It is finally coming out…what this whole Iraqi War is about. Fadhil Chalabi, an Iraqi advisor to Bush before the invasion recently described the war as, "a strategic move on the part of the United States of America and the UK to have a military presence in the Gulf in order to secure (oil) supplies in the future."
Chalabi was rewarded for his service with an appointment as Iraq's oil under secretary before the invasion. He met with all the big multinational oil companies before the invasion, and called this, "a primary objective" of the War.
Excuse me? Did Bush or Cheney or Rumsfeld mention anything about oil in their justifications for the War? Wasn't it all about "WMD's" until there weren't any WMD's, and then it was about Al Qaeda connections until that one blew up, and then finally it was Saddam the merciless dictator…never mind the rest of the merciless dictators in the world. We had to rescue the poor downtrodden Iraqis. Right. Uh-huh.
There's more. It has just been announced that no-bid service contracts are about to be awarded to ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, BP and Total. This is most unusual. Service contracts are normally awarded to oil service companies, not the multinationals. Rumor has it that the oil biggies have insisted on "right of first refusal" for all contracts related to production in Iraq's oil fields. So even if other companies are allowed to bid, they can't win. The fix is in.
Iraq is about to open six major oil fields, half of their total reserves, to foreign investors. The fields are under "control" of the Iraq National Oil Company, but the foreign firms will keep 75% of the oil. This is absolutely unheard of in the Middle East, where nationalized oil companies own the fields and 100% of the oil.
How did we strongarm Iraq into such a sweet deal for our oil companies? They were over a barrel…they desperately need the income to start the recovery of their nation, and they need technical help to reopen the fields quickly. It seems that all the billions we…and the Iraqis…have provided in no-bid contracts to Halliburton and the like haven't accomplished much in rebuilding the country…although I am sure it did wonders for Halliburton's balance sheet.
If the Iraqi government ever gets back on its feet, these sweetheart deals will be the first to go, and rightly so. This is theft on a truly grand scale. Maybe that is why the Iraqi government is NOT getting back on its feet...and maybe won't for a long, long time...until we have sucked Iraq dry.
Some people don't think this is theft. They think we have a "right" to Iraqi oil. For instance, "independent conservative" radio host Jerry Doyle made the following comment recently:
"I think I have a quick way to bring the (oil) prices down. We've invested $650 billion to liberate a nation of 25 million people. Why don't we just take the oil?"
Wow! That blows me away. Fortunately he is just a radio hack and not in our government, but I wonder how many Bushies share his view?
What prompted this whole piece, though were three comments I read in a thread here on Gather on the subject of who owns the oil in the Saudi Arabia, and the rights of the Saudis to limit their production to control the price:
"It isn't their oil, it belongs to the world."
"They don't own it and the USA isn't alone in their "need," as the ENTIRE WORLD requires oil to survive and thrive."
The person who wrote this shall remain nameless. But the meaning is clear. In his opinion, we should enforce the "free flow" of oil because it belongs to everybody. That is a novel definition of mineral rights and national sovereignty to say the least.
I wonder how many people in the Bush administration share those views about Iraq's oil…or maybe ALL the oil in the world?
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Comments: 14
Who has watched this short video ? :
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/349.html
Who has read some of the many books that get to the truth of it all ... such as John Perkins "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" or "The Secret History of the American Empire"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjPoeQRewiE 10 min video.
There are so many other sources of information that tell the true hidden story about the control that has been exercised upon this world in secret ... those that believe the party line that the bulk of the oil resources have been nationalized by the middle eastern nations have no idea of how all of that is controlled in other ways via the financial power of the world bank and the like ... time to wake up folks.
Jerry Kays, Jul 10, 2008, 3:33am EDT
This scares the hell out of me. Our suspicions toward the most secretive of administrations just coming to light now must be just the tip of the iceberg. What other horrors await us?
We must forever be vigilant and never again allow the usurpation of this great nation by criminals, crooks and traitors.
We should begin by dismantling the propagandist machinery that has been used to hoist this abomination of an administration to the highest levels of government.
We must hold to account the smear-mongers such as Fox News, Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter and their well-established ilk.
Follow the link below to protest the Fox News smear campaign against Obama. These guys have not yet heard the news: we've got your number and we are coming after you for your disservice to this country.
http://pol.moveon.org/stopthesmears/?r_by=-9473400-igiHonx&rc=confemail
Al Franken was right. Read his books and you will come to know just how bad things have become and how this game has been played.
I'll also plug my article, inspired by Franken's work, "The Karl Rove Con and How to Fight It". It's a tutorial of the tactics used by the propagandists mentioned above as directed by their master Karl Rove.
The best way to show our disgust for what the Bush administration has pulled off is on election day and the election days that follow as the 69 (all Republicans who were present and 21 Democrats) who voted for the FISA AA attempt to retain their seats....we must vote them out. We must fire all that stand in the way (trample on) of the Constitution.
Here is something to watch. Obama voted in favor of the FISA Amendments Act, along with 21 other Democrats. All the Republicans who were present voted for the FISA AA. McCain was not present (nor was Sessions (R AL). So as the FISA AA becomes an issue in the election, McCain can say, when it suits his interests.."I didn't vote for it...but Obama did". When it suits his interests, McCain can say ..."See, Obama voted for FISA RR which shows that he supports the destruction of the 4th Amendment and the Constitution. What else is Obama willing to do to degrade our Constitution?"
So now, what do we do about our selection of candidates for the presidency? Looks like it may be the lessor of two evils. What the hell has Obama thinking? I have a notion, but now is not the time.
It is my hope that more Americans will become interested enough in the direction our country is headed that they will make an attempt to actually become informed. As Jerry has pointed out...the biased, spoon fed "news" of mass media is not the best way to learn the truth.
Good post Bert....dead center.
There was NO CHANCE that Iran or Al Qaeda would have gotten control of Iraqi oil until Bush attacked Iraq. Al Qaeda poses no threat to control of Iraqi oil, although they have certainly tried to sabotage it. The three factions...Sunnis, Shias and Kurds...will fight over it, though. The oil is mostly in Kurdish territory. Dividing up the oil proceeds is one of the big stumbling blocks in forming the Iraqi government.
It has been repeated here and everywhere else...drilling in ANWR or off our shores will not affect the price of oil, will only reduce slightly our dependence on foreign oil, and it won't have any effect for nearly ten years. Worse yet, it just postpones the day of reckoning when we have to deal with our "oil problem," and gives prople a license to continue driving their SUV's and put off serious conservation efforts. It is a short-sighted and selfish solution to the problem.
The ironic thing is...it's only "conservatives" like you who are pushing for this. I cannot think of anything "conservative" about trying to use up the last of our fossil fuels, leaving nothing for future
It's a sad fact of our political system that what candidates say during the campaign has little to do with what they will do once they are in office.
Still, I cannot imagine what Obama could do that would get me to vote for McCain.
Like earlier resource grabs by European countries, in the name of democracy and freedom, the US has unfortunately become an imperial nation. The companies and individuals that are benefiting from this are similar to the royalty and nobility of the past. They are equivalent to yesterday's princes, dukes, counts, barons and earls.
Me neither ... BUT ... though I have had reservations about him all along, that FISA vote sure increases them.
Chalabi is not particularly reliable, but I don't see what he would gain in lying about this. He a party to the deception, if what he says is true, a co-conspirator.
The thought of an American Empire turns my stomach, Verie. But it won't last long. Our power is declining rapicly as our wealth is squandered on stupid, senseless wars and excessive, unsustainable consumption.
Jerry...I know and I agree. As usual, I will end up picking the lesser of evils, I guess.
I know...what a mess. What on earth could have caused Obama to vote for the FISA bill except that he wants to broaden his support base and thinks that most of us WANT to be spied upon without a warrant....in the name of "security". This is bullshit...deep and smelly bullshit.
Obama has lost his luster for a number of us it seems. But McCain?...no way, no how, no chance of getting my vote.
Some will point out that all these guys are competitors, but that hasn't stopped them from partnering on other oil production projects the world over. On a particular field, one will be the "lead" and invite the others to share costs, risks, and naturally, rewards.
And Bush is one of 'em.
Good piece Bill.