Kirkuk Status May Hold Up Oil Law

[babylonsister]

http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/3086/Kirkuk_Status_May_Hold_Up_Oil_Law

Kirkuk Status May Hold Up Oil Law
Qubad Talabani Presses Need to Settle Fate of Disputed City
By CHRISTINA DAVIDSON


Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, speaking in Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday, noted that the May 31 deadline for Iraq's passage of the hydrocarbons law had not been met, also stating, "We would certainly be happier if there were faster progress on the political front."

Oil Ministry spokesman Assem Jihad told The Associated Press in a telephone interview this week, "We hope the ratification of this law will be achieved no more than one month from now. This law is considered a major national project and achievement."

But the Kurdish Regional Government's representative in Washington, Qubad Talabani, indicates that the thorny problem of the Kirkuk referendum requires resolution before the hydrocarbon law could hope to receive support from Kurdish politicians.

As Laura Rozen writes in a new profile of Qubud Talabani, the 29-year-old son of Iraqi president Jalal, in the Washington Monthly:

"Although he does not openly suggest a quid pro quo, he hints that if the referendum is delayed, the Kurds may not be inclined to support a law ensuring central government control and revenue sharing of Iraq’s oil wealth, which Washington considers critical to Iraq’s political reconciliation. At least some Iraq watchers believe that Talabani may yet get his way. 'The U.S. has found it very hard to go against stuff in the constitution,' said Patrick Clawson, a Middle East expert and deputy director of research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. 'I am not as convinced that this can be easily postponed.'"

The referendum on Kirkuk is supposed to take place by the end of the year. Given the current US domestic political environment, it's unlikely the Democratic Congress would stomach such a lengthy delay on passage of the hydrocarbons law without re-doubling efforts to withdraw American troops.

[Rydz777]

1. I have not read the draft hydrocarbons law, and I'm not even

sure where to find it, but I have a read that it contains a provision (obviously dictated by the Bush administration) that requires the opening up of Iraq's oil fields to "foreign investment" - and this is another obstacle that prevents its acceptance of Iraq society.

[elfin]

2. Yes, a MAJOR proportion to "foreign" ie USA corporate

"investment" ie theivery. Don't know the percentage right now, but Randi did a segment today with a writer from NYT who explained that to these companies, it is essentially free oil without spending their own assets to develop or buy --- just the blood of our troops and taxpayer dollars.

That is the core of the legislation, while MSM will concentrate on how much the Sunnis or Kurds will get in revenue sharing.

That was probably the real reason for the Cheney visit, and now Gates.

If that moribund Parliament is bribed enough with more of our taxes, they may cave.

If they do, the deal is done and then Dumbya can truly say "Mission Accomplised" and withdraw, leaving the humoungous embassy filled with oil buddies and contractors and residual troop force to continue to die on their behalf.

I hope they do not pass it -- even though the gas pump will get even more painful to visit.