Rumsfeld - It would be a crime to damage the oil fields

[DoYouEverWonder]

too bad he wasn't as concerned about protecting the Iraqi weapons sites.


U.S.-LED COALITION WORKS TO PROTECT IRAQ'S OIL WELLS

March 26, 2003

U.S. and British troops are moving quickly to extinguish fires at a number of Iraqi oil wells and prevent the destruction by Iraqi troops of strategic oil fields that will be vitally important in ensuring Iraq's future economic recovery and prosperity.

"United Kingdom and American marine forces are in the southern oil fields as we speak protecting (the) Iraqis' future," U.S. Army General Tommy Franks said at a March 24 briefing in Doha, Qatar.

<snip>

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said after coalition forces "saved the southern oil fields for the Iraqi people," firefighters working to extinguish fires have uncovered evidence of Saddam Hussein's efforts to sabotage the oil installations.

<snip>

In light of the past eco-terrorism of the Iraqi regime and the importance of oil resources in assuring a viable economic future for Iraq, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld cautioned Iraqi troops on March 20 not to sabotage oil wells.

"Do not follow orders to destroy your country's oil, which is the Iraqi people's. They will need it to rebuild their country when that (Saddam Hussein's) regime is gone," he said. Rumsfeld added, "following such orders would be to commit crimes against the Iraqi people. ... Those who follow orders to commit such crimes will be found and they will be punished."

[oldhat]

1. Yup.

"Those who follow orders to commit such crimes will be found and they will be punished."

[burrowowl]

2. Oh my!

Oh dear, a shame that the oil fields might go to pot!
High Explosives, Iraqi culture, nuke research stuff, etc. can disappear, civilians and our soldiers slaughtered and maimed, but oh my goodness gracious me: "Do not follow orders to destroy your country's oil, which is the Iraqi people's...." The Iraqi people's?????? Since when is Haliburon the Iraqi People?!

[sphincter]

3. What ?!

Protecting who's future ?!?!

[DoYouEverWonder]

4. US Special Ops forces assigned to prevent torching of wells

March 21, 2003

Most ominously, about 14 hr. after the Baghdad raid, Rumsfeld reported that Iraqis had set "at least four" oil wells ablaze just north of the Kuwait border. Kuwaiti national guardsmen said the number was at least 15 and that the smoke was casting a dark pall over Kuwait City.

Rumsfeld called it a "crime for the regime" to destroy Iraq's source of future riches and warned that those who destroy dams, villages or oil reserves will "forfeit leniency" when their acts are judged in post-war Iraq. U.S. special operations forces had been assigned to help prevent torching of the wells, and at least one MH-53 crashed in southern Iraq while inserting a team. The team and crew were recovered and the helicopter was destroyed by Navy F-14s.


http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/channel_awst_story.jsp?id=news/0321gulf.xml

[Fridays Child]

5. I wonder if Rumsfeld snuggles up with a head grinder, every night.

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. Rumsfeld - Iraqis who destroy oil, will be prosecuted for war crimes

Looks like Rummy was really on about protecting Iraq oil during the invasion. Too bad he didn't feel that strongly about protecting the weapon storage sites?


March 20, 2003


If Saddam Hussein or his generals issue orders to use weapons of mass destruction, whether on coalition forces, free-Iraqi forces, neighboring countries or innocent Iraqi civilians, as they have done before, those orders should not be followed. Do not follow orders to destroy dams or flood villages. Do not follow orders to destroy your country's oil, which is the Iraqi people's, and they will need it to rebuild their country when that regime is gone.

RUMSFELD: Following such orders would be to commit crimes against the Iraqi people. See those orders for what they are, the last desperate gasp of a dying regime.

Those who follow orders to commit such crimes will be found and they will be punished. War crimes will be prosecuted. And it will be no excuse to say, "I was just following orders." Any official involved in such crimes will forfeit hope of amnesty or leniency with respect to past action. Military units that want to live and act with honor should listen to coalition radio broadcasts to receive instructions as to how you may demonstrate that you do not intend to fight. You will have a place in a free Iraq if you do the right thing. But if you follow Saddam Hussein's orders, you will share his fate. And the choice is yours.

http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0303/20/se.08.html

[izzie]

7. Crime to let the sites from history to go.

----

[andino]

8. Correct me if I am wrong but...

Isn't it THEIR oil?

[Disturbed]

9. Talkin' 'bout crimes...

Rumsfailed Admitted to Violating Geneva Convention

Rumsfailed admitted in public on TV that when CIA Director Tenet requested that an Iraqi prisoner be sent to a secret Afghan/US Prison that Rumsfailed did so. After four months a DOD Attorney stated that this was an illegal act. Rumsfailed then ordered that this prisoner be sent back to Abu Graihib but the prisoner was purposefully not listed at that location, also an illegal act. Rumsfeld also admitted to signing orders for tougher interogation methods which violated the Geneva Conventions.

Rumfailed has commited at least three violations of the Geneva Convention; thereby also violations of The Constitution of the USA. Recently it has been found out that even more detainees were "ghost detainees". The fact that Rumsfailed and Tenet have not been charged speaks volumes. If Congress wishes to garner any respect they should move forward with Rep. Rangle's Impeachment Declaration of Rumsfailed and also proscecute Ex. CIA Tenet.

Does the US, Govt., Congress, and the Justice Dept no longer abide by the Geneva Convention or the Constitution of the USA?

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. In answer to your question

apparently not. Hopefully that will change once Kerry is in the WH.

[Disturbed]

12. Thanks for the reply.

I have posted this about 20 times and am pleased someone finally replied. This situation with War Crimes has me made angry beyond words.

[OneTwentyoNine]

11. Need Oil money to rebuild Iraq?? Thats funny....

Oil money isn't rebuilding in Iraq,US Taxpayer money is rebuilding Iraq. Wasn't that part of that 80 billion that Kerry voted against going for rebuilding Iraq?? All of it funded by US taxpayers instead of a loan to Iraq.