Iraq Oil Workers Strike to Stop Privatization

[donsu]

http://counterpunch.com/terrall05152007.html


Benchmark as Theft
Iraq Oil Workers Strike to Stop Privatization


-snip-

But these benchmarks are hardly a compromise for the Bush Administration, and the Times, along with most other U.S. news outlets, continue to ignore one of most important of the criteria being used to judge Iraq's "progress": legislation imported from the U.S. that threatens to give most of Iraq's oil to Western oil giants.

Antonia Juhasz, analyst for Oil Change International and author of The Bu$h Agenda: Invading the World One Economy at a Time, notes,

"What this law does is open up at a minimum, two thirds of Iraq's oil to private, foreign, corporate investment on terms that are literally the most generous available, just about anywhere in the world. Generous to the oil companies, that is. () The foreign oil companies do not need to transfer any technology. They don't need to share any of their skills. They don't need to train Iraqi workers, and () they don't need to invest any of their money in Iraq."

-snip-

*****

The Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions recently announced to the Iraqi government its decision to strike on Monday, May 14th to demonstrate strong opposition to the law now before the Iraqi parliament.

Federation President Hassan Jumaa Awad al Assadi said: 'The oil law does not represent the aspirations of the Iraqi people. It will let the foreign oil companies into the oil sector and enact privatization under so-called production sharing agreements. The federation calls for not passing the oil law, because it does not serve the interests of the Iraqi people."

The Union is joined in its condemnation of the pending law by all of Iraq's other trade unions, a number of political parties, and over 60 senior Iraqi oil experts.

*****

-snip-
--------------------------------


damn the neo cons

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. Now they'll be blaming Unions for high gas prices.

*sigh*

[whistle]

2. This is a blow to neocon values and Bush's Iraqi Freedom....

....workers of the world unit, you have only your chains to loose!

:kick:

[leftwingnut]

3. the picture of "success in Iraq" is becoming very clear...n/t

[liberal N proud]

4. I think we all knew what the regime was after from day one

It has never been about WMD's or Democracy just oil and maybe this will wake up a few more people.

[leftwingnut]

7. I have a funny feeling that if...

...this "Oil Law" passes...we will then see the WH claim there is "stability" in Iraq!!

"Duh...oh really?" "What a coincidence? Well, back to American Idol"!

[liberal N proud]

8. But then the troops will need to be there to protect American interest

Once they have control of the oil, then they will need to troops to protect the oil companies assets. The bu$h regime never plans on leaving Iraq.

We will have jut turned ANOTHER corner.

[leftwingnut]

9. Good point. I forgot about that.

That's why people sign up to join the greatest military in the world isn't it? To protect oil wells.

Oh and this will allow terrorist to kill Americans "over there" not here on our own soil...which is good because...terrorists love convenience...isn't that what I was told?

[liberal N proud]

10. Something like that

They would have to follow our troops home. Yeah right!

[Peace Patriot]

5. Whoa! This is the heart of the matter, isn't it? This is the heart of the whole goddamned

matter!

I was unaware of this strong, organized labor opposition. Thank you for this post! This says it all. It couldn't be clearer what the "surge" is all about, and also why "Blue Dog" (anti-union, global corporate predator) Democrats have supported it. And once again we have US soldiers (poor and middle class Americans) forced to be on the wrong side of a justice issue. I'm glad to see Antonia Juhasz on the case. What a brilliant woman she is! I was of course aware of the Bush/Big Oil law writing, but not of the organized labor opposition. I hope the strike is successful. And will US soldiers, and US-trained Iraqis, and US weapons, and US cs gas, and US rubber, wooden or depleted uranium bullets, be used to put it down? To bust labor unions? To kill union organizers (as our bullets are being used in Colombia). I hope not, but I fear so.

[donsu]

6. the TV media should be required to give this news

nt

[liberal N proud]

11. In the best of times they would have

But when you are in a world where the media is as controlled as Pravda was by the Russian government, you can't expect that to happen.