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Iraq: U.S. combat forces out, ExxonMobil, Shell, CNPC, BP in.
Today, Iraq officially regained full control of its towns and cities and declared June 30th National Sovereignty Day--a celebration of the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops.
But Iraq wasn't exactly handed over to Iraqi citizens. It was handed over to the international oil conglomerates. Iraq's oil ministry held an "auction" for eight contracts to its oil and gas fields. Only one contract has been awarded so far, to the BP group, which included China National Petroleum. Here's an Aljazeera article that has more details.
Interestingly, The Status Of Forces Agreement requires that U.S. combat forces withdraw from cities and redeploy to rural bases.
I don't know the precise location of all Iraq's oil and gas fields. But is it possible that troops are now being concentrated in rural areas of Iraq where many of the oil fields and pipelines are expected to go on line?
Does anyone have any research expertise in this area?
Was it the goal of the U.S. to liberate Iraqi citizens? Or Iraqi oil?
But Iraq wasn't exactly handed over to Iraqi citizens. It was handed over to the international oil conglomerates. Iraq's oil ministry held an "auction" for eight contracts to its oil and gas fields. Only one contract has been awarded so far, to the BP group, which included China National Petroleum. Here's an Aljazeera article that has more details.
Interestingly, The Status Of Forces Agreement requires that U.S. combat forces withdraw from cities and redeploy to rural bases.
I don't know the precise location of all Iraq's oil and gas fields. But is it possible that troops are now being concentrated in rural areas of Iraq where many of the oil fields and pipelines are expected to go on line?
Does anyone have any research expertise in this area?
Was it the goal of the U.S. to liberate Iraqi citizens? Or Iraqi oil?
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Gary, thanks for the link. I was quite worried about the abuse/corruption coming from the oil giants. But these contracts actually look quite good for the Iraqis. Iraq needs a lot of new infrastructure and they don't have the know-how. So they've got to bring in the big boys one way or another without giving away their oil. The fact that the corps will have to partner with an Iraqi firm and that they are paid in fixed per barrel fees seems reasonable. I found that Al Jazeera piece quite hopeful that this works out okay for Iraqis.
June 30, 2009 2:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, I agree Obey. I think Iraqis have every right to develop their natural resources, and call on the expertise of international corporations as they see fit.
But it's hard to separate that from the fact that the U.S. essentially opted to invade another country under false pretenses, and proceeded to blow it to smithereens, bringing the country's entire physical and economic infrastructure to its knees, creating a war in which an estimated 500,000 to 1 million Iraqi citizens were killed, and another 5 million became refugees.
What choice did we really leave them? Remember, before the invasion, the Iraqi oil industry was nationalized, not open to profiteers from the West.
It may seem like the Iraqi government is currently making its own decisions and is in charge of its own destiny, but didn't we force their hand?
June 30, 2009 2:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, the decision to destroy Iraq's infrastructure was a conscious one, as was to disband the Iraqi military and create 400,000 hungry, humiliated, trained, and armed "terrorists."
The thinking was the more chaotic Iraq got, the more Iraqis would accept whatever form of stability we finally provided them.
I believe the U.S. even wrote Iraq's election laws so that a universally unpopular puppet candidate like Allawi.
You know Maliki is a puppet by his declaring Iraqi Sovereignty Day just because its occupiers move a few miles from city centers.
And the same American empire that planned Iraq's destruction can easily do it again.
Remember the two British special forces who were arrested while disguised as Arabs, and armed with a large cache of artillery?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RBXerP0p3Q
I'm sure Israel could find ways to destabilize Iraq too, if they want the Americans to stick around...
June 30, 2009 5:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Iraqis do have the "know-how." There are businesspeople and engineers that haven't been employed for years that are eager to rebuild their country. Did you know that almost all infrastructure (including pipelines) were built by Iraqis and paid with dinar at taxpayer expense? Look up the details for the "K3 pipeline," which I had the honor of middlemanning. I attended regular meetings where the contractors were quite knowledgeable about the parts, know-how, and networking necessary to get their project completed.
July 1, 2009 9:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
Pretty much all of the elite in the ME are educated in Western colleges and universities. As DD would characterize it, it is part of thir caste system.
July 1, 2009 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
US troops aren't out either. They've just pulled back from the cities. I was talking with someone just the other day who was off to a going away party for a guy off to his second tour in Iraq.
June 30, 2009 8:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, Blue, I mentioned that combat troops have reportedly withdrawn from the cities and redeployed to rural areas. So here's the official statistical breakdown:
Before Iraq withdrawal: 131,000 troops in Iraq.
After Iraq withdrawal: 131,000 troops in Iraq.
July 1, 2009 12:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
What we wanted (among other things) is to not be in a position where Iraq could control such a large portion of world's oil supply on the whims of a crazy a-hole. We want an uninterrupted supply of oil.
June 30, 2009 10:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's all a lie. So our soldiers are off the city streets. So what? They are within striking range and they aren't going anywhere. They will all be there when the President is running for re-election repeating his vow to get our boys out of Iraq. What a load of crap that all is!
June 30, 2009 10:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree it all a lie, but I'd feel better if fewer of our boys are dying and the situation doesnt get worse. For those "ifs", I think its an improvement.
June 30, 2009 11:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
We have to protect our "interests". But really the troops will all be out within the next two years and that's a fact. Guess the oil company has some Mercs to hire.
July 1, 2009 1:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
I always wonder what is meant when someone says it is in our "national interest"? Great catch!
July 1, 2009 1:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yup! The military is just going where the oil is, and they feel confident the local gov't won't do a worse job of crowd control then they did.
July 1, 2009 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
The military is also anticipating an attack on Iran, in all probability, which would unleash the Iranian special forces and high grade explosives on the "American interests" in Iraq.
July 1, 2009 1:25 PM | Reply | Permalink