Kucinich: Privatization of Iraqi Oil—Spoils of War to Bush Ally?

[slipslidingaway]

http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/0919-02.htm

"Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is seeking answers in the Administration’s involvement in an Iraqi oil deal that appears to benefit a large Republican donor and ally of President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

The recent oil deal between the U.S.-based Hunt Oil Company and the Kurdistan Regional Government raises questions, since Hunt Oil, a privately held oil company based in Texas and its founder, Ray Hunt, have close ties to Vice President Cheney and are large donors to President Bush. The deal also appears to undercut the goal of oil revenue sharing but is predictably consistent with the Administration’s attempt to privatize Iraqi oil assets. Both Hunt Oil Company and Kurdistan are strong allies with the Bush Administration.

“As I have said for five years, this war is about oil. The Bush Administration desires private control of Iraqi oil, but we have no right to force Iraq to give up their oil. We have no right to set preconditions for Iraq which lead Iraq to giving up control of their oil. The Constitution of Iraq designates that the oil of Iraq is the property of all Iraqi people,” Kucinich said.

Kucinich is calling for a Congressional investigation to determine the role the Administration may have played in the Hunt-Kurdistan deal, the effect the deal could have on the oil revenue sharing plan and the attempt by the Administration to privatize Iraqi oil.

“The Administration has misled Congress and the media into thinking that pending Iraqi oil legislation before Iraq’s Parliament was about the fair distribution of oil revenues,” Kucinich said. “But the Hunt Oil deal with Kurdistan should expose the real intent of that legislation, and that is, promoting a privatization scheme.

“It is hard to imagine that in Iraq there is any matter more controversial than oil. So long as the U.S. occupies Iraq, there can be nothing more damaging to the United States’ world reputation than the awarding of oil agreements to Bush Administration cronies.”

[slipslidingaway]

1. Thanks for the R's n/t

[FREEWILL56]

2. Way to go Dennis

Keep exposing the scum we have leading this country down the tubes.

[madokie]

3. Its all about the oil, always was always will be

bushco* are killing the Iraqi for their oil, who would have ever thought it
impeach both bush*/cheney*

[AuntPatsy]

4. In the middle east water is just as important and I believe some day soon

it will be just as important here.

[fenriswolf]

5. no spin

the only candidate who tells it like it is without coating it with a big ball of fluff and drival till the point is so obscure as to be invisable.

[Disturbed]

7. If Dems were presented the Kucinich policies without his name

attached most would vote for those policies, yet he is touted as being "un-electable".

[Sancho]

6. We'll keep troops there for decades if...

the Bushies and friends profit. That was the idea all along.

[AntiFascist]

8. K&R, all of these investigations should lead to impeachment proceedings n/t

[donkeyotay]

9. Bring up the whole CONFLICT OF INTERESTS issue

When the president's cronies are profiting in Iraq AT OUR EXPENSE, AT THE EXPENSE OF THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT, you've got to wonder why congress is discussing the Betray Us ad, and teevee is renewing their OJ serial.

We say we need stability in Iraq, yet the Shia-Sunni alliance in Anbar is killed while under our security (Blackwater?), the reconcilation between the factions is not made, our involvement is extended for decades. Money goes to whom and for what. Cui bono? Why do some keep claiming "enormous success" in Iraq. Where did the trillions go, and will they ever let us take control of our country back?

[slipslidingaway]

11. You are so right, connect the damn dots! n/t

[slipslidingaway]

10. Thanks for the K&R's. Here is the thread with the Scott Ritter

article which may have some relevance on this topic. Will anyone else join Kucinich in calling for an investigation :(

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

snip>>

"Working with local Kurdish officials, small oil exploration and drilling camps are sprouting up all over northern Iraq, where they siphon off the wealth of the Iraqi people. Shipped out of Iraq via Turkey and (surprisingly) Iran, using long-established smuggling routes, these illegal ventures are generating billions of dollars in income for oil companies, and because these ventures aren’t supposed to exist, this income goes unreported. You can’t miss these sites. Any review of Google-Earth imagery would show these facilities springing up like mushrooms over the last few years. The U.S. military knows about them, and yet does nothing. Note to Richard Kaplan (Katie Couric’s producer): If you want to investigate this story, I’ll provide you with the geographic coordinates. Drive up and try to talk your way into the security perimeter. Position Katie well for the camera shot and demand answers. Just look out for the Canadian, South African or American mercenaries who are charged by “Big Oil” to keep this dirty little secret “secret.”

[BornagainDUer]

12. ATTACK! ATTACK! ATTACK!! Don't give the motherfuckers a break

there is plenty of ammo (page after page of scandals) GO AFTER THEM!!