classic example of setting the Iraqis up for failure. At a time when political reconciliation is absolutely, positively the single most important thing in regards to fixing Iraq, we are balancing that reconciliation on a highly divisive bill that undermines our own position by tipping our hand on 'why we're really there.' "

"Once an oil law is in place, contracts will be on firmer ground, Iraq can collect more revenue, and it will be clear how that revenue is to be distributed to the various provinces. Money flowing to the regions, in turn, could help bolster provincial governments, and give people a stake in the continued functioning of the central government," writes liberal hilzoy at Obsidian Wings. "But it takes actual cooperation to produce, enact, and sign off on that sort of legislation, and cooperation has always been in short supply. If, for some unfathomable reason, we needed more evidence that the Iraqi political process is dysfunctional, we just got it."

Read more about the dying oil law.
http://www.slate.com/id/2174011/

The Shock Doctrine
http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine/short-film